The people of Miyagi Prefecture are justifiably proud of Date Masamune (1567-1636), a feudal lord in this region, known at the time as the Sendai Domain, who sponsored various pubic works and policies that promoted prosperity for the domain and its people. A surprising amount of the infrastructure he created all those centuries ago is still visible across the prefecture. The landscape he created through one of his projects can even be seen on a very special train ride.

That landscape, now recognized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System, involved draining a swampy area between the Eai and Naruse Rivers to create tracts of arable land, while leaving wetland areas that provided flood control and supported wildlife. 

The increased rice production resulting from the project enabled the Sendai Domain to export rice to Edo (modern-day Tokyo). Trees planted near houses and farmsteads provided windbreaks as well as fruit and nuts. Even after 400 years the system, now known as Osaki Kodo’s Traditional Water Management System for Sustainable Paddy Agriculture, continues to play a significant role in the agriculture and ecosystem of the area. 

Not long ago, I was fortunate to travel on JR East’s special Osaki Kodo Field Museum Train from Sendai to Naruko Onsen in the northwest corner of Miyagi prefecture. The unusual name of the train is taken from the idea that the heritage designation makes the landscape a sort of museum, through which the train passes. The trip was arranged by JTB’s Sendai Bureau as a test run to see if such a regular tourist train might be viable; it is likely regular runs will become available later this year.

The train is a specially refurbished vintage train boasting extra large windows. There are only two cars, with bench seats and tables, and pot-bellied stoves for winter-time heating.

Because we were making a special trip, we were seen off by a large number of JR staff with a special “farewell” banner and cheerful smiles and waves.

Our journey, lasting a little over two hours, included not only the special scenery but also a special box lunch full of local delicacies. The colorful paper wrapper bid us welcome on board and provided details of the contents of the meal–for those who read Japanese.

Before, during and after our meal, we were also treated to generous tastings of a number of local sakes, poured and explained (in both Japanese and English) by two Miyagi brewers: Ichinokura and Kanbai.  As part of the tour, each passenger also received a bottle to take home.

Shortly after leaving Sendai, the train traveled near Matsushima, a scenic bay known as one of the three most beautiful sites in Japan. The bay was historically a transshipment port for Osaki Kodo rice bound for Edo. Just north of Matsushuma, the train briefly followed the shoreline itself. Although this area experienced flooding during the tsunami of March 11, 2011, little of that damage is still visible after more than a decade.

Next came views of rice paddies, the harvest finished, snow-dusted mountains on the horizon. The paddies and other fields were filled with flocks migratory birds feeding on grains that had fallen during harvest. The birds shelter in the wetlands that resulted from Date’s original project, since 2005 a designated waterfowl habitat under the 1975 Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance. Ducks and geese that breed further north during the summer months either spend their winters here, or stop over on migrations to and from winter homes further south.

The train made only one stop during its journey, at Osaki station, where more station attendants turned out to welcome us.

From Osaki the train headed northwest, first traveling alongside the Uchikawa River, an irrigation channel created as part of Date’s original project, and then later working its way up the Eai River. As we traveled, the mountains closed in on us, the scenery ever changing. 

Our journey ended at Naruko Onsen, a pretty little onsen resort town offering plenty of hot springs bath choices, as well as handmade kokeshi dolls and other handicrafts, specialized local sweets, and friendly people. It was a pleasant and informative train ride ending in a great place to spend a relaxing weekend.

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