What to know
Sendai is the birthplace of gyutan (牛タン, gyūtan), a dish featuring thinly sliced beef tongue grilled over charcoal. In addition to the classic grilled version with pickled vegetables, gyutan is also enjoyed as a donburi (rice bowl), in curry, or as a beef stew.
The dish originated relatively recently in 1948, when a yakitori restaurant owner in Sendai decided to focus on beef tongue dishes. Its popularity quickly grew and spread across Japan.
Common accompaniments to gyutan are oxtail soup and mugi gohan (white rice with barley). In donburi style, the grilled tongue is served over a bowl of rice, while curry gyutan also comes with rice.
The two most popular gyutan chains are Rikyu and Kisuke. Both have branches on Gyutan Dori (gyutan street) on the third floor of Sendai Station. Most restaurants on Gyutan Dori open at 10:00, while city restaurants typically open for lunch around 11:00. Menu prices generally range from about 1,500 to 2,500 yen.
Visitor information
Practical details to check before planning this stop.
- Hours
- Closed
- Admission
- English name
- Original name
- Gyutan
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