Sendai Pop. 1.006 million

Explanation of Signs - Scenic tourist destination: the number of star (from 1 to 4 ) corresponds to the degree of excellence of the location. - Tourist destination with historic heritages and/or cultural assets: the number of star (from 1 to 4) corresponds to the importance of respective location. - Grade of YH facility. 3-star is for the standard grade, and 4-star is for the highest grade.

Sendai, known as "the capital in the green forest", is the biggest, yet calm and quiet, city in the Tohoku (north-east) region. Aoba Castle (former Sendai Castle) and various museums are among the tourist attractions. The city is an ideal "hub" for those who plan to go for excursions in the surrounding area. Trees along the city boulevards will be floodlit romantically in the Christmas time. [Access from major cities] Train / - Tokyo St. <Shinkansen, Yamabiko> 2hr 5min. (352kim) Sendai St. - Aomori St. <ltd. express> 2hr15min. (204km) Morioka St. <Yamabiko> 45min. (184km) Sendai St. Airplane / - Fukuoka Apt. 1hr45min. Sendai Apt. - Itami Apt. (Osaka) 1hr 10min. Sendai Apt. - Nagoya Apt. 1hr5min. Sendai Apt. - Shin Chitose Apt. (Sapporo) 1hr5min. Sendai Apt. - Sendai Apt. <bus> 40min. Sendai St. Long distance bus / - Osaka St. <bus> 12hr15min. (night bus) Sendai St. - Meitetsu Bus Center (Nagoya) <bus> 10hr (night bus) Sendai St. - Shinjuku St. (Tokyo) <bus> 5hr30min. Sendai St. - Morioka Bus Center <bus> 2hr40min. Sendai St. [Festival] Sendai Tanabata Festival: Aug 6-8, one of the three famous festivals in the Tohoku region. [YH in the area] Maple Sendai YH tel 022-234-3922 Dochuan YH tel 022-247-0511 Sendai Chitose YH tel 022-222-6329 Esuporu Miyagi YH tel 022-293-4631 [Tips on sightseeing] One full day shall be required to see the city. Tour bus departs from Sendai St. 'One-day Subway Pass' is Yen 820, and 'One-day Pass for City Bus' is Yen 620 and up, both convenient and reasonable.

Main Route from Sendai to Morioka

Matsushima Pila Matsushima YH Matushima, the name literally means 'the islands of pine trees', is characterized by its sedimen-tary, saw-toothed coastlines. Countless pine-clad islets featured by sea indented seashores float upon the water off the coast. Zuiganji, the feudal lord Date's family temple located on the coast, is one of the temples of higher status. The scenic beauty of Okumatsushima (inner Matsushima) is superb. The place is well known for cultivating and supplying delicious oysters. Sea urchin also is one of the local delicacies. Matsushima, an appropriate base camp for sightseeing, shall require one or two days for visiting important tourist attractions in the area. Tour bus departs from Sendai station. [Access] - Sendai St. <JR, rapid> 25min. Matsuhima-kaigan St. - There is also a seaway to get to Matsushima-kaigan station by taking a pleasure boat from JR Hon-shiogama station located in between Sendai and the destination. [YH in the area] Pila Matsushima Okumatsushima YH tel 0225-88-2220 Kinkazan Kinkazan is an islet located off the tip of the Ojika Peninsula. The whole island is designated as a sacred compound, where a herd of deer roams freely. Beautiful coastline of the peninsula can be enjoyed on the way to and from the island. Tsukinoura bay is a historic site where a 17th century sailing ship, on which a mission of young boys was dispatched to Europe, had been built. Ayukawa is known as a former port of whaling. [Access] - Sendai St. <JR, rapid> 1hr5min. Ishinomaki St. <bus> 25min. Ayukawa-ko <boat> 30min. Kinkazan. - Ishinomaki St.<JR, local> 30min. Onagawa St. <jet-boat> 30min. (seasonal operation) Kinkazan. Yamadera Yamadera, literary a 'mountain temple', is a historic architecture with distinctive aspect, built on the slope of a rocky mountain. Matsuo Basho, a great haiku poet, left a very famous piece of work at this temple. The main building on the precincts is located at the far end of long stone stairs. Yamadera is also a wonderful place to visit when the maple trees that surround the temple flame with brilliant autumn colors. Tour bus visiting the temple departs from JR Yamagata station. One-day trip from Sendai is feasible. [Access] Sendai St. <JR, rapid> 1hr Yamadera St. Naruko- onsen Naruko-onsen is a hot spring resort, which typifies the Tohoku region. While a beautiful narrow valley stretches below, a chimney of an inter-mittent spring can be observed on uplands. [Access] Furukawa St. <JR, local> 50min. Naruko-onsen St. <bus> 27min. Onikobe Lodge. Chusonji / Motsuji / Genbikei Chusonji Temple is an exquisite architecture built between the end of Heian period (11c.) and the Kamakura period. While Chusonji is particu-larly well known for a shrine gilded with gold leaf and the Buddhist statues in its possessions, Motusji is admired for its beautiful garden. There is also a stream-indented gorge named Genbikei that stretches like a corridor in the locality. One day will be necessary to visit these important attractions. Taking a tour bus from Ichinoseki station would be a good idea for a timesaving trip around the area. [Access] Ichinoseki St. <bus> 20min. Chusonji <bus> 5min. Hiraizumi St. <walk> 10min. Motsuji <bus> 20min. Genbikei Geibikei Geibikei offers a remarkable contrast between the deep gorge and the quiet pool in the river. There is a sightseeing riverboat that sails down the river. Trees in the area change their colors beautifully in autumn. Time required for sightseeing in Geibikei is approximately 3 hours. [Access] Ichinoseki St. <bus> 30min. Geibikei Tono Visitors to Tono shall encounter the beautiful rural scenes that typify the landscapes of the Tohoku region. The place is known as the home of folk takes to the Japanese people. Tono is accessible either from Kamaishi, a port that overlooks dynamic capes and ocean, or Miyako, where heavenly beautiful Jodogahama beach and peculiarly shaped rocks can be observed. There is a food market in almost all the towns in this area, where day to day living of the local people can be perceived. The area provides excellent seafood. From 3 hours to a half-day will be necessary for sightseeing. Tour bus departs from Tono station. [Access] - Shin Hanamaki St. <JR, express> 40min. Tono St. - Tono St. <JR, local> 1hr. Kamaishi St. <JR, local> 1hr20min. Miyako St. <JR, local> 2hr10min. Morioka St. [YH in the area] Tono YH tel 0198-62-8736 Hanamaki Naranosato YH tel 0198-31-2341 Rikuchu- kaigan Rikuchuu-kaigan is where one can enjoy the most typical view of the Japanese seacoast. Though the public transportation facilities do not pro-vide convenient access to this area, dynamic coastline that extends from north to south is one of the natural attractions must not to be missed. In some areas, the bluffs rise as high as 100 meters above sea level. Cruising on a pleasure boat, which makes a stop at a huge limestone cave named 'Ryusendo', is provided except for the winter season. During the summer, tour buses depart from the JR stations of Miyako, Morioka, and Kuji. [Access] - Morioka St. <JR, local> 2hr Miyako St. - Tono St. <JR, local> 1hr Kamaishi St. <JR, local> 1hr20min. Miyako St. <private, Sanriku Tetsudo, local> 50min. Tanohata St. <bus> 16min. Kitayamazaki <bus> 30min. Fudai St. <private, Sanriku Tetsudo, local> 35min. Kuji St. <JR, local> 1hr55min. Hachinohe St. [YH in the area] YH Suehiro-kan tel 0193-62-1555

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