The popular hot spring destination “Akiu” is located close to the center of Sendai, and the Akiu area is filled with attractions beyond just hot springs, including nature, traditional crafts, gourmet food, wineries, and breweries.

First, let’s head to the “Akiu Otaki Falls,” which is considered as one of the three best waterfalls in Japan. The scenery is particularly beautiful during the fresh green season (late April until early September) and during the season the autumn leaves change color. For those confident in their physical abilities, we recommend descending to the base of the waterfall, where visitors can look up and feel its greatness, as well as feel the spray of water and its negative ions.
https://discoversendai.travel/places/akiu-otaki-falls/

The “Rairaikyo Gorge,” which runs along the Natori River in the hot spring area, offers a walking path where visitors can enjoy the sound of the flowing river and the beautiful gorge created by nature. Also, the “Heart Rock,” which has a heart-shaped mark, is popular as a special place for lovers.
https://discoversendai.travel/places/rairaikyo-gorge/

Sendai Akiu Distillery Akiu Winery

At Akiu Winery, you can enjoy not only wine and coffee but also lunch, an option that was recently introduced.
http://akiuwinery.co.jp/

Akiusha

Akiusha is a cafe renovated from a 160-year-old traditional Japanese house, and its lunch menu made from Akiu vegetables and other ingredients from the Tohoku region.
https://akiusha.jp/

Akiu Village

Akiu Village is a facility run by the long-established tea establishment “Ocha no Igeta,” which includes souvenirs, a local produce market, and a food court that is bustling with visitors every day.
https://akiu-village.jp/

At “Akiu Kogei no Sato (Akiu Traditional Craft Village),” visitors can experience activities such as painting kokeshi dolls and lacquer coating chopsticks in the Sendai tansu (chest of drawers) workshop.
https://discoversendai.travel/places/akiu-kogei-no-sato-akiu-traditional-craft-village/

Akiu Onsen has a history that goes back to around 531-570 AD, when it was already widely known as a famous hot spring. It is considered one of Japan’s “Three Great Hot Springs.” It is said that Date Masamune, the founder of the Sendai area, also enjoyed the hot springs of Akiu. There are currently 14 hot spring inns available to check in.
https://discoversendai.travel/places/akiu-onsen/

Zuihoden Mausoleum is the final resting place of Lord Date Masamune and the Date clan (pronounced like dah-teh). The harmony of the mausoleum’s luxurious decorations and sculptures, crafted using traditional Japanese techniques, complemented by the extraordinary rich natural landscapes that change with the seasons.
https://discoversendai.travel/places/zuihoden-mausoleum/

This shrine, constructed by the order of Lord Masamune, features resplendent decorations in vivid, gorgeous colors. It is regarded as a masterpiece of this architectural style and designated as a National Treasure.
https://discoversendai.travel/places/osaki-hachimangu-shrine/

Sendai and Miyagi are adjacent to Kinkazan and Sanriku offshore, one of the world’s three richest fishing areas, and are also a rice-producing region, so seafood and sushi are recommended. There are many sushi restaurants scattered around, from casual and easy-going to high-end establishments. In addition to fish from nearby waters, they also offer a wide variety of unique menus that allow visitors to enjoy the flavors unique to this region, such as beef tongue and Sendai beef sushi.

Introducing Five Popular Sushi Restaurants in Sendai
https://discoversendai.travel/must-do/sushi/

The garden, where you can enjoy the beautiful scenery of the four seasons, is a strolling garden, where you can see the teahouse quietly standing and the three-story pagoda reflected in the pond. The Nioh-mon gate is designated as one of the City’s important cultural artefacts.
https://discoversendai.travel/places/rinnoji-temple/

Admission:  ¥300 (Free for Children under elementary school)

DATE Tadamune, the 2nd feudal lord, built this venerable shrine with permission from Tokugawa Iemitsu, the 3rd Tokugawa Shogun. It enshrines the spirit of the first Shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu, the DATE clan’s guardian deity. It was an enormous project into which the clan poured all its might and this sublime shrine with its solid yet delicate details displays the very essence of DATE culture.
https://discoversendai.travel/places/sendai-toshogu-shrine/