Marumori Town Terraced Fields and Autumn Foliage: Miyagi Satoyama Preserving Japan's Original Landscape

Marumori Terraced Fields and Satoyama

Marumori in southern Miyagi is a mountain farming village at the prefecture's southernmost tip. Terraced fields spread across the Abukuma Highlands slopes and satoyama countryside attract photographers and travelers seeking Japan's original landscape.

Highlights

• Hippo Terraced Fields: Marumori's representative terraced rice fields with beautiful stone walls
• Abukuma River Clear Waters: Crystal-clear Abukuma River and surrounding nature
• Konjac: Marumori-produced konjac is a local specialty
• Bracken and Wild Vegetables: Spring mountain vegetable foraging is also fun

Autumn Highlights

• Golden terraced fields after rice harvest (late September–October)
• Autumn foliage coloring the hillsides (late October–early November)
• Spectacular contrast of terraced fields and autumn colors

Getting There

• From JR Tohoku Main Line Tsukidate Station via Abukuma Express to Marumori Station: about 30 minutes
• From central Sendai by car: about 1 hour

Tips

Marumori is a mountain farming village — rental car is convenient. Local roadside station "Minna no Ie Dandan" sells konjac dishes and local vegetables.

📚 Sources

This article is edited from publicly available sightseeing guidance published by the town of Marumori and Miyagi Prefecture, public information on the Abukuma Express and spots around town, and guidance on the terraced rice fields, gorge, and river boating. That Marumori is a mountain farming town at the southern tip of Miyagi, known for the terraced fields and gorge foliage of the Abukuma highlands, is based on public sightseeing information. River-boat operation and foliage timing, tours of the storehouse townscape, and Abukuma Express and access conditions may change, so please confirm official information before visiting.

Visitor Checklist

• Time needed: Allow half a day to a full day to tour the terraced fields and foliage spots.
• What to prepare: You will walk the countryside and gorge, so comfortable shoes and a seasonally appropriate jacket add comfort.
• Getting there: Marumori Station on the Abukuma Express is the base, and travel to each spot is easiest by car; check times in advance.
• Suggested route: Enjoy the view of the hillside terraced fields, then tour the town center with its surviving storehouse streetscape and the gorge foliage.
• Best seasons: Early summer when the terraces are green, autumn when the rice ripens golden, and the foliage season are especially recommended.

Practical Information for Your Visit

• Best season: The terraced rice fields are at their best when they are flooded for rice planting (early summer) and in autumn when the ears of rice ripen. The autumn foliage generally comes in autumn (in most years it peaks around early to mid-November), but the timing shifts from year to year. Check the latest conditions in the foliage updates from the Marumori Town Tourist Information Center before you set out.
• Season and operating period: The Abukuma Line boat ride usually operates from April 1 to November 30 (in autumn the imoni boat lets you view the foliage, and from around early December to late March the kotatsu boat runs in winter). Business hours are 8:30-17:00, and it is closed on Mondays (the following day when Monday is a public holiday) and over the New Year period (December 28 to January 3). The 15:20 departure runs only through October. Check operating status and reservations on the official website.
• Fees: For the Abukuma Line boat ride, the round-trip course costs 2,500 yen for adults and 1,300 yen for children, and the Abukuma Station course costs 2,800 yen for adults and 1,400 yen for children (group discounts for 15 people or more). Viewing the Obari Sawajiri terraced rice fields is free of charge.
• Access: Marumori Station on the Abukuma Express is the base. The boat boarding point (Marumori Town Tourism Exchange Center / 12 Shimotaki, Marumori Town) is about a 20-minute walk from Marumori Station, or about 40 minutes by car from Shiroishi IC on the Tohoku Expressway. The Obari Sawajiri terraced rice fields are in Obari Kawahari, Marumori Town, and a car is convenient for moving between the various sites.
• Parking: Both the Obari Sawajiri terraced rice fields and the Abukuma Line boat boarding point have parking.
• What to wear and bring: As you will be walking around terraced fields and a gorge, wear comfortable walking shoes and a jacket suited to the season. On the boat ride the wind sweeps across the water and makes it feel colder, so bring an extra warm layer in autumn and winter.

Note: The Obari Sawajiri terraced rice fields are stone-walled terraces with a total area of 4.1 ha and an average gradient of 1/8, selected as one of Japan's 100 Best Terraced Rice Fields and also chosen in 2022 (Reiwa 4) by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries for its \"Terraced Rice Field Heritage to Pass On: Carrying the Pride of Our Home Regions into the Future.\"

Note: The terraced fields are working farmland cultivated by local people, and they are private property. Please always observe basic etiquette: do not step onto the ridges between the paddies or into the fields, do not park on farm roads and block agricultural vehicles, and do not touch the crops or equipment. When taking photos, be careful not to disturb residents' daily lives or farm work.

Note: The boat ride may be suspended when the river is swollen or the weather is rough. Wear a life jacket while on board and follow the boatman's instructions.

(Sources: Marumori Town Tourist Information Center \"Weekend Marumori\" official website, \"Obari Sawajiri Terraced Rice Fields,\" \"Abukuma Line Boat Ride\" and \"Fudoson Park Foliage Information\"; Abukuma Line Boat Ride official website; Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, \"Terraced Rice Field Heritage to Pass On\")