Ai Nishimura
Administrator of the blog "My Diary," which began in 2004. A writer who has traveled to all 47 prefectures and loves local culture and history.
Author of Shimane's "Geography, Place Names, and Maps" Mysteries (Jitsugyo no Nihonsha), My Town is the "Number One in Japan" Dictionary (PHP Institute), and Prefectures Explained in Neko Neko Japanese History (Jitsugyo no Nihonsha). Official blogger for Suntory Gourmet Guide, official top user for Retty, and official platinum blogger for Excite.
Tour the major tourist spots on the Sendai Loop. Day 1 of enjoying Sendai city.
Traveling around Miyagi without renting a car is a convenient way to do so: by sightseeing bus, which connects 16 spots in the center of Sendai.
Loople Sendai is a circular bus that runs every 20 minutes from Sendai Station. If you purchase a one-day pass, you can get on and off as many times as you like on that day. Its cute, European-style retro style makes it a very useful means of transportation for sightseeing.
The first place we visited was Bansui Sodo, built on the site of Bansui Doi's house. He is famous as the lyricist of Kojo no Tsuki. You can listen to a detailed explanation while looking at a timeline and other information.
Next is Zuihoden, the mausoleum of Sendai feudal lord Date Masamune, his second lord Tadamune, and his third lord Tsunamune. The building is characterized by its solemn yet elegant style, and the Momoyama-style architecture can still be seen today.
The city loop bus "Loople Sendai" travels around the city from Sendai Station, covering all the tourist spots. You can ride it to your heart's content with a one-day pass!
Some drivers will even give you some basic tourist information. The one-day pass will pay for itself after three rides, so it's definitely a good deal if you use it in the morning.
The first stop is "Bansui Sodo-mae," the former home of Doi Bansui. This historic site appears suddenly in a valley between the buildings of a big city along Aoba-dori street, and is the former residence of Doi Bansui, a poet and scholar of English literature.
Bansui was born into a merchant family that ran a pawn shop, and this house was originally a luxurious mansion measuring 1,690m2. However, during the war, not only the house but also the storehouse was burned down. After that, the current Bansui Sodo was given to Bansui by his adoring friends and students.
There is a statue of Bansui Doi in the Japanese-style garden. Bansui Doi went on to study English at Tokyo Imperial University (now the University of Tokyo). He then studied in Europe for three years before returning to Sendai. He was 34 years old at the time and lived in Sendai until his death at the age of 80.
The song he wrote the lyrics for, "Kojo no Tsuki" (The Moon over the Ruined Castle) (composed by Rentaro Taki), is extremely famous.
The next spot is Zuihoden. Hydrangeas, which look great in the rain, are blooming here and there. This is a mausoleum where the spirit of Date Masamune, the first feudal lord of the Sendai domain, known for his one-eyed dragon, is enshrined.
The approach to Zuihoden is a staircase. Large cedar trees, said to be over 380 years old, welcome you on both sides.
Just before Zuihoden is the "Nirvana Gate." You can already sense its dignity from here. It was raining heavily at the time...
Once you enter through the Nirvana Gate, which signifies "the afterlife," you will finally be approaching the tomb where Date Masamune rests.
The stone walls are also very picturesque. The rain deepened the colors of the scenery, making it feel even more solemn.
Zuihoden. Masamune was buried here with many grave goods.
It was designated a national treasure in 1931, but was destroyed in fires during the war and subsequently rebuilt.
It is colorful and extravagantly decorated. The black lacquer is painted with colors and is adorned with gold, making it a truly gorgeous piece.
You can get up close and take a look. It is decorated with three-dimensional carvings of auspicious birds, flying celestial beings, and phoenixes, making it a perfect example of early Edo period temple architecture.
On the door is a large "bamboo and sparrow" crest of the Date clan. It is said that this bamboo leaf pattern became the inspiration for the Sendai specialty "Sasa Kamaboko."
The dragon head tile on the roof was restored in 2001. Can you tell that the two figures in this photo are A and Un?
The original dragon head tile survived the fires of war and was stored in Matsushima Town. It has now been returned to its home, right next to Zuihoden.
Due to the bad weather, we couldn't take our time, but it was a historic site where you could really feel the majesty of the Date clan. There are long slopes and stairs, so I recommend wearing comfortable shoes.
