The Sanriku Coast is the eastern edge of Iwate, a 200-kilometre stretch of the Pacific shore where the Kitakami Mountains meet the sea in a series of deep, fjord-like inlets called rias. It is among the most dramatic coastline in Japan: steep headlands, sea caves, offshore rock stacks, and fishing villages tucked into narrow valleys that open directly onto the ocean.
The coast is accessible by the Sanriku Railway, a two-line narrow gauge service that runs between Kamaishi and Kuji with a mid-section gap. The train route follows the cliff edge in places, offering views that rival anything in the country. Key stops include Miyako, a working fishing port with access to the Kitayamazaki cliffs — sheer rock faces dropping 200 metres to the sea — and Kamaishi, the city that bore the worst of the 2011 tsunami and has rebuilt itself around a striking recovery memorial. The coast is best explored by train combined with short walks from the stations, or by car if you want to reach the more remote headlands.
The 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake generated a tsunami that reached heights of up to 40 metres in some of the narrow inlets along this coast, destroying entire fishing communities. The rebuilding has been extraordinary in its scale and speed, but the landscape still carries the marks of the disaster — seawalls, elevated road grades, empty lots where houses once stood. Coming here is not just scenic tourism; it is also an encounter with one of the great catastrophes of modern Japan and the resilience of the people who stayed.