Sendai is Tohoku's largest city and gateway to the region. Tree-lined Jozenji-dori glows with lights in winter. Gyutan (beef tongue) is the local obsession. Matsushima Bay's pine-covered islands are a short train ride away.
What Sendai is known for
Top-rated in Sendai
Robata
4.9restaurant
Birthplace of the 'Robatayaki' style of grilling, offering fresh fish and vegetables passed on paddles.
Okawa Elementary School
4.7nature
Okawa Elementary School in the village of Kamaya is one of the most poignant and sobering monuments to the lives lost in the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami on March 11, 2011.
Numanotaira Crater
4.7nature
Numanotaira Crater is about 1.2 kilometers across and 150 meters deep, northwest of Mount Adatara's peak.
Takakura Katsuko Art Museum
4.7museum
Toyoma-born artist Takakura Katsuko (1923–2015) is celebrated for her warm, gentle style of painting.
Shirogane-jinja Shrine
4.5shrine
Established in the Nara period (710-794), this shrine on Cape Shiroganezaki is regarded as a “power spot,” a place of great natural beauty that has rejuvenating and energizing effects.
Gyutan Ryori Kaku
4.5restaurant
High-end beef tongue specialist known for its tender 'special cut' and relaxed atmosphere.
Earthquake Heritage Arahama Elementary School
4.6historic_site
Preserved elementary school standing as memorial to the 2011 tsunami, where 320 people took refuge on the rooftop.
Nikka Whisky Miyagikyo Distillery
4.5culture
Nikka's second distillery nestled in a forested river valley, offering free tastings and tours through copper pot still halls.