A coastline-hugging hiking trail in northeastern Japan has been gaining acclaim with overseas adventurers, raising hopes it will bring a tourism boom to an area that is still recovering from the 2011 earthquake-tsunami disaster.
The 1,025-kilometer Michinoku Coastal Trail, which fully opened in 2019 and spans four prefectures on the Pacific Ocean-facing Sanriku coast, has received rave reviews from overseas visitors who have walked the path — either in parts or all of it.
They speak of not only the spectacular scenery visible along the trail but also the emotional reminders of the natural disaster and the resilience of the locals, many of whom are still reeling from the tragedy.