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.
First day
- From Sendai Station towards Teikyo Mountain
- Savoring Mount Teikyo's specialty, "Triangle Teikyo Fried Tofu"
- "Jogi Nyorai Saihoji Temple" with a hexagonal hall
- Day trip hot spring at Iwamatsu Ryokan, the oldest inn in Sakunami Onsen
- The soft serve ice cream kokeshi dolls are cute, and you can visit the Hiraga Kokeshi doll workshop
Second day
- Soto Zen sect Kongohozan Rinno-ji temple with its soothing garden and ties to the Date clan
- "Kumagaya" - Sendai Dagashi, a sweet maker that has been handed down in the castle town since the Edo period
- A fusion of tradition and food! Lunch at Sendai Tansu's mini kaiseki restaurant "Shokeikaku"
- The Paleolithic forest is right before your eyes! "Underground Forest Museum"
9:00 Head towards Mount Teikyo from Sendai Station
I visited Miyagi exactly one year ago for this series. This time I'm going on a trip to Sendai City to experience the Tohoku summer.
Last time, we used the "Loople Sendai" sightseeing loop bus that tours around Sendai city. This time, we will use the "Sendai Marugoto Pass" that covers an even wider area and allows you to ride the JR, subway, and buses. It can be used for 2 days and is also valid for the Sendai Airport Transit, so you can start your trip on a budget right after you get off the plane.
It also comes with discount coupons for tourist spots, so it's a must-purchase ticket for visitors to Sendai.
Once you have purchased your ticket, you can head to your destination by bus.
The first spot we head to is Mount Teikyo in western Sendai.
To start off this trip, we stopped by the Midori no Madoguchi (Green Window) at Sendai Station.
Get the "Sendai Marugoto Pass" and its "coupon book" to travel around the city of Sendai at great value.
I immediately put my pass on and headed to my first destination, Mt. Teikyo. It was an hour and a half bus ride to the final stop.
Sendai is a 20-minute drive away and you can enjoy a landscape rich in nature. On the route to Mount Teikyo, the mountain road crosses over a dam and is full of greenery.
We have arrived at the temple town of Jogi Nyorai Saihoji Temple on Mount Teikyo!
| Sendai Marugoto Pass | ||
|---|---|---|
| Routes used | ： | JR lines between Sendai, Matsushima, Matsushima Kaigan, Yamadera and Shiroishi stations, Sendai Airport Transit, Loople Sendai, Sendai City Bus, all lines of the Sendai City Subway, Miyagi Kotsu's Sendai - Akiu Otaki line, and Abukuma Express's Tsukigi - Abukuma station section *Rakuten Shuttle Bus is excluded. Some sections are suspended due to the effects of Typhoon No. 19 of 2019. |
| usage period | ： | Unlimited rides for 2 days |
Please check the website for information on how and where to purchase tickets, and suspended sections.
https://sendaitravelpass.jp/
10:00 - Savor the Mount Teikyo specialty, "Triangle Teikyo Fried Tofu"
Take the bus from Sendai Station to the last stop for Jogi. Head to Jogi Nyorai Saihoji Temple on Mount Jogi.
First, let's go on a food tour of the temple town! The thing you definitely want to try here is the hot, freshly fried aburaage. We stop by the Teigi Tofu Shop and order the "Sankaku Teigi Aburaage."
We could see the frying process through the window. The fried tofu here is fried twice. By frying in two fryers, one at low temperature and one at high temperature, it becomes crispy, fluffy and golden brown. At first glance, the dough before frying looks like tofu, but it is said that the mixture only comes out delicious when fried. We poured soy sauce from a local soy sauce shop and shichimi pepper on it and took a big bite. There are two types of shichimi pepper available, with the most popular being shichimi garlic. The fragrant garlic aroma had us finishing the whole thing in no time.
The town in front of the temple is lined with souvenir shops and restaurants, and offers a wide variety of delicacies, including large rice balls spread with miso called "yakimeshi," tama konnyaku (jellyfish), and dango (rice dumplings).
The most popular item in this temple town is fried tofu, the large and thick "triangle-shaped fried tofu."
You can eat freshly fried tofu at the "Teigi Tofu Shop." It is a specialty of Teigi Mountain that almost everyone who visits the area eats and buys to take home. It is fried twice, at low and high temperatures, giving it a crispy texture.
Originally fried tofu was square, but at the time it was fried in a round pan, so they decided to make it triangular so that more could be fried at once, and thus the current style of triangular fried tofu was established.
I was shown what it looked like before it was fried. It looked like firm tofu, but it wouldn't taste good if you just fried it, and the flavor only really comes out after it's deep-fried.
Freshly fried tofu is served with shichimi garlic and triangular fried tofu soy sauce, which goes well with fried tofu.
