Although there is evidence of settlements in the Sendai region dating back over 20,000 years, it was not until the local feudal ruler, Date Masamune, moved his capital here in 1600 that the city began to take on any signifance. He established a fine castle on Aobayama (green leaf mountain) and the town that was built below the castle near the Hirose River was built according to the traditional street grid pattern. The original name of the area was also Sendai, but the Chinese characters for this name were changed. Originally they referred to a temple on Aobayama that housed a thousand Buddha statues. Later, Date Matsume changed the Chinese characters to mean 'hermit on a platform,' which referred to a mythical palace in the mountains in China. It is this latter name that is currently used by the present-day city.On March 11, 2011, the city suffered catastrophic damage due to the Magnitude 9.0 2011 Great East Japan Quake, the largest ever to hit the country and 4th largest ever, whose epicenter was 130 kms to the west in Pacific ocean, which caused a devastation tsunami that flooded Sendai. The quake-tsunami killed nearly 20,000 people on the North-Eartern coast of Japan.
There are two ways of looking at the weather here. One is the way most Japanese people seem to look at it: it's not too cold in the winter and not too hot in the summer, compared to other Japanese cities to the south. Others find it chilly year round.
Winter temperatures rarely dip below zero Celsius, and snow, though frequent in winter, melts quickly. Winter weather is very rainy, yielding to variable weather in Spring. There is a long rainy season, marked by consistently cool and cloudy weather, which typically coincides with the month of June, but has been known to set in right after the cherry-blossom blooms in April and to continue through July, and even August.
When (and if) the rainy season ends, Summer weather is very hot and humid, until September, which brings typhoon season. Most of the typhoons do little damage, having dissipated somewhat on their travel north, but fall on Sendai as very heavy rainstorms, following one another in close succession.
For those who prefer dry sunny weather, Autumn is the most reliable time for pleasant conditions in Sendai. In October, the weather becomes clear, dry and sunny, though cool, usually throughout the month and sometimes well into November. Daytime temperatures hover around 18C, with cooler nights. Rice harvesting is done at this time, while the fields are golden.
Most travelers will arrive in Sendai by train. Sendai is the largest station on the Tohoku Shinkansen (bullet train) which runs from [wiki=62413a57c5e3dc51177995fa175d3286]Tokyo[/wiki] to [wiki=157e0bc725227811a9a89993dab2be42]Aomori[/wiki]. By the fastest service, it is just over 90 minutes from each.
When searching for trains to Sendai, note that there is a second Sendai station in Kagoshima, so be careful to select the JR Sendai station in Miyagi.
The fastest service is the Hayabusa (はやぶさ) services which takes 90 minutes from Tokyo and runs at least once an hour (this is the fastest train currently in service in Japan). This train runs non-stop between Ōmiya (just outside of Tokyo) and Sendai. This is an all reserve service, but seats are generally available on short notice outside of peak hours and holidays. The service is covered by the JR Pass and JR East Pass, but otherwise costs ¥11,000 from Tokyo. You may also want to note that the Komachi (こまち) service bound for [wiki=3c70994da889300cec798c325d180645]Akita[/wiki] operates on trains which are linked to the Hayabusa until Morioka (after Sendai), the trains are slightly narrower but are otherwise the same service. If you ask for a ticket on a Hayabusa train, you may be issued a ticket for the Komachi, but as long as the destination is Sendai, you need not be concerned.
The Hayate (はやて) service is very similar, but the trains are an older, slightly slower, model, so it takes an extra 10 minutes from Tokyo, and the cost is ¥10,690. This service has been gradually phased out since 2011 as new trains are delivered for the faster Hayabusa service. As of 2015, there is only one train remaining on this service running two trips per day.
There is also a slower Yamabiko (やまびこ) service taking 110 to 140 minutes from Tokyo depending on the number of stops. You might think of this as the local train servicing the cities between Tokyo and Sendai. This train runs two or three times an hour, and it does not require seat reservations. The cost for a non-reserve seat is ¥ 10,370.
It may be worth noting that the Tohoku Shinkansen also runs Nasuno and Tsubasa services, but these trains do not go to Sendai.
