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Japan has a huge affection for cherry blossoms, also known as sakura. The flowers have been admired in Japanese culture since ancient times and have ultimately become an integral part of it. Hanami, or cherry blossom viewing, was once an activity exclusive to the elites, but is now an annual tradition that everyone can appreciate, a time when people gather to enjoy the beauty of the flowers and celebrate the start of spring. Nowadays, there are over a hundred types of wild and domesticated varieties of sakura trees in Japan, and the excitement over hanami is strong as ever. Read on to find out about all the cherry blossom hotspots in the Muslim-friendly city of Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture.
Sakura season in Sendai
Sendai is the largest city in the Tohoku region, which covers the northeastern part of Japan’s main island of Honshu. It takes around 2 hours or less to reach Sendai from Tokyo via the Tohoku Shinkansen. Another convenient way to reach Northern Japan is by air. Because of its higher latitude, Sendai’s cherry blossoms usually bloom one to two weeks later than those in Tokyo. If you happened to miss out on cherry blossoms in Tokyo, you might catch them in Sendai. Sendai is a welcoming city with a mosque, Muslim-friendly restaurants, and an international airport equipped with a prayer room, making it a convenient destination for Muslim travelers.
Sendai Masjid / Islamic Cultural Centre of Sendai (ICCS)
Address: 7-7-24 Hachiman, Aoba-ku, Sendai-shi, Miyagi-ken
TEL: +81-22-226-2625
Access: From Sendai Station, take a bus (approximately 25 minutes) to Yahata 7-chome bus stop, then 5 minutes by foot. Alternatively, from Sendai Station, take a train (approximately 18 minutes) to Kuzuoka Station, then 20 minutes by foot
Islamic Cultural Centre of Sendai (ICCS)
Sendai International Airport
Address: Minamihara Shimomasuda, Natori-shi, Miyagi-ken
TEL: +81-22-382-0080
Open: 6:10 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Prayer room capacity: 1 person
Access: From Sendai Station take the Sendai International Airport Access Line (approximately 25-35 minutes depending on the service)
Top 5 cherry blossom spots in Sendai and the surrounding area
Sendai has a range of great spots for sakura-viewing. During cherry blossom season, many of these places come alive with events and crowds. The following are some sakura hotspots worth checking out in Sendai and its suburbs.
1. Shiroishigawa-Tsutsumi Hitome Senbonzakura
From early to mid-April, approximately 1,200 cherry trees along the 8-kilometer-long banks of the Shiroishi River start blooming against the backdrop of the snow-capped Zao Mountains. The Ogawara Sakura Festival is held on the riverbank of Shiroishigawa Park during cherry blossom viewing season.
Shiroishigawa Park
Address: Ogawara-cho, Shibata-gun, Miyagi-ken
Access: From Sendai Station, take a train (approximately 35 minutes) to Ogawara Station, then 5 minutes by foot
2. Funaokajoshi Park (Funaoka Castle Park)
Funaoka Castle Park is known as one of the top 100 cherry blossom hotspots in Japan. The track of the slope car that goes to the Heiwa Kannon Statue on top of the park is surrounded by cherry trees that form a breathtaking flower tunnel during the peak season. Passing through feels like entering a pink, floral dimension. From the top of the park, you will be stunned by views of cherry blossoms along the river, and more than 1,300 sakura trees in the park.
Funaokajoshi Park
Address: 95-1 Tateyama Funaoka, Shibata-machi, Shibata-gun, Miyagi-ken
Access: From Sendai Station, take a train (approximately 30 minutes) to Funaoka Station, then 15 minutes by foot
3. Sendai Tsutsujigaoka Park Sakura Festival
Tsutsujigaoka Park is an ideal place for cherry blossom viewing and a fun hanami experience within the city limits of Sendai. Around early April to early May, a big cherry blossom festival is held in the park, with stalls and activities to celebrate the blooming of about 350 shidare zakura (weeping cherry trees) and somei yoshino trees. The festival dates depend on when the flowers are in bloom. After sunset, visitors can enjoy a view of the beautiful flowers lit up by spotlights and lanterns until 9:00 p.m.
Just one minute away from nearby Sendai Station is Hotel Metropolitan Sendai, where you can dine at the Muslim-friendly Restaurant & Café Serenity. Please be aware that bookings must be made at least a week in advance for the Muslim-friendly meal options.
Tsutsujigaoka Park
Address: 1 Gorin, Miyagino-ku, Sendai-shi, Miyagi-ken
Access: From Sendai Station, approximately 13 minutes by foot or 3 minutes by foot from Tsutsujigaoka Station
Hotel Metropolitan Sendai
Address: 1-1-1, Chuo Aoba-ku Sendai-shi, Miyagi-ken
Access: From Sendai Station West Exit, 1 minute by foot
Restaurant & Café Serenity
Address: Hotel Metropolitan Sendai, 2F
Open: 11:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. (Last order 2:30 p.m.) 5:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. (Last order 9:00 p.m.)
