September Itinerary Idea Day 3 (Iwate Prefecture Day 1    PM)

Table of contents

1. Geibikei boat ride

2. Head to Kesennuma

3. Dinner

After lunch at Ichinoseki, head to Geibikei. Geibikei is one of the 100 Landscapes of Japan.

1. Geibikei boat ride

(5-minute walk from JR Geibikei Station)

From Ichinoseki to Geibikei

Boat ride

15: 00-16: 30 (90 minutes boarding)

One ship goes into service every hour, the last shipping service from September 1st to November 15th departs at 16:00

Adults (junior high school students and above) Yen 1,800, elementary school students Yen 900, infants Yen 200

Geibikei is one of the 100 Landscapes of Japan. It is a national historical site scenic spot natural monument.

We can hear “Geibi Oiwake” sung by the boatman on the boat.

There are also barrier-free boats that can be used by wheelchair users. However, a reservation is required.

2. Head to Kesennuma

3. Dinner

We will stay and have dinner in Kesennuma. Kesennuma City is Miyagi Prefecture, and it will be a little back from Iwate Prefecture to Miyagi Prefecture. However, since it is an early morning itinerary and we are expected to get tired from the rental cycle in Hiraizumi, we thought it would be better to stay overnight in Kesennuma City, which is on the way to Rikuzentakata City, Iwate Prefecture. We will head to Rikuzentakata the next day.

Kesennuma City is located at the northern end of Miyagi Prefecture and is adjacent to Rikuzentakata City in Iwate Prefecture. Since there is no prefectural border on the sea, I think we can eat the same kind of fish and shellfish in Kesennuma City and Rikuzentakata City. Therefore, in Kesennuma City, we will eat seasonal fish from Miyagi prefecture and seasonal fish from Iwate prefecture.

We eat bonito, sardine, salmon, pacific saury, tuna, and abalone, which are seasonal seafood in September, at Japanese restaurants, sushi restaurants, small restaurants, and izakaya.

The brand of bigeye tuna is “Sanriku Shiogama Higashimono” (season is September-December). “Kinka bonito” (seasonal May-September), “Kinka mackerel” (seasonal September-January), and scallop (seasonal September-May) landed at Ishinomaki fishing port are also in season. 

In Kesennuma, bluefin tuna (seasonal September / October), marlin (seasonal July-September), Japanese flying squid (seasonal May-September), and mahi-mahi : common dolphinfish (seasonal July-September) are also seasonal fish. 

The seasonal fish and shellfish in September in Iwate Prefecture are yellowtail, salmon, pacific saury, abalone, Japanese flying squid, and kelp.

In Iwate prefecture, flatfish also seems to be in season from September to October.

In addition, the rainbow trout (cultured) “Hachimantai salmon” in Hachimantai, which can be eaten all year round, seems to be very delicious.

The salmon is covered with Miyagi prefecture, but “Iwate’s autumn salmon (salmon roe)” is selected as the autumn “pride fish” of Iwate prefecture selected by Japan Fisheries Cooperatives. The season for “Iwate’s autumn salmon (salmon roe)” is September-January.

In addition, “Rikuzentakata’s clinocardium californicus : Ezoishikage kai” has been selected as the summer “pride fish” in Iwate Prefecture. The season is from July to October, so you can eat deliciously in September as well.

According to the “Pride Fish” site, it is the “phantom shellfish” that is cultivated in an industrial-level cohesive manner only in Hirota Bay, Rikuzentakata. It seems that it is a member of Fulvia mutica :  Japanese egg cockle and is also called “Stonewall shellfish : Ishigaki shellfish” in the market.

(Note: The departure / arrival times and fares for transportation listed in the text are as of the time of writing the BLOG. They may change in the future, so please check for yourself when you go on a trip.)