Shiogama

Shiogama, city, eastern Miyagi ken (prefecture), northeastern Honshu, Japan. It is situated just northeast of Sendai, facing Matsushima Bay (an embayment of the Pacific Ocean). Long known for its production of salt, Shiogama became a prosperous temple town during the Tokugawa period (1603–1867). The Shiogama Line (railway) was opened in 1887, and the city’s port subsequently developed as a major fishing centre (saury, tuna, bonito). The city’s major industries are now shipbuilding and the processing of marine products. Tourism is based on Matsushima Bay, which is renowned for its pine-clad islands. The annual sea festival in July centres on the Shiogama Shrine, which stands on a wooded hill in the centre of the city. On March 11, 2011, the city and surrounding area were seriously damaged by a large tsunami generated by a severe earthquake centred in the Pacific southeast of the city. Pop. (2010) 56,490.