A Date with ‘Date’: Dine like a Samurai in Sendai

BANZAI!!

Get ready to battle your hunger and slaughter your thirst! Draw your chopsticks and charge through Sendai’s nightlife district of ‘Kokubuncho’ onwards to Wagyu! Sashimi! Sake! Beer! Matcha! Zunda! and more! lead by none other than the ‘One-eyed Dragon’ himself – lord Date Masamune, fierce samurai and founder of Sendai City.

It’s no accident that Sendai City remains a mecca for lovers of great food and drink! Ruthless battle tactics and ominous nicknames aside, one of Date Masamune’s biggest legacies was his promulgation of the arts, culture, food and sake, that remains in the local ‘Date culture’. 

Tonight you’ll experience the ultimate ‘Date culture’ experience, starting with a relaxed private matcha tea lesson, before joining Date on an exciting tour around the lively streets of Kokubuncho. Eat and drink until your armour bursts in your private room at ‘Bontenmaru’ – a famous Sendai Wagyu Beef specialty restaurant – as you ‘kampai’ and converse with Date. The menu will feature all of Date’s favourite local dishes from around Sendai and Miyagi, including an indulgent plate of marbled A5 beef and pork to be enjoyed ‘Shabu-Shabu’ or ‘Sukiyaki’ style, as well as all-you-can-drink local beer, sake, whiskey and more! 

Wrap-up your evening with a change of pace at hidden-gem Bar RobRoy and an original local sake based cocktail inspired by Date Masamune and his love for ‘zunda’ (a local speciality dessert)! 

Hotel pick-up, English speaking guide and exclusive ‘Tamamushi’ lacquerware gift included! 

*If Date Masamune is not available, another member of the ‘Datebushotai’ samurai squad will join the tour (details to be confirmed upon reservation request). Specific members of the squad may also be arranged upon request.

Full list of members here (Japanese): https://datebusyou.jp/*

OUTLINE

MEETING PLACE

TOUR COURSE

16:30

Meet your guide at the front of ‘Bashoen-Chaho’ tea shop, hidden amongst the bars and restaurants of Sendai’s busiest night-life district, Kokubuncho.　

Bashoen is a true hidden gem of Sendai City. For over 330 years it has been run by the warm and welcoming Seki family, first as a general store selling rice, beans and other daily necessities and, since post-war times, as a tea store selling tea leaves, traditional sweets and beautiful chawan tea-bowls. The store is currently headed by fifteenth-generation Yumiko Seki and her parents who will make you feel right at home as soon as you walk through the doors. 

Here you will enjoy a relaxed matcha tea experience and learn more about the importance of tea in Japanese culture, and how the art of tea was promulgated by none other than the samurai of the Edo period – including Date Masamune himself! 

 

17:30

During the tea experience, you’ll have the chance to try making a bowl for your friends, the owners, or even…a samurai?!!

 

Enter, Date Masamune!! 

 

That’s right! None other than founding farther of Sendai City, samurai Lord Date Masamune will pick you up from Bashoen and be your guide for the next hour of excitement! 

 

First, take a spin around the lively streets of Sendai’s biggest nightlife district, Kokubuncho, and hear stories of the history of Sendai and it’s delicious food culture, straight from the mouth of the founder himself! 

Visit the origins of many of Sendai’s local culinary specialties and stop at Inari-Koji Shrine to pray for a delicious evening ahead! 

18:00

After working up an appetite, enter ‘Bontenmaru’ – a famous Wagyu Beef speciality restaurant named after Date Masamune (who was known as ‘Botenmaru’ as a child).

Here head-chef Sato has designed an exclusive menu only offered to guests on this tour! The full course meal features six local dishes from Sendai / Miyagi, including an indulgent plate of A5 grade Sendai Wagyu Beef and Miyagi Japan X brand premium pork served ‘Shabu-Shabu’ style (thinly cut slices waved over a hot pot and dipped in ponzu or sesame sauce) or ‘Sukiyaki’. 

Just look at that marbling!! Literally melt-in-your-mouth wagyu heaven!

 

Date Masamune was not only known for his fierce battle tactics, but also for his love and support of culture, the arts, food and sake – even going as far as to set-up a brewery inside his castle! With Date’s expert advice at hand, choose your favourite beverage from a generous all-you-can-drink menu, including plenty of local drops – from craft beer, Nikka whiskey and several varieties of jizake (local sake). 

 

Forget the standard ‘kampai’ – tonight you toast like a samurai! (Date will show you the ropes!) 

Date will also follow through on his passion for promulgating the arts by presenting a gift of Sendai’s local crafts to each of his guests! Contents of the gift may vary, but you can be sure to leave with your very own piece of authentic craftsmanship from Sendai City.

(Pictured below are a sake cup and chopsticks made from Sendai craft ‘Tamamushi Lacquerware’ , embossed with the crescent moon signature from Date’s helmet)

Ruling over Sendai is a busy and important job, so Date will have to return to Sendai Castle before main course..!

Make the most of the chance to snap some pics before his horse arrives.

Enjoy the rest of your feast over a leisurely 90 minutes! 

20:00

After all that excitement and feasting, it’s time for a change of pace! 

Your guide will lead you deeper into the backstreets of Sendai to another hidden gem of the city – Bar RobRoy! 

Owner Fujiwara-san is a local legend in Sendai, known for his incredible ability to create original mixes and blends from his amazing array of liquors and whiskey to suit the taste of his customers – even first-timers! As such, there is no need for a menu here.

 

For your first drink, simply tell the friendly staff your taste and mood and prepare to be wowed by whatever tasty concoction Fujirawa-san creates for you. 

For your last drink, Fujiwara-san will serve an original cocktail created exclusively for this tour and inspired by Date Masamune!

The ‘Masamune’ is based on local sake from Ichinokura Sake Brewery, mixed with homemade vanilla ice-cream and ‘zunda’ (sweetened edamame beans). Fit for a samurai lord, it’s sweet, nutty flavour is the perfect way to end an epic evening of dining like a warrior! 

21:30

The tour will wrap-up after your last drink at RobRoy.

Make your way back to your lodging to rest up for tomorrow’s adventures or venture further into Kokubuncho to see what other hidden gems you can uncover!