Tom Daley discovers the hidden gems of north Japan, Miyagi Prefecture

Olympic Diver Tom Daley explores many of the hidden gems that Miyagi has to offer in video four of his six-part content series of the Tohoku region including; Tashiro Island, Michinoku Trail, The Reborn Art Festival and Sendai’s Tanabata Matsuri.

Tashiro Island is also known as Cat Island due to its abundance of cat residents; the cat population thrives as a result of the local belief that feeding cats will bring wealth and good fortune. The island hosts a shrine dedicated to the animal along with cat shaped accommodation visitors can stay in. The Michinoku Trail is a stunning coastal trail that hugs the Pacific Ocean of Japan’s Tohoku region, it showcases the recovery in action post 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

Walkers witness the beauty of the Pacific Ocean along with the scars on the island that the tsunami left behind, several art installations from The Reborn Art Festival can also be viewed from the trail. The festival takes place in seven areas — Ishinomaki Station, urban spaces in the city of Ishinomaki, Momoura Village, Oginohama, Kozumi, Ayukawa and Ajishima island, it is a celebration of art, music and food held in hope of reconstruction aiming to aid the revival of the regions affected.

For further traditional and cultural experiences explore Sendai’s Tanabata Matsuri, also known as ‘star festival’, it is held annually on the 6^th-8^th August. The festival celebrates the meeting of the deities Orihime and Hikoboshi featuring thousands of colourful streamers that decorate the city’s shopping arcades resembling brightly coloured forests. These videos provide stunning evidence that Miyagi holds an array of traditions, nature and localities worth exploring. visitmiyagi.com/

View part four of Tom’s six-part content series here youtube.com/watch?v=4yjCcLj_NIM&t=616s. Tom will release his last video next Sunday.