Ririshiya

Northern Honshū (Tōhoku)


When in Ōtsuchi, stop for a special seafood donburi (rice bowl) at this popular restaurant run by a former fisherman. Lots of local vegetables from the surrounding mountains also feature on the eclectic menu.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Northern Honshū (Tōhoku) attractions

1. Kamaishi Dai-kannon

8.05 MILES

In the hills above Kamaishi, this enormous (48.5m) statue of the Goddess of Mercy has witnessed much tragedy below, but remains a source of hope for…

2. Yamaguchi Waterwheel

17.79 MILES

This delightful thatch-roofed waterwheel, once used for milling crops, has been preserved as a symbol of Tōno's past.

3. Jōdogahama

19.66 MILES

Postcard-perfect Jodogahama ('pure land beach') sits on a sheltered inlet surrounded by jagged white-stone outcrops backed by deep-green pines. Walking…

4. Aragami Jinja

19.67 MILES

You may need to ask a local to take or direct you to this photogenic little shrine in the middle of a luminous yellow field of canola. If you're a…

5. Jōken-ji

19.95 MILES

This peaceful temple is dedicated to the deity image of Obinzuru-sama. Behind the temple is the kappa-buchi pool, where Tōno's famous water sprites lurk…

6. Tōno Denshōen

20.07 MILES

About 5km east of the town centre is Denshōen, a traditional farmhouse, now housing a small cultural museum. The highlights here are the thousand Oshira…

7. Tōno Folktale & Storytelling Center

22.36 MILES

Housed in the restored ryokan where Yanagita Kunio penned his famous work Legends of Tōno, this evocative museum has audiovisuals of some of the tales and…

8. Tōno Municipal Museum

22.39 MILES

With exhibits depicting some of Tōno's famous legends, this museum provides a good measure of background information and context for what's to come in the…