Sendai, Miyagi
Encyclopedia
is the capital city of Miyagi Prefecture
, Japan, and the largest city in the Tōhoku Region
. In 2005, the city had a population of one million, and was one of Japan's 19 designated cities. The city was founded in 1600 by the daimyo
Date Masamune
, and is well known by its nickname, the ; there are about 60 zelkova
trees on and .
In the summer, the Sendai Tanabata Festival, the largest Tanabata
festival in Japan, is held. In winter the trees are decorated with thousands of lights for the Pageant of Starlight (光のページェント), lasting through most of December.
On 11 March 2011, coastal areas of the city suffered catastrophic damage from a magnitude 9.0 offshore earthquake
US Geological Survey 9.0 assessmentUK Foreign Office 9.0 assessmentThe Telegraph 9.0 assessment "Japan earthquake: timeline of the disaster, from tsunami to nuclear crisis" 15 March 2011 which triggered a destructive tsunami
.
Date Masamune
relocated to Sendai. Masamune was not happy with his previous stronghold, Iwadeyama
. Iwadeyama was located to the north of his territories and was also difficult to access from Edo
(modern-day Tokyo). Sendai was an ideal location, being in the centre of Masamune's newly defined territories, upon a major road from Edo, and near the sea. Tokugawa Ieyasu
gave Masamune permission to build a new castle in Aoba-yama (Mount Aoba), Sendai after the Battle of Sekigahara
. Aobayama was the location of a castle used by the previous ruler of the Sendai area.
At this time Sendai was written as 千代 (which literally means "a thousand generations"), because a temple with a used to be located in Aobayama. Masamune changed the kanji
to 仙臺, which later became 仙台 (which is literally 'hermit/wizard platform/plateau' or more figuratively, "hermit on a platform/high ground"). The kanji was taken from a Chinese poem that praised a palace created by the Emperor Wen of Han China, comparing it to a mythical palace in the Kunlun Mountains
. It is said that Masamune chose this kanji so that the castle would prosper as long as a mountain inhabited by an immortal hermit.
Masamune ordered the construction of Sendai Castle in December 1600 and the construction of the town of Sendai in 1601. The grid plan
roads in present day central Sendai are based upon his plans.
Sendai was incorporated as a city on 1 April 1889, as a result of the abolition of the han system
. At the time of incorporation the city's area was 17.45 square kilometres (6.7 sq mi) and its population was 86,000. The city grew, however, through seven annexations that occurred between 1928 and 1988. The city became a designated city
on 1 April 1989; the city's population exceeded one million in 1999.
Sendai was considered to be one of Japan's greenest cities, mostly because of its great numbers of trees and plants. Sendai became known as The City of Trees before World War II as the Sendai han
encouraged residents to plant trees in their gardens. As a result, many houses, temples, and shrines in central Sendai had , which were used as resources for wood and other everyday materials. Air raids during World War II destroyed much of the greenery, and more was lost during the post-war growth and in the 2011 earthquake.
The 2nd Infantry Division was known as the Sendai Division as it was based in Sendai, and recruited locally. During the Second World War it was involved in many different campaigns, but one of the most important was the Battle of Guadalcanal. Sendai was also a city where American Prisoners of War, some who survived the Bataan Death March
, were forced to work in the lead mines for the Japanese war effort.
and a subsequent major tsunami
hit Sendai, without causing much damage in the center. In other areas however, especially on the coastal area including Sendai Airport
major damage was reported. The tsunami reportedly reached as far as Wakabayashi Ward
Office, 8 kilometres (5 mi) from the coastline. Hundreds were killed, and countless more were injured and/or homeless.
Sendai's port was heavily damaged and temporarily closed. The port reopened on 16 April 2011.
, which are the east and west borders of Miyagi Prefecture. As a result, the city's geography is quite diverse. Eastern Sendai is a plains area, the center of the city is hilly, and western areas are mountainous. The highest point in the city is Mt. Funagata
which stands 1,500 m above sea level.
The flows 45 km through Sendai. The river is well-known as a symbol of Sendai, especially because it appears in the lyrics of Aoba-jō Koi-uta (青葉城恋唄; literally, The Aoba Castle Love Song), a popular song sung by Muneyuki Satō. Sendai Castle was built close to the river to use the river as a natural moat. The river frequently flooded until the 1950s, but dams and levees constructed in the 1960s and 1970s have made such floods rare. The river is now known for its exceptionally clean water and natural beauty, and was selected by Japan's Environment Agency as one of Japan's 100 Great Waters.
Most mountains in Sendai are dormant volcanoes, much older than the more famous Zaō
and Naruko volcanoes in nearby municipalities. However, many hot springs
can be found in the city, indicating hydrothermal activity
. The Miyagi Oki earthquake
occurs offshore Sendai once every 25 to 40 years. The 7.2 magnitude 2005 Miyagi earthquake
, which occurred on August 16, 2005 had an epicenter close to the Miyagi Oki earthquake area. However, the Headquarters for Earthquake Research Promotion concluded that it was not the Miyagi Oki earthquake, saying "...the recent event is not thought to be this earthquake. This is because the magnitude of the earthquake was small, and the source area, which was estimated from the aftershock distribution and seismic waves, did not cover the whole expected source region. Although, the recent event ruptured a part of the focal region of the expected earthquake." In 2011, the 9.0 magnitude 2011 Tōhoku earthquake
occurred offshore Sendai, resulting in a devastating tsunami.
Cfa), climate, with neither the very hot summers of Tokyo nor the snowbound winters of Sapporo. Winters are cool and relatively dry, with January averaging at 1.5 °C (34.7 °F). Summers are very warm and much of the year's precipitation is delivered at this time, with a August average of 24.1 °C (75.4 °F). The city is rarely hit by typhoons, and experiences only 6 days with more than 10 centimetres (4 in) of rainfall on average. Sendai's rainy season usually begins in late June to early July, which is later than most cities in Japan. And cold wind from the Okhotsk air mass, called "Yamase", blows in this season, helping to depress daytime highs.
Extremes range from −11.7 °C.
Sendai had 444,514 households in 2005. The average household had approximately 2.31 members. The average household was becoming smaller every year, because single-member households were increasing. At this time Sendai had more people in their early 50s and in their 20s and early 30s than in other age groups. This is a result of the first and second baby booms in Japan, and university students. The average age in Sendai is 38.4, which makes the city one of the youngest major cities in Japan.
makes all municipalities uniform in terms of organization and power. However, Sendai is a designated city, so it has the same jurisdiction as prefectures in some areas.
Sendai's local government is essentially a mayor-council government. The mayor is elected from a citywide election. Sendai City Assembly
members are elected from 5 elective districts, which correspond to the city's 5 wards. The number of assembly members allocated to each ward is based upon population. As of May 2005, the city has 60 assembly members; 17 from Aoba Ward, 11 from Miyagino, 8 from Wakabayashi, 13 from Taihaku, and 11 from Izumi. The City Assembly elects an Assembly Chairperson and Vice Chairperson. Sendai has two vice mayors, who are not elected by the populace.
Sendai has five wards
("ku"), which were created when it became a designated city
in 1989. The city consciously avoided names that included directions (e.g., north 北, center 中央) when it chose names for the new wards.
Sendai is frequently called a branch-office economy, because very few major companies are headquartered in the city. Various authorities are cooperating to alleviate this problem, primarily by encouraging high-tech ventures from Tohoku University
, which is well-known for its science and engineering departments.
Tohoku Electric Power, a major regional supplier of electric power, has its headquarters in Sendai.
Universities in the Sendai vicinity include
JR East
Sendai Station
is the main transportation hub for the city. The station is served by seven JR lines and is a major station on the Tōhoku
and Akita Shinkansen
lines. An underground passage connects the station to the Sendai Subway
.
Sendai has a single north-south subway line (Nanboku Line), one of the most expensive in Japan with a basic fare starting at 200 yen
. The city was constructing a second, east-west subway line (Tōzai Line
), scheduled for completion in 2015.
The city is served by Sendai Airport
(located in neighboring Natori
), which has international flights to several countries, and Sendai Port. A rail link to Sendai began service on March 18, 2007.
The Tōhoku Expressway
runs north-south through western Sendai, and is connected to other highways, such as the Sendai Nambu Road, Sendai Tobu Road, Sanriku Expressway (Sendai-Matsushima Road), and Sendai Hokubu Road.
Other major roads in the city include Hirose-Dori (ginkgo
) and Higashi-Nibancho-Dori.
Festival in Japan. It is relatively quiet compared to other traditional Japanese festivals, because its main attractions are intricate Tanabata decorations. The Aoba Matsuri Festival follows more typical Japanese festival traditions, with a mikoshi
, floats
, a samurai parade, and traditional dancing. Local people burn their New Year
decorations and pray for health in the new year during the Dontosai Festival, the oldest festival in Miyagi Prefecture.
Various contemporary festivals also take place in Sendai, such as the Jōzenji Streetjazz Festival, the Michinoku Yosakoi Festival, and the Sendai Pageant of Starlight. The Jōzenji Streetjazz Festival is one of the largest amateur music festivals in Japan. It began as a jazz festival in 1991, but soon began to accept applications from all genres. The Michinoku Yosakoi festival is a dance festival, derived from the Yosakoi Festival that takes place in Kōchi
. Trees in downtown Sendai are decorated with lights during the Sendai Pageant of Starlights. The event provided the idea for the Festival of Lights annually held in Riverside
, Sendai's sister city. In 2005, the streets were lit up with one million miniature bulbs.
