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About 90 minutes outside of Tokyo, Sendai is a buzzing but less touristy city in Japan. It’s the jumping-off point for tours of the Fukushima area, close to Matsushima, one of Japan’s most beautiful views and full of sights of its own. It’s a fun city to spend a couple of days in, but where should you eat or drink when you’re there?
Weather and the lingering travel restrictions of a certain virus beginning with C, meant my trip to Sendai went wrong in a lot of ways – that’s a story for another day – but one thing that did not disappoint was the bar and restaurant scene. There were at least three different bar areas for us to check out, heaps of restaurants and izakaya and the people were super-friendly. However, with so much choice, and the fact that there are fewer tourists, so things are mostly in Japanese, if you don’t have a plan, you can also wander around a bit aimlessly. Step forward, Derek Yamashita, to help you out.
Derek runs the company The Hidden Japan, which is based in Yamagata Prefecture and specialises in tours and experiences in the Tohoku Region. They offer tours and experiences all over the prefecture, from workshops showing you how fugu pufferfish is prepared to sunrise kayaking through the submerged forests of the Okitama region.
Derek spends a lot of time in Sendai, as it’s the gateway to the Tohoku region, so we asked him our top foodie questions.
1. Where is Your Absolute Favourite Place to Eat in Sendai?
‘Sendaihan is the go-to place for a memorable dinner in Sendai. It features the best of Miyagi’s local ingredients served in a kaiseki-style dinner course with many options for pairing with local spirits.
The interior is gorgeous and also lined with signatures of famous guests from around the world.
The price is also far, far cheaper than you’d pay in Tokyo for an equal-level course (probably around half). Bearing the name of the clan that founded Sendai City, it has a high standard to uphold.’
How to Find Sendaihan
Sendaihan is just a three-minute walk from Sendai Station. It’s open five nights a week, Tuesday through Saturday, from 6 pm to 10.30 pm.
As Derek says, it is a kaiseki-style meal, meaning you’ll be served lots of small courses decided by the chef rather than ordering what you feel like from a menu. Prices start at 11,000 yen per person. It is a small restaurant, and you do need to reserve.
Note when booking, if you cancel more than three days before your visit, the full cost of your meal will be charged. Please also read their information page regarding some of the ‘rules’ they’d like you to follow if you visit – this is not a place to wear strong perfume, for example.
2. Where’s Your Favourite Place for Breakfast?
‘Cafe Aoyama Bunko offers a Western-style breakfast with a Japanese flair and a lovely interior. It is open from 7:30. I like the food and atmosphere here and recommend it to guests staying in the hotels in front of the station who want to go out for breakfast.’
How to Find Cafe Aoyama Bunko
It’s right by Sendai Station. Exits North 4 or North 6 are the closest exits. It’s marked as Cafe 青山文庫 on the map.
They open at 7.30 am, but they stay open until 11 pm at night, so it’s more than just a breakfast spot. You’ll find dishes like ham and cheese toast and crepes for less than 1000 yen, and there’s a wide variety of cakes and ice cream for later in the day. Find the whole menu here.
3. Where Should We Try Beef Tongue?
Beef tongue is one of Sendai’s specialties, and Derek says that Date no Gyutan is his favorite place for this famous dish. ‘It’s located in the former castle grounds of the Date Clan and serves up locally sourced beef tongue. Other places may serve beef tongue from America and other countries. The beef tongue from Miyagi is richer with delicious fats and oils, making it almost an entirely different dish from the lean tongue from America. This restaurant isn’t too expensive either.
Enjoy beef tongue here and walk over to see a gorgeous view of Sendai City and the famous statue of Date Masamune.’
Image @ The Hidden Japan
How to Find Date no Gyutan
This branch is marked as Date no Gyutan Honpo Aobajo on Google Maps, and it is a little bit out of the main town centre. It is only open for lunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
If you want to head here, you can catch the bus or get the train to International Station, and it’s a 20-minute walk from there.
Set meals start at 2330 yen per person, and this includes the tongue with rice, soup, and pickles.
If you can’t get to this branch or would prefer to eat in the evening, Dategyu has other branches in Sendai—check their website to find the closest to your hotel.
Image @ The Hidden Japan
4. Sendai Has a Great Bar Scene. Where Do You Like?
‘I prefer spots where local people go, whether it’s for myself or with my customers. Isshin is a small izakaya in a basement on Jozenji-Dori Avenue. It’s somewhere you will only find if you know what you are looking for. It is also regularly featured in the top rankings for local izakaya in Sendai.
