A marker indicating the midpoint of the Michinoku Coastal Trail has been installed at Ono Beach in Hirota Town! (Near the restroom and shower facilities)
The Michinoku Coastal Trail is a long-distance trail that connects Hachinohe City in Aomori Prefecture and Soma City in Fukushima Prefecture, spanning over 1,000 kilometers along the Eastern coast of Northern Japan.
In recent years, many hikers from in and outside of Japan have been walking the trail, taking in the natural beauty of the Pacific Ocean coastline, and experiencing the history, culture, and warm hospitality of the local people.
The trail connects 29 cities, towns, and villages across 4 prefectures, but the midpoint happens to land right here in Hirota Town, Rikuzentakata City in Iwate Prefecture, so we took it upon ourselves to establish a sign to indicate this at Ono Beach.
What’s more, we enlisted help from the owners of “Yamakoya”, husband and wife woodworkers, who used locally sourced chestnut to create the marker.
※Yamakoya’s Instagram
We hope that anyone that visits this marker will enjoy it in their own personal way, such as reminiscing about one’s journey, or taking photos with the gorgeous Ono Beach as the background.
The midpoint marker is located at Ono Beach, near the restroom and shower facilities.
The location is slightly separated from the official Michinoku Coastal Trail route, so please make your way over the seawall to reach the beach.
※Official Michinoku Coastal Trail Online Map
Below and around the marker, there are wild seaside plants such as Sea Pea and Sea Bindweed. Please exercise caution when visiting the marker or taking photos to not damage the plant life.