Sendai Airport (SDJ) [url=http://www.sdj-airport.com/english/index.html])]mainly functions as a domestic airport with regular flights to [[Sapporo[/url]], [wiki=10b22625bf8918f4fd3ae2f185bd44c8]Nagoya[/wiki], [wiki=0d70a380fe641d8206c6d43c185b9c23]Osaka[/wiki], [wiki=853cfbf8cc7335320da12e9de6287da8]Hiroshima[/wiki], [wiki=f5d540492523ba1f8e1516239c6b60fb]Fukuoka[/wiki], [wiki=a52bef81a178806fb331ffa078e676b3]Okinawa[/wiki] and [wiki=1eaa61ae1075ea7af55c8fb33bad65db]Kanazawa[/wiki](komatsu). However, there are also a few international flights to neighboring countries, such as [wiki=4d4803b0bb7dab1b0627e4f8277edc5b]South Korea[/wiki], [wiki=551fe18ef47d4e6e9d943b9a68ada21d]Taiwan[/wiki], and [wiki=ae54a5c026f31ada088992587d92cb3a]China[/wiki], and there is also a daily flight to [wiki=904b6f7e29f77065ee9977b30660617c]Honolulu[/wiki] in the US.
The airport is linked to the city with the Sendai Airport Access [http://www.senat.co.jp/index.html] railway, which takes 17-25 minutes to JR Sendai Station and costs ¥630.
The airport was hit by the tsunami on 11th March 2011, but has long since resumed all services.
Many highway buses run to Sendai from various locations in the Tohoku region.
JR Bus Tohoku and Tohoku Kyuko bus operate highway bus service to Sendai from [wiki=f1b7e87a26b2c633ba456e95749b598b]Shinjuku Station[/wiki] in Tokyo. There are five daytime trips and one overnight trip. Each run takes 5 1/2 hours at a cost of ¥6,210.
An overnight bus service also runs directly from [wiki=964ba3c4bd69b63da15c2f02790dd68f]Yokohama[/wiki] and [wiki=f5b0e470f43e6cd9ba303304a84f369c]Shinagawa[/wiki], costing ¥6,500 from Yokohama (6 1/2 hours) and ¥6,200 from Shinagawa (5 3/4 hours).
Kintetsu runs an overnight bus service, the Forest, from [wiki=0d70a380fe641d8206c6d43c185b9c23]Osaka[/wiki] and [wiki=492379b2b8f7ac3f7cc8e0ca6254f4b1]Kyoto[/wiki] to Sendai. The one-way ride costs approximately ¥12,000 and takes 12 1/4 hours from Osaka and 10 3/4 hours from Kyoto.
Willer Express [http://www.willerexpress.com] is a company with nightly bus services to Sendai from Tokyo. With English online booking service.
Meitetsu runs an over night bus service from Sendai to Nagoya. Departure time is 9:30PM and arrival in Nagoya is 7AM.
Taiheiyo Ferry (太平洋フェリー) [url=http://www.taiheiyo-ferry.co.jp/]](Japanese) +81-22-259-0211. Offers overnight car ferries to [[Nagoya[/url]] (21 hrs 40 mins) and [wiki=55973862cee1e9bee5295461bb1562d4]Tomakomai[/wiki] (in southern [wiki=eed3160741538357c567dfe965467bfc]Hokkaido[/wiki]) (15 hrs 20 mins) on the SS Ishikari and SS Kitakami. [url=http://www.nptc.or.jp/ferry/index.html]](Japanese).
Getting there: Ferry terminal is located a ten minute taxi ride away from Nakanosakae Station (中野栄駅) on the JR Senseki line (仙石線). The terminal is also located not far from the Sendai-ko kita (仙台港北) interchange on the Sendai Tobu Highway (仙台東部道路). For further details, check out the ferry website [http://www.taiheiyo-ferry.co.jp/noriba/sendai.html[/url] (Japanese)
Sendai has one subway line traveling on a north-south axis, connecting major shopping districts with the train station. Key stations include Sendai for the train station and the AER building, Nagamachi-minami for the Mall (large American-style shopping mall including multi-screen cinema), Hirose-dori and Kotodai-koen for access to Ichibancho (covered shopping arcade), and Izumi-chuo for the soccer stadium. Second east-west line is under construction, with opening planned in 2015.
