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The Best Section of the Michinoku Coastal Trail in Japan



I hiked from Kitayamazaki ( https://goo.gl/maps/qCR8m4FKeb1MgSxh6 ) to the Ragaso Hotel ( https://goo.gl/maps/NRHqhq1u5KF1NwT17 ), which I think has some of the best landscape in the entire 1,000km Michinoku Coastal Trail. I also love the area to the north of the Unosu Cliffs ( https://goo.gl/maps/G9miR47PwJmktQnB6 ) but to hike that far down in one day I’d need to start early and have a nice long June day, not these crazy short winter ones.

The video I mentioned where you can take a boat along this route is here: https://youtu.be/FDj5VhHN5M4

I can be your guide hiking along the coast, or just taking you to a few great spots by car (or anywhere else in the region). This page is still incomplete- but am expanding and adding more details here soon: https://gonorth.jp/services/local-guidance/ Feel free to reach out on Instagram, email through the channel, or however you want to contact me!

The government website has lots of great information and maps: http://tohoku.env.go.jp/mct/english/
The section I hiked this time is here: http://tohoku.env.go.jp/mct/english/top/pdf/06_tanohata_map.pdf

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#michinoku #michinokucoastaltrail #tohoku

Gear used in this video (links are affiliate links, if you purchase anything through them I get a tiny percentage which nevertheless helps me continue to make these videos):

GoPro HERO9 Black (https://amzn.to/3pCCEA8)
DJI Mavic 2 Zoom (https://amzn.to/3aDiqSW)
Sony ZV-1 (https://amzn.to/3duiq9v)

24 Comments

  1. Does anyone else ever feel bad about Quinlan leaving a camera behind to get footage of him walking past, knowing that he'd have to double back to grab the camera?

  2. Wow it's so gorgeous there. Looked pretty empty too… Did you see anyone else on your hike? Does it get busier in the Spring/Summer?

    Thanks for sharing this piece of the trail.

  3. The painful thing is that the Japanese seem to measure hiking distances as the crow flies… so the coastal trails look unitimidatingly short because the (MASSIVE) vertical distances you cover aren't counted… at least that's what it was like for me at Izu Kogen – highly recommended as well though, super beautiful landscape. Welp, at least they had lots of Onsen there to treat the muscle pain.

  4. Great Video with some lovely views ( I could name , around the 5th,6th minute of the video ( the sand beaches ) , the 7th minute of the video and towards the end of the video around the 10th minute of the video , just to name a few ) . I suspect the sunset from the Akito beach ( if I got the name correctly ) should also be stunning and while in Akito beach I suspect our good old friend Neptune ( don't know the Japanese equivalent ) doesn't really like walls ( or sea walls to that effect ) . For the most part the trail looked quite accesible ( although I have to admit that in a couple of occasions i felt a bit uneasy ( the metal ladder around 05:19 and then the small ladder at 06:44 ) with hiking shoes likely since hiking boots would be rather heavy footwear . One last thing if I may . This part of the trail should be nicknamed the "One Thousand Steps trail" for the many steps . All in all it should made a pretty intresting experience .

  5. Gorgeous coast trail. Are there any camping spots along it where you could spend the night?

  6. That's a spectacular trail. The variation between the coast and mountain are really nice. I wonder how different it is during spring or summer.

  7. Such beautiful shots in this video, you really have an eye for beauty, and surrounded by so much of it along that stunning coastline, it must have been more of a challenge deciding what not to include in the video than what to include. I especially loved the shot around the 10 minute mark where you're walking the path between the pine trees with the ocean either side, gorgeous! The waves at the end were beautiful to watch too.

    Is the coast there usually snow free at this time of year or has it just not been a very snowy winter?

    Thanks again Quinlan for making this content, it's such an enjoyable corner of the internet.

  8. The Michinoku Coastal Trail is awesome! I have aspirations to section hike the entirety of it while I live in Japan. So far, I've done the first 30 miles or so starting in Hachinohe – south from Hachinohe, West to Mount Hashikami, East back to the coast. I'm stoked to see this section in person when the time comes!

  9. What a very beautiful area! Thanks for taking us along, it was beautiful! I love the ocean, I miss it very much!

  10. Breathtaking as usual, Quinlan! Is it worth it to put your camera down for a walk-away? Could you use your drone to to achieve the same effect?

  11. What a stunning views, I so much enjoyed watching your video. Thank you for sharing.

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