Sendai Trip (last updated on 2011/05/28)

A weekend of mid July is a three day weekend, so I decided to take a trip around Sendai. For Saturday, I decided to go to Matsushima, and Sunday I plan to go watch a Japanese baseball game.

2010/07/31 Matsushima Trip

To Ishinomaki

 Bus arrived to Sendai Station Train arrived at Ishinomaki

Short holiday pass Southern Tohoku area

I woke up at 5:30am, stretched my body and get ready for a day trip. I had breakfast at hotel lobby then left at 8:00am to catch a bus leaving from nearby bus stop at 8:15am to Sendai station. The bus arrived on time at 8:45am then I walked to a ticketing window of Japan Railway to buy a special ticket. I picked one called "Short holiday pass Southern Tohoku area" for 2,400Yen. It's a money saver since I have little money. I looked up a timetable display and saw one going to Ishinomaki is leaving at 8:59am, which is only a few minutes away. So, I ran across the station's overpass and went downstairs to the underground platform. The train was arriving to the platform just as I landed on the platform. The train was going underground for a coupe more stations then went up to the ground level. Since it's a local train, it made stop at every station and moved slowly. The train ran along the shore lines so I get to see the surroundings but as the weather forecast reported, today is cloudy so it was hazy. Train moved on and finally arrived at Ishinomaki at 10:15am.

To Onagawa

I should be heading to the town but saw an old looking diesel powered train which I have not seen them for many years. I decided took another train ride before hitting the road of Ishinomaki. The train was bound to Onagawa. The path toward there was very boaring, but in another word, it was running rural countryside. The train stopped at every station on the way, and I was watching the complex geographies of the shorelines. The place is famous for getting bad damage when tsunami hits. The train accelerates slowly and decelerates slowly since the train cannot use regeneration. It moved like a old steam locomotive, but the sound of engine brought back many memories on my childhood. The train arrived at 10:50am to Onagawa terminal. The place has very much nothing to see and a tour ferry will be departing more than 1 hour after I arrived so I ran back to catch the same train which is coming back to Ishinomaki.

Type Kiha 42   Inside has fans standard Type Kiha 40

On the way to Onagawa

Shimanagi ferry Kotaro Takamura

The train left at 11:15am and going back the same path I just came in. Going back to Ishinomaki at 11:40am. Now I can step out to meet the creation of Shotaro Ishinomori. As soon as I stepped out, there is a character from Cyborg 009 on top of the building. Mr. Ishinomori is the creator for many cartoon and Sci-fi characters, Cyborg 009, Masked rider and more.

Station building

Cyborg 009 Masked rider

Walked around the town, which is a mix of old and new, then reached to the Manga museum at noon, when there is a show going on. Wow...

Old looking building. This is a church

Took a tour inside the museum, and walked back street to go back to the station.

Manga Museum and admission ticket

To Matsushima

The trip did not end here, there is a place called Matsushima, and it is counted in the three views of Japan. When I arrived to Ishinomaki station, there is no train to depart soon so I had to wait for a while. The train finally left at 1:19pm, slowly heading back toward Sendai. I get off at Matsushima Kaigan station.at 2:03pm. The station is located hilly mountain side, and the shore is just 10 minutes walk. I took a path in wooded area, where I saw many old trees, memorials, and rocks caved along the road.

Wooded path Memorial for people who died on railroad work Rocks caved to make many statues.

I took a ferry tour between 2:30pm and  3:40pm. Window seat for the ferry ran out very quick so I had to pay 600 Yen extra to go up to the upper level. The ship departed and started on the tour. I wished that the moisture is lower so I can see things cleary.

Ticket for ferry tour.

The ferry I used View of Matsushima

Here are some pictures during the tour

       

At 3:30pm, I had my lunch, which is oyster bowl (Kakimeshi, 1,350 Yen)

After lunch I walked around, to Oshima at 3:40pm and walked back to the station at 4:10pm.

   

I caught a train leaving at 4:28pm, and got back to Sendai. I could simply take a bus back to the hotel, but I wanted to check out the bullet trains in east side of Japan.

Komachi Hayate Max Yamabiko

Catch a bus at terminal at 5:37pm, and rode back to the hotel. I get off at a bus stop at 6:08pm. I walked back to the hotel, took a shower then walked out again for dinner at 7:30pm.
I had ramen noodles, rice, and dumplings. Come back to hotel at 8:00pm, and went to bed at 11:00pm.

