Sendai, Japan: travel guide
Tohoku's largest city and gateway to the region's onsen and mountains. Home of the Date clan lord Masamune, famous for Tanabata Festival and excellent gyutan (beef tongue) cuisine.
- Country
- Japan
- Currency
- JPY
- Time zone
- Asia/Tokyo
- Nearest airport
- SDJ
Top places to visit in Sendai
Aoba Castle Ruins
Heritage · about 1.5 h
Hilltop ruins of Date Masamune's castle with his famous equestrian statue and panoramic city views.
Sendai Tanabata Festival Sites & Ichibancho
Heritage · 4.4 rating · about 1.5 h
Sendai hosts Japan's largest and most elaborate Tanabata (Star Festival) every August 6–8, when 3 million visitors come to see 3,000 giant bamboo poles hung with ornate paper-streamers in the covered Ichibancho arcade. The streamers…
Zuihoden Mausoleum — Date Masamune
Cultural · 4.5 rating · about 1 h · entry JPY 570
The elaborate mausoleum of Date Masamune (1567–1636), the one-eyed warlord who built Sendai into a great domain and nearly became the ruler of all Japan. The original 1637 mausoleum was rebuilt in 1979 after WWII bombing, faithfully…
Osaki Hachimangu Shrine
Temple · about 1 h
National Treasure shrine (1607) in lustrous black lacquer and gold, built by Date Masamune.
Jozenji-dori Avenue
Cultural · about 0.8 h
Zelkova-lined boulevard at the heart of the "City of Trees", venue of the Pageant of Starlight and jazz festival.
Yagiyama Zoological Park
Wildlife · about 2.5 h · entry JPY 480
Hilltop zoo with African animals and Zao mountain views, next to Yagiyama Benyland amusement park.
Sendai Umino-Mori Aquarium
Wildlife · about 2.5 h · entry JPY 2,400
Modern aquarium themed on the seas of Tohoku, with a large dolphin and sea-lion arena.
Akiu Great Falls
Waterfall · about 0.8 h
55 m wide waterfall in the Akiu hot-spring valley, one of Japan's "three great falls".
Rairaikyo Gorge
Nature · about 1 h
Scenic riverside gorge near Akiu Onsen with a short walking trail past sculpted rock formations.
Rinnoji Temple Sendai
Temple · about 1 h · entry JPY 300
Date-family temple with a celebrated Japanese garden and a three-storey pagoda.
Things to do
- Matsushima Bay Cruise Day Trip Day Trip · 7 h · from JPY 7,000 per person
- Gyutan Food Tour Food Tour · 3 h · from JPY 7,000 per person
- Zuihoden & Aoba Castle History Walk Tour · 3 h · from JPY 5,000 per person
Where to stay in Sendai
Hotels
- Westin Sendai 5-star · JPY 22,000 to JPY 55,000 per night
- Hotel Metropolitan Sendai 4-star · JPY 16,000 to JPY 34,000 per night
- Dormy Inn Sendai Ekimae 3-star · JPY 10,000 to JPY 18,000 per night
- Mitsui Garden Hotel Sendai 3-star · JPY 11,000 to JPY 20,000 per night
Where to eat
- Rikyu Gyutan Sendai Japanese, Grilled Meat · about JPY 2,800 per person
- Aji Tasuke Gyutan, Japanese · about JPY 2,200 per person
- Kaki Toku Seafood, Oysters, Japanese · about JPY 3,500 per person
- Umino Sachi Hana Seafood, Japanese · about JPY 2,800 per person
- Zunda Saryo Sweets, Cafe · about JPY 900 per person
- Kisuke Izakaya, Japanese · about JPY 3,000 per person
Getting around
- Metro main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Transit Pass main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Walking
Every city has walking. 2.5 km ceiling is a placeholder default, not a researched per-city figure -- Singapore is sheltered and air-conditioned, Bangkok often has no pavement.