Tanesashi Coast is a spectacular coastal landscape in the easternmost part of Hachinohe City, Aomori Prefecture, facing the Pacific Ocean. Stretching for approximately 12 kilometers, the coastline forms part of the Sanriku Fukkō National Park and was designated a Place of Scenic Beauty by the Japanese government in 1937.
What makes Tanesashi Coast particularly special is the unusual landscape where natural green lawns extend almost all the way to the ocean. Along the coast, visitors can encounter more than 650 species of plants, rugged rock formations, sandy beaches, pine forests, and a rich variety of wildlife.
The scenery changes dramatically with the seasons, making Tanesashi Coast an outstanding destination for walking, hiking, photography, and simply relaxing beside the sea.
Tanesashi Coast is sometimes called the “Shore of Flowers” because of the extraordinary variety of wildflowers that bloom between spring and autumn.
From approximately May through October, different flowers appear one after another. In spring, visitors may see Michinoku adonis and Japanese primroses, while summer brings bright daylilies and rugosa roses. In autumn, Ezo loosestrife and Japanese chrysanthemums add new colors to the landscape.
The combination of colorful wildflowers, green grass, blue ocean, rugged rocks, and old pine trees creates scenery that often looks like a painting.
More than 100-year-old pine trees can be found in parts of the coastline, while unusual rock formations are scattered along the shore. Seabirds, including black-tailed gulls, can often be seen flying above the ocean.
Rather than being a single viewpoint, Tanesashi Coast is a large natural area with many different landscapes. Visitors can spend several hours walking between viewpoints and beaches while enjoying the changing scenery.
Spring brings wildflowers and fresh greenery, creating a colorful and lively landscape.
Summer is one of the most popular seasons, when the vivid contrast between the blue Pacific Ocean and the brilliant green grass is at its most impressive.
Autumn brings wild chrysanthemums, autumn foliage, and softer colors to the coast.
Winter offers a completely different experience. The Pacific can become rough and dramatic, with powerful waves crashing against the rocky shoreline. Snow and cold winds create a stark but beautiful northern landscape.
At the northern end of the Tanesashi Coast area is Kabushima, an important breeding ground for black-tailed gulls. The island is designated as a Natural Monument of Japan.
Every year, from around March through August, tens of thousands of black-tailed gulls gather here to breed and raise their young.
The sight and sound of thousands of seabirds filling the sky is one of the most memorable experiences along the coast.
At the top of Kabushima stands Kabushima Shrine, which has long been revered by local fishing communities as a guardian of fishing and safe voyages.
The combination of the historic shrine, the Pacific Ocean, and thousands of seabirds creates a landscape that is unlike almost anywhere else in Japan.
For visitors interested in Japanese culture, Kabushima also offers an opportunity to see how religion, fishing traditions, and the natural environment have been closely connected for generations.
The central section of Tanesashi Coast contains several spectacular viewpoints and beaches. Among them, Ashigezaki Observatory is one of the most popular.
Ashigezaki Observatory stands dramatically at the tip of a coastal cliff and has a distinctive appearance reminiscent of a small European fortress.
The site has a long history. During the final years of the Edo period, it was used as a lookout point for monitoring foreign ships. During World War II, the area was also used as a military facility.
Today, the military history has disappeared from the landscape, and the observatory is best known as a place where visitors can enjoy sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean and rugged coastline.
Nearby stands the white Samekado Lighthouse. Its bright white tower creates a striking contrast with the deep blue ocean and sky, making it one of the most photogenic landmarks along the coast.
The surrounding cliffs and grasslands also provide excellent opportunities for photography, especially on clear days.
Osuka Beach stretches for approximately 2.3 kilometers and is known for its beautiful white sand.
The beach is also famous for a natural phenomenon known as “singing sand.” When the dry sand is stepped on under the right conditions, it can produce a distinctive squeaking or chirping sound.
Walking across the sand and listening for the unusual sound is a fun experience for both children and adults.
The Tanesashi Natural Lawn is perhaps the most famous landscape along the entire coastline.
Here, a broad carpet of natural grass stretches almost to the edge of the Pacific Ocean. The vivid green of the lawn contrasts dramatically with the blue sea, creating the scenery that has come to symbolize Tanesashi Coast.
Visitors are free to walk across the grass, sit down, or simply lie back and enjoy the open landscape. The enormous sense of space makes this an ideal place to slow down and appreciate the natural environment.
