Japan’s Tohoku region, in northern Honshu, tends to be overlooked by travelers, who often start in Tokyo and move south. However, as Tohoku’s largest city, Sendai makes a great alternative base. Whether you’ve been to Japan before and are looking for an alternative sightseeing itinerary or just prefer local spots without too many other tourists, Sendai should be on your radar. There are many things to do in Sendai, from learning about samurai history to island-hopping around pretty Matsushima. Head to Sendai before everyone catches on.
The Tohoku region of northern Honshu tends to be colder than Tokyo, so wintery conditions can linger well into spring, and summers tend to be cooler and less muggy. For general sightseeing, Sendai is best visited in the warmer months—May through October—and the city can provide a comfortable respite from Tokyo in summer. On the other hand, winter can be a good time to visit because there are ski resorts nearby.
With a population of more than 1 million, Sendai is a big city that is easy to get around by public transport, like other Japanese cities. The tourist bus, Loople Sendai, operates on a circuit around the central city and covers many of Sendai’s top attractions. Sendai has two subway lines. JR railway lines running north and east of the city make it easy to reach Matsushima and other further-afield attractions.
Although Sendai is a big city, far fewer tourists come here than many other cities elsewhere on Honshu, so be prepared to use a bit of Japanese (if you can). Fewer people understand English, and English signage is less common. Tohoku has its own dialect of Japanese, Tohoku-ben, which can be tricky to comprehend, although the language used in Sendai is similar to standard Japanese. In particular, listen out for i and u sounding similar: You may not immediately understand how the locals pronounce sushi.
