Ishinomaki

Ishinomaki was one of the towns hardest hit by the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, with the tsunami reaching up to 5 km inland and some 3,400 people killed.

• 🌍 Ishinomori Manga Museum (石ノ森萬画館, Ishinomori Mangakan), 2-7 Nakaze, ☏ +81 225-96-5055. W-M 09:00 to 17:00. It commemorates the works of manga artist and author Shotaro Ishinomori, who created several immensely popular long-running series such as Cyborg 009, the Super Sentai series (adapted into the Power Rangers series), and the Kamen Rider series. Aduly ¥900, child ¥250. (updated Apr 2024)
• The replica of the Japanese-built galleon San Juan Batista
• Mount Kinka
• Ojika Whale Park
• Ishinomaki St. John the Apostle Orthodox Church
• Kadanowaki area, once a sandy beach that completely disappeared after the tsunami.

The fishing port of Ayukawa (鮎川) is one of the homes of Japan's controversial whaling fleet, and whale (鯨 or くじら, kujira) is a local speciality served in many restaurants. Ethics aside, few locals are enamored with the stuff: in addition to tasting like fishy meat, it's commonly associated with wartime deprivation and school lunches.

• 🌍 Conbini Ayers Rock Hotel (コンビニＡｙｅｒｓＲｏｃｋホテル), 立町1丁目6-21 (exit Ishinomaki Station, go 1 block south and 3 blocks east; across from Ishinomaki Grand Hotel), ☏ +81 225-23-5030. Check-in: 16:00, check-out: 10:00. This hotel is a remodeled dormitory. There are vending machines and laundry machines. Single room for ¥3,980, twin room for ¥6,480, parking costs extra. 
• 🌍 Ryokan Tochigi (旅館とちぎ), 鋳銭場２－１２ (from the SE corner of Ishinomaki Station, this ryokan is 50m south down a footpath), ☏ +81 225-93-0510, fax: +81 225-93-0845. Check-in: 15:000, check-out: 10:00. This is an old business ryokan. It has many single and double rooms. There are shared baths and bathrooms. The friendly staff only speak Japanese. Fare includes breakfast and parking.. 

• Ishinomaki is a 30-minute drive from Matsushima, a beautiful bay with tree-covered islands.
• Ferries run from Ishinomaki to Tashirojima, Tohoku's Cat Island.
• Sendai, the biggest city in Tohoku, is less than an hour away, by train or car.
• Onagawa
• Minamisanriku
• Tome
• Wakuya
• Misato
• Higashimatsushima