Charms of Sendai

Above, Sendai Station was featured in two kaiju movies in the 1990s. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Sendai, Japan is the Tohoku region's largest city. Sendai sustained some damage (particularly the airport and surrounding areas) from the 2011 tsunami, but it is back in business for tourists.

Sendai was featured in two kaiju movies: Godzilla vs. MechaGodzilla II (1993) and in Gamera 2: Attack of Legion (1996). Sendai's main focal point in both movies was Sendai Station. Rodan flies over the station in the Godzilla movie, while the station is the detonation point for the Legion flower pod in Gamera 2. Sendai is spotlighted on page 16 of The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan.

Above, the statue of Date Masamune at the site of Sendai Castle. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The Asahi Shimbun has set up a special travel page for Sendai, "Charms of Sendai," with links to articles on places of interest in and around the city.

They begin with:

Sendai, the capital of Miyagi Prefecture, is known as “Mori no Miyako” (City of the Trees) because of its tree-lined streets. Four centuries ago, Date Masamune, a feudal lord who ruled the Sendai domain in northeastern Japan, founded Sendai Castle. Ever since, Sendai has continued to prosper as the largest city in the Tohoku region. The city is the perfect destination for tourists to get a taste of old Japan. We explore with our readers the scenic sights and places of historic interest in and around Sendai.

I visited Sendai in 2006 to see some of the places my father was at while briefly stationed there during the Korean War. Matsushima Bay is only a short ride on a commuter train from Sendai Station.

To see the Asahi Shimbun's page on Sendai, go here.