Sanriku Coast Jodogahama Park Hotel

We stayed here for our wedding anniversary trip—our first visit to Sanriku since the earthquake. We were excited, wondering what kind of Hotel it would be, and were surprised to learn that members of the Imperial Family have stayed here! There were rows of photos displayed in front of the elevators on the lobby floor. Wondering what our Room would be like, we entered the one assigned to us—and right in front of us was a panoramic view of Jodogahama! We couldn’t help saying to each other, “What a great Room!” After taking in the view, we headed straight to the large public bath. It also had an open-air bath, and we enjoyed a relaxing soak. Since we had time before dinner, we spent it singing karaoke—by then we were nicely hungry. Dinner was a luxurious buffet, featuring live kitchen stations for nigiri sushi and steak—our first time experiencing that. There were also many local dishes, and we ended up far beyond full. We had breakfast early at 6:30: a buffet seafood rice bowl where you can choose your favorite toppings. Although it was unfortunately raining outside, the sea view had an atmospheric beauty like an ink painting. It became a truly memorable anniversary trip. As we left the Hotel, we talked about wanting to come back again for another anniversary in a few years’ time. Finally, thank you so much to all the staff for your wonderful hospitality!

I didn’t have high expectations for the buffet at first, but I was amazed by the delicious nigiri sushi and sashimi made with exceptionally fresh, locally sourced seafood. There were also Tankaku beef stew and sea urchin rice, making for a truly luxurious meal. I was especially happy to find dairy products such as plain Iwaizumi Yogurt—praised by Shohei Ohtani as the best in the world—and Tanohata milk, popular for its rich sweetness that tastes like gently simmered milk. It was a very satisfying dining experience that let me fully enjoy the abundance of Iwate’s ingredients.