Adventurous types can try the bus system to reach those areas not covered by the subway. There are a few resources that help english speakers navigate, but it helps if you know the city (or at least some Japanese, as most stops has route maps). In this case it might become very convenient and far-reaching service, as many points in the city are reachable only by bus or car. However, in some places buses are infrequent, with waiting times up to half an hour, and they tend to get very crowded in the rush hour.
Fortunately for tourists there is a "Loople Sendai" [http://www.kotsu.city.sendai.jp/english/bus/loople/index.html] bus that makes a wide loop around to various Sendai attractions for ¥600 for a whole day, or ¥250 for one ride. Normal route buses have fares based on the distance travelled and usually cost from ¥170 (the basic fare) to ¥300 for some longest journeys.
Travelcards (commony called "bus cards" both in English and Japanese, although they could be also used on subway) are available, offering slight discount -- ¥5,000 card has ¥5,850-worth of fare on it. There are two major bus companies, but for all practical intents and purposes they are indistinguishable.
The city center is compact and can easily be traversed on foot, especially by using the covered shopping arcades. There are many shops and arcades around Sendai station and therefore people could walk around on their own. Other parts of the city are quite hilly (even the center has some significant slopes) and while they still could be traversed on foot, this might be physically demanding. Residential parts are also very spread-out, and walking such large distances becomes impractical.
A famous chain of gyūtan restaurants. Order the teishoku (set meal) - this includes meat, pickles, barley rice, leek, and a clear oxtail soup with real tail.
*Ichimuan specializes in Kyoto Haute cuisine (kaiseki) while utilizing fine Sendai produce. The restaurant also has a teppanyaki grill counter seats where visitors can enjoy fine Sendai beef. The view from the 37th floor is pretty impressive.
Lunch is buffet style. Reservations essential (to avoid disappointment).
* This restaurant specializes in oden, a Japanese fish stew of sorts with ingredients slowly simmered for hours if not days in a soy broth. Goes well with beer or sake, and especially popular in winter.
* The department store food court is an excellent place to sample Sendai's specialties.
* Miyagi and Hiroshima are famous for oysters, and Kaki Toku, which has been running since 1927, is one of the area's most renowned oyster restaurants.
* Some locals believe it is the best sushi restaurant in Japan. Uses exclusively locally caught fish. No credit cards.
There is "Shushi road" in Sendai station. At there you can enjoy delicious Shushi in unexpensive price.
Palinka, +81 22 213-7654, [url=http://r-palinka.com].]Excellent Italian restaurant near Zuihouden (the mausoleum of Date Masamune). Lunch: 11:30 - 14:30; Dinner: 18:00 - 21:00. Palinka has occasional concerts on weekends.
*Namaskar, +81 22 257-7702, [url=http://www.namaskar.jp[/url].] Authentic Indian restaurant with two locations. One in the BiVi building (opposite Yodabashi Camera) directly behind Sendai station, on the 4th floor. There they offer an extensive and reasonably priced buffet lunch on Sundays from 11AM-3PM. The other is on Minamimachi-dori. There they occasionally show Indian films and music videos on a large screen and carry a buffet lunch on Saturdays.
* Very good little Indian restaurant.
*Tirol, Great Italian on Clis Road, or just west of Izumi-chou Subway Station in the north.
*Hummingbird, Italian in Hotel Universe on Ichibancho-dori. Known for its fresh pasta.
*Benitora, Chinese dishes (spicy). Located to the north of the AER building by Sendai station. Cross the pedestrian bridge and look for the big red kanji (means 'red tiger').
*Heichinro, an upscale Chinese restaurant on top of the AER building.
