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Quick facts
- Region: Tohoku
- Capital: Sendai
- Population: 2.2 million
- Climate: Pacific side
- Cherry blossom (average): 8 April
- No. 1 in Japan: Japan's largest shark landings at Kesennuma — Home of shark fin. Sasa-kamaboko and beef tongue
⭐ Top sights
Sendai Gyutan
Thick-cut charcoal-grilled beef tongue with barley rice and oxtail soup — a post-war Sendai invention.
Matsushima Bay
One of Japan's three most scenic views: a bay of 260 pine-covered islands seen by cruise boat. Zuigan-ji temple of the Date clan and grilled oysters.
Naruko Onsen
Nine of Japan's eleven spring-water types flow here. Home of kokeshi dolls
🍲 Local food
Beef tongue, zunda mochi, sasa-kamaboko
Sendai's grilled beef tongue dates from the postwar years. Zunda is a sweet paste of mashed edamame
🏮 Festivals & events
- Sendai Tanabata Festival — August 6–8. Lavish paper streamers fill the shopping arcades. Dates back to the era of Date Masamune. One of Tohoku's three great festivals
🌸 Flowers & autumn leaves
- Naruko Gorge — Autumn foliage · Late October to early November. Autumn colour fills a gorge 100 m deep. Trains on the Rikuu East Line make a picture-perfect scene
🏨 Where to stay in Miyagi
The area around Sendai, the capital, has the best transport links and the widest choice of hotels; a night at a hot-spring town is also worth it.
Other prefectures in the region
Aomori · Iwate · Akita · Yamagata · Fukushima · 47 prefectures
Frequently asked questions
What is Miyagi famous for food-wise?
Miyagi's best-known local dishes are Beef tongue, zunda mochi, sasa-kamaboko. Sendai's grilled beef tongue dates from the postwar years. Zunda is a sweet paste of mashed edamame
What are the top sights in Miyagi?
Top picks in Miyagi include Sendai Gyutan, Matsushima Bay, Naruko Onsen.
When do cherry blossoms bloom in Miyagi?
In Miyagi (Sendai), Somei-yoshino cherry trees usually start blooming around 8 April, reaching full bloom about a week later.
