Downtown Sendai

What to know

Sendai has a compact downtown which is generally centered to the west of JR Sendai Station. An aerial view of the entire city is available for free from the observation deck of the AER Building next to the station.

The broad streets and abundance of greenery have resulted in Sendai's nickname, "the city of trees". Many parks and public spaces contribute to the greenery.

Trees can even be found in the covered shopping area, Ichibancho Arcade . This covered mall connects several streets together in the downtown area to create the largest arcade in the Tohoku region. The shopping area includes several different arcade malls and covers a T-shaped area along Ichibancho and Chuo dori.

Shops along the arcades range from the budget 100 yen chains to high-end fashion boutiques, with the full range of restaurants , clothing and souvenir stores in between.

Asaichi ("morning market") is another shopping option that offers visitors a look at local, seasonal fish and produce. A few stalls sell prepared foods such as onigiri, while flower vendors have seasonal plants and cut flowers. The market is located just to the west of Sendai Station on a small street, only about 100 meters in length.

The building is a two minute walk north of Sendai Station's west exit across the street from the Hapina Nakakecho shopping arcade. The observation deck is located on the 31st floor.