Michinoku Coastal Trail marks five years since opening; Walking event brings hundreds of people to Iwate Pref. To celebrate

A group of 332 hikers from Tokyo, Osaka and other prefectures gathered at Jodogahama Beach in Miyako, Iwate Prefecture, on Sunday for a hiking event to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the opening of the Michinoku Coastal Trail.

This nature trail, which winds about 1,000 kilometers along the Pacific coast of the Tohoku region, is one of the long-distance trails developed nationwide by the Ministry of Environment and connects the four prefectures of Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima.

The trail was developed as part of the reconstruction work after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, and on June 9, 2019, the entire route between Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture, in the north and Soma, Fukushima Prefecture, in the south, was opened to the public.

Sunday’s event, the “Michinoku Coastal Trail Walk in Miyako with Pokemon Local Acts,” was organized by the Ministry of Environment and the Michinoku Coastal Trail Walking Committee, with support from The Yomiuri Shimbun and others, as well as special sponsorship from Asics Corp. and Japan The Tohoku branch of Airlines Co.

The event consisted of two courses, an 8-kilometer long course and a short 5-kilometer course, both centered on the scenic Jodogahama Beach and ending at the Roadside Station Miyako Seatopia Naado tourist facility.

The walk was also attended by Minister of State for the Environment Tetsuya Yagi and Jordanian Ambassador to Japan Lina Annab, who have worked hard to develop the world-famous “Jordan Trail” in her own country.

After participating in the walk, Yagi said: “I felt the ancient majesty of Sanriku’s natural environment. We need to tell the world more about it.” Annab, who walked the short course, said of the landscape at Jodogahama: “The color of water, the way it changes, it’s really fascinating.”

“I think exchanging knowledge and information and learning from others. I think [those] are one of the important things,” she added.

Hikers who completed the course enjoyed the privilege of having their photos taken with the official “Iwate Support Pokemon” Geodude, as well as the very popular Pikachu. Yutaka Kakuchi, a 52-year-old office worker from Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture, completed the long-distance course and said: “The entrance to Jodogahama was very beautiful. We were blessed with good weather and were able to walk comfortably.”