Sendai

The largest city in Tohoku, the “City of Trees,” with the legacy of Date Masamune, beef tongue and zunda (sweet edamame paste), plus Matsushima Bay, one of Japan's Three Views, and Zao's snow monsters: the starting point for a Tohoku trip.

Sendai is the capital of Miyagi Prefecture and the largest city in the Tohoku region. Founded in 1600 by the “One-Eyed Dragon” Date Masamune, its tree-lined streets earned it the nickname “City of Trees” (Mori no Miyako). Sendai makes a good base for excursions in every direction: in the city are Aoba Castle (the Sendai Castle ruins), Zuihoden, Date Masamune's mausoleum, and the National Treasure Osaki Hachimangu Shrine, all linked by the Loople Sendai sightseeing loop bus; about 25 km northeast, Matsushima is one of the Three Views of Japan, with some 260 pine-covered islets scattered across the bay. Take a sightseeing cruise among the islands and visit Zuiganji Temple and Godaido, half a day to a full day; in the western suburbs, Akiu Onsen is Sendai's “backyard,” about 40 minutes by car; to the north, Naruko Gorge is famous for autumn leaves; and to the southwest, across the Ou Mountains on the Yamagata side, Zao Onsen offers ropeway rides in winter to see the juhyo “snow monsters,” trees encased in rime ice. Seasons: cherry blossoms in mid-to-late April, the Sendai Tanabata Festival on August 6–8, autumn leaves from late October to early November (Naruko Gorge, Akiu), snow monsters at their best from late January to late February, and Matsushima oysters in winter. Getting there: the Tohoku Shinkansen from Tokyo to Sendai takes about 1.5 hours; the Sendai Airport Line to the city takes about 25 minutes. For Matsushima, take the JR Senseki Line to Matsushima-Kaigan Station, about 40 minutes; for Zao Onsen, take a highway bus from Sendai or change at Yamagata Station. Allow 3–4 days (add a day for snow monsters in winter or foliage in autumn). Note: Tohoku winters are cold and snowy, so wear full cold-weather gear to see the snow monsters; tsunami remains and memorial museums from the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake are found along the coast, so please be respectful when visiting. Must-eats are Sendai beef tongue, zunda mochi (rice cakes with sweet edamame paste) and Matsushima oysters.

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