(cow tongue, usually grilled), hiyashi chūka (cold Chinese noodles), and robatayaki (Japanese-style barbecue). However, robatayaki was later introduced to Kushiro
, which developed and popularized the dish. As a result, many people believe Kushiro is the origin of Robatayaki. Zundamochi (ずんだ餅, mochi
balls with sweet, bright green edamame paste), and sasakamaboko (笹かまぼこ, kamaboko
shaped like bamboo leaves) are also considered to be Sendai specialties. Sendai is also known for good sashimi
, sushi
, and sake. This is because Sendai is near several major fishing ports, such as Kesennuma
, Ishinomaki
, and Shiogama
, and the fact that Miyagi Prefecture is a major producer of rice
.
Many crafts from Sendai were originally created under the influence of the Date family during the Edo period
. Examples are Sendai Hira, a hand woven silk fabric, Tsutsumiyaki pottery, and Yanagiu Washi paper
. However, some crafts, such as umoregi zaiku (crafts created from fossil wood) were developed by low-ranking samurai who needed side jobs to survive. Kokeshi
dolls were popularized by hot spring resorts that sold them as gifts. Some relatively recent developments include Sendai Tsuishu lacquer
ware and Tamamushinuri lacquerware, both of which were developed after the Meiji Restoration
.
Sendai was also known for its production of Tansu
, clothing drawers made from wood with elaborate ironwork.
is the tomb of Date Masamune
and is also home to artifacts related to the Date family. It is located on a hill called Kyogamine, which is the traditional resting place for members of the Date family. In Aoba-ku
, the Ōsaki Hachiman-gū
shaden, built in 1607 by Date Masamune, is designated a National Treasure
. Mutsu Kokubun-ji Yakushidō
is the provincial temple
of Mutsu province
.
Newer historical sites include the former home of Doi Bansui, a famous lyricist, and a monument at Sendai City Museum that commemorates the Chinese writer Lu Xun
. Another statue of Lu Xun can be found in the Tohoku University Katahira Campus, where Lu Xun studied medical science. Older historical sites include the Tōmizuka Tomb, a historical tomb that dates back to the late 4th century or early 5th century, and the Tomizawa Preserved Forest site, where the excavated remains of a stone age human settlement (Upper Palaeolithic – roughly 20,000 years ago) have been protected by a large museum structure, built in 1996. The nearby Site of Tagajō
was an important early fort and administrative centre.
displays various artifacts related to the Date family and the history of Sendai. Date Masamune's famous suit of armour and artifacts related to Hasekura Tsunenaga
's visit to Rome (National Treasure of Japan) are sometimes on display.
The Miyagi Museum of Art is Sendai's largest art museum. A total of 24 sculptures have been installed in various public locations in Sendai through its City of Sculptures project.
The Tomizawa site museum in the southern part of the city preserves a fossilized forest where the remains of human habitation from 20,000 years ago can be seen.
The Sendai City War Reconstruction Memorial Hall is dedicated to remembering the air raid of July 1945 in which most of Sendai was destroyed.
, which are both hot spring resorts
. Sites around the Akiu area include the Akiu Otaki Falls, sometimes counted as one of Japan's three great waterfalls, and the Rairai Gorge, known for its autumn colours. The Futakuchi Gorge contains several waterfalls that have been designated as natural monuments and the Banji Cliffs, an example of columnar basalt
.
The Sakunami area is also known for its natural beauty, with cherry blossoms
in the spring, and beautiful colours in the autumn. The nearby Hōmei Shijuhachi Taki Falls is the name of various waterfalls found in the higher reaches of the Hirose River. The origin of the name "Hōmei" (鳳鳴; literally, Chinese phoenix
cry) is said to come from ancient local inhabitants' claim that the sound of the waterfalls was similar to the legendary bird's call.
The Tatsunokuchi Gorge offers a view of a petrified wood
next to the nearby Otamaya-bashi bridge, and Nishi Park and Tsutsujigaoka park are appreciated for their cherry blossom in the spring. The Hirose River and the Gamo Tideland are both home to diverse wildlife.
Matsushima
, which is one of the Three Views of Japan
, is near Sendai, in Matsushima-shi
.
is a multipurpose facility that houses the city library, galleries, and film studio facilities open for use by the general public. The building was designed by Toyo Ito
and is known for its innovative architecture.
The AER Building, the Miyagi Prefectural Office, and the SS30 Building are all relatively high buildings in downtown Sendai that offer panoramic views. The Sendai Daikannon is an approximately 100 meters high Kannon
statue. The statue was built during Japan's bubble economy
by a now defunct company.
headed by Hasekura Tsunenaga
. Although the embassy was successful in its aim of establishing relations with the Holy See, Masamune's plans were frustrated by the suppression of Catholicism in Japan. The diocese of Sendai (previously the diocese of Hakodate) was established in 1891, only two years after the promulgation of a new constitution guaranteeing freedom of religion in Japan, in 1889. The Bishop of Sendai currently oversees the four northern prefectures of Miyagi, Fukushima, Iwate and Aomori, serving 11,152 Catholics in 56 parishes. Mototerakoji, the Cathedral of the diocese, is located a few blocks north of Sendai Station.
briefly used Sendai as a temporary home for the franchise from 1973 to 1977, the city was largely ignored by professional sports until 1994. In that year, the Tohoku Electric Power football
team was changed into a club team, Brummel Sendai, with the goal of eventually being promoted into the J. League
. The team achieved this goal when the J. League expanded in 1999 with the creation of a second division. The name of the team was simultaneously changed to Vegalta Sendai
.
In 2005, the number of professional sports teams based in Sendai suddenly increased to three. The Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles
was introduced as a new Pacific League
baseball franchise after widely publicized turmoil involving the merger of the Kintetsu Buffaloes
and the Orix Blue Wave developed into the first strike in Nippon Professional Baseball. Additionally, the Japan Basketball League
, which began its inaugural season in November 2005, included the Sendai 89ers
among its first six teams.
Annual sporting events include the Sendai Cup, an international football tournament for U-18 teams, and the Sendai International Half Marathon
. In 2006 of the Sendai International half marathon, Mizuki Noguchi, who won the women's marathon Gold medal at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, took part in and won the race in a surprising course record.
Various sporting venues can be found in Sendai, such as Miyagi Stadium
(venue of 2002 FIFA World Cup
), Sendai Stadium
, Miyagi Baseball Stadium, Sendai City Gymnasium. The city is also known as the origin of figure skating
in Japan, and 2006 Olympic gold medalist Shizuka Arakawa
trained in Sendai as she was growing up. Tohoku Fukushi University
and Sendai Ikuei Gakuen High School are well known for their strong sports programs, the latter for baseball
.
In 2006, Sendai hosted some games of the Basketball World Championship 2006.
. Its affiliation with Riverside, California
, on March 9, 1957, is the second oldest sister city partnership in Japan. Riverside, California
, United States Rennes
, France Acapulco
, Mexico Minsk
, Belarus Gwangju
, South Korea Dallas, Texas
, United States Changchun
, China Oulu
, Finland Tainan
, Taiwan
Miyagi Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan in the Tōhoku Region on Honshu island. The capital is Sendai.- History :Miyagi Prefecture was formerly part of the province of Mutsu. Mutsu Province, on northern Honshu, was one of the last provinces to be formed as land was taken from the indigenous Emishi, and became the...
, Japan, and the largest city in the Tōhoku Region
Tohoku region
The is a geographical area of Japan. The region occupies the northeastern portion of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. The region consists of six prefectures : Akita, Aomori, Fukushima, Iwate, Miyagi and Yamagata....
. In 2005, the city had a population of one million, and was one of Japan's 19 designated cities. The city was founded in 1600 by the daimyo
Daimyo
is a generic term referring to the powerful territorial lords in pre-modern Japan who ruled most of the country from their vast, hereditary land holdings...
Date Masamune
Date Masamune
was a regional strongman of Japan's Azuchi-Momoyama period through early Edo period. Heir to a long line of powerful daimyo in the Tōhoku region, he went on to found the modern-day city of Sendai...
, and is well known by its nickname, the ; there are about 60 zelkova
Zelkova
Zelkova is a genus of six species of deciduous trees in the elm family Ulmaceae, native to southern Europe, and southwest and eastern Asia. They vary in size from shrubs to large trees up to 35 m tall . The leaves are alternate, with serrated margins, and a symmetrical base to the leaf blade...
trees on and .
In the summer, the Sendai Tanabata Festival, the largest Tanabata
Tanabata
is a Japanese star festival, originating from the Chinese Qixi Festival. It celebrates the meeting of the deities Orihime and Hikoboshi . According to legend, the Milky Way separates these lovers, and they are allowed to meet only once a year on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month of the...
festival in Japan, is held. In winter the trees are decorated with thousands of lights for the Pageant of Starlight (光のページェント), lasting through most of December.