Cafe Mozart Figaro is a museum cafe attached to the Miyagi Museum of Art.
Since we got caught in a lot of rain at Zuihoden, we decided to cut the trip short a little and continue our journey on the Loople Sendai.
The Miyagi Museum of Art is located in the educational district of Sendai, where many universities and museums are located. The restaurant "Figaro" attached to the museum opened in 2011. It is one of six stores of "Cafe Mozart", which has a history of over 40 years, in Sendai. You can use it as a cafe even if you don't enter the museum.
Popular dishes include lasagna made with seasonal vegetables and a tart made with fruit layered like flower petals. As you'd expect from a museum cafe, there are also limited-edition menus created to coincide with special exhibits, so you can enjoy art appreciation and gourmet food together.
With sofa seats and terrace seating, it was the perfect cafe for a break during your trip.
After visiting these two spots, it was just time for lunch. After about 15 minutes on the Loople from the Zuihoden-mae bus stop, we arrived at the Miyagi Museum of Art.
Cafe Mozart Figaro is a museum cafe attached to the art museum.
Colorful chairs are randomly arranged inside the store. It's a stylish space, and the light coming in through the windows creates a bright atmosphere.
You can also enjoy the terrace seats. There are many designer chairs called "Tombak Chairs". There was also a "Wassily Chair".
I ordered the "Seasonal Vegetable Lasagna" with bread and salad.
Bechamel sauce, meat sauce, and several kinds of cheese. A dish with the right balance of saltiness and flavor.
It was hot all the way to the end. I finished it in no time!
A popular dessert is the layered melon tart.
The height of the fruit is far greater than the tart crust. It looks like it will be very satisfying in terms of volume. The fruits change depending on the season.
Visit the national treasure, Osaki Hachimangu Shrine. You can also receive Loople Sendai benefits!
The fourth spot on the Loople Sendai tour is Osaki Hachimangu Shrine, whose history dates back to the Heian period.
Hachiman Shrine was built on this site in 1607. The shrine building, which still retains the architecture and design of the Azuchi-Momoyama period, was decorated by leading artisans and painters who served the Toyotomi clan at the time. It is gorgeous, luxurious, and full of dignity and style, giving a sense of the prosperity of the Date clan of the Sendai domain.
At Osaki Hachimangu Shrine, we were able to receive a special postcard by presenting our Loople Sendai one-day pass.
On the day we visited, the Tanabata prayer festival was taking place, so an arch made of bamboo and paper strips was hung in front of the worship hall. The rustling sound was refreshing and it was a mystical experience, as if we were passing under a rainbow.
For more information about the origins and history of Osaki Hachiman Shrine, please visit its official website (http://www.oosaki-hachiman.or.jp/).
Leaving the museum behind, we head to our final stop on the loop: Osaki Hachimangu Shrine, a designated national treasure.
Once you pass through the second torii gate, you will see the large stone steps right in front of you. The steps, which are said to have 98 or 100 steps, remain the same as when the shrine was first built.
The stairs are quite steep, so be careful on rainy days.
There was a crescent moon lantern on the right side of the stairs.
At the top of the stairs is the third torii gate. If you look closely, you will see that the character "八" on the plaque hanging there is a pair of doves facing each other. The characters on the plaque are said to have been written by Date Yoshimura, the fifth feudal lord of the Sendai domain.
This is a platform just before the national treasure shrine. If you go through here, you will reach the main shrine building, which is also a national treasure.
During this season, bamboo decorations are set up for the Tanabata prayer festival, forming a beautiful arch.
The gongen-style structure connects the worship hall to the stone room and then to the main hall. You can also see the main hall in the back from the left side of the shrine.
The shrine is lavishly decorated with black lacquer and vividly colored carvings and metal fittings, and is a collection of the finest decorative techniques. The shrine is said to offer a variety of benefits, including protection from misfortune, victory, safe childbirth, and good health. In particular, players from the soccer team Vegalta Sendai and the baseball team Rakuten Eagles make offerings here to pray for victory.
If you show your Loople Sendai One-Day Pass, you will also receive a free postcard. It would be great to visit with a solemn feeling, and then go home feeling energized and refreshed.
Read the second part here
The contents published are accurate at the time of publication and are subject to change.
