Matsushima Bay, along with Amanohashidate in Kyoto and Itsukushima in Hiroshima, is known as one of the Three Views of Japan. Trying to take in the best views of the bay, many people view it from high ground or take a sightseeing boat tour. But there is another option that not many people know about: getting a bird’s eye view of the bay by soaring over it. Takeshige Yamaya, a three-time paragliding national champion, offers tandem paragliding experiences launching from nearby Shobutahama Beach.

The paragliding experience lasts around twenty minutes and provides the most panoramic views you can possibly get of the area. To the south, Sendai City and even Mount Zao are visible. To the north, nearly all of Matsushima’s 260 pine islands are visible. Viewed from above, the water takes on a translucent blue-green color, making the scene even more stunning. Mr. Yamaya also serves as a knowledgeable airborne tour guide. For example, he explained to me that the long black lines in the waters are actually seaweed “farms,” seaweed being one of Matsushima’s famous delicacies.