The 10 Best Must-Buy Souvenirs in Sendai, Japan

Speaking of the special products in Sendai Miyagi prefecture, one, beef-tongue is famous, isn’t it?

But the recommended souvenir from Sendai is not just that one!

Starting with beef-tongue, zundamochi (boiled mashed green soybeans rice cake) and sasa-kamaboko (bamboo leaf shaped boiled fish paste) which are all well known Japan nationwide, the unique delicious local special food such as Japanese-styled sweets, western-styled cakes and the local sake (alcoholic drink) are all concentrated in Sendai which has prospered as the main city in the Tohoku region. I am introducing 10 carefully selected souvenirs which can be for yourself as well as a gift to please everyone!

1. Highly nourishing! Speaking of a souvenir from Sendai there is [zundamochi].

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Zundamochi with a vivid yellow-green colour is a traditional rice cake which has been eaten in early summer in the Sendai area. The paste made from fresh edamame (soybeans) gives the delicate sweetness and the fresh scent of edamame will spread in your mouth.

You can also enjoy the grainy texture of edamame. As the products from the [Zunda Saryo] in the Sendai International Airport have been quickly frozen, you can bring the fresh off the kitchen samples back to your home. One that is especially recommended for overseas tourists.  Zunda-shake has been blended from the special zunda (green beans) is also popular for its taste, so please try one when you buy some souvenirs!

2. A soft and Juicy taste is popular! When it comes to a souvenir, it will be the Sendai special product, [beef tongue].

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When all is said and done,  the special product from Sendai, beef-tongue is a kind of a souvenir from the iron-pan!  There are so many shops which are selling beef-tongue that you may be confused, but [Aji-no-Gyutan Kisuke] is an especially recommended one. It is the famous shop which had made beef-tongue become known better in Japan nationwide. Its bite-sized tender beef-tongue has been gaining popularity among people of all ages.

The beef-tongue, ripening for a long time increases its sweetness and it is simply seasoned to make the most of its original taste. Starting with the orthodox salty taste beef-tongue, also the smoked one and the curry taste one are all recommended! When you visit Sendai, please don’t forget to buy any of these.

3. Fluffy dough goes very well with the cream cheese! The [Cheese ball] is the most suitable souvenir.

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The sasa-kamaboko in which the flavour of fish is condensed is famous, isn’t it? [Abe Kamanoko-ten(shop)] which had named sasa-kamaboko has been selling the kamaboko which is particular about the suppressed characteristic fishy smell and being able to enjoy the fish flavour. These cheese balls are a cute arrangement of kamaboko!

It is bite-sized even for a child, so you can enjoy one without any sense of hesitation! It sounds good, doesn’t it?  When you bite it, the melty cream cheese comes out. The softly baked kamaboko goes really well with the cream cheese. It is a souvenir not only for males but also for female cheese lovers.

4. The souvenir which you want to taste with a cup of green-tea! [Dateemaki]

 
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Talking about [Kahosanzen], the Hagi-no-tsuki (the moon with a bush clover) with the egg flavour and with the custard cream inside is famous, but this [Dateemaki] which reminds us of the history of Date clan is another one to be recommended. It is a Japanese sweet version of a baumkuchen.

The Baumkuchen in which the numbers of the thin doughs are piled up has 2 different fillings, the ogura-an (sweet adzuki bean paste) and the cream. Both of them have a mellow taste. They have a light texture, so you can eat many of them and are suitable as a sweet over a cup of green-tea. It will last a long time and the package of Masamune date (warringlord) looks very Sendai, doesn’t it?! I’d like you to purchase this exquisite product, [Dateemaki] as a souvenir when you visit Sendai.

5. I can’t resist the walnuts’ texture! The Japanese sweet, [Kurumiyubeshi] (walnut) for a souvenir.

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The sweets which are appreciated especially by the aged are [Kurumiyubeshi].  This [yubeshi] means a kind of Japanese sweet, using citrus fruits or walnuts. The [yubeshi] in the Tohoku region uses walnuts and you can enjoy the bouncy texture of the dough and the chunky chewy walnut as well.

