Conveniently enough, three must-see Sendai sightseeing spots are all clustered together (they’re each about a fifteen minute walk apart), so it’s pretty easy to see them all in one shot.
First up is Zuihōden — the mausoleum of Date Masamune, the founder of Sendai.
It’s a pretty scenic area, and the mausoleum itself (which was rebuilt after being destroyed in World War II) is quite striking.
There’s also a temple here, but that cost 700 yen (!) to see, which feels a bit excessive. I skipped that.
Up next: Sendai Castle, which is where the aforementioned Date Masamune lived.
There’s no actual castle to see, however — it was destroyed and never rebuilt, but you can see where the castle used to be.
It’s built on top of a hill (walking up there is a bit exhausting), and offers some great views of the surrounding area.
There are also a couple of impressive statues — most famously, this one of Masamune on a horse.
Another striking statue:
And finally, there’s the Sendai City Museum. This costs 460 yen, and there isn’t a ton to see here, but it’s interesting enough.
This also completes the Date Masamune theme of the day — many of the exhibits are about the man and his clan.
Zuihōden: 23-２ Otamayashita, Aoba-ku, Sendai-shi, Miyagi-ken 980-0814
Sendai Castle: 〒980-0862 Miyagi-ken, Sendai-shi, Aoba-ku, 天主台 青葉城址
Sendai City Museum: 26 Kawauchi, Aoba-ku, Sendai-shi, Miyagi-ken 980-0862
How to find it: Once you get into the vicinity of any of the three, you’ll find plenty of signs to point the way.