【2025】Souvenir Guide for Sendai, Tohoku, Japan: Receommended Sweets and Classic Souvenirs

Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture, located in the Tohoku region. Finding souvenirs is essential for finishing your sightseeing trips or business trips in Sendai. Among them, Sendai Station is one with excellent access and a wide variety of products. From the shops inside the ticket gates where you can stop by before using the Shinkansen to the souvenir streets in the station building where you can take your time to choose, there are many famous sweets and specialties unique to Sendai. In this article, we will introduce souvenir spots and business hours that can be purchased at Sendai Station in an easy-to-understand manner.

Example Of Souvenirs Exclusive To Sendai: Can Be Kept At Room Temperature, Good For Handing Out Souvenirs

If you want to choose a souvenir from Sendai during your visit, you want to choose one that gives you a sense of "Sendai-esque" and is easy to take home. Here, we will introduce Sendai souvenirs that can be kept at room temperature and are perfect for handing out souvenirs to your workplace and friends, from standard to slightly unusual varieties.

Sasa-kamaboko (bamboo leaf-shaped fish cake): Some can be stored at room temperature!

Sendai's specialty is "sasa-kamaboko". It is made by grilling surimi (fish paste or minced) in the shape of bamboo leaves, and is characterized by its fluffy texture and elegant taste. Travelers will be happy to know that there is a type which can be stored at room temperature is sold by "Oizen Kamaboko Store". It is easy to carry and safe to travel by plane.

There are many long-established stores seling sasa-kamaboko, and among them, "Abe Kamaboko" is famous as the godfather who coined the name "sasa-kamaboko". In addition, "Shiraken Kamaboko Store" whose main store is in Ishinomaki, is known for its luxurious sasa- kamaboko that makes the most of the taste of the ingredients.

When you come to Sendai, one of the joys of traveling is trying different types and finding your favorite.

🎋 Buy room temperature sasa-kamaboko (bamboo leaf-shaped fish cakes) from Oizen Kazamboko store

Beef tongue: Retort curry, canned food, and jerky are also popular

Sendai's famous beef tongue is a gourmet that you must try during your trip. There are various products such as retort curry types, canned types, and jerky types for souvenirs. However, beef products are not suitable for souvenirs abroad because they are restricted by customs when taken out on international flights. It is recommended to taste it for yourself in Japan.

Zunda: Zunda mochi for yourself, cookies as a souvenir

"Zunda", which is made by grinding edamame, is a traditional taste unique to Miyagi. Freshness is the key to the famous zunda mochi, so it is best to eat it on the shinkansen bullet train or at a hotel on the same day after making purchase. For souvenirs, we recommend snacks that can be stored at room temperature, such as Zunda-flavored pretz, cookies, and chocolates. Many of them come in cute packaging and are appreciated by a wide range of generations.

Standard sweets: Hagi no Tsuki, Shiromatsu ga Monaka, Yubeshi, etc.

The "Hagi no Tsuki" has been loved by people as a Sendai souvenir for many years. It is a famous confectionery made with fluffy castella dough wrapped in rich custard cream, and another attractive point is that it is individually wrapped, making it easy to hand out to many people.

In addition, "Shiromatsu ga Monaka" is a simple Monaka filled with elegant red bean paste, and is favored by people of all generations due to its mild sweetness. "Yubeshi" is a Japanese confectionery containing walnuts and sesame seeds, and is characterized by its simple taste. All of them are classic sweets that represent Miyagi and Sendai, and are souvenirs that you definitely should not miss.

【Editorial Department Selected】7 Recommended Souvenirs From Sendai. Including Sweets and Fashionable Souvenirs Rarely Known!

Hagi no Tsuki 954 yen (excluding tax)

"Sendai souvenir? Then it has to be this!" is what many people say about Hagi no Tsuki, and it is a classic among the classics. It is a famous confectionery in the shape of a famous moon floating in the sky of Miyagino, where Hagi flowers bloom.

It has an elegant taste made by wrapping mellow original custard cream in fluffy castella dough. The cream is firm and rich, and the balance with the light dough is exquisite. Each piece is carefully packaged one by one and come in a cosmetic box which looks fantastic too, making them perfect for souvenirs and gifts with a slightly special feel.

Zuntama Chocolate 620 yen (excluding tax)

A cute bite-sized snack "Zuntama Chocolate" (ずんだのチョコたまご / Zunda no Choco Tamago). It is a luxurious dish made by trapping plenty of zunda bean paste inside a moist sponge cake and coating it with white chocolate.

When you break it open, a bright green zunda bean paste appears. The mellow sweetness of white chocolate and the unique savory flavor of edamame overlap, making it a perfect match beyond imagination! The aroma of Zunda is also surprisingly strong, making it an irresistible taste for Zunda lovers.

