Touring The Bay
The best approach to Matsushima is via SHIOGAMA , from where you can travel on across the bay by boat . A busy industrial and fishing port with a large tuna fleet, Shiogama lies on the JR Senseki line, which runs from the basement of Sendai Station through Hon-Shiogama (25-40min; Y400) to Matsushima and beyond. The station's tourist information office (daily 10am-4pm) can give you timetables and point you to the Marine Gate ferry pier, ten minutes' walk to the east; turn right outside the station and right again under the train tracks, and you'll see the modern terminal building straight ahead. The Marine Gate pier is the departure point for both local ferries serving the inhabited islands and tourist boats , which take a leisurely trip through Matsushima Bay before dropping you in Matsushima town. In high season (April-Nov) boats run every thirty minutes (8am-4pm; 50min; Y1420, or Y2220 for the upper deck), and there's also the option of a longer voyage into the northern reaches of the bay (11.10am; 1hr 50min; Y2950). From December through March, there are sailings every hour only on the shorter course. It's also possible to take a cruise round the bay from Matsushima tourist pier (roughly every hour 8am-4pm; 45min; Y1400), though they tend to be more crowded than the boats from Shiogama. Another more interesting route goes north from Matsushima to Miyato-jima , with the possibility of catching a later boat back (May-Oct 9am & noon; 1hr; Y1220). Alternatively, rent your own four-person motorboat from Matsushima's two smaller piers; rates start at Y4000 for a twenty-minute ride.
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