{"id":12417,"date":"2016-12-09T16:11:14","date_gmt":"2016-12-09T16:11:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/?p=12417"},"modified":"2016-12-09T16:12:34","modified_gmt":"2016-12-09T16:12:34","slug":"sendai","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/2016\/12\/09\/sendai\/","title":{"rendered":"Yamadera: A day trip from Sendai (part one)"},"content":{"rendered":"<h4>Like this post? Help us by sharing it!<\/h4><ul class=\"wpfai-list\"><li class=\"wpfai-list-item facebook\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F12417&amp;t=\" title=\"Facebook\" class=\"wpfai-facebook wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-facebook fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item twitter\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/twitter.com\/share?text=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F12417\" title=\"Twitter\" class=\"wpfai-twitter wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-twitter fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item pinterest\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F12417&amp;description=&amp;media=\" title=\"Pinterest\" class=\"wpfai-pinterest wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-pinterest fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item linkedin\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/linkedin.com\/shareArticle?mini=true&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F12417&amp;title=\" title=\"Linked In\" class=\"wpfai-linkedin wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-linkedin fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item envelope\">\r\n      <a href=\"mailto:?subject=&amp;body=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F12417%20-%20\" title=\"E-Mail\" class=\"wpfai-envelope wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-envelope fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item stumbleupon\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.stumbleupon.com\/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F12417\" title=\"Stumble Upon\" class=\"wpfai-stumbleupon wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-stumbleupon fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item reddit\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.reddit.com\/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F12417\" title=\"Reddit\" class=\"wpfai-reddit wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-reddit fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><\/ul><p>In my last blog piece about the wonders of Hakodate, the gateway city to Hokkaido, I recommended stopping-off in Sendai on the way there from Tokyo, and promised another blog with my reasons why. Well, I\u2019m a man of my word, so here\u2019s another blog (actually there will be two!) with reasons to stay in Sendai for not one, but two nights on the way from Tokyo to Hokkaido.<\/p>\n<p>To tell the truth, neither of my two reasons for a two-night stay in Sendai are located in the city itself (and one is actually in neighbouring Yamagata Prefecture!), but Sendai is a perfect departure point for two very interesting day trips, and is a great place to base yourself for a couple of enjoyable evenings, with a multitude of great restaurants and bars.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re travelling to Sendai from Tokyo, I recommend doing as my parents and I did, aiming for an early start from the capital, allowing you to fit in a trip to the first of my recommendations, Yamadera, on the same afternoon. It takes just an hour and a half to travel from Tokyo to Sendai by bullet train.<\/p>\n<p>On arrival, I recommend dropping your bags at your hotel and then heading straight back out by train to the town of Yamadera, named after the very sight you\u2019re there to see \u2013 a sprawling Buddhist temple complex nuzzled into the side of a small mountain. The journey by local line train takes one hour from Sendai. Yamadera station is such a contrast to the frenetic atmosphere of Tokyo station, you might find it hard to believe you were in such a buzzing metropolis just a couple of hours prior to arriving!<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_12441\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12441\" style=\"width: 1170px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12441\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-2.jpg\" alt=\"Yamadera Station \u2013 A far cry from Tokyo!\" width=\"1170\" height=\"878\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-2.jpg 1170w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-2-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-2-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-2-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-2-564x423.jpg 564w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-2-900x675.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-2-720x540.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-2-390x293.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-2-780x585.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-2-510x383.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1170px) 100vw, 1170px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-12441\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Yamadera Station \u2013 A far cry from Tokyo!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>A short walk across the river from the station will take you into the tiny town of Yamadera. There are lots of lovely little family run restaurants lining the approach to the temple. I recommend stopping at one to fuel up with some lunch before hiking up the mountain.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_12443\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12443\" style=\"width: 1170px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12443\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-3.jpg\" alt=\"The lovely town of Yamadera at the base of the mountain\" width=\"1170\" height=\"878\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-3.jpg 1170w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-3-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-3-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-3-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-3-564x423.jpg 564w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-3-900x675.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-3-720x540.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-3-390x293.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-3-780x585.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-3-510x383.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1170px) 100vw, 1170px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-12443\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The lovely town of Yamadera at the base of the mountain<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Once you reach the top, there are some great views across the valley and down to the town below. Surveying the scenery, you can give yourself a pat on the back looking down across the route you\u2019ve climbed.