Shiogama Gears Up For Port Festivities

     Shiogama's touristy port area will host a lot of excitement this weekend, starting with a bunch of summer festival activities and food stalls around Aeon Townmall Shiogama on Saturday the 15th.

     The big excitement will come later, but on Sunday the same space will be open to even more people, likely flowing all the way down to Marine Gate, with more summer activities and food stalls to enjoy. That evening, assuming the weather agrees, fireworks will light up the sky around the bay, just past Marine Gate. 

Food and fun also available at Marine Gate this weekend.

    The fireworks will starting off the port day festival with a bang. The next day, the omikoshi portable shrines will make their way down the 202 steps of Shiogama Shrine and Head down to the port to take the gorgeously adorned shrine boats on a visit to the outlying islands. 

     After the portable shrine departs, the dancing starts. Group after group will take to the street, doing their versions of the traditional dance as they make their way toward the main shrine entrance.

     In years past, I had the pleasure of joining in with Shiogama International Friendship Club alongside my kid, but they won't be dancing this year so neither will we. It'll be nice to just watch and enjoy the festival this year, even if a little bittersweet for us.

LOTS of food trucks at Aeon!

     If you're in the area, Honshiogama station is only a few hundred yen and half an hour from Sendai. Why not check it out?