Michinoku Coastal Trail - Same Station to Okuki Station - Aomori, Japan
I discovered the Michinoku Coastal Trail while searching for hikes. This new 1000+ km trail follows the Pacific coast in Japan’s Tohoku region. Since campgrounds are closed in winter, I planned my route around transportation options and gave myself about eight days to cover key sections.
I started at Same Station—one of the coolest train stations I’ve seen (in Japanese, "Same" means shark). Heading south along the coast, I relied on offline GPS since trail markers were sparse at first but improved later. The trail was snowy, with some icy and muddy sections due to melting snow. While the trail is open year-round, many facilities, including toilets, are closed in winter—so use any available ones when you can!
The coastal views with snow were spectacular. About 2 km from my destination, the snow and wind picked up. I barely caught my train in time—missing it would’ve meant a two-hour wait!
Getting There
You can reach Hachinohe by taking the Shinkansen from Tokyo, the fastest option at around three hours. For a more budget-friendly alternative, long-distance buses also run from Tokyo, though the journey takes about eight to ten hours.
Once in Hachinohe, take the local Hachinohe Line to Same Station. From there, it’s about a 15-minute walk to the official starting point of the trail, Kabushima Shrine.
Route Overview
Distance: 12.49 km (Same Station → Okuki Station)
Total elevation gain: 238 m
Duration: 2 hr 45 min (with breaks 3 hr)
Difficulty: Intermediate
Cost Breakdown
Train: Hachinohe Station → Same Station — ¥240
