Sendai Castle Ruins (Aoba Castle) & Masamune Date Statue, Sendai, Miyagi

About this place

Live Historic Hilltop Stream | Sendai Castle Ruins (Aoba Castle) & Masamune Date Statue, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan. Perched majestically atop Mount Aoba overlooking downtown Sendai and the Hirose River, Sendai Castle (Aoba Castle) was founded in 1600 by the legendary feudal warlord Date Masamune. While the main keep was intentionally omitted for tactical defense, the imposing stone bastions and the iconic bronze equestrian statue of Date Masamune surveying his city remain a celebrated symbol of Sendai.

At the hilltop Aoba Castle Honmaru Hall, visitors savor local delicacies while admiring expansive vistas reaching all the way to the Pacific Ocean. Indulge in Sendai's famous grilled gyutan (beef tongue), steaming salmon and ikura harako meshi (salmon caviar rice), and freshly grilled dango skewers slathered with sweet and fragrant green zunda edamame paste.

✦ Must-Visit Highlights:

▸ Date Masamune Equestrian Monument: Take photos beside the celebrated bronze statue of the One-Eyed Dragon overlooking Sendai.

▸ Towering Stone Bastions: Marvel at the massive Sengoku-era stone retaining walls preserved along Mount Aoba's steep cliffs.

▸ Sendai Harako Meshi & Zunda Dango: Savor local autumn salmon roe rice bowls and sweet edamame dango skewers at Honmaru Hall.