The steel shell is all that remains of this three-storey building, standing alone in what once was central Minami-Sanriku. It has been preserved by the locals as a touching memorial to the lives that were lost here. This whole area is being turned into a memorial park, due to open in 2020.
Minami-Sanriku Crisis Management Centre
Northern Honshū (Tōhoku)
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
29.14 MILES
Established in AD 850 by the priest Ennin, the Chūson-ji complex was expanded by the Ōshu Fujiwara family in the 12th century. A total of 300 buildings…
15.06 MILES
High in the hills above Kesennuma, this local art museum houses the largest collection of photographs and artefacts in existence relating to the 2011…
29.73 MILES
Tōhoku’s finest Zen temple, Zuigan-ji was established in AD 828. The present buildings were constructed in 1606 by Date Masamune to serve as a family…
29.11 MILES
Gilded and gleaming up to its eaves, with elaborate lacquerwork and mother-of-pearl inlay throughout, the Konjiki-dō, in the Chuson-ji complex, was at the…
26.86 MILES
This 6km scenic stretch of rocky coastline and picturesque beaches around Ōfunato is home to a number of geological attractions, including Ranboya Gorge,…
18.63 MILES
This popular manga museum's other-worldly spaceship structure survived the tsunami largely intact, while the collection has since been restored and…
28.11 MILES
Established by the priest Ennin in AD 850 at the same time as Chūson-ji, Mōtsū-ji was once Tōhoku’s largest and grandest temple complex. The buildings are…
29.56 MILES
You can't miss the 252m-long red wooden bridge connecting Fuku-ura-jima to the mainland. The shady trails here, which wind around the island through…
Nearby Northern Honshū (Tōhoku) attractions
15.06 MILES
High in the hills above Kesennuma, this local art museum houses the largest collection of photographs and artefacts in existence relating to the 2011…
2. Ishinomori Mangattan Museum
18.63 MILES
This popular manga museum's other-worldly spaceship structure survived the tsunami largely intact, while the collection has since been restored and…
3. Miyagi Sant Juan Bautista Museum
18.98 MILES
A full-scale replica of the Spanish-style Japanese-made ship Sant Juan Bautista, commissioned by Date Masamune in 1613 as part of a diplomatic mission to…
19.06 MILES
In the hills above Ishinomaki, 56m above sea level, this beautiful park stands on the site of the former Ishinomaki castle. Offering sweeping views over…
24.45 MILES
More than 70,000 pine trees lined the coastline around Rikuzen-takata until 2011, when all but one were destroyed in the tsunami. That tree, known as the…
26.86 MILES
This 6km scenic stretch of rocky coastline and picturesque beaches around Ōfunato is home to a number of geological attractions, including Ranboya Gorge,…
28.11 MILES
Established by the priest Ennin in AD 850 at the same time as Chūson-ji, Mōtsū-ji was once Tōhoku’s largest and grandest temple complex. The buildings are…
8. Hiraizumi Cultural Heritage Center
28.25 MILES
This modest, friendly museum charts Hiraizumi's rise and fall through visual displays and artefacts, with English explanations throughout.