Hello again, from Miyagi! I wrote about my exciting first day in Miyagi in my previous article. And it’s my second day here.
♪Day 2: Sendai→Matsushima
☆Go for a morning walk
I started my Day 2 by taking a walk to enjoy more of Sendai, which is called Mori no Miyako (杜の都), the tree-clad city.
I got off the Sendai Subway Namboku Line at the Kotodai-Koen (勾当台公園) Station and found the traditional department store Mitsukoshi. From there, I walked down Jozenji Street (定禅寺通り) to the west, to Nishi Park (西公園). This street is famous for its Christmas lights called Sendai Hikari no Pageant. Countless zelkova trees are planted along the street. While walking the promenade in the quiet morning in the midsummer, I felt so refreshed!
In Nishi Park, I walked along Sendai’s iconic river, Hirosegawa. I felt like listening to an old masterpiece “Aobajo Koiuta (青葉城恋歌)” sung by Sato Muneyuki, which turned out to be my theme song during this trip. I highly recommend you check the lyrics of this song because it describes bittersweet feelings along with the beautiful nature in Sendai.
Bottom right: Nishi Park
☆Breakfast
I was super hungry and lined up at a cafe in Sendai Station, DaTe Cafe O’der, to eat its miso rice ball and imoni (芋煮), taro and meat soup. Speaking of imoni, it’s famous as a local food in Yamagata Prefecture. However, I learned that people in Sendai also enjoy imoni, and they are different from Yamagata’s.
| Differences of imoni | ||
| Soup base | Meat | |
| Sendai | Miso | Pork |
| Yamagata | Shouyu (soy sauce) | Beef |
After just 10 minutes, I was able to order the mouth-watering “Imoni set.” It completely filled both my stomach and mind!
DaTe Cafe O’rder
☆To Matsushima
Matsushima is an island in the Pacific Ocean, and it is called one of the three specific scenic views in Japan, along with Amanohashidate in Kyoto and Miyajima in Hiroshima. It took about 40 minutes from Sendai Station to Matsushima Kaigan Station by JR Senseki Line, and here I am!
☆Godaido Hall (五大堂)
My first destination is Godaido Hall, which originated from a hall created by Sakanoue no Tamuramaro(坂上田村麻呂). In order to get to this hall, we must cross the small red bridge called Sukashi Bridge, where if you are not careful, you might step right off the bridge and into the sea. I gathered my courage and took the picture above for this article, being careful not to drop my iPhone! Phew! And from Godaido Hall, we can see the beautiful scenery of the ocean.
☆Fukuurajima Island (福浦島)
One of the perks of spending me-time is that we can easily go with the flow, right? Another red bridge caught my attention, and it made me go on an island journey! Crossing Fukuurabashi Bridge and strolling Fukuurajima Island were the most exciting times for me in the day.
It costs 200 yen to cross the bridge and land on the island, but it’s worth it. This bridge is photogenic and cozy to cross. The whole island is the prefectural natural park, and it includes over 200 kinds of plants, a hall dedicated to Benzaiten, one Japan’s Seven Lucky Gods, and what is more, a picturesque ocean view.
☆Zuiganji Temple (瑞巌寺)
A national treasure, Zuiganji is a Zen temple rebuilt by Date Masamune in 1609. My friend advised me not to miss looking back to the ocean just after passing through the gate. It was a clear sunny day with a blue sky, and the gate looked like the frame of a picture! And if you are lucky, there might be an English volunteer guide who can help you understand this temple for free.
There is a lot to see here. Since we are not allowed to take pictures inside, each room with gorgeous fusumae, pictures on sliding doors, is a must-see, and they really impressed me continuously. The gardens were also as attractive as inside.
☆Entsuin Temple (円通院)
Entsuin is a small temple located just next to Zuiganji Temple. It was established in 1647 to honor Date Masamune’s grandson, Mitsumune. To my surprise, this temple has a European-style garden and is called “Rose Temple!”
☆Pleasure Boat: To Shiogama (塩釜)
My final event was taking a boat from Matsushima to Shiogama, which is called the Basho Course (芭蕉コース). I got a ticket just after arriving in Matsushima because it seemed the ticket counter was crowded with many tourists. However, it turned out most of the people wanted to take a round-trip cruise from and to Matsushima. My decision, which was actually my friend’s advice, was right! Only a few people boarded the boat to Shiogama, and I was fascinated by countless unique islands right and left on a quiet boat.
☆Thanks a million, Miyagi!
I took the JR Senseki Line from Honshiogama Station and went back to Sendai.
My two-day trip was over in the blink of an eye, with a lot of laughter, peace of mind, and the local people’s kindness. Miyagi is one of the places that was severely damaged by the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011. On the cruise from Matsushima, I learned many islands changed their shapes because of the tsunami. Words cannot express what local people have done to this day.
Thanks to my friends living in Sendai, I can finish writing about my trip. They’ve given me a lot of information from before I visited there and until now. They definitely added color to my 2024.
Left: Fried conger eels (穴子の唐揚げ)
Top right: Fried oysters (牡蠣フライ)Bottom right: Coelacanth Monaka (シーラカンスモナカ)
Please watch this special video on Youtube!
Working for an English language school. My source of energy is our students’ smiles full of curiosity. I love visiting my friends in and outside of Japan.
HTJ has a YouTube page! Check it out