Snow Monkey Resorts Tours · Sendai
A small-group day by train around Matsushima Bay with a guide, every entry and the 50-minute island cruise already paid. Pick it when you want the full bay day in one price: Zuiganji's cedar avenue, tea at Kanrantei over the water and the pine islets from the boat.
Snow Monkey Resorts Tours, better known for its Nagano snow monkey trips, runs this as a full day out of Sendai station. You meet under the Morinosanka stained glass on the main concourse and ride the JR Senseki line to Matsushima together. From there it is a long, varied walk around the bay: the moss garden of Entsu-in, 40 minutes at Zuiganji, the little Godaido hall on its islet, a pass by the earthquake memorial, an hour at the fish market, the Matsushima Retro Museum, Kanrantei teahouse and the 50-minute sightseeing cruise.
It is the only Matsushima tour on Viator that includes the train, all entries and the cruise. Only lunch is extra, and the hour at the fish market is when you eat. The one guest review on file calls the tea house view over the bay the highlight.
Is it worth $171? Do the sums. The same day on your own costs 880 yen for the return train, 1,000 yen for Zuiganji, 500 yen for Entsu-in, 200 yen for Kanrantei and 1,500 yen for the cruise (the cruise company), so a little over 4,000 yen (about $27) before the museum. The rest pays for the guide and for someone else handling timings. Matsushima is easy to do alone. Book this if a guided, paid-up day matters more to you than the money, or if you want company on the walk.
Under the Morinosanka stained glass on the 2F concourse. Look for the SNOW MONKEY RESORTS sign.
The JR Senseki line along the coast to Matsushima-Kaigan. The fare is covered.
The Entsu-in gardens (30 min), Zuiganji and its cave-cut approach (40 min), then the short bridge to Godaido (15 min).
Lunch at your own cost. Grilled oysters and seafood bowls are what Matsushima does best.
30 minutes each: the Matsushima Retro Museum, then the teahouse that looks out across the bay.
The sightseeing boat loops past the pine-covered islets, then the train back to Sendai. About 8 hours in total.
★★★★★This was a great day tour out from Sendai. I appreciate taking public transport and walking everywhere, and the guide, Kimberly, was knowledgeable and very friendly. There was so much to see and take in, the highlight was the tea house stop with an amazing view of the bay.
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The train from Sendai and back, entry to every stop (Entsu-in, Zuiganji, Kanrantei, the Retro Museum), the 50-minute bay cruise and an English-speaking guide. Lunch is not included.
Up to 15. It is a shared small-group tour, priced per person at a flat rate, so solo travellers pay the same as everyone else.
Yes. The JR Senseki line takes about 40 minutes and costs 440 yen each way. With Zuiganji, Entsu-in, Kanrantei and the cruise, a DIY day costs a little over 4,000 yen. Our Matsushima guide has the details.
At the Morinosanka stained glass on the main 2F concourse inside JR Sendai station. The guide holds a SNOW MONKEY RESORTS sign, and the tour ends back there.
Ready to book
Matsushima with the trains, every temple entry and the 50-minute bay cruise already paid.
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