On 11 March 2011, coastal areas of the city suffered catastrophic damage from a magnitude 9.0 offshore earthquake
2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
The 2011 earthquake off the Pacific coast of Tohoku, also known as the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, or the Great East Japan Earthquake, was a magnitude 9.0 undersea megathrust earthquake off the coast of Japan that occurred at 14:46 JST on Friday, 11 March 2011, with the epicenter approximately east...
US Geological Survey 9.0 assessmentUK Foreign Office 9.0 assessmentThe Telegraph 9.0 assessment "Japan earthquake: timeline of the disaster, from tsunami to nuclear crisis" 15 March 2011 which triggered a destructive tsunami
Tsunami
A tsunami is a series of water waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, typically an ocean or a large lake...
.
History
Although the Sendai area was inhabited as early as 20,000 years ago, the history of Sendai as a city begins from 1600, when the daimyoDaimyo
is a generic term referring to the powerful territorial lords in pre-modern Japan who ruled most of the country from their vast, hereditary land holdings...
Date Masamune
Date Masamune
was a regional strongman of Japan's Azuchi-Momoyama period through early Edo period. Heir to a long line of powerful daimyo in the Tōhoku region, he went on to found the modern-day city of Sendai...
relocated to Sendai. Masamune was not happy with his previous stronghold, Iwadeyama
Iwadeyama, Miyagi
was a town located in Tamatsukuri District, Miyagi, Japan.In 2003, the town had an estimated population of 13,476 and a population density of 95.78 persons per km²...
. Iwadeyama was located to the north of his territories and was also difficult to access from Edo
Edo
, also romanized as Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of the Japanese capital Tokyo, and was the seat of power for the Tokugawa shogunate which ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868...
(modern-day Tokyo). Sendai was an ideal location, being in the centre of Masamune's newly defined territories, upon a major road from Edo, and near the sea. Tokugawa Ieyasu
Tokugawa Ieyasu
was the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan , which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Ieyasu seized power in 1600, received appointment as shogun in 1603, abdicated from office in 1605, but...
gave Masamune permission to build a new castle in Aoba-yama (Mount Aoba), Sendai after the Battle of Sekigahara
Battle of Sekigahara
The , popularly known as the , was a decisive battle on October 21, 1600 which cleared the path to the Shogunate for Tokugawa Ieyasu...
. Aobayama was the location of a castle used by the previous ruler of the Sendai area.
At this time Sendai was written as 千代 (which literally means "a thousand generations"), because a temple with a used to be located in Aobayama. Masamune changed the kanji
Kanji
Kanji are the adopted logographic Chinese characters hanzi that are used in the modern Japanese writing system along with hiragana , katakana , Indo Arabic numerals, and the occasional use of the Latin alphabet...
to 仙臺, which later became 仙台 (which is literally 'hermit/wizard platform/plateau' or more figuratively, "hermit on a platform/high ground"). The kanji was taken from a Chinese poem that praised a palace created by the Emperor Wen of Han China, comparing it to a mythical palace in the Kunlun Mountains
Kunlun Mountains
The Kunlun Mountains are one of the longest mountain chains in Asia, extending more than 3,000 km. In the broadest sense, it forms the northern edge of the Tibetan Plateau south of the Tarim Basin and the Gansu Corridor and continues east south of the Wei River to end at the North China Plain.The...
. It is said that Masamune chose this kanji so that the castle would prosper as long as a mountain inhabited by an immortal hermit.
Masamune ordered the construction of Sendai Castle in December 1600 and the construction of the town of Sendai in 1601. The grid plan
Grid plan
The grid plan, grid street plan or gridiron plan is a type of city plan in which streets run at right angles to each other, forming a grid...
roads in present day central Sendai are based upon his plans.
Sendai was incorporated as a city on 1 April 1889, as a result of the abolition of the han system
Abolition of the han system
The was an act, in 1871, of the new Meiji government of the Empire of Japan to replace the traditional feudal domain system and to introduce centralized government authority . This process marked the culmination of the Meiji Restoration in that all daimyo were required to return their authority...
. At the time of incorporation the city's area was 17.45 square kilometres (6.7 sq mi) and its population was 86,000. The city grew, however, through seven annexations that occurred between 1928 and 1988. The city became a designated city
City designated by government ordinance (Japan)
A , also known as a or , is a Japanese city that has a population greater than 500,000 and has been designated as such by an order of the cabinet of Japan under Article 252, Section 19 of the Local Autonomy Law.-Overview:...
on 1 April 1989; the city's population exceeded one million in 1999.
Sendai was considered to be one of Japan's greenest cities, mostly because of its great numbers of trees and plants. Sendai became known as The City of Trees before World War II as the Sendai han
Han (Japan)
The or domain was the name of the estate belonging to a warrior in Japan after the 17th century. The fiefs of the daimyos of the samurai class of Japan during the Edo period were called han.-Edo period:...
encouraged residents to plant trees in their gardens. As a result, many houses, temples, and shrines in central Sendai had , which were used as resources for wood and other everyday materials. Air raids during World War II destroyed much of the greenery, and more was lost during the post-war growth and in the 2011 earthquake.
The 2nd Infantry Division was known as the Sendai Division as it was based in Sendai, and recruited locally. During the Second World War it was involved in many different campaigns, but one of the most important was the Battle of Guadalcanal. Sendai was also a city where American Prisoners of War, some who survived the Bataan Death March
Bataan Death March
The Bataan Death March was the forcible transfer, by the Imperial Japanese Army, of 75,000 American and Filipino prisoners of war after the three-month Battle of Bataan in the Philippines during World War II, which resulted in the deaths of thousands of prisoners.The march was characterized by...
, were forced to work in the lead mines for the Japanese war effort.
2011 earthquake and tsunami
On 11 March 2011, a 9.0 earthquake2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
The 2011 earthquake off the Pacific coast of Tohoku, also known as the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, or the Great East Japan Earthquake, was a magnitude 9.0 undersea megathrust earthquake off the coast of Japan that occurred at 14:46 JST on Friday, 11 March 2011, with the epicenter approximately east...
and a subsequent major tsunami
Tsunami
A tsunami is a series of water waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, typically an ocean or a large lake...
hit Sendai, without causing much damage in the center. In other areas however, especially on the coastal area including Sendai Airport
Sendai Airport
is an airport located in Natori, Miyagi, south southeast of Sendai Station, Sendai, Japan.-History:In 1940, the Imperial Japanese Army built Sendai Airport in order to use it for the Kumakaya Army Flight School, Masda Branch School Trainee Training Center. It was called by several names: Natory...
major damage was reported. The tsunami reportedly reached as far as Wakabayashi Ward
Wakabayashi-ku, Sendai
is a ward located in Sendai in Miyagi, Japan.As of 2005, the ward has an estimated population of 130,478 and the density of 2609.56 persons per km². The total area is 50 km²...
Office, 8 kilometres (5 mi) from the coastline. Hundreds were killed, and countless more were injured and/or homeless.
Sendai's port was heavily damaged and temporarily closed. The port reopened on 16 April 2011.
Geography
Sendai is located at lat. 38°16'05" north, long. 140°52'11" east. The city's area is 788.09 km², and stretches from the Pacific Ocean to the Ōu MountainsOu Mountains
The are a mountain range in the Tōhoku region of Honshū, Japan. The range is the longest range in Japan and stretch south from the Natsudomari Peninsula of Aomori Prefecture to the Nasu volcanoes at the northern boundary of the Kantō region. Though long, the range is only about wide...
, which are the east and west borders of Miyagi Prefecture. As a result, the city's geography is quite diverse. Eastern Sendai is a plains area, the center of the city is hilly, and western areas are mountainous. The highest point in the city is Mt. Funagata
Funagata volcano
Funagata volcano is a stratovolcano that consists of several different mountains. The volcano is located on the border of Miyagi Prefecture and Yamagata Prefecture in Japan. The precise location of the volcano is , the summit of Mount Funagata . The mountain is 1,500 m high and is the highest...
which stands 1,500 m above sea level.
The flows 45 km through Sendai. The river is well-known as a symbol of Sendai, especially because it appears in the lyrics of Aoba-jō Koi-uta (青葉城恋唄; literally, The Aoba Castle Love Song), a popular song sung by Muneyuki Satō. Sendai Castle was built close to the river to use the river as a natural moat. The river frequently flooded until the 1950s, but dams and levees constructed in the 1960s and 1970s have made such floods rare. The river is now known for its exceptionally clean water and natural beauty, and was selected by Japan's Environment Agency as one of Japan's 100 Great Waters.
Most mountains in Sendai are dormant volcanoes, much older than the more famous Zaō
Mount Zao
is a complex volcano on the border between Yamagata Prefecture and Miyagi Prefecture in Japan. It consists of a cluster of stratovolcanoes and is the most active volcano in northern Honshū. The central volcano of the group includes several lava domes and a tuff cone, Goshiki-dake, which contains...
and Naruko volcanoes in nearby municipalities. However, many hot springs
Hot Springs
Hot Springs may refer to:* Hot Springs, Arkansas** Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas*Hot Springs, California**Hot Springs, Lassen County, California**Hot Springs, Modoc County, California**Hot Springs, Placer County, California...
can be found in the city, indicating hydrothermal activity
Hydrothermal circulation
Hydrothermal circulation in its most general sense is the circulation of hot water; 'hydros' in the Greek meaning water and 'thermos' meaning heat. Hydrothermal circulation occurs most often in the vicinity of sources of heat within the Earth's crust...
