# Matsushima, Miyagi

Matsushima (松島町, Matsushima-machi) is a town in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 June 2019, the town had an estimated population of 13,804 in 5663 households, and a population density of 260 persons per km². The total area of the town is 53.56 square kilometres (20.68 sq mi). It is most famous as the location of Matsushima Bay, one of the Three Views of Japan, and is also the site of the Zuigan-ji, Entsū-in and Kanrantei.

## Geography

Matsushima is located in east-central Miyagi Prefecture, with Matsushima Bay to the east. The town’s highest point is Mount Danyama, with a height of 178 meters.

### Neighboring municipalities

Miyagi Prefecture
* Higashimatsushima
* Misato
* Ōsaki
* Ōsato
* Rifu

### Climate

Matsushima has a humid climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) characterized by mild summers and cold winters. The average annual temperature in Higashi-Matsushima is 12.0 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1207 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 24.5 °C, and lowest in January, at around 0.6 °C.

## Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Matsushima has declined over the past 30 years.

## History

The area of present-day Matsushima was part of ancient Mutsu Province and has been settled since at least the Jōmon period. The Daigigakoi Shell Mound is one of the largest shell middens to have been discovered in Japan. With the establishment of Tagajō in the Nara period, Matsushima was part of the Yamato colonization area in the region. The Buddhist temple of Zuigan-ji comes to have been founded in 828 AD. During the Sengoku period, the area was contested by samurai clans before it came under the control of the Date clan of Sendai Domain during the Edo period, under the Tokugawa shogunate.
The village of Matsushima within Miyagi District, Miyagi was established on June 1, 1889 with the post-Meiji restoration establishment of the modern municipalities system. It was raised to town status on December 16, 1963.

## Government

Matsushima has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of 14 members. Matsushima, as part of Miyagi District contributes one seat to the Miyagi Prefectural legislature. In terms of national politics, the town is part of Miyagi 5th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

## Economy

The economy of Matsushima is largely based on tourism, farming, and commercial fishing, primarily the cultivation of oysters in Matsushima Bay.

## Education

Matsushima has three public elementary schools and one public middle school operated by the town government and one public high school operated by the Miyagi Prefectural Board of Education.

## Transportation
### Railway

East Japan Railway Company (JR East) - Tōhoku Main Line
* Matsushima, Atago, Shinainuma
East Japan Railway Company (JR East) - Senseki Line
* Matsushima-Kaigan, Takagimachi, Tetaru, Rikuzen-Tomiyama

### Highway

* Sanriku Expressway (Matsushima-Ōsato IC — Matsushima-Kita IC)
* National Route 45
* National Route 346

### Seaports

* Port of Matsushima - Matsushima sightseeing boats

## Local attractions

* Entsū-in
* Matsushima, one of the Three Views of Japan
* Nishinohama Shell Mound, a National Historic Site
* Zuigan-ji, founded 828 AD

## External relations
### International sister cities

* Isle of Pines, New Caledonia, since September 4, 1980

### Japanese sister cities

* Kisakata, Akita, since August 1, 1987
* Kami-Amakusa, Kumamoto (formerly known as Matsushima), since October 16, 1988

## Noted people from Matsushima

* Jun Senoue, musician