The pack of 4 is perfect for a small gift or a treat for yourself. This is a recommended souvenir for those who want to easily enjoy Sendai-esque sweets.

Shiromatsu ga Monaka 750 yen (excluding tax)

This is a signature product of the Japanese confectionery shop "Shiromatsu ga Monaka Honpo", which was founded in 1932. As the company name suggests, it is a famous confectionery that continues to be trusted by the local community, so much so that its name always comes up when "Monaka" is mentioned.

There are four sizes: mini, small, medium, and large. In particular, the mini-sized set with the design of the Sendai Tanabata Festival, which is sold only in the summer, is also popular as a souvenir. Inside the small Monaka, there are four types of large beans, white beans, sesame seeds, and chestnuts, and you can enjoy comparing them.

The "an" red bean paste has a firm sweetness and deep richness, but the aftertaste is refreshing. The combination of crispy and fragrant skin and rich red bean paste makes it a classic Japanese confectionery in Sendai that will leave you satisfied with every bite.

Sendai Ichigo Biyori 450 yen (excluding tax)

This is a cute bun that looks just like a strawberry that was created by Saito Seika, a long-established confectionery shop in Iwate known for its "seagull eggs" (かもめの玉子 / kamome no tamago). It uses Sendai strawberries from Watari Town, Miyagi Prefecture, and is coated with pink strawberry chocolate, and the leafy part is expressed with matcha chocolate.

Inside, the sweet and sour Sendai strawberry jam is its core, and the gently sweet milk bean paste and sponge dough are layered around, giving it a fruity and gorgeous taste. The visual impact combined with the gorgeous spring-like packaging makes it a great gift.

Cane be stored at room temperature: Sasa-kamboko 1,340 yen (excluding tax)

Sendai's famous sasa-kamaboko is made into a type which can be stored at room temperature that travelers and tourists will be happy with. Since its introduction in 2019, it has been attracting attention as a new souvenir that allows long-term storage without the use of any preservatives.

The secret is the manufacturing method using pressure heating sterilization (retort sterilization). By making the inside of the vacuum pack sterile, bacteria and germs that can cause spoilage are eliminated, and it can be carried around safely even at room temperature.

There are three flavors: plain, mixed with beef tongue, and mixed with octopus, and you can enjoy comparing them. Recommended for those who want to take the unique taste of Sendai back to distant places.

Sendai Sand 1,500 yen (excluding tax)

A popular sweet that allows you to enjoy Sendai's unique ingredients is the "Sendai Sand". Two major flavors of Sendai, Zunda and Sendai strawberries, are made into cream and sandwiched with cookies with a light texture that melts softly.

When you take a bite of zunda cream, the aroma of beans spreads softly in your mouth, and the flavor is richer than you might imagine. The sweetness is subtle, and you can feel the original umami of edamame.

On the other hand, the Sendai strawberry cream has an impressive fruity sweet and sour taste. The refreshing aroma of strawberries stands out and gives it a light aftertaste.

The two flavors have their own uniqueness, but both are elegantly sweet, so you won't get tired of comparing them. It is a stylish souvenir that gives you a sense of Sendai, especially recommended for women and sweets lovers.

La France 360 yen (excluding tax)

A cool jelly confectionery made with the "La France" pear, known as the "Queen of Fruits", only available in the summer. The mellow aroma and freshness of La France pear, which is harvested mainly in the Tohoku region, are locked in as they are, and gently wrapped in a transparent jelly.

When you take a bite, it has an elegant sweetness and refreshing aroma, and the cool texture is perfect for the hot season. It looks cool too, and is a great summer souvenir.

Where To Buy Souvenirs From Sendai? Check Out The Souvenir Section At Sendai Station

What time can I buy souvenirs from Sendai Station? Check opening hours

Sendai Station is home to numerous souvenir shops that are open from early morning until night, so you can stop by to fit your travel schedule. The earliest opening is "Omiyage Sho Sendai 6-gō" (おみやげ処せんだい6号) inside the Shinkansen central ticket gate, which is open from 6:30 in the morning. It is also convenient for a little shopping before departure.

On the other hand, the one that is open until the latest is "Omiyage Sho Sendai 4-gō" next to the Shinkansen central ticket gate, which is available until 22:00 p.m. Many other stores are open until around 9 p.m., so you can stop by on your way home.

In addition, the "Omiyage-dōri" (おみやげ通り) located in the commercial facility "S-PAL Sendai" directly connected to the station is open from 9 a.m. For those visiting Sendai for sightseeing or business, it is an easy souvenir spot to use regardless of the time of day.

List of shops where you can buy souvenirs at Sendai Station. Inside and outside the ticket gate!

Souvenir shop inside the ticket gate

Souvenir shop outside the ticket gate