Skip to main content

Classic two days in Sendai

A first visit done properly. Day one is the city's historic sites, day two is a half day in Matsushima and shopping on the way back. All on public transport.

2 days Best in Spring Best in Autumn Checked on 3 August 2026

Budget for one adult

Adult estimate: ¥3,040 with a Loople ticket bought by 30 Sep 2026; ¥3,110 if bought from 1 Oct 2026.

Includes one Loople day ticket (¥630 / ¥700), Zuihoden ¥570, Matsushimakaigan return ¥840 and Zuiganji ¥1,000. Excludes food, shopping, accommodation, extra transport and the optional sightseeing cruise.

The Loople day ticket rises to ¥700 on 1 October 2026. Tickets bought by 30 September remain usable after the change without paying the difference. Other budget items retain their earlier source-check date.

Sendai Transportation Bureau — October 2026 fare revision · Fare-change source checked 2026-09-20

Day 1 5 stops

  1. Zuihoden

    Adult ¥570. Open 9:00-16:50 from 1 February to 30 November, last entry 16:30; 9:00-16:20 in December and January. Closed 31 December.

    Buy the Loople Sendai day pass at Sendai Station's west exit before you start.

    Loople Sendai

  2. Sendai Castle ruins (Aoba Castle)

    The ruins themselves are open ground with no gate. The Kenbunkan exhibition hall is free, 9:00-17:00, open every day.

    The viewpoint takes in the whole Sendai plain. Worth lingering on a clear day.

    Loople Sendai

  3. Osaki Hachimangu

    The shrine publishes no admission fee and no gate hours; prayer reception is 9:00-16:00. Sendai tourism lists no closed days. Showing a Loople day ticket gets you a photo album.

    Loople Sendai

  4. Jozenji-dori

    A public avenue. Nothing to pay and nothing to enter.

    The zelkova-lined avenue, with plenty of cafes along it. A good place to put lunch.

    Walk, or one subway stop

  5. Sendai Station shopping streets

    Covered arcades, so they work in rain. Individual shops set their own hours; the arcades publish none.

    Ichibancho and CLIS ROAD. Gyutan-dori on the station's third floor is quieter outside the standard meal rush.

Open the Day 1 route in Google Maps →

Day 2 5 stops

  1. Sendai Station, heading for Matsushima

    JR Senseki Line to Matsushimakaigan, ¥420 one way, about 40 minutes. Both the Marugoto Pass and the SENDAI AREA PASS cover it.

    The JR Senseki Line runs to Matsushima-Kaigan. Some passes include this leg — check yours.

    JR Senseki Line

  2. Matsushima-Kaigan

    The sightseeing cruise leaves hourly from 9:00 to 16:00. The standard Nio-maru course is ¥1,500 for an adult and takes about 50 minutes.

    If you want the sightseeing cruise, go straight to the pier on arrival. Departures are fixed.

    Walk

  3. Zuiganji

    Adult ¥1,000 since 1 April 2026. Opens 8:30; closing runs from 15:30 in December and January to 17:00 from April to September.

    Walk

  4. Godaido

    Free. The exterior is open to view from 8:30 until sunset. The statues inside are shown once every 33 years, next in 2039.

    The bridge out to it has gaps in the deck. Heels are a bad idea.

    JR Senseki Line back to Sendai

  5. Sendai Morning Market

    Five minutes on foot from the station. Closing days are published month by month rather than as a standing rule, so check the market association before you go.

    The last stop for gifts to take home, a short walk from Sendai Station. Many stalls close on Sundays.

Open the Day 2 route in Google Maps →
Day 1 routeDay 2 route

Opens in transit mode with the day's stops already in place. Confirm actual departures in Google Maps.

PLAN THE ROUTES

Check the transport behind this itinerary

Use these checked guides and tools before fixing the order of your days.

POSTCARDS

Postcards from your plan