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Before you go
Your trip to Sendai.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Sendai – Miyagi Destination Sendai and Matsushima Capital
How to get there
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Aeroporto de Sendai (SDJ) Natori · 18 km
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Estação de Sendai 1 km
Approximate distances. Check flights and bus, train or boat schedules before you travel.
Sendai Station is served by the Tohoku shinkansen, about 1h30 from Tokyo, and by trains to Matsushima, Yamadera and Yamagata. Sendai Airport is about 15 km away, with a direct train to the station taking around 25 minutes. Highway buses connect Sendai with Tokyo and other Tohoku cities.
How many days
One day covers Zuihoden, the castle ruins and Osaki Hachimangu, using the Loople tourist bus. With two days you can include the Akiu hot springs and Akiu Falls or make a day trip to Matsushima.
When to go
April brings cherry blossoms, usually in mid-month. From May to June the weather is mild. Summer is humid, and Tanabata fills the center in the first days of August. October and November offer foliage in Akiu. Winter is cold and dry, with little snow, and the avenue trees are lit in December.
The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.
Do you need a car?
No. The subway and the Loople tourist bus, which leaves from the station and stops at Zuihoden and the castle ruins, cover the main sights. For Akiu there are buses from Sendai Station. A car only helps if you want to combine Akiu with other mountain areas.
Suggested itinerary
An order that works
Built with the places on this page. No rush: it's paced so you have time to see them.
One day in Sendai
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Morning
Zuihoden, Masamune’s mausoleum
Take the Loople bus at the station and get off at Zuihoden. Climb the stone steps between the cedars and see Date Masamune’s colorful mausoleum and those of his successors.
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Afternoon
Castle ruins on Mount Aoba
Take the Loople to the Sendai castle ruins. See Masamune’s equestrian statue, the stone walls and the view of the city to the sea.
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Late afternoon
Osaki Hachimangu
Go by bus or taxi to the Osaki Hachimangu shrine, with its black-and-gold lacquered hall built by Masamune in 1607.
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Evening
Beef tongue in the center
Have gyutan for dinner, Sendai’s grilled beef tongue, near the Ichibancho and Clis Road arcades, and walk along Jozenji Avenue.
2 days in Sendai
Day 1
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Morning
Mausoleum and castle
Start at Zuihoden and continue to the castle ruins on Mount Aoba, the two Loople bus stops on the west side of the city.
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Afternoon
Shrine and arcades
Visit Osaki Hachimangu and return to the center via the covered arcades with shops and cafés. Try zunda, the sweet paste made from green soybeans.
Day 2
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Morning
Akiu Falls
Take the bus from the station to Akiu Falls and descend to the base of the fall on the trail beside the Fudo temple.
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Afternoon
Akiu Onsen
Return to Akiu Onsen, walk through the Rairaikyo gorge and take a hot-spring bath before returning to Sendai.
Check before you go. Opening hours and days change, and places may close for renovations, holidays or events. This itinerary is a suggestion from Cidade Turismo, not a commitment: plan yours by checking directly with each place you intend to visit.
Before you go
Frequently asked questions
What to do in Sendai in one day?
Visit Zuihoden, Date Masamune’s mausoleum, the castle ruins on Mount Aoba and Osaki Hachimangu. The Loople tourist bus links the station with the first two. At night, dine on grilled beef tongue in the city center.
Does Sendai Castle still exist?
Not as a building: on Mount Aoba only the stone walls, the lookout and Masamune’s equestrian statue remain, and a corner tower was rebuilt in 1967. The castle never had a main keep, and the buildings were dismantled at the end of the 19th century or destroyed in 1945.
What is gyutan?
It is thinly sliced, grilled beef tongue, a Sendai specialty since the mid-20th century. It is usually served with barley rice, oxtail in broth and pickles. There are specialty restaurants near the station and in the center.
How to get to Akiu Onsen from Sendai?
Buses leave Sendai Station for Akiu Onsen and continue to Akiu Falls. The trip to the hot springs takes about 50 minutes; to the falls, a little longer. Check the schedules, as return services are infrequent.
Was Sendai affected by the 2011 earthquake?
Sendai center and its attractions operate normally. The city’s east coast was hit by the tsunami, and Arahama Elementary School has been preserved as a memorial for those who want to learn about that history.
Beyond the guide