It's simple yet delicious. It's a thick, filling, piping hot, freshly fried dish.
They can also be purchased as souvenirs, and we saw many people buying some to take home.
The restaurant gets quite crowded on weekends. There is also outdoor seating.
There are many other delicacies to be found in the temple town, such as tama-konnyaku (ball-shaped konnyaku) and dango (rice dumplings).
| Definition tofu shop | ||
|---|---|---|
| address | ： | Miyagi Prefecture, Sendai City, Aoba Ward, Okura Shimomichi 1-2 |
| business hours | ： | 8:00～15:00 |
*Business hours may change due to the impact of the new coronavirus.
For more details, please check the official website.
http://www.sankaku-age.jp/
11:00 "Jogi Nyorai Saihoji Temple" with its hexagonal hall
After filling your stomach on the approach to the temple, head to "Jogi Nyorai Saihoji Temple." This is a place associated with the Taira clan, and is a temple with many sights to see, including the mountain gate and halls that are cultural assets. It is also a power spot where many people visit in hopes of finding love.
If you proceed from the temple town, the first thing you will arrive at is the "Sanmon Gate". From here, you will come across the "Bell Tower", "Chouzuya" (purification fountain), and the hexagonal hall before your eyes, the "Gobyo Teinoudo". All of these are registered tangible cultural properties built in the early Showa period. The contrast between the sacred appearance and the fresh greenery is beautiful, creating a picturesque world.
When Lord Taira Sadayoshi, a fugitive from the Heike clan, hid himself here, he changed his name to "Sadayoshi," which was pronounced "Jogi," and it is said that this led to the current place name. The hanging scroll of Amida Nyorai, which Lord Sadayoshi treasured and inherited even after his death, is currently enshrined in the main hall and is the principal image of Saihoji Temple.
A little way inside from Teino-do Hall, you will find the "Tennozuka (Emperor's mound)." On top of the mound where Emperor Antoku's belongings are buried, there is a large tree with two connected zelkova trees, which is worshipped as a sacred tree for matchmaking and fertility, known as the "Renri no Zelkova."
The "Teahouse Yasuragi" is a viewing spot with a great view of the well-maintained garden, the pond where Nishikigoi swim, and the five-story pagoda. It's a great place to take a break in the middle of your visit, enjoying the view of the famous garden while sipping matcha in a quiet space.
Once you leave the temple town, you will see Jogi Nyorai Saihoji Temple directly ahead. The first thing you will pass through is the Sanmon gate.
Five buildings, including this temple gate, are registered as tangible cultural properties. The clear air will soothe your mind.
The "Gobyo Sadayoshido" is a hexagonal main hall. It is a mausoleum built on the grave of Taira Sadayoshi. You can enter the mausoleum and try your hand at copying sutras.
It was given its current appearance by Kesen carpenters in 1927. The gabled roof at the front and the interior feature impressive carvings such as a gently smiling heavenly maiden and a transom of the thirteen bodhisattvas, all of which are eye-catching.
Saihoji Temple also has a spot for matchmaking. The "Renri no Zelkova" is the trunk of a giant tree formed by the fusion of two Zelkova trees. It is a sacred tree planted on the mound where Emperor Antoku's belongings were buried. Many wishes are offered on the votive plaques hanging here.
On the matchmaking ema, you write your wish and hang it on the ema rack, and you can take the ring inside home as a talisman.
At the temple's rest area "Yasuragi," you can enjoy matcha green tea and Japanese sweets. From inside the room, you can see the beautiful five-story pagoda and Nishikigoi carp swimming in the pond in front of you.
We left Mt. Teikyo, which has plenty to offer, after admiring the clear waters of the Okura River and the five-story pagoda surrounded by lush greenery.
| Jogi Nyorai Saihoji Temple | ||
|---|---|---|
| address | ： | Miyagi Prefecture Sendai City Aoba Ward Okura Aza Kamige 1 |
| web | ： | https://jogi.jp/ |
15:00 Day trip to the hot springs at Iwamatsu Ryokan, the oldest inn in Sakunami Onsen
If you head south from Mt. Teikyo, you will arrive at Sakunami, a hot spring area known for its skin-beautifying waters. This time, it took a while to get there because we had to change buses.
After a long morning of walking, you can relax in the hot springs. Iwamatsu Ryokan has the longest history in Sakunami Onsen. The Iwamatsu family moved to this area and asked the lord of Sendai for permission to open the hot springs that were once the inn's current location to the local people. They received permission from the lord and were given the name "Takanoyu."
