Japan 2024 – Day 3: Miyagi – Sendai

Sendai is the largest city in the Tōhoku region, functioning as its commercial and transport hub while retaining a measured, accessible layout. The central area is structured around the station, with covered arcades such as Clis Road and the Ōmachi shopping streets forming the main pedestrian spine, linking retail, dining, and everyday movement. Close by, Sendai Asaichi Market anchors the city’s food culture, offering a dense mix of fresh produce, seafood, and ready-to-eat stalls that reflect the region’s seasonal and coastal influences. This post documents our time exploring this area.

Sendai Asaichi Market

仙台朝市, 3 Chome−8−5 Chūō, Aoba Ward, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture 1980-0021, Japan

Kangen Dango

管源のだんご, entrance of Adachi Shōten, Sendai Morning Market, 4 Chome-3-28 Chūō, Aoba Ward, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture 980-0021, Japan

Kangen Dango is a long-standing establishment in Sanuma, Tome City, Miyagi Prefecture, originally founded as a rice shop and transitioning into a dango specialty store over 50 years ago. During a visit to Sendai’s Asaichi Morning Market, we came across their counter and were drawn to their wide selection of dango.

For this visit, we opted for one of their seasonal autumn offerings, the kuri dango, featuring whole chestnuts wrapped in mochi, served with a generous coating of mitarashi sauce.

Review: Kangen Dango, Sendai

Saito Sozai Korokke-ya

斎藤惣菜店ころっけや, Sendai Morning Market, 4 Chome-3-27 Chūō, Aoba Ward, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture 980-0021, Japan

Saito Sozaiten Korokke-ya has been serving delicious and affordable croquettes to visitors of Sendai’s Asaichi Morning Market for over 60 years.

Despite the rainy conditions caused by Typhoon Kong-rey, the shop still attracted a queue, with over 10 groups of customers patiently waiting. After initially passing by, we returned about an hour later and found the line more manageable, with only three groups ahead of us.

Review: Saito Sozaiten Korokke-ya, Sendai

Minamimachi Dori

Aeon

イオン, 2 Chome-3-6 Chūō, Aoba Ward, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture 980-0021, Japan

Clis Rd

Miyagi Michinoku Kaitaku Ichiba

みやぎ・みちのくカイタク市場, 2 Chome-1-18 Chūō, Aoba Ward, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture 980-0021, Japan

The Michinoku Coastal Trail (みちのく潮風トレイル) is one of the ten Long Distance Nature Trails of Japan, located on the eastern coast of Tōhoku. This store sold various products from that trail.

We picked up the Kansendō Yubeshi Sesame, a Tōhoku to northern Kantō style of yubeshi.

Review: Kansendō Yubeshi Sesame

Mitakisan Fudoin

三瀧山不動院, 2 Chome-5-7 Chūō, Aoba Ward, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture 980-0021, Japan

Ocha no Igeta

お茶の井ヶ田, 2 Chome-5-9 Chūō, Aoba Ward, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture 980-0021, Japan

Reivew: Ocha no Igeta, Sendai

Viesta

2 Chome-4-3 Chūō, Aoba Ward, Sendai, Miyagi 980-0021, Japan

Kimono Sagami

さが美仙台店, 2 Chome-4-5 Central, Aoba Ward, Sendai, Miyagi 980-0021, Japan.

Kuze Fuku & Co

久世福商店仙台クリスロード店, 1F, 2 Chome 3-22 Chuo, Aoba Ward, Sendai City, Miyagi 980-0021, Japan

Abe Kamaboko-ten

阿部蒲鉾店本店, 2 Chome 3-18 Chuo, Aoba Ward, Sendai City, Miyagi 980-0021, Japan

Hyotan-age, or a corn dog-style fried fish cake, can be found at Abe Kamaboko-ten, a long-established store that produces Sendai’s famous sasa-kamaboko fishcakes. If the word “winner” is printed on your stick, you’ll get another Hyotan-age for free.