Sendai (仙台市, Sendai-shi?) - The capital
city of Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, and the largest city in
the Tōhoku (northeast) region. The city has a population of
one million and is one of Japan's fourteen designated
cities. The city was founded in 1600 by the daimyo Date
Masamune (伊達政宗, Date Masamune), and is well known by its
nickname, the "City of Trees" (杜の都, Mori no Miyako). There
are about 60 zelkova trees on Jouzenji Dori (定禅寺通) and Aoba
Dori (青葉通). In winter, the trees are decorated with
thousands of lights in an event called the Pageant of
Starlight (光のぺージェント), which starts in December and ends when
the New Year starts. Many people visit Sendai to see the
Pageant of Starlight.
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 Mountains, 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 centre 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 Hirose-gawa River flows 45km through Sendai. The river
is well-known as a symbol of Sendai, especially because it
appears in the lyrics of Aobajō Koiuta (青葉城恋唄; literally,
The Aoba Castle Love Song), a popular song sung by Muneyuki
Sato. 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.
Sendai panorama view from Aobayama Hill.Most mountains in
Sendai are dormant volcanoes, much older than the more
famous Zaō and Narugo 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 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."
Climate
Sendai is situated in a temperate climate zone and has a
moderate climate. The city's average temperature is 12.1°C
(53.8°F) and its average annual precipitation is 1,241.8 mm.
The highest recorded temperature in the city is 36.8°C
(98.2°F), and the lowest recorded temperature is -11.7°C
(10.9°F). The average year has 16.8 days with a high
temperature over 30°C and only 2.2 days with a low
temperature below 0°C, which is smaller compared to other
major Japanese cities. The city is rarely hit by typhoons,
and experiences only 6 days with more than 10 cm of snowfall
in the average year. 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.
Streets
The most well-known streets in Sendai, Jozenji-Dori (定禅寺通り,
Jōzenji Dōri) and Aoba-Dori (青葉通り, Aoba Dōri), 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 Kōtōdai Park (匂当台公園, Kōtōdai Kōen). Aoba-Dori is the main
business road in Sendai. Other major roads in the city
include Hirose-Dori(ginkgo) and Higashi-Nibancho-Dori.
Festivals
The most famous festival in Sendai is the Sendai Tanabata
Festival, which attracts more than 2 million visitors every
year and is the largest Tanabata Festival in Japan. The
festival is relatively quiet compared to other traditional
Japanese festivals, because its main attractions are the
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.
Natural sites
Western Sendai is home to many sites of natural beauty, many
of them found around Akiu(秋保) and Sakunami(作並), 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-gawa 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.
Many places close to downtown Sendai are full of nature. The
Tatsunokuchi Gorge offers a breathtaking view, petrified
wood can be found next to the nearby Otamaya-bashi bridge,
and many locals enjoy cherry blossoms at Nishi-Kōen park and
Tsutsujigaoka park. The Hirose-gawa River and the Gamo
Tideland are both home to diverse wildlife. Sendai City Hall
has created a list of 100 places in the city with beautiful
greenery and nature (in Japanese).
Matsushima, which is one of the Three Views of Japan, is
near Sendai, Matsushima-shi. A. Einstein and Matsuo Bashō
visited Matsushima, and said that the view here was
unparalleled in its beauty.
Information source: “Sendai.” wikipedia.org. Article
date: 2 Feb. 2008. Retrieved: Wikipedia. 4 Mar. 2008 <Sendai>. |
|
