SENDAI, Japan — The roar of jet engines has become a new draw in Higashi Matsushima, a coastal city in Miyagi prefecture north of Tokyo that was hit hard by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. Home to the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (ASDF) aerobatics team, Blue Impulse, the city has opened a Blue Impulse themed michi no eki (roadside rest area), drawing aviation buffs from across the country
Located about 40 minutes by car from central Sendai, the rest area resembles an aircraft hangar and gives visitors an unobstructed view of the squadron’s training flights. Higashi Matsushima sits on the eastern edge of Matsushima Bay. With its scenic beauty and gentle waves, Tsukihama Beach draws a lot of tourists in summer, especially families.