. The Miyagi Oki earthquake
Earthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
occurs offshore Sendai once every 25 to 40 years. The 7.2 magnitude 2005 Miyagi earthquake
2005 Miyagi earthquake
The 2005 Miyagi earthquake was a powerful earthquake that struck the east coast of the Japanese island of Honshū at 11.46am on August 16, causing casualties, building collapses and power outages.-Earthquake characteristics:...
, which occurred on August 16, 2005 had an epicenter close to the Miyagi Oki earthquake area. However, the Headquarters for Earthquake Research Promotion concluded that it was not the Miyagi Oki earthquake, saying "...the recent event is not thought to be this earthquake. This is because the magnitude of the earthquake was small, and the source area, which was estimated from the aftershock distribution and seismic waves, did not cover the whole expected source region. Although, the recent event ruptured a part of the focal region of the expected earthquake." In 2011, the 9.0 magnitude 2011 Tōhoku earthquake
2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
The 2011 earthquake off the Pacific coast of Tohoku, also known as the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, or the Great East Japan Earthquake, was a magnitude 9.0 undersea megathrust earthquake off the coast of Japan that occurred at 14:46 JST on Friday, 11 March 2011, with the epicenter approximately east...
occurred offshore Sendai, resulting in a devastating tsunami.
Climate
Sendai has a moderate, specifically humid subtropical (KöppenKöppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
Cfa), climate, with neither the very hot summers of Tokyo nor the snowbound winters of Sapporo. Winters are cool and relatively dry, with January averaging at 1.5 °C (34.7 °F). Summers are very warm and much of the year's precipitation is delivered at this time, with a August average of 24.1 °C (75.4 °F). The city is rarely hit by typhoons, and experiences only 6 days with more than 10 centimetres (4 in) of rainfall on average. Sendai's rainy season usually begins in late June to early July, which is later than most cities in Japan. And cold wind from the Okhotsk air mass, called "Yamase", blows in this season, helping to depress daytime highs.
Extremes range from −11.7 °C.
Demographics
In 2005, the city had an estimated population of 1,028,214 and a population density of 1,304.69 persons per km². The city's total area was 788.09 km². Most people in the city at this time lived in urban areas close to train and subway stations. The 2000 National Census revealed that 88.5% of the city's population (892,252 people) lived in a 129.69 km² area, which is 16.6% of the city's total area. The population density in this area was 6,879.9 persons per km², more than 5 times higher than the city's average population density at that time, 1,286.6 persons per km². Approximately 10,000 people in Sendai were non-Japanese citizens.Sendai had 444,514 households in 2005. The average household had approximately 2.31 members. The average household was becoming smaller every year, because single-member households were increasing. At this time Sendai had more people in their early 50s and in their 20s and early 30s than in other age groups. This is a result of the first and second baby booms in Japan, and university students. The average age in Sendai is 38.4, which makes the city one of the youngest major cities in Japan.
Governance
Sendai's political system is similar to other cities in Japan, because the Local Autonomy LawLocal Autonomy Law
The Local Autonomy Law of Japan was passed as Law No. 67 on April 17, 1947, an Act of Devolution that established most of Japan's contemporary local government structures, including prefectures, municipalities and other entities....
makes all municipalities uniform in terms of organization and power. However, Sendai is a designated city, so it has the same jurisdiction as prefectures in some areas.
Sendai's local government is essentially a mayor-council government. The mayor is elected from a citywide election. Sendai City Assembly
City council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
members are elected from 5 elective districts, which correspond to the city's 5 wards. The number of assembly members allocated to each ward is based upon population. As of May 2005, the city has 60 assembly members; 17 from Aoba Ward, 11 from Miyagino, 8 from Wakabayashi, 13 from Taihaku, and 11 from Izumi. The City Assembly elects an Assembly Chairperson and Vice Chairperson. Sendai has two vice mayors, who are not elected by the populace.
Sendai has five wards
Wards of Japan
A is a subdivision of one of the cities of Japan that is large enough to have been designated by government ordinance. Wards are used to subdivide each city designated by government ordinance...
("ku"), which were created when it became a designated city
City designated by government ordinance (Japan)
A , also known as a or , is a Japanese city that has a population greater than 500,000 and has been designated as such by an order of the cabinet of Japan under Article 252, Section 19 of the Local Autonomy Law.-Overview:...
in 1989. The city consciously avoided names that included directions (e.g., north 北, center 中央) when it chose names for the new wards.
- Aoba-kuAoba-ku, Sendaiis one of five wards of Sendai, the largest city in the Tōhoku region of Japan. Aoba-ku encompasses 302.28 km² and had a population of 282,903 as of August 1, 2005.-Infrastructure:...
(青葉区) – administrative center - Izumi-kuIzumi-ku, Sendaiis the northernmost ward of Sendai, in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. Although Izumi-ku is mostly a residential area, it is also home to several college campuses; and companies such as Alps, Freescale Semiconductor, and Toppan have a large presence in the Izumi Parktown Industrial Park.As of November...
(泉区) - Miyagino-kuMiyagino-ku, Sendaiis a ward located in Sendai in Miyagi, Japan.As of 2005, the ward had an estimated population of 182,812 and the density of 3147.05 persons per km²...
(宮城野区) - Taihaku-kuTaihaku-ku, Sendaiis a ward located in Sendai in Miyagi, Japan.As of 2005, the ward has an estimated population of 223,530 and the density of 979.49 persons per km²...
(太白区) - Wakabayashi-kuWakabayashi-ku, Sendaiis a ward located in Sendai in Miyagi, Japan.As of 2005, the ward has an estimated population of 130,478 and the density of 2609.56 persons per km². The total area is 50 km²...
(若林区)
Economy
Sendai is the center of the Tōhoku region's economy, and is the base of the region's logistics and transportation. The city's economy heavily relies upon retail and services – the two industries provide approximately two thirds of the employment and close to half of the establishments.Sendai is frequently called a branch-office economy, because very few major companies are headquartered in the city. Various authorities are cooperating to alleviate this problem, primarily by encouraging high-tech ventures from Tohoku University
Tohoku University
, abbreviated to , located in the city of Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture in the Tōhoku Region, Japan, is a Japanese national university. It is the third oldest Imperial University in Japan and is a member of the National Seven Universities...
, which is well-known for its science and engineering departments.
Tohoku Electric Power, a major regional supplier of electric power, has its headquarters in Sendai.
Education
Sendai is sometimes called an because the city has many universities relative to its population.Universities in the Sendai vicinity include
- Tohoku UniversityTohoku University, abbreviated to , located in the city of Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture in the Tōhoku Region, Japan, is a Japanese national university. It is the third oldest Imperial University in Japan and is a member of the National Seven Universities...
- Tohoku Gakuin UniversityTohoku Gakuin Universityis a private university in Sendai, Japan. It was founded under a Christian background is a private university in Sendai, Japan. It was founded under a Christian background is a private university in Sendai, Japan. It was founded under a Christian background (specifically the German Reformed...
- Miyagi UniversityMiyagi Universityis a public university located in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. Established in 1997, the university has currently two campuses in Miyagi prefecture, after merging with Miyagi Agricultural College in 2005. The university is often called "MYU" or "Miya-Dai" for an abbreviation.- History :In 1997, Miyagi...
- Miyagi Gakuin Women's UniversityMiyagi Gakuin Women's Universityis a private university in Sendai, Miyagi, Japan. The predecessor of the school was founded in 1886, and it was chartered as a university in 1949.-External links:*...
- Miyagi University of EducationMiyagi University of Educationis a national university at Sendai, Miyagi, Japan. The predecessor of the school was founded in 1873, and it was chartered as a university in 1965. It is accredited by the Japanese Ministry of Education, as a public co-educational institute and is ranked in Japan's first tier of leading schools...
- Tohoku Fukushi UniversityTohoku Fukushi Universityis a Japanese private university in Sendai.-Sports:*Baseball**Mamoru Kishida**Takashi Saito**Kazuhiro Sasaki**Kazuhiro Wada**Ken Kadokura**Tomoaki Kanemoto*Figure skating**Akiko Suzuki*Golf**Hidemasa Hoshino**Yūsaku Miyazato**Hideto Tanihara...
Transportation
East Japan Railway Company
is the largest passenger railway company in the world and one of the seven Japan Railways Group companies. The company name is officially abbreviated as JR East in English, and as in Japanese. The company's headquarters are in Yoyogi, Shibuya, Tokyo....
Sendai Station
Sendai Station (Miyagi)
is the major railway hub of the Tōhoku region in Japan, serving more passengers than any station outside the Greater Tokyo Area. It is a stop for all Akita and Tōhoku Shinkansen trains, the eastern terminus for the Senzan Line, and major stop on both the Tōhoku Main Line and Senseki Line...
is the main transportation hub for the city. The station is served by seven JR lines and is a major station on the Tōhoku
Tohoku Shinkansen
The is a Japanese high-speed Shinkansen rail line, connecting Tokyo with Aomori in Aomori Prefecture for a total length of 674 km, Japan's longest Shinkansen line. It runs through the more sparsely populated Tōhoku region of Japan's main island Honshu. It has two spur lines, Yamagata...
and Akita Shinkansen
Akita Shinkansen
The is a Mini-shinkansen high-speed rail line in Japan. Serving the Kantō and Tōhoku Regions of the country, it links Tokyo and Akita in Akita prefecture with direct service. From Tokyo to Morioka in Iwate prefecture, it operates on the Tōhoku Shinkansen tracks. From there to Ōmagari, it uses the...
lines. An underground passage connects the station to the Sendai Subway
Sendai Subway
The consists of a single line, the Nanboku Line, which opened in 1987. Construction of a second line, the Tōzai Line, began in 2004 with a planned opening date of 2015...
