Sendai City has over 1,000 experience programs for tourists. Why not participate in an experience program unique to Sendai, such as getting acquainted with traditional culture, traditional crafts, or sports activities?
Decorate a Miniature Kokeshi Doll
“Kokeshino Shimanuki,” located in a shopping arcade of central Sendai, is a traditional craft store that has been in business for over 150 years. It offers not only kokeshi dolls but also various traditional crafts from the Miyagi area. Inside the store, you can try painting your own kokeshi doll, and choose from five different shapes. Would you like to experience making traditional crafts in the heart of Sendai City?
| Price | 1,000 yen (tax included) |
| Address | 3-1-17 Ichibancho, Aoba Ward, Sendai City |
| Duration | Approximately 15 minutes to 1 hour (varies by individual) |
| Reception hours | 10:45 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. |
Imoni (Taro and Meat Stew) Party at Spring Valley Sendai Izumi Mountain Park
Located in Sendai, Spring Valley Sendai Izumi is a ski resort on Mount Izumigatake, where you can enjoy views of the city and the Pacific Ocean. From spring to autumn, you can have fun with zip-lining. You can also enjoy “imoni,” a traditional autumn dish in Sendai. Imoni is a stew made with taro, vegetables, and meat. You can choose between two flavors: Sendai style with pork and miso, or Yamagata style with beef and soy sauce.
| Price | Students in junior high school and above: 2,900 yen (tax included) Elementary school students: 1,900 yen (tax included) |
| Address | 14-2 Dakeyama, Fukuoka, Izumi Ward, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture |
| Duration | Approximately 2 hours (it takes about 40 minutes for the imoni pot to be ready) |
| Schedule | Every year from September to November |
| Hours | Between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. |
| Minimum number of participants | 6 |
Kaleidoscope Making Experience
The “Sendai Kaleidoscope Museum,” located in the Akiu Onsen area of Sendai, is the world’s first museum dedicated to kaleidoscopes. It displays works by various kaleidoscope artists and also provides information about the history of kaleidoscopes. In the activities corner, you can choose different parts to create your own unique kaleidoscope design. There are various materials available, and you can choose the design of the tube as well. The oil kaleidoscope, which can contain natural stones, has an unimaginable beauty.
| Price | 1,300 yen to 3,960 yen (tax included) |
| Address | 1-2 Matsuba, Moniwa, Taihaku Ward, Sendai City |
| Duration | 15 to 30 minutes (varies by individual) |
| Business Hours | 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
| Schedule | Year-round |
| Reservation Deadline | *Reservations are required one week in advance for groups of 20 or more. |
Be a Samurai: Armor Wearing Experience
Try on authentic armor at “Shiroishi Castle,” one of only five wooden reconstructed castles in Japan. The armor-wearing experience can be done both inside and outside the castle, making Shiroishi Castle the only castle in Japan where you can do this. There is also a plan to walk around the city in armor, as well as an option for those interested in having a professional photographer take still photos or create a movie-like video of your experience. English support is available.
| Price | 1 person: 16,500 yen (tax included) 2 people: 33,000 yen (tax included) 3 people: 49,500 yen (tax included) 4 people: 66,000 yen (tax included) |
| Address | 1-16 Masuokacho, Shiroishi City, Miyagi Prefecture, and other locations in Sendai City |
| Duration | Approximately 1 hour maximum |
| Business Hours | Year-round from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (April to October) and until 3:00 p.m. (November to March) |
| Reservation Deadline | By 12:00 a.m. one day before |
Food Sample Making Experience
This is an experience where you can create your own popular “food samples.” You can make items like a small tray featuring Sendai and Miyagi’s tourism promotional mascot “Musubi Maru” and “Sendai Sasakamaboko fish cake” that look just like the real thing using resin clay.
