Fall in Love with Miyagi This Summer

The city's colorful streets are part of a tradition that stretches back to the time of Date Masamune. Today, the Sendai Tanabata Festival is one of Japan’s best-known Tanabata celebrations and one of the Three Great Festivals of Tohoku.

Each year from August 6 to 8, thousands of enormous Tanabata decorations are suspended from bamboo poles throughout the shopping arcades of central Sendai. Long, vivid streamers and intricate paper ornaments sway in the breeze, transforming the streets into seemingly endless tunnels of color.

Walking beneath them, surrounded by the bustle of the festival, there is as much pleasure in the details as in the spectacle itself. Each decoration has its own elaborate design, together capturing the festive atmosphere of summer in Sendai.

For a taste of Mapo Yakisoba at one of its original restaurants, head to Chinese Restaurant Manmi, a long-established restaurant with decades of history and one of the places credited with creating Sendai Mapo Yakisoba.

Here, lightly browned, fragrant noodles are paired with silky tofu, balanced seasoning and the restaurant’s signature sauce. The recipe has remained largely unchanged over the years—simple, deeply satisfying and still drawing food lovers in search of the dish that helped put Mapo Yakisoba on Sendai’s culinary map.

At the entrance to Akiu Onsen, the Natori River has carved Rairaikyo into a dramatic rocky gorge. A walking trail follows the clear water between towering boulders and unusual rock formations, offering a striking change of scene after the journey from Sendai.

There is a smaller detail to look out for at Nozoki Bridge. Peering down from the railing reveals a heart-shaped hollow in the rock below, formed naturally over time by erosion. The discovery has earned the spot recognition as a “Lovers’ Sanctuary,” adding an unexpected touch of romance to one of Akiu’s most scenic walks.

At 55 meters high and around six meters wide, Akiu Otaki is sometimes counted alongside Kegon Falls in Nikko and Nachi Falls in Kumano as one of Japan’s Three Great Waterfalls.

A vast volume of water plunges from the cliff in a single powerful drop, its roar echoing through the gorge as clouds of fine spray rise from below. In summer, the mist and cool air around the falls offer a refreshing escape from the heat—and a spectacular finale to an afternoon in Akiu.

The hotel’s long history is reflected in its understated sense of elegance. A soaring atrium gives the lobby a refined, classic feel, while the guest rooms offer more space to settle in than the average business hotel.

Come morning, the focus turns to Miyagi at the generous breakfast buffet. Local rice is served alongside regional favorites such as sasa-kamaboko fish cakes and zunda mochi, offering one more taste of the prefecture before the next day’s journey begins.

Shiogama is known as one of Japan’s leading tuna ports, and its seafood wholesale market brings the morning’s catch together under one roof. Hundreds of stalls fill the market, their counters lined with fresh seafood landed that very day.

One of the highlights is building your own seafood bowl. Wander between the stalls choosing whatever catches your eye—sashimi, tuna, sweet shrimp, salmon roe, sea urchin and more—then pick up a set of rice and miso soup and arrange your finds on top.

From browsing the stalls to assembling the finished bowl, choosing each ingredient is part of the fun. The result is a seafood feast made entirely to your taste, and one of the most enjoyable ways to experience Shiogama’s famous seafood culture.

Floating just off the coast of Ishinomaki, Tashirojima is a world-famous “Cat Island.” Cats have long been cherished on the island as guardians of the local fishing industry, and the island is even home to a "Cat Shrine", dedicated to these beloved animals.

As you walk through the port-side settlement and along the wooden lanes, you’ll come across cats here and there—basking in the sun, leisurely strolling around, or even coming up to you in a friendly way.

Every day at 12:00 PM and 3:00 PM, it’s feeding time. Watching the cats gather one after another and enjoy their meals is a heartwarming moment you’ll definitely want to experience when visiting the island.

Please note that visitors are not allowed to feed the cats with food they bring themselves. When visiting Tashirojima, please follow the local rules and enjoy your time with the cats.

Tashirojima is also home to charming “Manga Island” cottages designed by manga artists, including Tetsuya Chiba. Here, you can enjoy the island’s playful and whimsical atmosphere.

Surrounded by the mountains of Naruko, Yumoto Kissho is a traditional Japanese-style ryokan shaped by the town’s thousand-year hot spring heritage and warm hospitality.

After changing into one of the colorful yukata, the private open-air baths offer a quiet place to unwind. Fed directly from the natural spring and free for guests to use, they offer the rare luxury of having the warm, soothing waters entirely to yourself.

Dinner brings the flavors of Miyagi to the table, with dishes showcasing seasonal ingredients from across the prefecture. As night settles over the mountains, the rising steam and stillness of the hot spring town create just the setting to slow down, settle in and enjoy Naruko at its most peaceful.

With a history stretching back more than a thousand years, Naruko Onsen has long been one of Japan’s best-known destinations for toji, the tradition of staying at a hot spring for rest and recuperation.

But there is more to Naruko than its waters. The town is also the birthplace of Naruko kokeshi, one of Japan’s traditional styles of wooden dolls. Wander through the streets and traces of that heritage appear everywhere, from colorful kokeshi to workshops where generations of woodturners have kept the craft alive, all set against a nostalgic townscape with echoes of the Showa era.

Free footbaths and hand baths dotted around town make it easy to pause along the way, soak for a while and experience Naruko’s hot spring culture for yourself.

The activity takes place at café gutto, a characterful spot in the heart of Naruko Onsen where the town’s craft traditions sit comfortably alongside a contemporary café setting.

Along with the decorating experience, the café serves light meals and coffee, with some dishes presented on tableware created by designers with close ties to Naruko Onsen. It is an easy place to linger for a while, with local craftsmanship woven naturally into the experience.

In Iwadeyama, the Kankaku Museum is one of Japan’s few interactive museums built around sensory perception. Rather than simply viewing art from a distance, visitors are encouraged to engage with the exhibits—touching, listening and experiencing the works with the whole body.

The museum is divided into two main areas, the Physical Sensation Space and Meditation Space, where light, sound, scent and different materials come together in a series of immersive installations. In one darkened room, pressing works mounted on the wall makes them glow blue, while movements of the hands can be used to shift sounds through the space. Elsewhere, mirrors, water and light create dreamlike environments that feel removed from the world outside.

It is an experience designed to spark curiosity, whether for children eager to explore or adults happy to leave the everyday behind for a while and rediscover a little of their own sense of wonder.