Sendai City is located almost in the center of Miyagi Prefecture.

Since the time of Date Masamune, who established the Sendai Domain, it has developed as the central city of the Tohoku region. "Sendai Ramen," which can be eaten in Sendai, is a popular dish that has also been commercialized as a local cup noodle.

This time, we will explain the appeal of Sendai Spicy Miso Ramen, a representative Sendai ramen.

Characteristics of Sendai Ramen

"Sendai Ramen," known as a local noodle of the Tohoku region, is a dish made with a spicy miso base made from "Sendai miso," which has a history of over 400 years, and is topped with chili bean paste, chili peppers, and garlic.

Miso has been produced in Sendai since the Azuchi-Momoyama period, and there are many ramen shops that serve miso-based ramen. The most popular of these is spicy miso ramen. The mellow, rich miso soup is mixed with spicy miso.

Spicy miso ramen is actually one of the ramen in Sendai, and there are many other ramen in the city. When walking around the city, it may seem like there are a lot of ramen that use miso at first glance, but this is related to the fact that the miso culture has been deeply rooted in Sendai since ancient times, and that ramen goes well with Sendai miso. So from here, we will focus on the history of Sendai spicy miso ramen.

The history and origins of Sendai Ramen

The ramen shop known as the originator of Sendai ramen is Ajiyoshi, which was founded in 1968.

This famous restaurant has been loved by Sendai residents for over 40 years, and the clear soup made from chicken bones and dried sardines is combined with mellow white miso to create a mild-tasting soup.

The ingredients are a large piece of pork topped with boiled cabbage, chives, bamboo shoots, green onions, and green laver. If you dissolve the spicy miso on the spoon halfway through, you'll get an addictive taste with its sharp spiciness.

In addition, Sendai ramen is often made by blending several types of miso into the soup, so even the same spicy miso ramen can have different flavors depending on the restaurant. If you come to Sendai, be sure to enjoy comparing the different ramen.

A rich variety! The flavors of Sendai ramen

From here, we will introduce the ramen you can eat in Sendai.

Change the flavor with our special spicy miso! Original spicy miso ramen

The first is the original spicy miso ramen, which is eaten by dissolving the spicy miso in a spoon. At first, you taste the mild miso soup that gives off a nostalgic vibe, but the taste changes completely when you add the spicy miso. The garlic flavor and the spreading miso aroma are also part of the appeal.

Sendai ramen with plenty of vegetables

Sendai ramen is topped with plenty of stir-fried vegetables such as carrots, bean sprouts, cabbage, and wood ear mushrooms, and the flavor of the ingredients blends well with the soup, and you can also enjoy their crunchy texture.

These colorful and satisfying stir-fried vegetables spread their sweetness with every bite, and are a perfect match for the rich soup.

Sendai ramen with unique toppings

Sendai ramen has a variety of toppings depending on the restaurant.

Among them, there are some original ramen dishes that wow ramen lovers all over the country.
There are many unique ramen dishes available that defy convention, such as salt ramen topped with two types of motsu, ramen with duck roast pork, and a French-style bowl of ramen with several types of shellfish broth and truffle-flavored toppings, so be sure to give them a try.

Tourist Spots in Sendai

From here, we will introduce some recommended spots in Sendai. Sendai city, also known as the "City of Trees," has many great spots for sightseeing, such as gourmet food, shopping, hot springs, and shrines.

Recommended for a stroll: "Jozenji-dori"

Jozenji-dori, the symbolic road that runs from Sendai Station, is recommended for a stroll after your meal.
Why not take a stroll along the rows of zelkova trees, bathed in gentle sunlight, while also enjoying the bustling atmosphere of the urban buildings lined up in the area?

Along the street, you can see bronze statues such as El Greco's "Memories of Summer" and Crocetti's "Bather", and you can also enjoy the outdoor gallery with an artistic atmosphere. It is interesting to see how the works look different depending on the season.

Akiu Onsen: A famous hot spring in Tohoku

Akiu Onsen is known as the inner sanctum of Sendai.

This is one of the Tohoku region's most famous hot springs, and is a great place to stay overnight or for a day trip, as well as to enjoy the scenic beauty of the natural surroundings.
From the Peeking Bridge in front of the entrance to Rairaikyo Gorge, you can look down on the naturally formed "Heart Rock." It is said that if you throw a pebble into the depression and it lands successfully, your love will be fulfilled.

800 years of history! Full of things to see at Saihoji Temple

Saihoji Temple, located in Aoba Ward, Sendai City, is affectionately called "Sadayoshi-san" by locals.

It is said to grant prayers for matchmaking, fertility, and safe childbirth, and is a popular place of worship for many tourists.
Within the grounds are the mountain gate and bell tower, which are registered tangible cultural properties, and the temple's specialty, "triangle fried tofu," is so delicious it will overturn your perception of fried tofu.

The crispy outside and fluffy inside of the fried tofu will burst with flavor when you bite into it with soy sauce and shichimi pepper. They are also available for purchase as souvenirs, so be sure to check them out.

Access to Sendai City

From here, we will introduce how to access Sendai city.

Sendai City has a well-developed transportation network, including the Tohoku Expressway that runs through the center of the prefecture, Sendai Airport and Shiogama Port, which have regular domestic and international flights. Therefore, it is easily accessible from major cities, with a minimum of 90 minutes by Shinkansen from Tokyo, 70 minutes by plane from Osaka, and 93 minutes by Shinkansen from Nagoya.

We also recommend using express buses if you are coming from the Tohoku region.

Location of Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture

summary

This time, we introduced the appeal of "Sendai Ramen," a must-try dish when you visit Sendai city.

Sendai city has many ramen restaurants where you will never get bored even if you go every day, such as ramen where you can enjoy the combination of mellow miso soup and spicy miso, ramen with a delicate flavor using dried sardines, and old-fashioned Chinese noodles.

This is a place where you can encounter ramen bursting with originality, so try searching for your favorite bowl.

\ We are looking for Tempo Star affiliates! /