The Red Bridge
Fukuura Bridge is the long red bridge we’d been staring at from the pier all day. It’s 252 m long and takes you across to Fukuurajima, a little island covered in pines. After our snack crawl, it was a short walk along the waterfront.
There’s a small toll (¥200), and you get a ticket each. Ours had a cute illustration on them.
We got there just before 3pm, and the low winter sun made everything glow: the red railings, the blue water, the green island. Probably the best light of the whole day, so we took a ridiculous number of photos. These are the edited highlights, I promise.
On the Island
Fukuurajima itself has walking trails through the pines, a few lookouts over the bay, and a small Benten-do shrine. We didn’t do the whole loop since the sun was going down fast, but we went up to the shrine and the water’s edge.
And then back across the bridge, with the town of Matsushima ahead of us.
By 3:30 we were walking back up the hill to finally check in to our ryokan. Onsen time!
Information About Fukuurajima
A long red bridge, an island of pines, and the bay all around you. Go around 3pm in winter and the light does the work.
PS: The bridge toll is ¥200, cash only.