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Kumi Aizawa

The compact coastal city of Sendai flawlessly combines modern Japanese living with fascinating ancient history. Founded in 1600 by one of Japan's most powerful feudal lords, Sendai is now known as the city of trees, and was the closest major urban hub to the epicentre of the 2011 earthquake.

There are many memorial facilities where you can pray along the trail, such as The Iwate Tsunami Memorial Museum in Rikuzentakata. The site is dedicated to commemorating the earthquake, as well as to communicating the importance of disaster mitigation in order to create a resilient society.

The longest stretch of the trail passes through Iwate Prefecture. Expect a dramatic prehistoric-looking coastline, with enormous jagged rocks and cliffs plunging perilously towards the Pacific.

Kumi Aizawa loves Tohoku's wild landscapes and the local people, whose way of supporting each other is both moving and inspiring.