*Pan Flöte, +81 22 355-6165, [http://pan-flote.com/[/url] 'Vegetable dining.' This is not completely vegetarian, but it has some great veg. dishes, such as its excellent vegetable sushi. Lunch: 11:30 - 14:30 (last orders at 14:00); Dinner: 17:30 - 22:30 (last orders at 22:00)
Yuki Kitchen Consultant's Biologic Restaurant Potimaron (vegetarian and macrobiotic), 30-11-1 Kongosawa, Taihaku-ku. +81 22 244-6275.
*Fredrick Pantry, 3-10-1F, Kitame Machi. +81 22 715-8950 - a shop and small restaurant specializing in organic and vegetarian food.
*O-hisama, (From Sendai station walk towards E-beans. Continue walking straight so that you pass the Monterey Hotel. Walk until you see an underpass tunel on your left. Turn right there (a beef tongue restaurant is at the corner). Walk straight for a minute or two. The place is just after a CoCo curry shop. O-hisama restaurant has vegetables for sale out front.), ☎ (022) 224-8540. 11:30-2:30...5:00-7:30 Saturday open only lunchtime, Closed on Sundays. Vegetarian/Organic restaurant Small place. Atmosphere is very warm and the food is awesome.
Due to the numerous universities located near the city center, the nightlife in Sendai is excellent for a city of its size. Several small dance clubs on or around Chuo-dori fill with incredibly energetic young people most nights of the week. Kokubunchō (国分町) is the main entertainment district. Full of restaurants, izakaya, bars, hostess bars and strip clubs.
* A DJ /Live Band Club and sports bar pub founded by Julian from England. Great atmosphere. World food and beers. Can hire for wedding, birthday parties etc. Check the website for event information.
* A Guinness pub.
* A jazz bar. Free live jazz on Saturday nights.
* A good bar in Kokubuncho frequented by foreigners with whom one can have a decent conversation. The owner and manager, Ernie, creates a cozy and relaxed atmosphere with his own mix of funky jazz, soul and house.
* An American-style bar filled with 1950's americana, but surprisingly few foreigners. Music ranges from Elvis to Janis. The owner and his son both speak decent English and instantly make you feel right at home.
* This cafe often has live performances of Indian or African music.
* E'z Bar 2-12-19 daisankyoritsuBld. B1 kokubuncho-aobaku. This place is a little hard to find but worth the search. It's within 5 minutes of the big Don Quixote store in Kokubuncho, so don't go too far when you're looking for it. The owner, Hatakeyama-san, speaks perfect English as he lived in New Zealand for a year. Half the fun of ordering a cocktail at this place is watching the bartender cut a block of ice down for your drink!
* Live 50s-style rock'n'roll every night. Great fun.
Rinno-ji Temple (輪王寺), 1-14-1 Kitayama, Aoba-ku. +81 22 234-5327 (bus: “Kitayama - Shiheimachi line,” get off at “Rinno-ji mae”). Zazen (meditation) meetings are held every Sa 6:30PM-8PM. Instruction is given in English and participation is free. Wear loose fitting clothing.
Sendai Language School [url=http://bweb.pep.ne.jp/career/eng/sls/index.html],]SLS Bldg.5F 1-16-23, Ichiban-cho, Aoba-ku. +81 22 266-8181, Fax: +81 22 266-8182.
*Sendai International Relations Association (SIRA) [url=http://www.sira.or.jp/[/url]]arranges non-profit Japanese classes at various locations in the city [http://www.sira.or.jp/english/foreigner/school/school.html#01[/url].
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A no frills dormitory up the hill from the station. The swiss man working there is very hospitable and friendly.
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* Run by a nice family. Has a small indoor garden and ample facilities such as free wifi and on-site drink vending machines. The Tsuruya Drug store down the street sells convenience foods and is open until 10 am. Showers open 7-9am and 7-11pm. Dorm beds from ¥3,990, Japanese-style 6-tatami-sized rooms from ¥4,590 (the "economy pack plan"). Meals extra.
Opened in 2001, this modern, fairly pleasant business hotel is within walking distance of Sendai station (at least if you don't have much luggage). Rooms are small but comfortable, and the breakfast buffet is a notch above the usual.
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* Room sizes are above average for a business hotel, each room are equipped with a private windows PC and LCD TV.
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