Aoba Castle Honmaru Kaikan
The Aoba Castle Honmaru Kaikan houses a museum featuring exhibits relating to the castle, a food court, and a gift shop with crafts and edible souvenirs from across Miyagi Prefecture. It is located on the site of Aoba Castle, and can be easily visited together with Gokoku Shrine (on-site) and the Sendai City Museum (10 minutes on foot).
Learn about Date Masamune and Aoba Castle
Aoba Castle was the headquarters of Date Masamune (1567–1636), the powerful daimyo who founded Sendai. While the castle no longer stands, some foundation stones and sections of the castle ramparts remain. The Aoba Castle Exhibition Hall introduces the life of Masamune and depicts the castle through models, CG (3D) renderings, and virtual reality (VR) experiences.
Shop for Sendai souvenirs
The Honmaru Kaikan Gift Shop stocks local specialties from Sendai and other areas in Miyagi Prefecture, as well as Date Masamune-themed T-shirts, toys, and novelty items. Several large, handcrafted paper festoons with colorful streamers and origami cranes are suspended from the ceiling of the entrance. These decorations from the Sendai Tanabata Festival held in August are displayed year-round.
Enjoy local flavors
Visitors can relax and enjoy meals and refreshments at the Aobajo Food Court. The menu features local specialties such as gyutandon (grilled beef tongue rice bowl) and zunda mochi (mashed edamame sweetened and served on mochi rice cake). Large pictures of the dishes above the counter make for easy ordering.