Japan Photo of the Week: Matsushima

Japan has a “top three” for almost everything you can think of, ranging from “three most famous castles” to “three most famous tunnels” and even “three biggest disappointments.” What Japan Thinks, has an interesting poll about it and a nice list of 30 “the best of,” so if you want to see more, check that out. Perhaps the most famous of the “the three most nani nani” is “the three most scenic (sometimes beautiful is used) views of Japan.” I have been to all three and they, in no particular order other than which I think is most scenic, are Miyajima, Matsushima, and Amanohashidate. To be honest, it really is not fair to compare Miyajima to the other two because Miyajima is much more diverse and has so much more to offer than the other two, so there is something for everyone. That being said, if the weather is nice and you go at the right time of day (early morning or late afternoon), the other 2 places really can be quite scenic. Here is a photo from Matsushima, which is located in Tohoku, the northern region of the main island of Japan.

Matsushima is a group of hundreds of small islands, covered with pine trees, off the coast of Miyagi Prefecture. I have been there a couple of times and I cannot stress enough how much this place changes with the weather and time of day. For me, the difference was placing Matsushima on the “three most scenic” list and the “three biggest disappointments” list. Some of the islands are big enough to walk around on, but the best way to see all Matsushima is to take a boat ride in the bay.

This photograph was taken by Evan Pike. If you would like to see more or buy this photograph, check out the gallery.