Flights to Sendai, Japan

Sendai is the largest city in Japan's Tohoku region and the capital of Miyagi Prefecture, a green, relaxed city of tree-lined avenues known as the City of Trees. It makes a comfortable base for the northeast of Japan, with the islands of Matsushima Bay, hot spring towns in the hills and ski slopes of the Zao mountains all within reach. Flights to Sendai suit travellers who want to see a quieter side of Japan, away from the crowds of Tokyo and Kyoto.

About Sendai Airport

Location

Sendai Airport (SDJ) is on the Pacific coast south of the city, straddling the boundary between Natori and Iwanuma in Miyagi Prefecture. The land around it is flat farmland and coastal plain, and the runways run close to the sea. The city centre lies to the north, and the airport is also handy for the southern parts of Miyagi.

Terminals

Sendai Airport has a single passenger terminal building that handles both domestic and international flights, with the international area on one side. It is compact and easy to navigate, with shops selling Tohoku souvenirs, local food counters and an observation deck overlooking the runway.

Getting to and from the airport

The Sendai Airport Access Line connects the terminal directly with JR Sendai Station, the city's main rail hub, and trains run through the day. Buses serve some other towns in the region, and taxis wait outside the terminal. From Sendai Station, the Tohoku Shinkansen continues north towards Morioka and Aomori and south to Tokyo.

Direct and connecting flights to Sendai

Direct flights between Singapore and Sendai are not usually on sale, so most trips involve a connection. One option is to connect through an Asian hub such as Taipei or Seoul with international links to SDJ. Another is a domestic connection within Japan, most often via Osaka, which has regular flights to Sendai Airport. Ticking the direct-flight box for the last sector shows which of these hubs fly straight to Sendai.

Another common approach is to fly into Tokyo and ride the Tohoku Shinkansen to Sendai, which lands you right in the city centre. When you weigh up routes, factor in the transfer from Narita or Haneda to Tokyo Station, baggage handling and the cost of a rail ticket or pass. A multi-city search lets you enter Japan at Sendai and leave from another city if you are touring the country.

When to fly to Sendai

Sendai has four distinct seasons. Spring brings cherry blossom along the rivers and in parks around April, while early summer is green and pleasant before the rainy season sets in. Summer is warm and humid, and the city fills up in early August for the Sendai Tanabata Festival, when streets are hung with huge, colourful paper decorations. Autumn brings crisp air and bright leaves in the mountains, and winter is cold, with snow in the hills and on the Zao range.

For Singapore travellers, flights to Japan are busiest during the June and December school holidays and around Chinese New Year, and the autumn foliage season is increasingly popular. Japanese holiday periods, such as Golden Week in late April and early May, the Obon break in August and the New Year, push domestic demand up too. The monthly price chart on this page shows how fares to Sendai move through the year.

Popular places in and around Sendai

Matsushima Bay

Dotted with hundreds of small pine-covered islands, Matsushima is traditionally counted among the three most scenic views in Japan. Take a sightseeing cruise around the islands and visit Zuiganji, a historic Zen temple near the shore.

Zuihoden Mausoleum

Hidden among cedar trees on a hill in Sendai, this richly decorated mausoleum honours Date Masamune, the one-eyed feudal lord who founded the city, and his successors.

Aoba Castle site

Little of Sendai Castle survives on Mount Aoba beyond its stone walls, but the hilltop park has a famous statue of Date Masamune on horseback and a sweeping view over the city.

Akiu Onsen and Akiu Great Falls

West of the city, the hot spring town of Akiu has soothing baths, riverside walks and the dramatic Akiu Otaki waterfall, a favourite spot for autumn leaves.

Zao and Yamadera

In winter, the Zao mountains are famous for snow monsters, trees encased in thick frost and snow. Across the border in Yamagata, Yamadera is a mountain temple reached by a long climb of stone steps through the forest.

Where to stay in Sendai

The area around Sendai Station is the most practical base, with direct trains to the airport, Shinkansen services and many places to eat. Ichibancho, a network of covered shopping arcades just west of the station, is lively and convenient for sightseeing. Kokubuncho is the city's main nightlife district, packed with izakaya and bars. Travellers after a slower pace often spend a night or two in the ryokan of Akiu Onsen or Sakunami Onsen in the hills, or by the water at Matsushima.

Food to try in Sendai

Gyutan

Grilled beef tongue is Sendai's signature dish. It is sliced thick, lightly salted and charcoal grilled, and is usually served with barley rice, oxtail soup and pickles.

Zunda mochi

Soft rice cakes topped with a sweet, bright green paste of mashed edamame beans are a classic Sendai sweet, also found as shakes and desserts.

Sasa kamaboko

These leaf-shaped fish cakes, grilled until lightly browned, are a popular snack and souvenir from Miyagi, often made fresh in front of you.

Matsushima oysters

The cold waters of Matsushima Bay are known for plump oysters, eaten grilled, fried or in hotpot, especially from late autumn through winter.

Northeast Japan rewards the extra connection. Search flights to Sendai on Traveloka, compare hub connections with the Tokyo and Shinkansen route, set a Price Alert for your dates and manage every e-ticket in the app.