Aoba Castle Honmaru Kaikan

Aoba Castle Honmaru Kaikan sits on the site of Aoba Castle, headquarters of Date Masamune, the powerful daimyo who founded Sendai in the early seventeenth century. Though the castle itself no longer stands, original stone foundations and ramparts remain on the hillside. Inside the building, the exhibition hall uses scale models, 3D renderings, and virtual reality to recreate the castle and illustrate Masamune's life. The gift shop stocks Miyagi Prefecture specialties alongside Date Masamune-themed novelties, and the food court serves local dishes including gyutandon (grilled beef tongue rice bowl) and zunda mochi (mashed edamame on rice cake).