Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2027: Michinoku Coastal Trail
A pretty exciting bit of news for the Michinoku Coastal Trail: the MCT is at the heart of Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2027 pick for Tōhoku.
Lonely Planet selected Tōhoku for its 2027 list, specifically naming it “Best for Michinoku trail hiking.”
👉 See Tohoku in Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2027
I first started walking the Michinoku Coastal Trail back in 2017, when large parts of the route were still being developed. So seeing the trail recognised like this by Lonely Planet feels pretty special.
Why the MCT?
There are some spectacular sections of trail here, from rugged cliffs and forests in northern Iwate to beaches, islands, fishing villages and quieter stretches further south.
But for me, the MCT has never just been about the scenery.
The trail takes you through communities along Tohoku’s Pacific coast, many of them profoundly shaped by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. You stay in small local inns, walk through working fishing ports, eat very good seafood, and end up seeing a side of Japan that many visitors never experience.
That combination is what makes this trail different.
Lonely Planet has also published a new dedicated guide to hiking the Michinoku Coastal Trail, covering when to go, how long to spend, transport, accommodation, camping and some of the best sections to walk.
👉 Read Lonely Planet's new guide to the MCT
Thinking about walking it?
You definitely don’t need to walk all 1,000+ km.
Come for a day. Pick a section for a few days or a week. Or, if you have the time and legs for it, take on the whole trail.
Hopefully this latest recognition encourages a few more people to head north and experience the MCT for themselves.