Goishi coast [碁石海岸]

Goishi coast ("Goishi Kaigan" in Japanese) is the coast around the tip of a small Massaki Peninsula.
It is located 8 km south of Ofunato city in the southern part of Sanriku Coast.

Along the coast line about 6 km long, there are rocky cliffs, small beaches and many uniquely shaped rocks.

"Goishi" means "a game piece of Go".
"Go" is a board game playing in Japan, China and Korea mainly, and two players having white or black Goishi put on the board by turns.

Goishi is a flat and round stone.
In Goishi coast, there are the small beaches covered with such stones like black Goishi.

The stone is black mudstone, and it is thought that the deep sea bottom with mud of marine snow were pressed by earth plate and it became the stone over 100 million years ago.

So, we can see the various geological sceneries.

Many uniquely shaped rocks are along the coast.
Particularly Anatooshi-iso rock (穴通磯) is known as a big rock with three holes.

There is Goishi-Kaigan Information Center near the coast and you can get the info about the coast.
And, there is a restaurant and a souvenir shop neat it.

Some walking trail are set up around the coast, and there are a few observatories you can see the caost and the see.

You can visit Anatooshi-iso and some unique rocks by small boat.
It is operated from Ebisu-hama beach at the southwest part of the coast.
It is operated from June to November, and the cruising time is about 40 minutes.

How to get here

First, go to Sakari station (the central station in Ofunato city)

From Ichinoseki (a station of Tohoku Shinkansen) to Kesennuma, about 1 hour and 25 minutes by local train of JR Ofunato Line.
From Kesennuma, the bus is operated instead of train.
To Sakari, about 1 hour 10 minutes.

From Kamaishi, about 50 minutes to Sakari by Sanriku Railway.

Then, from Sakari station, there are only two services of the route bus to Goishi coast in the daytime.
So, from there, you should use a taxi or a rental car.

Or, there is Goishi-Kaigan-guchi stop on the bus route of JR Ofunato Line between Kesennuma and Sakari.
About 50 minutes from Kesennuma, about 18 minutes from Sakari.

After you get off the bus, you walk about 4 km to Goishi coast. (About 1 hour)

Other Tourist Attractions in Sanriku Coast

Northern Part

Southern Part

Return to Sanriku Coast Return to Iwate Prefecture Return to Tohoku Region