Matsushima Bay, Bay in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan
Matsushima Bay is a bay in Miyagi Prefecture, northeastern Japan, dotted with roughly 260 small pine-covered islands spread across calm coastal waters. The shoreline alternates between open panoramas and narrow passages between the islands, giving the bay a constantly changing face.
The bay has been a place of Buddhist worship since the medieval period, when monks and pilgrims traveled to its islands and temples. In the early 17th century, the feudal lord Date Masamune had several religious sites in the area rebuilt and reinforced.
The bay is easy to reach by train from Sendai, and boat tours around the islands depart from the waterfront near Matsushima-Kaigan station. Some islands, like Fukuurajima, are connected to the shore by bridges and can be explored on foot without a boat.
The historic teahouse Kanrantei, still standing on the shore, was originally part of Fushimi Castle in Kyoto before being moved to this location. Its name literally means "watching the sea waves", which is exactly what visitors have done there for centuries.
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