Date Masamune on horseback at the Sendai Castle Ruins

This castle was constructed by Date Masamune, the esteemed ruler of the Oushuu Province. Nicknamed The One-Eyed Dragon for his superior skills as a tactician, he is well-known throughout Japan. Though the castle itself has been mostly lost to time, there is a great statue of Masamune on horseback as well as a fantastic view of Sendai and the Hirose River from the castle grounds. Those who wish to learn more about Date Masamune would enjoy a visit to the Zuihoden Mausoleum, ancestral tomb of the Date clan. Gorgeous ornamentation and burial accessories are on display here at the "Nikko of the North."
(20 minutes from Sendai Station to the Sendai castle ruins on the Loople-Sendai bus (Sendai Jo Ato Stop). 15 minutes from Sendai Station to the Zuihoden Mausoleum on the Loople-Sendai bus (Zuihoden Mae Stop)).

Zelkova trees line Jozenji-dori Avenue

Although Sendai is a major metropolis, this "City of Trees" retains a close connection to the environment highlighted by the Hirose River flowing through the city center. A stroll along Jozenji-dori Avenue is the ideal way to see for yourself why Sendai got its nickname. Bronze statues by Emilio Greco are interspersed among the lush Zelkova trees that line the street lending the atmosphere of an open air gallery. Mid-September visitors can relax to the smooth tunes of the yearly Jozenji-dori Avenue Jazz Festival, while the magnificently illuminated Zelkova trees of the Sendai Pageant of Starlight await you in December.
(5 minutes on foot from Kotodai Koen Station, accessible by subway from Sendai Station.)

Matsushima Bay, one of the "Three views of Japan"

Along with Miyajima and Amanohashidate, Matsushima Bay makes up the famed "Three Views of Japan." With 260 pine-covered islands dotting the bay, a spectacular view can be had from any vantage point. The beauty of Matsushima Bay has been memorialized in paintings and poems since the Heian Period of long ago. Touring the acclaimed Four Great Views of Matsushima on a pleasure cruise comes highly recommended. Add in the nearby Zuiganji Temple (National Treasure) and Godaido Temple (Important Cultural Property) and you'll be guaranteed an unforgettable day of sightseeing.
(Matsushima Kaigan Station)

Sendai's specialty: Beef tongue

To properly discuss Sendai's cuisine one must first mention beef tongue, recognized all over Japan as Sendai's traditional dish. You can dine at one of the nearly 100 beef tongue restaurants located within the city, complimenting charcoal grilled tongue with oxtail soup and mugi gohan, steamed white rice with barley. It's said that the more you chew the better it tastes so don't pass up this Sendai specialty.
(Sendai Station. All over the city.)