Sendai

Sendai is blessed by nature and enjoys fruitful harvests from both land and sea. The region has produced unique delicacies since ancient times and its seafood has established a solid reputation for freshness. Fresh sushi and oysters from Matsushima bay are among the most famous Sendai specialties.

Sendai is also famous for gyutan (beef tongue), which is grilled over charcoal and goes well with sake. Sukiyaki made with Sendai beef and fish tempura are also both highly reccomended. Sendai’s cuisine is quite reasonably priced, so you can savor your dining experience to your heart’s content.

Sendai Bay boasts large harvests of oysters. Oysters harvested from Sendai are small but tasty. They are delicious served raw, deep-fried, or as kaki-nabe, a warming winter oyster stew. The season for oysters in Sendai is from October to March.

Beef tongue is one of Sendai's most famous delicacies. It is typically served thinly sliced and grilled on charcoal, with barley rice and beef tail soup.

Sasa-kamaboko is a processed fish loaf made from pureed white fish (e.g. flounder), which is baked into bamboo leaf (sasa) shaped loaves. This delicacy will tease your appetite with its delicious fish taste and pleasant aroma.

Sake is an alchoholic beverage brewed from rice. Sendai is an outstanding rice-producing area, and is therefore also famous for its excellent sake brewed from quality sake rice.

Date Masamune, founder of the Sendai Clan (han) loved the tea ceremony (cha-no-yu), which many people continue to enjoy in present-day Sendai. Sweets are essential accompaniments to tea ceremonies and consequently has lead to the development of many famous sweets in Sendai.