As the Sendai Plain ends, we enter a cultural area defined by the Abukuma Highlands. Watari Town has a very rich history, but hikers will take the most note of the Watari horst mountains: the line of mountains at the northernmost part of the Abukuma Highlands. This almost 40 kilometer long ridge of mountains starts at Mt. Nanaune in Watari near Abukuma River and ends at Mt. Karosan. The MCT route follows this ridge while coming down off the mountains in places. Soon enough, you will ollow the MCT along this ridge’s hiking trails.
Watari Town
Cross Abukuma River to enter Watari Town, where the low Watari Plain stretches out between the Abukuma Highlands and the shoreline. The MCT route goes along the mountains and through the home of the Watari-Date clan before entering the peaks of the Abukuma Highlands.
The Abukuma Highlands are an elevated peneplain that continue for 170 kilometers from Miyagi Prefecture through Fukushima Prefecture and finally ending at the Kuji River in northern Ibaraki. Its gentle peaks resemble that of the Kitakami Highlands. Hikers on the MCT will enter the course going north to south along the Abukuma Highlands’ northern peaks. From the trailhead, build altitude and arrive at Konosu Pass to reach a pleasant hike along the ridge. It’s 5 kilometers until Mt. Shiho.
Yamamoto Town
Reach the top of 252 meter Mt. Shiho and next is Yamamoto Town. This is the first 12 kilometer long walk along a ridgeline in the MCT. After that, come down into Yamashita, Yamamoto Town and past Yamamoto Town Hall to enter National Route 6. National Route 6 goes along almost the same route as the Edo Hamakaido road and replaces National Route 45 as the nearby major road keeping you company. MCT hikers follow the Hamakaido (aka National Route 6) south. Near Miyagi Hospital, the Edo Hamakaido route branches left, away from National Route 6 and runs in parallel for a while. While the official MCT route stays on National Route 6, hikers who go on the Hamakaido route will eventually meet back up with National Route 6 and the main MCT route heading towards Sakamoto Station.
Near Sakamoto Station, the Abukuma hills go right up to the ocean and form a border between Miyagi Prefecture and Fukushima Prefecture, and continuing on to Nakahama on the seaward side. The 1000 kilometer mark of the MCT should be around Sakamoto River.
Walk past the Nakahama Memorial Tower and tsunami monument Former Nahakama Elementary School on your left, traveling south. Cross the road with former Joban line tracks on it, go past the pond, and pass below the Joban line overhead railway.
Enter Shinchi Town, in Fukushima Prefecture, the last prefecture for southbounders on the MCT. Shinchi and Soma combined make up 38 kilometers of the MCT, with 430 meter Mt. Karo to hike along the way. Shinchi Town is the northernmost municipality in Fukushima, captivating many hikers with its calm country landscape. Shinchi’s section starts close to the shoreline, heading west toward the forested area of Mt. Karo, surrounded by a wide open rice paddy landscape. Shinchi is a tough town for stocking up on food, but on the way to Ukon-Shimizu Spring with its fresh spring water is bread shop Bonheur Yasuhiro 66, which is just the spot for buying provisions. Go up the paved road, and from Suzu-u Pass enter Mt. Karo’s “Zao View Course.” This course will go along a pleasant 2 kilometers or so along a ridge, but the steep and possibly slippery climb before the top of Mt. Karo is suitably challenging for the MCT’s last climb up a summit. At the top are lovely views of the area. Relish the moment and think how you’d like to hike your last 26 kilometers. Many people will only have a day of walking left. Go through hot spring Karo no Yu, and past several ponds to go down to just in front of the Hamakaido route/Route 6.
Now to Soma City, the final chapter. In Soma, castle town stretches out to the east of Nakamura Castle ruins. Head for Matsukawa-ura, the southern terminus, while looking for traces of those castle days. First off is Misagozawa Pond, a reservoir pond that attracts many swans and other migratory birds in the winter. Soma has a lot of ponds. After the Tenmei-era famine in 1783, many new efforts were undertaken to try and improve the lives of the farmers and help the struggling Soma Domain to recover. One such effort was creating new reservoirs. Look at the maps to note how many ponds are dotted between the hills that surround Soma city center. Enter Nakamura Shrine from the back and then move on to Soma Shrine. Pass through the shopping area with its checkered game board-like tiling and then along Uta River. The south bank of Uta River has Narita and Tsubota areas, where the Hotoku method community renewal project was started. Cross Hyakken Bridge just before where Uta River joins Matsukawa-ura Lagoon, pass over the hills, and Matsukawa-ura Park is close by.
The MCT monument for the southern terminus should be easy to find in the park. It’s next to a horse figure, which is just like Soma, the home of the wild horse chase festival. Beyond is a monument engraved with the song “My Hometown Soma.” Come close and a sensor will trigger and play the song.
Hikers that want to end this journey at the ocean can go through the park and towards Matsukawa-ura Lagoon. Unoosaki Lighthouse has the perfect view to gaze at while mulling over your long journey.
Go past Matsukawa-ura Park and turn left at the coastline to visit Funakoshi area with its many inns. Keep going along the road and Matsukawa-ura Ohashi Bridge comes into view. Near the bridge is Hama no Eki Matsukawa-ura which not only sells local seafood and other products but has a restaurant with fresh seafood to enjoy. Stop by for a bite. There’s a bus stop in Matsukawa-ura to return to Soma Station.
Cross the bridge and at the base of the shoal is a hill and Unoosaki Lighthouse, and a view over the Pacific ocean. Look to the south and the scenery encountered on the MCT continues on. Past the shoal, a new journey awaits: the Fukushima Coastal Trail.