Jodogahama Beach

Jodogahama is a nationally designated Place of Scenic Beauty, a beautiful coastline reached by taking the Yamada Line from JR Morioka Station for about 2 hours 30 minutes, getting off at Miyako Station, then riding a bus for 20 minutes and walking one minute from the Oku-Jodogahama bus stop. Located at the heart of the Sanriku Fukko National Park and the Sanriku Geopark, Jodogahama is one of Sanriku’s most representative scenic destinations. The name is said to have been given in the Tenna era (1681–1683), when Ryokyo Ryuko, the seventh head priest of Jozan-ji Temple in Miyako, exclaimed that it was "as if it were the Pure Land paradise." The sea here is known for its clarity and gentle waves, and during the official beach-opening season it becomes lively with swimmers. In winter, many travelers also visit to see Jodogahama covered in snow, making it a popular sightseeing spot year-round. The distinctive shoreline is formed of rhyolite, a volcanic rock created by magma activity around 52 million years ago; because it contains a high amount of silica, it is thought to appear white. The contrast of sharp white rhyolite pillars, green pine trees, and the deep blue sea is striking and well worth seeing in person.