Swifties in Sendai
The Northern Capital
Sendai is the capital of Miyagi prefecture and the largest city in the northern part of the main island. We were excited that the cherry blossoms were at peak bloom here!
One of the surprises we had on our visit in Sendai was Rinnō-ji Temple. We went to see the Japanese garden behind the temple and were blown away by how beautiful it was.
At first we were impressed with the weeping sakura and the stones that zig-zagged into the pond, offering a view of a tall pagoda in the background, but then we discovered a zen rock garden between two buildings.
I really wanted to just sit on the veranda and look at the rocks but we weren’t sure if we were allowed, and there was still lots to see.
One of the reasons Rinnō-ji is so appealing is that it has a depth and density that other gardens don’t have. The property is not large but it was skillfully designed; that the views have a distinct foreground, subject, and background. As you walk around the garden these elements change… but the actors are the same.
I was fortunate to be able to get a few photos with the sakura reflected in the pond. Yuki thought this was the best Japanese garden we’ve been to. I’d have to agree that it is probably in the top 5.
Another highight of Sendai was meeting a group of Swifties who took us out for a night. We’d met some of them in Tokyo at the Taylor Swift concerts last year, but not all of them. Together we went to a restaurant, had ox tongue (a well-known Sendai dish), and then went back to the park to see the cherry blossoms at night. Lastly, we went for purikura, which are the Japanese photo booths for taking sticker pictures. Since 2013, they’ve advanced quite a bit to have moveable cameras and more photo effects.
Yuki made each Swiftie a Taylor Swift-themed postcard, and in turn they gave us a card that included an Instax image we’d taken earlier at the park. All of the Japanese Swifties we’ve met have been the best, so I’m really glad we’ll be seeing more of them in Tokyo right before we leave Japan in May!