.
Sendai has a single north-south subway line (Nanboku Line), one of the most expensive in Japan with a basic fare starting at 200 yen
Japanese yen
The is the official currency of Japan. It is the third most traded currency in the foreign exchange market after the United States dollar and the euro. It is also widely used as a reserve currency after the U.S. dollar, the euro and the pound sterling...
. The city was constructing a second, east-west subway line (Tōzai Line
Tozai Line (Sendai)
The is a line of the Sendai Subway system in the city of Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. It is under construction and is scheduled to open in 2015. The Tōzai Line is expected to use a linear motor.-Data:*Length: 13.9 km*Gauge: 1435 mm*Stations: 13...
), scheduled for completion in 2015.
The city is served by Sendai Airport
Sendai Airport
is an airport located in Natori, Miyagi, south southeast of Sendai Station, Sendai, Japan.-History:In 1940, the Imperial Japanese Army built Sendai Airport in order to use it for the Kumakaya Army Flight School, Masda Branch School Trainee Training Center. It was called by several names: Natory...
(located in neighboring Natori
Natori, Miyagi
is a city located in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.As of 2010, the city has an estimated population of 72,757 and a population density of 727 persons per km². The total area is officially 100.07 km²....
), which has international flights to several countries, and Sendai Port. A rail link to Sendai began service on March 18, 2007.
The Tōhoku Expressway
Tohoku Expressway
The is a national expressway in Japan. It is owned by Japan Expressway Holding and Debt Repayment Agency and operated by East Nippon Expressway Company.-Naming:Tōhoku refers to the Tōhoku region, the northernmost region on the island of Honshū....
runs north-south through western Sendai, and is connected to other highways, such as the Sendai Nambu Road, Sendai Tobu Road, Sanriku Expressway (Sendai-Matsushima Road), and Sendai Hokubu Road.
Train stations
- JR EastEast Japan Railway Companyis the largest passenger railway company in the world and one of the seven Japan Railways Group companies. The company name is officially abbreviated as JR East in English, and as in Japanese. The company's headquarters are in Yoyogi, Shibuya, Tokyo....
- Tōhoku ShinkansenTohoku ShinkansenThe is a Japanese high-speed Shinkansen rail line, connecting Tokyo with Aomori in Aomori Prefecture for a total length of 674 km, Japan's longest Shinkansen line. It runs through the more sparsely populated Tōhoku region of Japan's main island Honshu. It has two spur lines, Yamagata...
: SendaiSendai Station (Miyagi)is the major railway hub of the Tōhoku region in Japan, serving more passengers than any station outside the Greater Tokyo Area. It is a stop for all Akita and Tōhoku Shinkansen trains, the eastern terminus for the Senzan Line, and major stop on both the Tōhoku Main Line and Senseki Line... - Tōhoku Main Line: Minami-SendaiMinami-Sendai Stationis a JR East railway station located in Taihaku-ku, Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.-History:*September 10, 1924: Station begins operation as .*May 25, 1963: Station is renamed Minami-Sendai Station.-Adjacent stations:...
– NagamachiNagamachi Stationis a station on the Sendai Subway Nanboku Line, and on JR East's Jōban Line and Tōhoku Main Line in Taihaku-ku, Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. The subway and JR lines are not directly connected, however, the distance between the two stations is only around two hundred meters.- Lines :* Sendai...
– SendaiSendai Station (Miyagi)is the major railway hub of the Tōhoku region in Japan, serving more passengers than any station outside the Greater Tokyo Area. It is a stop for all Akita and Tōhoku Shinkansen trains, the eastern terminus for the Senzan Line, and major stop on both the Tōhoku Main Line and Senseki Line...
– Higashi-SendaiHigashi-Sendai StationHigashi-Sendai Station is a JR East railway station located in Miyagino-ku, Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.-Adjacent stations:...
– IwakiriIwakiri Stationis a railway station located in Sendai, Miyagi, Japan, operated by East Japan Railway Company .-Line:Iwakiri station is served by the Tōhoku Main Line and is located at the junction for the Rifu Branch Line to Rifu.-External links:*... - Jōban LineJoban LineThe is a railway line in Japan operated by East Japan Railway Company . It begins at Nippori Station in Taitō, Tokyo and follows the Pacific coasts of Chiba, Ibaraki, and Fukushima Prefectures before the line officially ends at Iwanuma Station in Iwanuma, Miyagi...
: Minami-SendaiMinami-Sendai Stationis a JR East railway station located in Taihaku-ku, Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.-History:*September 10, 1924: Station begins operation as .*May 25, 1963: Station is renamed Minami-Sendai Station.-Adjacent stations:...
– NagamachiNagamachi Stationis a station on the Sendai Subway Nanboku Line, and on JR East's Jōban Line and Tōhoku Main Line in Taihaku-ku, Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. The subway and JR lines are not directly connected, however, the distance between the two stations is only around two hundred meters.- Lines :* Sendai...
– SendaiSendai Station (Miyagi)is the major railway hub of the Tōhoku region in Japan, serving more passengers than any station outside the Greater Tokyo Area. It is a stop for all Akita and Tōhoku Shinkansen trains, the eastern terminus for the Senzan Line, and major stop on both the Tōhoku Main Line and Senseki Line... - Senzan LineSenzan LineThe is a railway line in Japan. Part of the East Japan Railway Company system, it runs from Sendai Station in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture to Yamagata Station in Yamagata, acting as a connector between the Tōhoku Main Line/Tōhoku Shinkansen and the Ōu Main Line in southern Tōhoku. It also provides...
: SendaiSendai Station (Miyagi)is the major railway hub of the Tōhoku region in Japan, serving more passengers than any station outside the Greater Tokyo Area. It is a stop for all Akita and Tōhoku Shinkansen trains, the eastern terminus for the Senzan Line, and major stop on both the Tōhoku Main Line and Senseki Line...
– TōshōgūToshogu Stationis a JR East railway station, located in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.- External links :...
– Kita-SendaiKita-Sendai Stationis a station on the JR Senzan Line and the Sendai Subway Nanboku Line in Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. The subway and JR lines are not directly connected, however, the distance between the two stations is only around one hundred metres.-Lines:...
– KitayamaKitayama Station (Miyagi)is a JR East railway station located in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.- External links :...
– KunimiKunimi Station (Miyagi)is a JR East railway station located in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.-Line:* Senzan LineDue to the unique layout of the station, it is the only station within the Miyagi region to employ metal spikes to prevent trespassing.-Surrounding area:...
– Kuzuoka StationKuzuoka Stationis a JR East railway station located in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.-Adjacent stations:...
– Rikuzen-OchiaiRikuzen-Ochiai Stationis a JR East railway station located in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.-Surrounding area:The station has two entry/exit points. The north leads to a housing complex and further residential areas. The southern exit comes across the main road that runs from Sendai to Yamagata prefecture.-Adjacent...
– AyashiAyashi Stationis a JR East railway station located in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. The kanji characters for Ayashi are the same characters as in the name Aiko given to the daughter of the Crown Prince of Japan. When she was born on December 1, 2001, over a thousand people came to the station to purchase...
– Rikuzen-ShirasawaRikuzen-Shirasawa Stationis a JR East railway station located in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.-Adjacent stations:...
– KumaganeKumagane Stationis a JR East railway station located in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.-Adjacent stations:...
– SakunamiSakunami Stationthumb|right|250px|Sakunami-Eki Rail Station is a JR East railway station located in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.-Adjacent stations:...
– YatsumoriYatsumori Stationis a former JR East railway station located in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. Since May 2002, this station has not been operational.-History:*November 10, 1937: Station begins operation....
– OkunikkawaOkunikkawa Stationis a JR East railway station located in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.-Adjacent stations:... - Senseki LineSenseki LineThe is a rail line in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. Part of the East Japan Railway Company system, it runs from Aoba-dōri Station in Sendai to Ishinomaki Station in Ishinomaki, and provides access to the central coast areas of Miyagi Prefecture, significantly the Matsushima area...
: Aoba-dōriAoba-dori Stationis a JR East railway station located in Aoba-ku in Sendai, Miyagi.There is a direct transfer gate between the platform of this station to the platform of the Sendai Subway Nanboku Line in Sendai Station...
– SendaiSendai Station (Miyagi)is the major railway hub of the Tōhoku region in Japan, serving more passengers than any station outside the Greater Tokyo Area. It is a stop for all Akita and Tōhoku Shinkansen trains, the eastern terminus for the Senzan Line, and major stop on both the Tōhoku Main Line and Senseki Line...
