Start your adventure in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, by picking up a rental campervan from near Sendai Station. The Ishinomaki Area Tourism Promotion Organization rents campervans for exploring the Oshika Peninsula, as well as everything you need for camping such as tents and BBQ equipment.

From Sendai City, drive about an hour north to Ishinomaki, a fishing port that was severely impacted by the earthquake and tsunami. See the local community’s recovery efforts at Ishinomaki Genki Ichiba, a daily market that sells fresh seafood and local products, and enjoy lunch on the second floor with views of the Kitakami River.

Travel about an hour southeast to the Oshika Peninsula for a full- or half-day sea kayaking tour. This family-friendly tour allows you to explore the waters around the peninsula. It includes breaks for refreshment on the shore, as well as walks along part of the Michinoku Coastal Trail.

Later, drive to Oshika Gobansho Park at the southern tip of the Oshika Peninsula and take in sea views from its observation deck. Less than five minutes away is the Oshika Family Travel Village Auto Camping Ground where you can stay overnight in a tent or a cabin.

Drive north for about an hour-and-a-half to start your exploration of the Michinoku Coastal Trail. The approximately 1,000 km trail runs from Fukushima to Aomori and was developed as a symbol of the Tohoku region’s recovery after the Great East Japan Earthquake. Join a walking tour along a section of the old Kesenmichi Road that ran the length of the historical Sendai Domain (present-day Miyagi and southern Iwate) to learn about the area’s natural and cultural history. The tour meets at Minami Sanriku Hotel Kanyo and is operated by the Okinakura Experience Explorer Leaders (OEELs). The group arranges a range of activities in the area from sea kayaking, and stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) to snorkeling and nature walks.

Lunch is at Minamisanriku Sun Sun Shopping Village. This shopping plaza started as a collection of temporary stores in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake and tsunami, which destroyed nearly 95% of the town of Minamisanriku. It is now a permanent complex with 28 stores.

Continue driving north to Goishi Coast Camping Ground in Iwate to enjoy your final night of camping (or stay in a hotel in Ofunato, about 20-minutes further north). On the way, you can make a detour to visit Oshima Island, where an observatory at the top of Mount Kameyama affords sweeping views of the surrounding bay.

From the camping ground, you can walk to the Goishi Coast Rest House, which is the meeting point for a walking tour in the Sanriku Geopark, which stretches from Miyagi to Aomori. This is the largest geopark in Japan and is known for its pebble beach, jagged coastlines, and dramatic rock formations. Learn about its geological features and how they were formed on this 90-minute guided tour.

After the tour, travel inland to Rikuzentakata, a city in Iwate that was heavily damaged by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. The Miracle Pine Tree was the lone surviving tree of the Takata Pine Forest after the tsunami, and became a symbol of hope for the community. Unfortunately, the tree later died due to its exposure to saltwater, but it has been preserved in a full-scale reconstruction. Seeds from the miracle tree have been planted nearby, to regrow the forest.

Have lunch at Rikuzentakata Fermentation Park CAMOCY. Similar to the Minamisanriku Sun Sun Shopping Village, this is a collection of stores and restaurants that was established in the aftermath of the 2011 disaster.

Once you have finished exploring the area, you can drive back to Sendai to return the campervan, before continuing your onward journey.