The natural rock bath along the mountain stream is mixed-gender except for the women-only times (morning and evening). After descending 88 wooden steps, you will reach the natural open-air bath, where the spring water is separated by rocks. Enjoy a relaxing soak in the free-flowing water while listening to the sound of the clear water and surrounded by natural scenery. There are also large public baths separated by gender, and a hot spring for women only.
We were able to get a discount by using the "Sendai Marugoto Pass" coupon, so we were able to enjoy great value here as well.
A free shuttle bus runs from Sakunami Onsen Station to Iwamatsu Ryokan. The bus runs according to train times, but it's best to make a reservation in advance.
After taking a bus from Mt. Teikyo, we arrived at Sakunami Onsen. We came here to visit a famous Kokeshi doll craftsman. However, since we were there, we decided to stop by a hot spring as well! We arrived at Iwamatsu Ryokan, the oldest inn in Sakunami Onsen.
Iwamatsu Ryokan offers a shuttle service from Sakunami Station. If you take the bus, it's not necessary since you can get right in front of the hotel, but if you're using the train, it's convenient to reserve a shuttle service.
It is a large hot spring inn with a total of 91 rooms. The lobby is also spacious with high ceilings.
We descend the elegant wooden stairs to the open-air bath made of rocks beside the Hirose River. On this day, many people were enjoying a bath in the rock bath.
Iwamatsu Ryokan has a refreshing river babbling sound. I would definitely like to stay there next time!
The "Sendai Marugoto Pass" coupon book also included discounts on bathing, making this another great value trip.
| Sakunami Onsen Takasenkaku Iwamatsu Ryokan | ||
|---|---|---|
| address | ： | Sakunami Onsen Motoyu, Aoba Ward, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture |
| web | ： | https://ssl.iwamatu-ryokan.com/ |
16:00 Visit the Hiraga Kokeshi Workshop to see the cute soft serve ice cream Kokeshi dolls
The last stop of the day was the Hiraga Kokeshi Shop. It is located in Sakunami Onsen town, so it is an easy place to stop by on your way to the hot spring town.
Kokeshi dolls are toys originally made for children. They are widely produced in the Tohoku region, but each region has its own unique characteristics. The basic style is simple, consisting of a head and a body, but there are "types" of expressions, colors, and designs, and each has such different characteristics that people can immediately tell which type it is.
Hiraga's kokeshi dolls are of the Sakunami style, and his workshop is the only one that can be seen in the Sakunami area.
Hiraga Teruyuki, currently the fourth generation of the Hiraga family and the eighth generation of Sakunami Kokeshi craftsmen, has been creating "traditional kokeshi" dolls, but in recent years he has also been enthusiastically working on the creation of "creative (new) kokeshi dolls" with cute and pop designs. The appeal of creative kokeshi dolls is the freedom to incorporate modern motifs, but even in these designs, they still retain the "Sakunami Kokeshi-ness" of gently droopy eyes and soft, flowing brushstrokes.
Hiraga-san has been devoting himself to making kokeshi dolls for over 30 years, advancing both tradition and evolution at the same time. A solid piece of wood is carved out with a potter's wheel and tools, given expression, and transformed into an adorable figure that makes you smile. This process has been passed down from generation to generation.
When you come into contact with the traditional techniques that have been honed in the hot spring town, you can feel the warmth of the craftsmanship. One of the original kokeshi dolls, the "Soft Cream Kokeshi," was so cute that I bought one to take home.
We will visit Hiraga Kokeshi Shop, which continues to preserve the "Sakunami Kokeshi" style, one of the many styles of Kokeshi dolls in the Tohoku region.
You can arrive there from Iwamatsu Ryokan in a relaxed, leisurely 5-minute walk along the clear waters of the Hirose River.
There are many kokeshi dolls on display in the shop. There is a workshop in the back, and if you're lucky, you can see the process.
The shop has traditional Sakunami Kokeshi dolls and creative Kokeshi dolls. Kokeshi dolls were originally toys for children, so they are basically thin and easy to hold.
Creative Kokeshi dolls come in a variety of colors and shapes. They are original and sometimes made to order.
Masayuki Hiraga at work. He uses his feet to control the rotation of the potter's wheel and carves out the stone with the tools at hand.
The tools are also handmade. Shaved wood chips are burned, and the fire is used to heat and hammer the iron, which is then shaped into the desired shape.
I bought the "Soft Serve Kokeshi." It fits right in with my home and I really like it.
| Hiraga Kokeshi Shop | ||
|---|---|---|
| address | ： | 13 Motoki, Sakunami, Aoba-ku, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture |
| business hours | ： | 7:00～19:00 |
| holiday | ： | New Year's holidays and irregular holidays |
*Please make sure to call before visiting.
http://www.h-kokeshi.net/
The contents published are accurate at the time of publication and are subject to change.
