I’ll introduce unique tourist activities in Sendai, which is called “Sendai Experience”.
Please check out the below post if you’re interested in Sendai and Tohoku.
The Controversial Tourism Promotion Film in Sendai, Miyagi
The Lowest Asian Repeaters’ Desire Rate in Japan is Tohoku Region
Development of experiential tourism by tourist information center
Here is the Sendai Tourist Information Desk, which is the center of Sendai’s experience tourism programs.
Since opening in December 2016, they have developed a variety of programs from town walking to kimono dressing experience in addition to ordinary guidance work, and users are highly evaluated.
In addition, it seems that they tried also to train tour guides to attract more foreign travelers by expanding the contents.
Amazingly, it’s a program that counts as many as 14 years of experience tours in just over a year!
6 unique “Sendai Experience”
So what sort of experience tour is there at the Sendai Tourist Information Desk?
The experienced tourism program is collectively called “Sendai Experience”, but today I will select and introduce a unique experience among them.
Daimyo procession-style city tour with Date Bushoutai (wearing armor or kimono)
City Tour with Date Bushoutai｜Sendai Experience
This tour guides the center of Sendai city by members of groups of Date battalion corps as a guide.
Participants can actually wear kimonos and warrior costumes and visit historic facilities and shops.
The townscape in Kimono will be able to feel like the one of the Daimyo queue. A really unique experience tour!
- Price: ¥ 8,000
- Duration: About 2.5 hours
- Meeting place: Sendai Tourist Information Desk (Fujisaki Main Building 1st Floor)
- Date & time: 【Morning】 10:30-13:00 【Afternoon】 14:00-16:30
City tour with Date Bushoutai
The main theme of this town exploring tour is sensing the history and tradition of Sendai Castle and the castle town.
The content differs between morning and afternoon, and in the morning part, we visit the town of Yashimachi which is a monopoly of Japanese green tea, and Shimizu school which is famous as Sendai clan tea ceremony.
In the afternoon section, we walk around the city centering on the castle in Sendai! We will visit Basho’s Tsuji which was the center of the castle and Mt. Takiyama Immorizen, enshrined by Sendai Shiro, who was worshiped as Sendai’s Lucky God.
- Price: 3,500 yen
- Duration: About 2 hours
- Meeting place: Meet up and break up at the destination
- Date and time of the meeting: 【Morning】 9:30-11:30 【Afternoon】 13:30-15:30
Shiogama food tour with local guide
on this guided tour｜Sendai Experience
The next one is food tour. Shiogama city in the northeast of Sendai city has many gourmet shops such as fresh fish, sake brewery, old-fashioned miso soy sauce shop and so on.
While touching local people, there is no doubt that you can enjoy the town while eating local things!
- Price: 5,000 yen
- Duration: About 3 hours
- Meeting place: JR Shiogama station
- Date and time: 8:30-11:30
EAT MEET SENDAI
Takoyaki Home Party where you can interact with the people of local Sendai in the future!
Takoyaki experience you make with your local Sendai people will be the best memories contracting.
You can apply on the day! No reservation is also welcomed!
- Price: 【Foreigner】 1,000 yen 【Japanese】 1,500 yen
- Duration: About 2 hours
- Meeting place: Mathies Kitchen (5th floor of Inomatsu building)
- Date and time of opening:next time from 19:00-21:00 on Friday, Thursday 15, 2018
Local bar hopping experience in Sendai
Next let’s talk about Takoyaki Party and let me introduce you to Yokocho of Sendai.
Many Yokocho (many small bars in narrow street area) culture remains in Sendai, including Iroha Yokocho which makes Showa retro feel.
However, if you do not know anything, it is hard to put in the area, but the master of Yokocho will teach you how to enjoy Yokocho and guide around there.
Why don’t you deepen your memories of your trip while talking with locals?
- Price: ¥ 8,000
- Duration: About 2 hours
- Meeting place: Sendai Tourist Information Desk (Fujisaki Main Building 1st Floor)
- Date and time of opening: next time from 19:00-21:00 on Friday, February 16, 2018
Fujisaki department store tour
Lastly, I’ll introduce the tour at the Fujisaki department store where there is a Sendai Tourist Information Desk.
On the roof of the main building there is a shrine praying for business prosperity, traditional crafts in the Tohoku region and old coins of Japan are on sale, so you can feel the Japanese culture.
Other souvenirs such as sake and local specialty products are also lined up at other grocery departments.
Local tour Sendai tour also touches the charm of old department stores that they do not know so much about the Japanese culture that goes around in less than an hour.
It feels as good as 500 yen and it is held every day with value, so it seems to be easy to participate.
- Price: 500 yen
- Duration: Approximately 40 minutes
- Meeting place: Sendai Tourist Information Desk (Fujisaki Main Building 1st Floor)
- Date and time: 10:00-17:00
Sendai Tourist Information Desk
Lastly I will summarize the information of the Sendai Tourist Information Desk.
All above 6 experience activities are also listed on this official website.
- Location: Miyagi Prefecture 3-2-17 Ichibancho Aoba-ku, Sendai-shi Fujisaki Main Building 1st Floor (Aoba-dori entrance)
- Opening Hours: 10:00-19:30 (Normal)
- Phone number: 080-2815-8321
- Official website: https://www.i-sendai.jp/
- Available languages: Japanese · English · Chinese · Korean
- Applicable range: Sendai Area · Miyagi · Fukushima · Iwate · Yamagata · Akita · Aomori Prefecture
- Tourist Information Language: English · Simplified Chinese · Traditional Chinese · Korean · Thai
- Free Wi-Fi: Available
Summary
It was honestly surprising that Sendai was making a unique and interesting experience tour so far.
These experiences are so attractive for foreign tourists.
When you visit Sendai, don’t miss it!
Leave a Reply