English/foreign language speaking staff: available
Restaurant & Café Serenity
4. Shiwahiko Shrine and Shiogama Shrine
The historical Shiwahiko Shrine and Shiogama Shrine share the same grounds and are famous for their rare varieties of cherry blossom trees. There are over 300 trees of 40 different varieties in total, including 27 Shiogama zakura, a type of yaezakura (cherry blossom with multiple layers of petals). Shiogama zakura are considered so valuable that they are designated National Natural Monuments. Each flower has about 40 to 60 petals, which makes the Shiogama zakura blooms appear fuller than other varieties. They usually peak from mid-to-late April. As for nearby food options, you can visit Osanko Chaya for some takeout dango rice dumpling options (all are Muslim-friendly except for the soy-sauce dango) or head to the Shiogama Seafood Wholesale Market to enjoy their kaisendon seafood bowls. Be sure to bring your own halal soy sauce if you need it.
Shiwahiko Shrine and Shiogama Shrine
Address: 1-1 Ichimoriyama, Shiogama-shi, Miyagi-ken
Access: From Sendai Station, take a train (approximately 30 minutes) to Hon-Shiogama Station, then 15 minutes by foot
Osanko Chaya
Address: 11-12 Honmachi, Shiogama-shi, Miyagi-ken
Open: 9:00 a.m. until the products are sold out
Access: From Sendai Station, take a train (approximately 30 minutes) to Hon-Shiogama Station, then 10 minutes by foot
Shiogama Seafood Wholesale Market
Address: 1-20-74 Shinhama-cho, Shiogama-shi, Miyagi-ken
Access: From Sendai Station, take a train (approximately 30 minutes) to Higashi-Shiogama Station, then 15 minutes by foot. Alternatively, take a Shionavi bus from Higashi-Shiogama Station (approximately 5 minutes)
Shiogama Seafood Wholesale Market
5. Nishi Park
Another cherry blossom hotspot with convenient access is Nishi Park in downtown Sendai. This historical park is a go-to for many locals and well-known as a site for nighttime cherry blossom viewing. Visitors can admire over 200 lit-up cherry trees comprised of somei yoshino, edo-higan, yama-zakura, and other varieties until 10:00 p.m. It is also in a neighborhood that has several Muslim-friendly restaurants, including Halal Hub, which serves Bangladeshi cuisine, and the ramen restaurant Dashiro.
Nishi Park
Address: 1-3 Sakuragaokakoen, Aoba-ku, Sendai-shi, Miyagi-ken
Access: From Sendai Station, take the subway (approximately 3 minutes) to Omachi Nishi-koen Station, then 2 minutes by foot
Halal Hub
Address: 2-6-19 Kashiwagi, Aoba-ku, Sendai-shi, Miyagi-ken
Access: From Sendai Station, approximately 15 minutes by taxi
Dashiro
Address: 1F, TK Building, 2 Chome-2-11, Ichibancho, Aoba-ku, Sendai-shi, Miyagi-ken
Access: From Sendai Station, approximately 15 minutes by foot
Alternatively, from Sendai Station, take the subway (approximately 2 minutes) to Aoba-dori Ichibancho Station, then 4 minutes by foot
Recommended itinerary for a two-day cherry blossom viewing trip to Sendai
Itinerary for Sakura-hunting
This itinerary starts in the morning at Shiroishigawa-Tsutsumi Hitome Senbonzakura. After enjoying the cherry blossoms, cross the Shibata Senokyo Bridge to get to Funaoka Castle Park. Admire the cherry blossom tunnel as you travel to the top of the hill on the slope car. After sightseeing, head back to Sendai Station and recharge with a bowl of noodles at Dashiro. End the day with nighttime cherry blossom viewing at Sendai Tsutsujigaoka Park.
On your second day, check out Nishi Park’s eddo-higan and yama-zakura cherry blossom varietals or Shiwahiko Shrine and Shiogama Shrine for the Natural Monument of Shiogama zakura. Though smaller in numbers, these rare varieties of the flower are no less impressive than the previous day’s sea of cherry blossoms.
Day 1
Cherry blossom viewing
From Sendai Station, take the JR Tohoku Main Line about 30 minutes to Funaoka Station. Then, walk about 17 minutes along the Shiroishigawa-Tsutsumi Hitome Senbonzakura to Shibata Senokyo Bridge, and then about 10 minutes to Funaoka Castle Park. Finally, walk about 15 minutes back to Funaoka Station.
Lunch
From Funaoka Station, take the JR Tohoku Main Line about 30 minutes back to Sendai Station. Then, walk about 15 minutes to Dashiro for lunch.
Dinner and Nighttime hanami
For dinner, walk about 1 minute from Sendai Station to Hotel Metropolitan Sendai to eat at Restaurant & Café Serenity (at least 1-week advanced notice for Muslim-friendly options). Afterwards, enjoy an evening stroll to see the cherry blossoms lit by colorful paper lanterns at Sendai Tsutsujigaoka Park. Night-time cherry blossom viewing has a completely different atmosphere to the daytime.
Day 2
Shrines and rare blossoms
From Sendai Station, take the subway about 3 minutes to Omachi Nishi-koen Station and walk to Nishi Park. Afterwards, return to Sendai Station, then change to the JR Senseki Line and travel about 30 minutes to Hon-Shiogama Station. From there, walk about 15 minutes to Shiwahiko Shrine and Shiogama Shrine.
There are many great places for cherry blossom viewing outside of Tokyo and Kyoto. Head north to the Tohoku region to enjoy beautiful blossoms and scenery. Less than 2 hours north of Tokyo, Sendai has many options both within the city and around it. It’s the perfect destination for those interested in a less mainstream or more laidback place to add to your cherry blossom-centered Japan itinerary.
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