Sendai Part I

 North of Tokyo lies the quiet and easygoing city of Sendai.  You may know of it because it was one of the hardest hit cities during Japan's devastating earthquake earlier this year. 

My old coworker Joyce from Sage Bistro at UBC teaches there.  She was the best host ever.  Right when I got of the shinkansen, she met me at the train station and brought me to have a local dish - beef tongue.  She let me crash at her place, and even showed me around town.  Later, we ate at a restaurant that served barbecue cow's stomach, artery and the like.

Beef tongue

The next day, Joyce and I met up with her colleagues.  We all went over to Sakunami Spa, a very well maintained onsen north of Sendai.  Like Takayama, the air was crisp and cold.  I loved it, especially coming from a city like Yokohama.  Joyce and her friends went into the female onsen, and I went solo in the men's pools.  Unfortunately for the girls, their outside onsen was unavailable, but mine was not.  It overlooked a bubbling creek that was surrounded by a cliff face. Beautiful!

More onsen hopping, but seriously, I never got tired of these!

 
After onsen hopping, we all went to Joyce's friends' favorite burger joint. It was a really nice break from all the Asian food I was getting during my trip through South China and Japan.  Eating there made me realize how much I actually missed American food. I never thought I would say it, but yeah, I miss it.

A Japanese, a few Kiwis, a Scotswoman, and some Canucks talking about differences in the English language.

 

Joyce and I at a coffee house.

After walking around at night, this steamy cap hit the spot.