Ishinomaki was the area hit hardest by the Great East Japan Earthquake. The Ishinomaki Minamihama Tsunami Memorial Park was developed as a place for memorial services, and as a base for passing on the memories and lessons of the disaster to posterity.
Life is returning to normal for people along the coast after a strong-spirited recovery from the 2011 tsunami. Meet these people and hear their stories through an engaging fishing experience.
Animal husbandry is flourishing in the soil of Towada volcano. There is plenty of meat that is essential for bara-yaki, such as ‘Towada Shorthorn Beef’ which uses recycling-based agriculture, and is low in fat and has a lot of umami. There is also the ‘Oirase Garlic Pork’, which feeds on garlic, that has the largest in production in Japan.
Towada volcano, which started its activity about 200,000 years ago, erupted repeatedly and became a caldera, and because of its high altitude, there were no inflowing rivers and a highly transparent Lake Towada was created.
The Oirase Stream is home to about 300 different kinds of moss. You can enjoy a ‘moss walk’ with a loupe in hand.
Breads and rolls known as “Tokachi pan” are made with 100 percent local wheat. And lest you forget dessert, the confections made from local azuki (red beans) are a special treat as well.These are among the many wonderful culinary attractions to enjoy when visiting Tokachi.
The great outdoors of Tokachi is enjoyable in every season of the year: the budding plants in spring, the crops laden with their bounty in summer, and, in fall, the industrious harvesting of crops by large agricultural machinery all have their own charms. Winter is a special time when the plains are enveloped by air as cold as -25° C. The landscape becomes a wonderland of diamond dust, hoarfrost, and other marvels of winter.
Tokachi Garden Spa provides a way for families to enjoy the moor’s unique hot spring water together. For a bit of light agricultural education, join the Field Guided Tour, a popular activity that includes sampling freshly harvested foods. Culinary enthusiasts will also enjoy visiting a workshop to learn how to make cheese and prosciutto.
Since its inception, the mochi cuisine of Ichinoseki-Hiraizumi has evolved separately from that of other parts of Japan. Today there are more than 300 variations. Although contemporary ingredients can now be found in such combinations as pizza mochi, mochi cabbage rolls, and mochi spring rolls, look also for established standards, such as anko (red bean), walnut, and fusube (burdock root, daikon and chili pepper with chicken, or more conventionally, pond loach). There’s even a mochi parfait to satisfy sweet-tooth cravings.
Ichinoseki and Hiraizumi offer spectacular scenery. Geibikei Gorge, with its 100m-high cliffs, is one of Japan’s 100 most scenic spots.