<\/p>\n<p>Yamadera literally means \u2018mountain temple\u2019, although the official name of the temple is Risshaku-ji. The temple belongs to the Tendai school of Buddhism and was founded in the ninth century by a monk called Ennin, also known by his posthumous name, Jikaku Daishi (Buddhists like to keep things complicated!). The temple is a branch of Enryaku-ji, the monastery complex situated on Mount Hiei in my hometown of Kyoto, which you can read about in one of my previous blogs. Ennin was the 3<sup>rd<\/sup> abbot of that temple before founding Yamadera. After his death, there were internal lineage conflicts within the Tendai school, and things in Kyoto got a little messy! It\u2019s said that there is a flame at Enryaku-ji that\u2019s been kept burning ever since it was lit by Saicho (also known as Dengyo Daishi \u2013 I told you they like to keep it complicated!), the founder of Tendai Buddhism in Japan. There is also a lamp at Yamadera that was lit from the same flame, which has been burning for over a thousand years since the founding of the temple.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_12444\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12444\" style=\"width: 1170px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12444\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-4.jpg\" alt=\"The Konponchudo Hall\" width=\"1170\" height=\"878\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-4.jpg 1170w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-4-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-4-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-4-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-4-564x423.jpg 564w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-4-900x675.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-4-720x540.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-4-390x293.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-4-780x585.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-4-510x383.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1170px) 100vw, 1170px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-12444\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Konponchudo Hall<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>You\u2019ll come first to the Konponchudo, the main hall of the temple, which contains an image of Yakushi Nyorai, the medicine Buddha. The hall is constructed using beech wood; quite unusual in Japan. From this point on you\u2019ll need to pay an entrance fee (a modest 300yen) to access the path that leads to the upper area of the temple compound. The route is paved the whole way, but there are hundreds of steps on the way up, so this is where your previously consumed hearty lunch pays off.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_12446\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12446\" style=\"width: 1170px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12446 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-5.jpg\" alt=\"yamadera-picture-5\" width=\"1170\" height=\"878\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-5.jpg 1170w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-5-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-5-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-5-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-5-564x423.jpg 564w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-5-900x675.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-5-720x540.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-5-390x293.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-5-780x585.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-5-510x383.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1170px) 100vw, 1170px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-12446\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">My parental pilgrims<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>It takes between 30 minutes and an hour to reach the top of the mountain. I highly recommend making the ascent at a relaxed pace to allow yourself time to enjoy the scenery on the way. It\u2019s often said that the Buddha taught \u2018It\u2019s better to travel well than to arrive\u2019. Although true in the case of Yamadera, I\u2019m afraid this is one of the many quotes misattributed to the Buddha, and can be found in none of the texts making up the Buddhist canon.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_12449\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12449\" style=\"width: 1170px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12449 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-6.jpg\" alt=\"yamadera-picture-6\" width=\"1170\" height=\"878\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-6.jpg 1170w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-6-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-6-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-6-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-6-564x423.jpg 564w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-6-900x675.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-6-720x540.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-6-390x293.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-6-780x585.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-6-510x383.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1170px) 100vw, 1170px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-12449\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Various temple buildings line the approach to the top of the mountain<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_12452\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12452\" style=\"width: 1170px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12452 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-7.jpg\" alt=\"yamadera-picture-7\" width=\"1170\" height=\"878\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-7.jpg 1170w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-7-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-7-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-7-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-7-564x423.jpg 564w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-7-900x675.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-7-720x540.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-7-390x293.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-7-780x585.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-7-510x383.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1170px) 100vw, 1170px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-12452\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Congratulations are in order!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>In another dubiously attributable quotation, Isaac Newton stated that \u2018what goes up, most come down\u2019, and so after catching your breath and admiring the vistas, it\u2019s time to start your descent. Going down is much easier than the route up, and you\u2019ll find yourself back at the bottom of the mountain in half an hour or so. Before setting off back for Sendai, you may want to reward yourself with a well-deserved beverage break. We found this lovely little shop with a caf\u00e9 attached:<\/p>\n<p>It was a pretty scorching August day when we visited, and so we eschewed coffee in favour of some well chilled local Yamagata beers, served in these delightful little glasses:<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_12453\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12453\" style=\"width: 1170px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12453\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-8.jpg\" alt=\"pit-stop\" width=\"1170\" height=\"878\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-8.jpg 1170w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-8-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-8-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-8-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-8-564x423.jpg 564w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-8-900x675.