Matsushima

There are many famous sites in and around the city of Sendai. Amongst these are Aoba Castle (the stronghold of the Masamune clan), Tohoku University, the Miyagi Museum of Art, the Sendai Mediatheque (a state of the art library and multimedia centre),etc. all of which are within the city limits. Nearby  is one of the Nihon Sankei or 3 Most beautiful sites of Japan,the picturesque seaside village of Matsushima,and also close to the city (a picturesque hour or so’s train ride from Sendai) is Yamadera, a complex of temples situated in a beautiful mountain walk. If you’re looking for a lovely view over the city, it can be found in the Sky Observatory, which is located on the 31st floor of the AER skyscraper building, a minute’s walk from JR Sendai Station and also housing offices, a blood donation clinic, a Starbuck’s, a large bookshop and a shopping mall with many famous Japanese brands for sale. A branch of the famous Tokyo department store Parco is currently under construction and expected to be opened by the end of August.

The AER skyscraper building

Sendai is a lovely place to be, with many attractions, a rich history and a relaxed pace of life which is rather nice when compared with the hectic pace of Tokyo! To quote a local saying:

“大きすぎんじゃなくて、小さいすぎんじゃなくて、べんりである、山も海も近くにある”

Or to translate: “It’s not too big and not too small, it’s convenient and it’s close to the sea and the mountains”!