The kurumiyubeshi from [Ajikasa] is the original and has a lot of nectar as well as a large walnut!

The main tastes are the soy-sauce one where the fragrance spreads in the mouth, the delicate maccha (powdery green tea) one and the aromatic sesame one. They have various tastes, so please try them all!  They are the souvenirs from Sendai which you can’t miss!

6. Japanese sake (alcoholic drink) from the Miyagi prefecture, [Himezen] which is suitable for all cooking!

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[Himezen] is a home-made sake which the famous brewery in the Miyagi prefecture, Ichi-no-kura has been making, being particular about rice and water. The solid package may be expected as the main current one for Japanese sake, but [Himezen] from Ichi-no-kura has an especially characteristic pretty package.

[Himezen] has a subtle sweet fruity taste and is a low alcoholic drink so that even people who easily get drunk can drink it. It goes well with any kind of food. The sparkling sake with a champagne taste which you can often bump into, [Suzune] and variety of others are lined up. Please find your favourite one!

7. Taste the melting deliciousness in your mouth! The regular souvenir from Sendai, [Shokado Kinako-sando] (powdery soy-beans)

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The [Kinako-sando] looks like a baked cake, Dacquoise, but it is not mere Dacquoise. The exquisite Kinako cream made from the [Miyagishirome kinako] produced in the Miyagi prefecture is put in between, so you can enjoy both Japanese and western tastes at the same time.

As they are made by hand one by one, they obtain the fluffy texture finish. You can also enjoy the aromatic scent and it will give you an addiction. Regardless of age, it is a well-known taste and the package is fashionable, so there is no doubt that it will make everyone happy as a souvenir! Please think about buying one.

8. The souvenir which packs the deliciouness from the local area, Sendai! [Kakeien pudding]

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[Kakeien] is a shop which has been producing the particular eggs since its establishment. This time, I’m introducing the pudding, using the same particular good quality eggs. This pudding is made of the eggs from Kakeien and carefully selected milk from the Tohoku region and without vanilla essence which is usually added as a fragrance in other shops.

It has a good reputation that you can enjoy the sweetness of the egg itself. This smooth, melty pudding makes you enjoy various tastes such as English tea or powdery green tea. As it is particular about being additive-free, it is a souvenir for every one of all ages from children to aged people who can eat it feeling safe and secure. Please don’t miss it when you go to Sendai!

9. The sweets like jewels made by the renowned patissier, excellent as a souvenir! [Macaron]

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For people who are thinking of a fashionable souvenir, I will recommend the superb macaron from the [kazunori ikeda individuel] which is made by the chef who has trained in France.  They are all beautiful macaron like jewels and have 20 types in total, such as framboise (raspberry), apricot and pistachio (nut).

There are 3 shops in Sendai-city. They are relatively reasonably priced, so they will be suitable as a gift for your wife as well as friends and as a treat for yourself. You can enjoy the taste as well as the beautiful look. Don’t miss buying them!

10. The traditional craft in Sendai which will make you smile unconsciously! It has an important role as souvenirs. [Kokeshi] (wooden doll)

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As the word [Koke-onna (woman)] shows, kokeshi has been attracting the young females’ attention. Kokeshi is a wooden doll in a human figure. It is an historical traditional craft which has been made in the Tohoku region.

The kokeshi made by the natural wood from [Ganguan Kokeshiya] is very expressive with a smily face or a composed face. When you pick one up in your hand, you’ll smile automatically. As they are offering the painting experience, why don’t you encompass it as a souvenir of your trip? You can have a very unique souvenir which you can hardly buy in other places.

Let’s go home with a souvenir to make everyone happy and which only Sendai can offer.

What is your impression after reading these articles? There are a lot of delicious foods and sweets in Sendai. Nowadays, the traditional craft, kokeshi has a modern-styled look as well. Imagining the smily face of a person who you are buying one for, enjoying choosing a souvenir! Of course, don’t forget one for yourself. Time passes very quickly when you are sightseeing, so please be aware of it!