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-8-720x540.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-8-390x293.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-8-780x585.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-8-510x383.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1170px) 100vw, 1170px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-12453\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">pit-stop<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_12455\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12455\" style=\"width: 510px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12455 size-medium-plus-size\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-9-510x680.jpg\" alt=\"beer o'clock\" width=\"510\" height=\"680\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-9-510x680.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-9-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-9-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-9-423x564.jpg 423w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-9-900x1200.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-9-720x960.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-9-390x520.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-9-780x1040.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-9.jpg 1170w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 510px) 100vw, 510px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-12455\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">beer o&#8217;clock<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Just an hour back on the train, and you\u2019ll find yourself back in the (relative!) metropolis of Sendai. There are some great restaurants in the city, which is particularly famous for <em>gyutan<\/em> \u2013 grilled beef tongue. It\u2019s hard to find a restaurant that doesn\u2019t have it somewhere on the menu! I particularly recommend trying it at a <em>yaki\u00ad-niku<\/em> &#8211; do-it-yourself-barbeque \u2013 restaurant. With some more beers of course! You\u2019ve earned it!<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_12458\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12458\" style=\"width: 1170px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12458\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-10.jpg\" alt=\"Yaki-niku \u2013 Gyutan on the far right yellow plate; there\u2019s a reason why there are already only a few pieces left! \" width=\"1170\" height=\"878\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-10.jpg 1170w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-10-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-10-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-10-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-10-564x423.jpg 564w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-10-900x675.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-10-720x540.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-10-390x293.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-10-780x585.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Yamadera-Picture-10-510x383.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1170px) 100vw, 1170px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-12458\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Yaki-niku \u2013 Gyutan on the far right yellow plate; there\u2019s a reason why there are already only a few pieces left!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Stay tuned for part two of this blog piece, where I\u2019ll be telling you about my other top-tip for a day-trip in the Sendai area. If you can\u2019t wait for that, why not contact one of our expert travel consultants to start planning a trip including an overnight stop (or two!) in Sendai, and a trip out to Yamadera?<\/p>\n<h4>Like this post? Help us by sharing it!<\/h4><ul class=\"wpfai-list\"><li class=\"wpfai-list-item facebook\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F12417&amp;t=\" title=\"Facebook\" class=\"wpfai-facebook wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-facebook fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item twitter\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/twitter.com\/share?text=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F12417\" title=\"Twitter\" class=\"wpfai-twitter wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-twitter fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item pinterest\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F12417&amp;description=&amp;media=\" title=\"Pinterest\" class=\"wpfai-pinterest wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-pinterest fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item linkedin\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/linkedin.com\/shareArticle?mini=true&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F12417&amp;title=\" title=\"Linked In\" class=\"wpfai-linkedin wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-linkedin fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item envelope\">\r\n      <a href=\"mailto:?subject=&amp;body=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F12417%20-%20\" title=\"E-Mail\" class=\"wpfai-envelope wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-envelope fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item stumbleupon\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.stumbleupon.com\/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F12417\" title=\"Stumble Upon\" class=\"wpfai-stumbleupon wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-stumbleupon fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item reddit\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.reddit.com\/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F12417\" title=\"Reddit\" class=\"wpfai-reddit wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-reddit fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><\/ul>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Like this post? Help us by sharing it! In my last blog piece about the wonders of Hakodate, the gateway city to Hokkaido, I recommended stopping-off in Sendai on the way there from Tokyo, and promised another blog with my reasons why. Well, I\u2019m a man of my word, so here\u2019s another blog (actually there [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":59,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_sitemap_exclude":false,"_sitemap_priority":"","_sitemap_frequency":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2360],"tags":[2068,2191,2678,2892],"class_list":["post-12417","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-travellers-tales-from-japan","tag-sendai","tag-tohoku","tag-richard-farmer","tag-yamadera"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12417","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/59"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12417"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12417\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12459,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12417\/revisions\/12459"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12417"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12417"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12417"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}