Matsushima Town is a coastal municipality located in central Miyagi Prefecture in the Tohoku region of Japan. It belongs to Miyagi District and, together with Shichigahama Town and Rifu Town, forms part of this administrative area. Matsushima also lies within the Sendai metropolitan area, with some sections included in the Senen Wide-Area Urban Planning Zone.
The town is famous for its scenic Matsushima Bay, facing the Pacific Ocean. The bay is dotted with numerous islands of varying sizes, creating a breathtaking landscape recognized as one of Japan's Three Scenic Views (Nihon Sankei). This distinctive scenery—where islands and sea harmonize—has been celebrated in classical Japanese poetry (waka) as a “utamakura” (poetic place name) since ancient times. From the mid-Edo period onward, Matsushima's status as a tourist destination grew steadily, attracting countless travelers, poets, and scholars.
Geographically, Matsushima Town is situated at the edge of the Matsushima Hills, a tongue-shaped plateau that stretches from the Ou Mountains to the Pacific. These hills have sunk into the sea, forming the complex ria coastline and the densely clustered islands of Matsushima Bay. This unique topography and rich natural environment have long made Matsushima a place of scenic beauty. It not only holds abundant natural and cultural value but also supports a thriving tourism industry, making it a key destination in both Miyagi Prefecture and Japan as a whole.
