Half Day Tour in Sendai Retro Alleyways and Specialty Foods

Welcome to the Sendai Asaichi or Morning Market! The market itself started in 1945 as an open-air market in front of the station in midst of the post-war despair. The market has supported the city ever since then, and is often called “Sendai’s Kitchen.” It gained popularity throughout the decades, especially thriving in the 60s and 70s. Despite all the change, creation of a market association, and even becoming a tourist attraction, the market has kept at its roots and remains beloved by all locals. Here you can find a variety of fresh seafood, produce, and even get a chance to try grilled or raw oysters!

Sendai is the original home of gyūtan, thinly sliced grilled beef tongue, so having a taste of it on this food-centered tour goes without saying. Serving beef tongue started in Sendai in 1948 by Sano Keishirō, a chef who owned a yakitori restaurant in Sendai. You will get to taste a decadent gyūtan lunch set that’s paired with traditional Japanese side dishes and a bowl of steaming white rice. The set ends with a traditional Japanese dessert of a creamy vanilla pudding served with zunda, or sweetened crushed edamame, which happens to be a Miyagi Prefecture specialty.

Our next stop will feature another Miyagi Prefecture, and more specifically, Sendai local specialty: sasa kamaboko (笹かまぼこ.) This grilled fishcake is shaped like a bamboo leaf (sasa) and is where it gets its name from. In fact, the bamboo leaf design is the family crest of the historic Date clan, who ruled the Sendai Domain until 1871. Sasa kamaboko is traditionally made with flounder meat and is crisp yet soft inside and quite easy to eat. You will get a chance to grill your very own! This particular stop also has a less conventional, but widely viral on Japanese TikTok, version of kamaboko called hyotanage (kamaboko deep fried like a corndog.) Guests are free to purchase this on their own should they desire. This store actually sells them with a lottery on the stick for a chance to win another one free!

Our next stop is the quaintly tucked-away Mitakisan Fudoin Temple. This temple is a popular spot for locals to pray to Sendai Shiro, the “god of business.” In shopping districts, Shiro has a reputation for bringing prosperity to stores whenever he visits, and he is said to favor kind-hearted people and bring them good fortune. You can shout out a quick hello to Shiro, purchase some good luck charms, and learn some of the history of the temple before we continue our patronage to local Sendai vendors.

Moving on to our next stop, you will get a chance to shop for some individually packaged food souvenirs. This store is a staple for both locals and tourists alike. It offers a variety of treats for people to try–both zunda varieties and other Japanese traditional sweets. Zunda is a coarse, sweetened edamame paste that has been eaten in Miyagi Prefecture since the Edo period. This location even sells zunda in milkshake form. You are welcomed to purchase something to eat there instead of shopping should you desire.

With your optional souvenirs or sweet treats obtained, we will then venture to the retro alleyways of Sendai to take a quick nostalgic stroll. Yokocho are narrow Japanese alleyways typically packed with tiny izakayas, bars, and various eateries. Although over 70 years have passed since its beginning, Sendai’s Yokocho has kept its Showa-era aesthetics.

Our final stop on this tour leads us back toward the bustling shopping centers near Sendai Station. Conveniently located within the SPAL shopping center, this eccentric vending machine offers visitors a quick and easy taste of the region. Yep, it’s a sake (rice wine) vending machine, and has become a mini tourist attraction for travelers passing through Sendai Station. You will be able to select a sample-size cup of sake from among five rotating selections, all of which are locally brewed. This unique service is a great way to make sure you like a particular sake before purchasing a bottle. This shop itself is packed with local sake from the six prefectures of the Tohoku region. Limited amounts of local whisky, shochu, wine, and beer are also sold here.