– TsutsujigaokaTsutsujigaoka Station (Miyagi)is a JR East railway stationlocated in Miyagino-ku in Sendai, Miyagi, Japan.-History:*June 5, 1925: Station begins operation.*March 11, 2000: Station converted to underground.-Adjacent stations:...
– MiyaginoharaMiyaginohara Stationis a JR East railway station located inMiyagino-ku in Sendai, Miyagi, Japan.-Surrounding area:*Miyagi Baseball Stadium*Sendai Ikuei Gakuen High School Miyaginohara Campus-History:*January 1, 1926: Station begins operation....
– Rikuzen-HaranomachiRikuzen-Haranomachi Stationis a JR East railway station located in Miyagino-ku in Sendai, Miyagi, Japan.-History:*June 5, 1925: Station begins operation.*March 11, 2000: Station converted to underground.-Adjacent stations:...
– NigatakeNigatake Stationis a JR East railway station located in Miyagino-ku in Sendai, Miyagi, Japan.-History:*May 15, 1928: Station begins operation .*May 1, 1941: Station is renamed, and moved to its present location.-Adjacent stations:...
– KozurushindenKozurushinden Stationis a JR East railway station located in Miyagino-ku in Sendai, Miyagi, Japan.-Surrounding area:The area surrounding the station is mainly residential with many newly constructed apartment buildings.Coca cola factory-Adjacent stations:...
– FukudamachiFukudamachi Stationis a JR East railway station located in Miyagino-ku in Sendai, Miyagi, Japan.-Adjacent stations:...
– Rikuzen-TakasagoRikuzen-Takasago Stationis a JR East railway station located in Fukumuro 2-chome, Miyagino-ku in Sendai, Miyagi.-Adjacent stations:...
– NakanosakaeNakanosakae Stationis a JR East railway station located in Miyagino-ku in Sendai, Miyagi.-Name Origin:It's a combination of Nakano, which was the name of the town before it became part of Sendai city, and Sakae, which is the name of the area currently...
- Tōhoku Shinkansen
- Sendai SubwaySendai SubwayThe consists of a single line, the Nanboku Line, which opened in 1987. Construction of a second line, the Tōzai Line, began in 2004 with a planned opening date of 2015...
(All stations)
Streets
The most well-known streets in Sendai, and , are both lined with Japanese zelkovas. These are symbols of "The City of Trees". Jozenji-Dori has a promenade and a few sculptures. It is a place of relaxation. Many events and festivals, such as the Sendai Pageant of Starlight and the Jozenji Street Jazz Festival, take place on Jozenji-Dori and in . Aoba-Dori is the main business road in Sendai.Other major roads in the city include Hirose-Dori (ginkgo
Ginkgo
Ginkgo , also spelled gingko and known as the Maidenhair Tree, is a unique species of tree with no close living relatives...
) and Higashi-Nibancho-Dori.
Festivals
The most famous festival in Sendai is Tanabata, which attracts more than 2 million visitors every year and is the largest TanabataTanabata
is a Japanese star festival, originating from the Chinese Qixi Festival. It celebrates the meeting of the deities Orihime and Hikoboshi . According to legend, the Milky Way separates these lovers, and they are allowed to meet only once a year on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month of the...
Festival in Japan. It is relatively quiet compared to other traditional Japanese festivals, because its main attractions are intricate Tanabata decorations. The Aoba Matsuri Festival follows more typical Japanese festival traditions, with a mikoshi
Mikoshi
A is a divine palanquin . Shinto followers believe that it serves as the vehicle to transport a deity in Japan while moving between main shrine and temporary shrine during a festival or when moving to a new shrine...
, floats
Float (parade)
A float is a decorated platform, either built on a vehicle or towed behind one, which is a component of many festive parades, such as those of Mardi Gras in New Orleans, the Carnival of Viareggio, the Maltese Carnival, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, the Key West Fantasy Fest parade, the...
, a samurai parade, and traditional dancing. Local people burn their New Year
Japanese New Year
The is one of the most important annual festivals, with its own unique customs, and has been celebrated for centuries. Due to the importance of the holiday and the preparations required, the preceding days are quite busy, particularly the day before, known as Ōmisoka.The Japanese New Year has been...
decorations and pray for health in the new year during the Dontosai Festival, the oldest festival in Miyagi Prefecture.
Various contemporary festivals also take place in Sendai, such as the Jōzenji Streetjazz Festival, the Michinoku Yosakoi Festival, and the Sendai Pageant of Starlight. The Jōzenji Streetjazz Festival is one of the largest amateur music festivals in Japan. It began as a jazz festival in 1991, but soon began to accept applications from all genres. The Michinoku Yosakoi festival is a dance festival, derived from the Yosakoi Festival that takes place in Kōchi
Kochi, Kochi
is the capital city of Kōchi Prefecture on Shikoku island of Japan.Kōchi is the main city of the prefecture with over 40% of its population. As of May 31, 2008, the city had an estimated population of 340,515 and a density of...
. Trees in downtown Sendai are decorated with lights during the Sendai Pageant of Starlights. The event provided the idea for the Festival of Lights annually held in Riverside
Riverside, California
Riverside is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, and the county seat of the eponymous county. Named for its location beside the Santa Ana River, it is the largest city in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metropolitan area of Southern California, 4th largest inland California...
, Sendai's sister city. In 2005, the streets were lit up with one million miniature bulbs.
Specialties and crafts
Sendai is the origin of several foods, including gyutanGyutan
is a Japanese food that is made from grilled beef tongue. The word gyūtan is a combination of the Japanese word for and the English word tongue. Since gyūtan literally means "cow tongue," the word is also used to refer to cow tongues in Japan. The custom of cooking gyūtan originated in Sendai...
(cow tongue, usually grilled), hiyashi chūka (cold Chinese noodles), and robatayaki (Japanese-style barbecue). However, robatayaki was later introduced to Kushiro
Kushiro, Hokkaido
is a city located in Kushiro Subprefecture, Hokkaidō, Japan. It is the capital city of Kushiro Subprefecture, as well as the most populous city in eastern Hokkaidō....
, which developed and popularized the dish. As a result, many people believe Kushiro is the origin of Robatayaki. Zundamochi (ずんだ餅, mochi
Mochi
Mochi is a Japanese rice cake made of glutinous rice pounded into paste and molded into shape. In Japan it is traditionally made in a ceremony called mochitsuki. While also eaten year-round, mochi is a traditional food for the Japanese New Year and is commonly sold and eaten during that time...
balls with sweet, bright green edamame paste), and sasakamaboko (笹かまぼこ, kamaboko
Kamaboko
is a type of cured surimi, a Japanese processed seafood product, in which various white fish are pureed, combined with additives such as MSG, formed into distinctive loaves, and then steamed until fully cooked and firm. The steamed loaves are then sliced and served unheated with various dipping...
shaped like bamboo leaves) are also considered to be Sendai specialties. Sendai is also known for good sashimi
Sashimi
Sashimi is a Japanese delicacy. It consists of very fresh raw meat, most commonly fish, sliced into thin pieces.-Origin:The word sashimi means "pierced body", i.e...
, sushi
Sushi
is a Japanese food consisting of cooked vinegared rice combined with other ingredients . Neta and forms of sushi presentation vary, but the ingredient which all sushi have in common is shari...
, and sake. This is because Sendai is near several major fishing ports, such as Kesennuma
Kesennuma, Miyagi
is a city located in the extreme northeast of Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, founded on June 1, 1953. It wraps around the western part of Kesennuma Bay, and also includes the island of Ōshima...
, Ishinomaki
Ishinomaki, Miyagi
is a city located in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.As of January 1, 2010, the city had an estimated population of 164,294 and a population density of 295.83 persons per km²...
, and Shiogama
Shiogama, Miyagi
is a city located in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.As of 2005, the city has an estimated population of 59,429 and a population density of 3,329 persons per km², making it the most densely populated conurbation in Tōhoku...
, and the fact that Miyagi Prefecture is a major producer of rice
Rice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
.
Many crafts from Sendai were originally created under the influence of the Date family during the Edo period
Edo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
. Examples are Sendai Hira, a hand woven silk fabric, Tsutsumiyaki pottery, and Yanagiu Washi paper
Washi
is a type of paper made in Japan. Washi is commonly made using fibers from the bark of the gampi tree, the mitsumata shrub , or the paper mulberry, but also can be made using bamboo, hemp, rice, and wheat...
. However, some crafts, such as umoregi zaiku (crafts created from fossil wood) were developed by low-ranking samurai who needed side jobs to survive. Kokeshi
Kokeshi
, are Japanese dolls, originally from northern Japan. They are handmade from wood, have a simple trunk and an enlarged head with a few thin, painted lines to define the face. The body has a floral design painted in red, black, and sometimes yellow, and covered with a layer of wax. One...
dolls were popularized by hot spring resorts that sold them as gifts. Some relatively recent developments include Sendai Tsuishu lacquer
Lacquer
In a general sense, lacquer is a somewhat imprecise term for a clear or coloured varnish that dries by solvent evaporation and often a curing process as well that produces a hard, durable finish, in any sheen level from ultra matte to high gloss and that can be further polished as required...
ware and Tamamushinuri lacquerware, both of which were developed after the Meiji Restoration
Meiji Restoration
The , also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution, Reform or Renewal, was a chain of events that restored imperial rule to Japan in 1868...
