2026 Matsukawa Riverside Park Splash Waterway Full-Day Course

This course spends a full day at the foot of Zao, centred on the Matsukawa Riverside Park Splash Waterway on the banks of the Matsukawa River in Zao Town, Miyagi Prefecture. The splash waterway laid out along the river is shallow, so even small children can touch the water safely. A cobblestone revetment and a stepped revetment have been built, and having the place you approach the water separate from the place you rest makes it easy for families to use. Admission is free, and with a multipurpose ground, a lawn park and a cooking area all on site, it works well as a base for a relaxed picnic day. The Zao mountain range rises behind you, so you can enjoy water and mountain scenery at once, which is the particular charm of this spot. In the morning you pay a visit to Katta-mine Shrine (刈田嶺神社), which enshrines the Zao Gongen deity, then get moving on the jumbo slide at Manyo Create Park before heading to the water. It is an easy drive from Sendai or Shiroishi, so it works comfortably as a local day trip. Because it is a river park, plan with the knowledge that water levels change after a spell of rain. The opening period has not been announced and it is usually run during the summer holidays, so check on-site information for the day's status before you set out.