Although the instructions are only in Japanese, support is provided with interpreters for foreign visitors.
| Price | varies by menu |
| Address | 3-9-38 Miyamachi, Aoba Ward, Sendai City, and other locations |
| Duration | 30 to 60 minutes, varies by menu |
| Start Times | ① 10:00 a.m., ② 11:30 a.m., ③ 1:00 p.m., ④ 2:30 p.m. |
| Reservation Deadline | By 5:00 p.m., three days prior |
| Minimum number of participants | 2 |
Zunda Mochi Making Experience
Experience making Zunda Mochi, a traditional dish from Miyagi! Zunda Mochi consists of sweet zunda paste made from crushed edamame mixed with sugar, served on mochi rice cakes. This regional dish, popular in Sendai and the Tohoku region, offers the delightful aroma and texture of edamame and is a popular dessert among vegans as well.
| Price | 2,000 yen per person (2,800 yen per person if English support is required) |
| Address | 2-12-12 Yamatomachi, Wakabayashi Ward, Sendai City, or at another location |
| Duration | Approximately 1 hour |
| Times | Between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. |
Experience Cutting Crest Designs into Sendai Tanabata Washi Paper and Making Accessories like Keychains
There is a project that allow you to use the washi paper repurposed from the decorations of the Sendai Tanabata Festival to create papercutting art, keychains, and accessories. This project upcycles the Tanabata decorations displayed for only three days from August 6 to 8 each year. It won the grand prize at the Sendai City Business Contest for Population Connection. How about creating original designs using beautiful washi paper?
| Price | 2,000 yen (tax included) |
| Address | 3-9-38 Miyamachi, Aoba Ward, Sendai City |
| Duration | 30 minutes to 1 hour |
| Start Times | 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (by reservation only) |
| Reservation Deadline | 11:00 p.m. two days in advance |
| Age Requirement | 5 years and older |
Handmade Sasakamaboko Fish Cake Experience
In this experience, you can shape and grill Sendai’s famous bamboo leaf-shaped Sasakamaboko made from ground fish paste. It is said that the flavor of Sasakamaboko changes depending on how you shape it and the grilling technique used. The freshly made Sasakamaboko that you create yourself is exceptionally delicious.
In addition to the factory tour, you can also visit the Tanabata Hall next door to see Tanabata decorations, or enjoy soft serve ice cream topped with Sasakamaboko at the café.
| Price | 1,000 yen (tax included) |
| Address | 6-65 Tsurushiromachi, Wakabayashi Ward, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture |
| Duration | Approximately 45 minutes |
| Operating Period | Year-round |
| Start Times | ① 10:30 a.m. ② 12:00 p.m. ③ 1:30 p.m. (excluding Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday) ④ 3:00 p.m. |
| Reservation Deadline | Please make your reservation at least one hour before the start time on the same day. |
| Age Requirement | Elementary school students and above |
| Meeting Time | Please gather at least 20 minutes before the experience starts (check in at the information desk located in the café on the first floor of the Sasakamakan). |
Matsushima Hot Air Balloon Experience
Take a hot air balloon ride and experience the breathtaking views of Matsushima, one of Japan’s three most scenic spots, as it is colored by the sunrise. The fantastical orange sky, visible for about an hour after sunrise and known as the “Matsushima Path of Light,” is reflected on the surface of the water like a mirror. The basket you ride in has a door, making it accessible for wheelchair users. While waiting on the ground, you can also take photos with the balloon.
| Price | Adults (middle school students and older): 4,000 yen (tax included) Ages 3 to elementary school students: 3,000 yen (tax included) Free for children under 2 years old |
| Address | 2 Isojima, Isozaki, Matsushima Town, Miyagi County, Miyagi Prefecture |
| Duration | Approximately 5 minutes |
| Meeting Time | Must gather on-site by 7:00 a.m. |
| Operating Period | April to October |
| Age Requirement | 5 years and older. |
*Please consult in advance if you have disabilities affecting your arms or legs or cannot run.
*This experience will be canceled if it rains or snows, or if strong winds make it unsafe.