.
Sendai was also known for its production of Tansu
Tansu
Tansu is the word for chest, chest of drawers or cupboard in Japanese. It is often used in the West to refer to traditional Japanese chests, handcrafted and made of fine woods, such as Hinoki , Keyaki , Kuri , Sugi and Kiri .Many collectors focus on finding antique Tansu...
, clothing drawers made from wood with elaborate ironwork.
Sites of interest
Sendai is home to various historical sites related to the Date family. The ruins of Sendai Castle are located close to downtown on Aobayama, which also gives a panoramic view of the city. The ZuihōdenZuihōden
in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan is the mausoleum complex of Date Masamune and his heirs, daimyō of the Sendai Domain.-History:When Date Masamune, known as and founder of the Sendai Domain, died in 1636, he left instructions for a mausoleum. Zuihōden was erected in the following year. A number...
is the tomb of Date Masamune
Date Masamune
was a regional strongman of Japan's Azuchi-Momoyama period through early Edo period. Heir to a long line of powerful daimyo in the Tōhoku region, he went on to found the modern-day city of Sendai...
and is also home to artifacts related to the Date family. It is located on a hill called Kyogamine, which is the traditional resting place for members of the Date family. In Aoba-ku
Aoba-ku, Sendai
is one of five wards of Sendai, the largest city in the Tōhoku region of Japan. Aoba-ku encompasses 302.28 km² and had a population of 282,903 as of August 1, 2005.-Infrastructure:...
, the Ōsaki Hachiman-gū
Ōsaki Hachiman-gū
is a Shinto shrine in Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan. The has been designated a National Treasure of Japan.-History:The construction of the present shaden was ordered by Date Masamune. Craftsmen in the service of the Toyotomi family executed the order and built the shrine from 1604 to 1607. At the...
shaden, built in 1607 by Date Masamune, is designated a National Treasure
National treasures of Japan
National Treasures are the most precious of Japan's Tangible Cultural Properties, as determined and designated by the Agency for Cultural Affairs...
. Mutsu Kokubun-ji Yakushidō
Mutsu Kokubun-ji Yakushidō
in Sendai is the provincial temple of former Mutsu Province, Japan. The later is an Important Cultural Property.-History:The Shoku Nihongi records that in 741, as the country recovered from a smallpox epidemic, Emperor Shōmu ordered that a monastery and nunnery be established in every province,...
is the provincial temple
Provincial temple
Emperor Shōmu of Japan established so-called provincial temples in each province of Japan...
of Mutsu province
Mutsu Province
was an old province of Japan in the area of Fukushima, Miyagi, Iwate and Aomori prefecture and the municipalities of Kazuno and Kosaka in Akita Prefecture...
.
Newer historical sites include the former home of Doi Bansui, a famous lyricist, and a monument at Sendai City Museum that commemorates the Chinese writer Lu Xun
Lu Xun
Lu Xun or Lu Hsün , was the pen name of Zhou Shuren , one of the major Chinese writers of the 20th century. Considered by many to be the leading figure of modern Chinese literature, he wrote in baihua as well as classical Chinese...
. Another statue of Lu Xun can be found in the Tohoku University Katahira Campus, where Lu Xun studied medical science. Older historical sites include the Tōmizuka Tomb, a historical tomb that dates back to the late 4th century or early 5th century, and the Tomizawa Preserved Forest site, where the excavated remains of a stone age human settlement (Upper Palaeolithic – roughly 20,000 years ago) have been protected by a large museum structure, built in 1996. The nearby Site of Tagajō
Site of Tagajō
was a fort in Tōhoku established during the campaigns against the Emishi in the eighth century. It served as the administrative centre of Mutsu Province. Bashō tells of his visit to the site in Oku no Hosomichi...
was an important early fort and administrative centre.
Museums
Sendai City MuseumSendai City Museum
The is the main museum of Sendai, Japan.The museum displays various artifacts related to the Date family and the history of Sendai. Date Masamune's famous suit of armor and artifacts related to Hasekura Tsunenaga's visit to Rome are sometimes on display...
displays various artifacts related to the Date family and the history of Sendai. Date Masamune's famous suit of armour and artifacts related to Hasekura Tsunenaga
Hasekura Tsunenaga
Hasekura Rokuemon Tsunenaga or was a Japanese samurai and retainer of Date Masamune, the daimyo of Sendai....
's visit to Rome (National Treasure of Japan) are sometimes on display.
The Miyagi Museum of Art is Sendai's largest art museum. A total of 24 sculptures have been installed in various public locations in Sendai through its City of Sculptures project.
The Tomizawa site museum in the southern part of the city preserves a fossilized forest where the remains of human habitation from 20,000 years ago can be seen.
The Sendai City War Reconstruction Memorial Hall is dedicated to remembering the air raid of July 1945 in which most of Sendai was destroyed.
Natural sites
Western Sendai is home to many sites of natural beauty, many of them found around Akiu and SakunamiSakunami
is an onsen district in northern Japan about 25 kilometres to the north-west of Sendai. Sakunami has a number of hotels and ryokan, including Ichinobo and Iwamatsu Ryokan. These onsen cluster around the same Hirose-gawa river that eventually flows through Sendai...
, which are both hot spring resorts
Onsen
An is a term for hot springs in the Japanese language, though the term is often used to describe the bathing facilities and inns around the hot springs. As a volcanically active country, Japan has thousands of onsen scattered along its length and breadth...
. Sites around the Akiu area include the Akiu Otaki Falls, sometimes counted as one of Japan's three great waterfalls, and the Rairai Gorge, known for its autumn colours. The Futakuchi Gorge contains several waterfalls that have been designated as natural monuments and the Banji Cliffs, an example of columnar basalt
Basalt
Basalt is a common extrusive volcanic rock. It is usually grey to black and fine-grained due to rapid cooling of lava at the surface of a planet. It may be porphyritic containing larger crystals in a fine matrix, or vesicular, or frothy scoria. Unweathered basalt is black or grey...
.
The Sakunami area is also known for its natural beauty, with cherry blossoms
Sakura
A cherry blossom is the flower of any of several trees of genus Prunus, particularly the Japanese Cherry, Prunus serrulata, which is sometimes called sakura after the Japanese . Many of the varieties that have been cultivated for ornamental use do not produce fruit...
in the spring, and beautiful colours in the autumn. The nearby Hōmei Shijuhachi Taki Falls is the name of various waterfalls found in the higher reaches of the Hirose River. The origin of the name "Hōmei" (鳳鳴; literally, Chinese phoenix
Fenghuang
Fenghuang are mythological birds of East Asia that reign over all other birds. The males are called Feng and the females Huang. In modern times, however, such a distinction of gender is often no longer made and the Feng and Huang are blurred into a single feminine entity so that the bird can be...
cry) is said to come from ancient local inhabitants' claim that the sound of the waterfalls was similar to the legendary bird's call.
Petrified wood
Petrified wood is the name given to a special type of fossilized remains of terrestrial vegetation. It is the result of a tree having turned completely into stone by the process of permineralization...
next to the nearby Otamaya-bashi bridge, and Nishi Park and Tsutsujigaoka park are appreciated for their cherry blossom in the spring. The Hirose River and the Gamo Tideland are both home to diverse wildlife.
Matsushima
Matsushima
is a group of islands in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. There are some 260 tiny islands covered in pines – hence the name – and is ranked as one of the Three Views of Japan....
, which is one of the Three Views of Japan
Three Views of Japan
The is the canonical list of Japan's three most celebrated scenic sights, attributed to 1643 and scholar Hayashi Gahō. The views are of the eponymous pine-clad islands of Matsushima in Miyagi Prefecture; the pine-clad sandbar of Amanohashidate in Kyoto Prefecture; and Itsukushima Shrine in...
, is near Sendai, in Matsushima-shi
Matsushima, Miyagi
is a town located in Miyagi District, Miyagi, Japan. It is most famous as the location of Matsushima Bay, one of the Three Views of Japan, and is also the site of the Zuigan-ji, one of the most famous Zen temples in Tōhoku, Entsū-in and Kanrantei....
.
Other sites
Sendai MediathequeSendai Mediatheque
Sendai Mediatheque is a library in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. It was designed by Toyo Ito in 1995 and completed in 2001.-History:The Sendai Mediatheque held its official opening on January 26, 2001, however the initial impetus for the project began as early as August, 1989 when the Arts...
is a multipurpose facility that houses the city library, galleries, and film studio facilities open for use by the general public. The building was designed by Toyo Ito
Toyo Ito
is a Japanese architect known for creating conceptual architecture, in which he seeks to simultaneously express the physical and virtual worlds. He is a leading exponent of architecture that addresses the contemporary notion of a "simulated" city, and has been called "one of the world's most...
and is known for its innovative architecture.
The AER Building, the Miyagi Prefectural Office, and the SS30 Building are all relatively high buildings in downtown Sendai that offer panoramic views. The Sendai Daikannon is an approximately 100 meters high Kannon
Kuan Yin
Guanyin is the bodhisattva associated with compassion as venerated by East Asian Buddhists, usually as a female. The name Guanyin is short for Guanshiyin which means "Observing the Sounds of the World". She is also sometimes referred to as Guanyin Pusa...
statue. The statue was built during Japan's bubble economy
Economic bubble
An economic bubble is "trade in high volumes at prices that are considerably at variance with intrinsic values"...
by a now defunct company.