Ramen Noodle from Showaya, 703Yen

2010/08/01 Sendai Sightseeing

Moving to another hotel

Woke up at 5:30am, stretched my body and took a shower. I need to change hotel so I started to pack. I took cloth downstairs for washing. It's good that business hotels in Japan usually have a coin operated washer and dryer. Had breakfast while wait around 7:00am, everything was finished at 7:30am. Repacked my bag and walked out from the hotel at 8:45pm to catch a bus to Sendai station. I switched to train and went to Nagamachi station. Then I had to use a taxi. Which left at 9:35am, arrived at hotel in 20 minutes. I dropped off my bag and asked for the direction back to station. I checked on the map and though this won't be too bad. However, the roads are not that great. It took almost 50 minutes of walking under the temperature getting warmer. I was sweating badly and I did not like this... but it was my choice after all...

To Sendai Castle

Arrived to the station at 10:35am, dropped off my PC in a locker. I caught a train bound for Sendai at 10:40am, arrived at Sendai. I checked the direction on the map, and started to walk toward west on Aoba street. It was not a short walk.

Train going to Sendai

The summer like weather is pretty hot despite the city is considered to be located northern part of Japan. Walking in the condition like this on hilly area. Once I arrived to a museum, I took a path toward the ruin of the castle I had to continue walking up hilly road to just get there. The stone walls at lower parts were not that sophisticated but the final one was really nice. Get to the top at 11:40am and stayed there for 20 minutes.

 Stone wall  Statue of Masamune Date, one of the famous warload

The place also had a Yasukuni shrine, and a memorial for the persons who served in World War II.

Gokoku Shrine War memorial

Decided to go to Zuiho-den, so I started to leave but just found a very interesting drinks. Mountain Dew, Pepsi NEX, and 7up.

Pepsi, 7-UP, Mountain Dew...

To Zuihoden

Walking down the hilly road back toward Sendai, then turned to a side road which take us to Zuiho-den. I had to follow the signs since I don't know the way. Many take taxies to get there.  Although it is getting overcasted, still hot and walking comes with a lot of sweating. I decided to eat lunch on the way.

Hirose river Fried rice for lunch. At 12:40pm.

The restaurant was by the place I was planning to visit, so just by going up hill, I reached to first Zuiho-ji, a temple then to Zuiho-in.

Zuiho-ji front gate

Taking stairs up to the entrance, bought a ticket for the tour inside. Zuiho-in is the place where Masamune Date is buried. The decorations on the building was magnificent.
Going up the stairs Zuiho-in

Ticket

The generations of Date clam also have tombs here. They are located a little away from the Masamune's. Also, they have some for their wives and kids.

Going up another stairs

Zennoden Kansenden  

Left the place around 2:00pm, walked back to Sendai Station. I walked around the streets where have stores, and also Hirose dori, where has a street between the roads. The place is famous for Japanese sit-coms.

Iced green tea Sendai station, a lot of taxies waiting

Hirose Dori

Caught a train leaving Sendai at 4:21pm and rode 5 minutes for Miyaginohara station to watch baseball game. The train is packed with people wearing the local team themed (Rakuten Eagles) clothing. Here we go...

Baseball Game

When the doors of the train opened, the theme song was playing at the platform. I stepped out from the train and started to walk toward the exit. There are many people going to the game so I needed no map. All the walls of train station toward the stadium is decorated with Rakuten Eagles' theme. The exit of the station even had a cap on top. Right by the exit, there is a very famous high school, Sendai Ikuei. I did not know it is so close to the stadium. The game started from 5:00pm. The day is still hot so it was pretty hard to be sitting tight in Japanese smaller seat. Rakuten Eagles is not that the strongest, and has been losing 4 previous games straight. I hope today is the day for the change. Before the game,  The game is going well, I watched until 7:00pm after they finished the bottom of the 7th with Rakuten leading. Walked back to the station to catch a train with less people in.

Bought ticket for 4,200Yen

Stadium Stand up for national anthem
Scoreboard for the game Game in progress...

Station entrance

7:05pm at station and passed the gate, a train came in a few minutes so I got a ride back to Sendai station. Took stairs to change train, at 7:33pm. Took a taxi back to the hotel. I arrived there around 7:50pm. Took a shower, relaxed, then walked out to eat dinner at a Japanese BBQ place around 8:30pm. It was not for 1 person meal so I ordered in small quantity. It was good enough. Come back to the hotel, took shower, watched TV until midnight.

Dinner at Yamanakaya 1,124 Yen

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