It is run by a lovely older woman who serves the local dishes of Sendai and Miyagi, along with many of its local sake and other drinks. They rarely get foreign tourists, but they are always very happy to see international guests! They don’t speak much English, though, and you’ll need to use Google Translate to read the menu!
Kokubuncho is also a great drinking street where visitors can find places happy to take them in.
They serve up local dishes like beef tongue and all sorts of small local side dishes that pair with drinks.
Kokubuncho is also where many young Japanese go to drink, so it is the most lively drinking alley area in Sendai.’
How to Find Isshin and Kokubuncho
Isshin is open Monday to Saturday, 5 pm to midnight. The nearest station is Kotodaikoen.
Kokubuncho is close to Isshin. It’s a maze of bars, restaurants and hostess clubs, and you won’t find it hard to find somewhere to enjoy your night.
If you’re looking for somewhere to start that is definitely foreigner-friendly, we went to Public Bar Inetora 2 – purely because it had seats by the window and had a great night. The host was super friendly, we somehow ended up with free drinks from some game we played, and we ate a lot of snacks!
Note – you will likely be served a dish with your beer at Inetora 2 – and probably many other bars in Kokubuncho. This is called otoshi. You must pay for it even if you don’t eat it, as it kind of pays for your seat at the bar – see more about it here.
5. Where Should We Try Ramen in Sendai?
‘For a local ramen specialty, Sendai’s hiyashi ramen (chilled ramen) might be a great dish to recommend.
It’s perfect for summer, with a variety of toppings, and quite a unique dish that most travellers have probably not had yet.
Ryutei is a good place for this dish, but dozens of places serve it in downtown Sendai.’
How to Find Ryutei
Ryutei is about a 13-minute walk from Sendai Station or eight minutes from Kotodaikoen Station. It’s open six days a week and closed on Wednesday. On weekdays, it’s open for lunch only (11.30 am – 2.30 pm), but they serve dinner from 5.30 p.m. to 8.30 p.m, Saturday and Sunday.
Expect to pay around 1500 yen (plus tax) for chilled noodles. They also serve other Chinese dishes. You can see the full menu here.
6. What’s Your Favourite Dish in Japan?
‘I personally love unagi more than anything else – and in Sendai, I go to Unagi Chikutei Honten. It’s located on the outskirts of Sendai, but it is a lovely local spot with some of the best unagi I have ever had in Japan.
Their lunch and dinner courses are quite affordable for locals like us who don’t want to break the bank every time we want a delicious meal.
This is a stock image of Unagi not a dish from Unagi Chikutei Honten
How to Find Unagi Chikutei Honten
Serving the people of Sendai since 1965, Unagi Chikutei Honten’s main branch is open six days a week from 11 a.m. to 8.30 p.m. The easiest way to get there by public transport is to take the bus which will take about 45 minutes from Sendai Station. There are a few different routes so check Google Maps to find the best timing for when you need to leave.
Prices start at 3800 for a small bowl of eel and rice. Lacquered boxes start at 4600 for a two-slice box.
Some dishes need reservations two days before you wish to visit. As the restaurant is a little bit out of Sendai, it’s probably best to book to ensure you get in. Make a booking here.
8. Is There Anything Else People Should Try?
‘Miyagi Oysters!
Sendai enjoys first dibs on the bountiful harvests of oysters, scallops, wakame (seaweed), hoya (sea squirts), and other aquaculture-raised ingredients.
But of these, oysters are by far my favorite, and they can be enjoyed at virtually every izakaya, kaiseki restaurant, and seafood restaurant in the city.
But if you want a recommendation, 牡蠣小屋もういっこ is an oyster specialty restaurant in the Ichibancho drinking district that’s a good place to try them.’
How to Find Ichibancho and the Oyster Spot
Ichibancho is an atmospheric drinking alley in the middle of Sendai. Each of the two alleys within it is jam-packed with bars. I admit I wish I’d had this recommendation when I went, as I could not decide where to go and ended up not going anywhere because I was paralysed by choice!
I did, by total coincidence, manage to take a picture with the sign for 牡蠣小屋もういっこ in, though! Next time, I know to go inside!
The restaurant is open 5 pm – 12 pm Monday to Friday and noon to midnight Saturday and Sunday. Look for the circular white sign with oysters on it opposite Rocco Pizza.
And there you have it. Our local experts guide to the best places to eat and drink in Sendai. I now can’t wait to go back.
