Jodogahama, a Serene Landscape of the Pure Land

Cradled by Miyako Bay along the central coast of Rikuchu, Jodogahama lives up to its name—“Pure Land Beach.” With its smooth, white rhyolite stones and the calm expanse of deep blue sea, the scene feels like a vision of paradise gently brought into the world.
Its stillness has a quiet power, as if to gently cleanse the heart of anyone who stands before it.
Legend says that a traveling ascetic once stood before this tranquil landscape and, overcome by its beauty, declared it to be like the Pure Land itself—thus the name Jodogahama was born.
Beloved poet Kenji Miyazawa, a native of Iwate Prefecture, was also inspired by this place. He wrote:
“Laid upon the quiet shore of paradise,
the velvet kelp of the lovely sea
glistens in the still light of the Pure Land.”
This image-rich verse captures Miyazawa’s vision of nature not merely as scenery, but as a spiritual reflection of inner beauty and peace.