Nearby, visitors can discover the Yodo Pine Grove, home to pine trees that are more than a century old.
Another unusual landmark is Shiroiwa, or “White Rock,” which has become pale due in part to the droppings of seabirds such as cormorants.
These distinctive features demonstrate the variety of natural processes that have shaped the coastline and give visitors even more reasons to explore beyond the main lawn.
At the southern end of the Tanesashi Coast area lies Okuki, where visitors can see traditional structures connected with the region’s fishing heritage.
Among them are old thatched-roof fishermen’s huts, which offer a glimpse into the way local fishing communities once lived and worked along the coast.
Iwagishima Shrine, located on Benten Island, also has a remarkable modern history connected with the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami.
A torii gate belonging to the shrine was swept away by the disaster and eventually washed ashore on the west coast of the United States. It was later returned to Japan and restored.
The story has become a powerful symbol of the connections that can remain between communities even across the Pacific Ocean.
The beauty of Tanesashi Coast has inspired artists, writers, and other cultural figures for generations.
Hatsusaburo Yoshida, a famous Japanese artist known for his bird’s-eye-view illustrations, built a second residence here and used the area as a base for his creative activities.
The celebrated Japanese painter Kaii Higashiyama also sketched the scenery of Tanesashi Coast. It is said that his sketches made here contributed to the creation of his renowned painting “The Road.”
The area also impressed the novelist and travel writer Ryotaro Shiba. In his travel writing series Kaido wo Yuku, he praised the beauty of Tanesashi Coast and expressed the idea that if one wanted to teach someone about the beauty of the Earth, this would be a place worth visiting first.
These connections with artists and writers demonstrate that the appeal of Tanesashi Coast goes beyond its visual beauty. The landscape has also influenced the way people have imagined and expressed the natural beauty of Japan.
One of the best ways to experience Tanesashi Coast is on foot.
A walking trail connects Kabushima with the Tanesashi area, allowing visitors to explore the coastline at a relaxed pace. Along the way, the scenery changes from seabird colonies and cliffs to sandy beaches, flower-covered grasslands, pine forests, and open coastal viewpoints.
Because the coastline is approximately 12 kilometers long, visitors can choose how much of the trail they want to explore according to their available time and fitness level.
For travelers who enjoy nature walks and photography, the route provides countless opportunities to stop and appreciate the landscape rather than simply passing through it by car.
The most popular period for visiting Tanesashi Coast is from May through October.
During these months, wildflowers are in bloom, the grass is lush and green, and the contrast between the lawn and Pacific Ocean is especially striking.
Summer is particularly attractive for travelers who want to enjoy the classic blue-and-green landscape of Tanesashi Coast. Spring and autumn, however, offer their own distinctive colors and quieter atmosphere.
Winter is considerably colder, but it provides a dramatic alternative. Strong Pacific winds and powerful waves create an impressive northern seascape, while snow can transform the familiar green landscape into something much more austere and mysterious.
Tanesashi-Kaigan Station on the JR Hachinohe Line is located close to the main Tanesashi area, making the coast particularly convenient for visitors traveling by train.
A walking trail connects the Kabushima area with Tanesashi Coast, allowing visitors to explore several attractions as part of a longer coastal hike.
Visitors can also use the local “Umineko-go” one-coin bus, which connects sightseeing areas and provides a convenient way to explore the coastline without a car.
Tanesashi Coast is a rare place where a broad natural lawn meets the Pacific Ocean, creating an extraordinary landscape that combines sea, grassland, flowers, cliffs, beaches, forests, and wildlife.
Its appeal is not limited to one famous viewpoint. From the black-tailed gulls of Kabushima and the ocean views from Ashigezaki Observatory to the singing sands of Osuka Beach and the vast natural lawn of Tanesashi, each section of the coast offers a different experience.
The area’s history and cultural connections add another dimension to the visit. Traditional fishing huts, historic shrines, artists’ landscapes, and stories connected with the 2011 disaster all reveal the close relationship between the people of Hachinohe and the Pacific coast.
For travelers visiting Hachinohe, Tanesashi Coast is an ideal destination for walking, photography, nature observation, and simply taking a break from busy city sightseeing. With its easy access from the city and its constantly changing scenery, this remarkable coastline offers an unforgettable introduction to the natural beauty of northern Japan.