Catholicism
The Catholic Church has been associated with Sendai since 1613, the year in which Date Masamune, daimyo of Sendai, built a galleon to send an embassy to the Pope in RomeJapanese warship San Juan Bautista
San Juan Bautista was one of Japan's first Japanese-built Western-style sail warships. She crossed the Pacific in 1614. She was of the Spanish galleon type, known in Japan as Nanban-Sen San Juan Bautista (“St. John the Baptist”) (originally called Date Maru, 伊達丸 in Japanese) was one of Japan's...
headed by Hasekura Tsunenaga
Hasekura Tsunenaga
Hasekura Rokuemon Tsunenaga or was a Japanese samurai and retainer of Date Masamune, the daimyo of Sendai....
. Although the embassy was successful in its aim of establishing relations with the Holy See, Masamune's plans were frustrated by the suppression of Catholicism in Japan. The diocese of Sendai (previously the diocese of Hakodate) was established in 1891, only two years after the promulgation of a new constitution guaranteeing freedom of religion in Japan, in 1889. The Bishop of Sendai currently oversees the four northern prefectures of Miyagi, Fukushima, Iwate and Aomori, serving 11,152 Catholics in 56 parishes. Mototerakoji, the Cathedral of the diocese, is located a few blocks north of Sendai Station.
Sports
Although the Lotte OrionsChiba Lotte Marines
The are a professional baseball team in Japan's Pacific League based in Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture, in the Kantō region, and owned by the Lotte conglomerate.-History:...
briefly used Sendai as a temporary home for the franchise from 1973 to 1977, the city was largely ignored by professional sports until 1994. In that year, the Tohoku Electric Power football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
team was changed into a club team, Brummel Sendai, with the goal of eventually being promoted into the J. League
J. League
The or is the top division of and is the top professional association football league in Japan. It is one of the most successful leagues in Asian club football and the only league given top class 'A' ranking by the AFC. Currently, J. League Division 1 is the first level of the Japanese...
. The team achieved this goal when the J. League expanded in 1999 with the creation of a second division. The name of the team was simultaneously changed to Vegalta Sendai
Vegalta Sendai
is a Japanese professional football club, currently playing in J. League Division 1. The team is located in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture. Their home stadium is Yurtec Stadium Sendai, in Izumi-ku, Sendai, although a few home games have also been played at nearby Miyagi Stadium.-History:Founded in 1988...
.
In 2005, the number of professional sports teams based in Sendai suddenly increased to three. The Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles
Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles
The is a baseball team founded in 2004; it played its first season in the Japanese Pacific League in 2005. It is simply called Rakuten . The team was created to fill the void left by the merger of the Orix Blue Wave and the Kintetsu Buffaloes, after the 2004 season due to financial difficulties,...
was introduced as a new Pacific League
Pacific League
The or is one of the two professional baseball leagues constituting Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. The winner of the league championship competes against the winner in the Central League for the annual Japan Series...
baseball franchise after widely publicized turmoil involving the merger of the Kintetsu Buffaloes
Kintetsu Buffaloes
The was a Nippon Professional Baseball team based in Osaka, Japan, which were in the Pacific League. The team was owned by Kinki Nippon Railway Co. and later sold to the Orix Group, the owner of the Orix BlueWave baseball team, in 2004...
and the Orix Blue Wave developed into the first strike in Nippon Professional Baseball. Additionally, the Japan Basketball League
Japan Basketball League
The Japan Basketball League is a professional basketball league in Japan. It lies below the bj league, which is Japan's top basketball competition, but there is no promotion and relegation between bj and the JBL....
, which began its inaugural season in November 2005, included the Sendai 89ers
Sendai 89ers
The Sendai 89ers are a Japanese basketball team playing in the Eastern Conference of the bj league. They are based in Sendai, in Miyagi Prefecture....
among its first six teams.
Annual sporting events include the Sendai Cup, an international football tournament for U-18 teams, and the Sendai International Half Marathon
Half marathon
A half marathon is a road running event of . It is half the distance of a marathon and usually run on roads. Participation in half marathons has grown steadily recently. One of the main reasons for this is that it is a challenging distance, but does not require the same level of training that a...
. In 2006 of the Sendai International half marathon, Mizuki Noguchi, who won the women's marathon Gold medal at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, took part in and won the race in a surprising course record.
Various sporting venues can be found in Sendai, such as Miyagi Stadium
Miyagi Stadium
is an athletic stadium in the town of Rifu in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. The stadium's capacity is 49,133. The crescent-shaped roof extending past the edge of the stadium is meant to evoke images of Date Masamune, a Daimyo of Mutsu Province, which included the present-day Miyagi Prefecture.Miyagi...
(venue of 2002 FIFA World Cup
2002 FIFA World Cup
The 2002 FIFA World Cup was the 17th staging of the FIFA World Cup, held in South Korea and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. It was also the first World Cup held in Asia, and the last in which the golden goal rule was implemented. Brazil won the tournament for a record fifth time, beating Germany 2–0...
), Sendai Stadium
Sendai Stadium
Yurtec Stadium Sendai is a football stadium in the Nanakita Park, Izumi-ku, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. It was built in 1997 and is home to the J. League club Vegalta Sendai and the Japan Football League club Sony Sendai F.C.. The stadium was specifically designed for football, and the...
, Miyagi Baseball Stadium, Sendai City Gymnasium. The city is also known as the origin of figure skating
Figure skating
Figure skating is an Olympic sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform spins, jumps, footwork and other intricate and challenging moves on ice skates. Figure skaters compete at various levels from beginner up to the Olympic level , and at local, national, and international competitions...
in Japan, and 2006 Olympic gold medalist Shizuka Arakawa
Shizuka Arakawa
is a Japanese figure skater.She is the 2006 Olympic Champion in Ladies Singles and the 2004 World Champion. Arakawa is the first Japanese skater to win an Olympic gold medal in figure skating and the second Japanese skater to win any Olympic medal in figure skating, after Midori Ito, who won silver...
trained in Sendai as she was growing up. Tohoku Fukushi University
Tohoku Fukushi University
is a Japanese private university in Sendai.-Sports:*Baseball**Mamoru Kishida**Takashi Saito**Kazuhiro Sasaki**Kazuhiro Wada**Ken Kadokura**Tomoaki Kanemoto*Figure skating**Akiko Suzuki*Golf**Hidemasa Hoshino**Yūsaku Miyazato**Hideto Tanihara...
and Sendai Ikuei Gakuen High School are well known for their strong sports programs, the latter for baseball
High school baseball in Japan
In Japan, high school baseball generally refers to the two annual baseball tournaments played by high schools nationwide culminating at a final showdown at Hanshin Kōshien Stadium in Nishinomiya, Japan...
.
In 2006, Sendai hosted some games of the Basketball World Championship 2006.
Sister and friendship cities
Sendai has a long history of international sister city relationshipsTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
. Its affiliation with Riverside, California
Riverside, California
Riverside is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, and the county seat of the eponymous county. Named for its location beside the Santa Ana River, it is the largest city in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metropolitan area of Southern California, 4th largest inland California...
, on March 9, 1957, is the second oldest sister city partnership in Japan. Riverside, California
Riverside, California
Riverside is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, and the county seat of the eponymous county. Named for its location beside the Santa Ana River, it is the largest city in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metropolitan area of Southern California, 4th largest inland California...
, United States Rennes
Rennes
Rennes is a city in the east of Brittany in northwestern France. Rennes is the capital of the region of Brittany, as well as the Ille-et-Vilaine department.-History:...
, France Acapulco
Acapulco
Acapulco is a city, municipality and major sea port in the state of Guerrero on the Pacific coast of Mexico, southwest from Mexico City. Acapulco is located on a deep, semi-circular bay and has been a port since the early colonial period of Mexico’s history...
, Mexico Minsk
Minsk
- Ecological situation :The ecological situation is monitored by Republican Center of Radioactive and Environmental Control .During 2003–2008 the overall weight of contaminants increased from 186,000 to 247,400 tons. The change of gas as industrial fuel to mazut for financial reasons has worsened...
, Belarus Gwangju
Gwangju
Gwangju is the sixth largest city in South Korea. It is a designated metropolitan city under the direct control of the central government's Home Minister...
, South Korea Dallas, Texas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
, United States Changchun
Changchun
Changchun is the capital and largest city of Jilin province, located in the northeast of the People's Republic of China, in the center of the Songliao Plain. It is administered as a sub-provincial city with a population of 7,677,089 at the 2010 census under its jurisdiction, including counties and...
, China Oulu
Oulu
Oulu is a city and municipality of inhabitants in the region of Northern Ostrobothnia, in Finland. It is the most populous city in Northern Finland and the sixth most populous city in the country. It is one of the northernmost larger cities in the world....
, Finland Tainan
Tainan
Tainan City is a city in southern Taiwan. It is the fifth largest after New Taipei, Kaohsiung, Taichung, and Taipei. It was formerly a provincial city, and in 2010, the provincial city merged with the adjacent Tainan County to form a single special municipality. Tainan faces the Taiwan Strait in...
, Taiwan