Sendai

What?
Sendai 仙台 is by far the largest city of Tohoku (東北), the northern part of Honshu – the biggest Japanese island. In 2010 it had a population of over one million. The city was made big by daimyo Date Masamune (伊達政宗) and the city still holds its benefiter in very high regards. The coastal outskirts of the city have been hit hard by the tsunami in 2011, but the city center was fairly undamaged. Highlights of the city are Zuihoden (瑞鳳殿) – the mausoleum of Date Masamune and the Sendai City Museum (仙台市博物館).
Where?
Sendai is the biggest city of Tohoku and the 11^th biggest city in Japan. Therefor it is very to easy reach because it has an airport, a harbor and a shinkansen station.
URL
Japan Guide Outline Sendai Tourism

As I normally go out to nature on a sunny day, my first rainy day in Sendai gave me the opportunity to visit the city and its attractions a bit more. A handy way to check multiple spots in Sendai is the Loople Bus. It circles the city with 10-15 minutes intervals and stops at all Sendai’s drawcards.

My first stop was Zuihoden, the mausoleum of Sendai founder and local (national?) hero Date Masamune. I encountered the Azuchi-Momoyama Period building style one time earlier in Nagatoro, and I must admit that I really love the colorful and detailed architectural style.
While Zuihoden itself might be a little difficult to admire because it is enclosed, there are two mausoleums of other feudal lords which are as pretty and easy to view.
The little museum is not really impressive though.

The Sendai Loople Bus.

Entrance of Zuihoden.

Next on the agenda was the Sendai City Museum. The temporary exhibition about ukiyo-e art interested me the most but was ridiculously expensive. The regular collection was interesting enough though. Telling the story of how Sendai came into being, the highlights are the outfit of Date Masamune, some beautiful screens and the small collection of artifacts related to Hasekura Tsunenaga’s world voyage to Rome.

Eventually I hopped on the Loople a last time to get off around the city hall. A lazy stroll led me to the city center where I had a taste of Sendai’s delicious gyutan (cow tongue).

To end the day I climbed the AER building near the station which has a viewing platform from which you have a fantastic view over the city. Keep your eye open for a huge Buddha statue on the horizon.