From Gourmet Foods to Crafts: 5 Recommended Souvenir Shops in the Sendai-Akiu Area

The Sendai/Akiu area has flourished as a commercial hub since the time of Lord Date Masamune and remains a bustling tourist destination today. To wrap up your trip, why not pick up some local traditional crafts, local sake, or beloved regional specialties as souvenirs? We introduce recommended shops that offer Tohoku-produced sake and food, traditional crafts that showcase artisan skills, and highly original items.

A rich selection of local sake unique to a long-established liquor store

The shop is lined with local sake and snacks from the Tohoku region
The store is lined with local sake and snacks from the Tohoku region

Mutouya, a long-established liquor store in Matsushima founded in 1946, opened a branch inside Sendai Station in 2021. Focusing on about 100 types of local Miyagi sake, they also sell craft beer and wine from the Tohoku region. In addition to classic sake brands like "Hitakami" and "Urakasumi," you should definitely pick up a bottle of "Matsushima no Ginpu," an original Mutouya sake crafted specifically to pair with sashimi made from flounder caught in Miyagi.
They have a wide selection of 180ml and 300ml bottles of sake perfect for souvenirs, and their snacks made from Sanriku specialties like oysters and sea squirt are also popular.

Enjoy a drink at the shop while you shop for goods

Inside the shop, you can enjoy local Miyagi sake (from 400 yen for 50ml) and a "tasting set" starting at 1,200 yen
Inside the shop, you can enjoy local Miyagi sake (from 400 yen for a 50ml serving) and a "tasting set" starting at 1,200 yen.

The shop features an adjoining standing bar space called "Kakuuchi Puratto." Here, you can taste a selection of sake chosen from 25 different breweries in Miyagi, with one variety from each. You can easily compare the unique flavors with sets like the "Nomikurabe" (tasting) set, which features three popular brands, or the "Oke Set," which includes both sake and beer.
Another great point is that you can feel free to ask the knowledgeable staff for advice if you are unsure about which sake to choose.

[Product Name/Price]
From left: "Abekan Junmai Daiginjo Matsushima no Ginpu, Mutouya Original" (720ml) 2,970 yen
"Hitakami Fish Label Special Junmai Sake" (720ml) 1,430 yen
"Hoyo Junmai Daiginjo Daruma" (720ml) 3,090 yen

Local
Supporter

Our homemade amazake "85 (Hakkou) Shake," made with sake lees from the brewing process, and our "Salt Soft-Serve," made with sea salt from Shiogama, Miyagi Prefecture, are also popular. They are non-alcoholic, so children and those who do not drink alcohol can enjoy them too.

Mutouya
  • AddressJR Sendai Station 1F, 1-1-1 Chuo, Aoba-ku, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture MAP
  • AccessRight next to JR Sendai Station
  • Business hours10:00-20:00
  • ClosedNew Year's Day *Subject to change depending on facility operating policies
  • TEL022-796-8815
  • ParkingNone

A select shop featuring handmade crafts and local products from the Tohoku region

From left: Sendai Tanabata Festival Washi Paper Incense, Atelier "Mi" Tenugui (hand towel), Tohoku-themed patch keychain, and Sendai Tanabata Festival/Suzume Odori masking tape
From left: Sendai Tanabata Festival washi paper incense, Atelier "Mi" tenugui towel, Tohoku-themed patch keychain, and Sendai Tanabata Festival/Suzume Odori masking tape.

A select shop featuring items created by artists and creators active in the Tohoku region, including traditional crafts and local specialties from the six prefectures of Tohoku. The theme of our selection is "goods rooted in the daily lives of the six Tohoku prefectures, and items that could become the new standard for Tohoku." We offer a wide range of products, from high-quality daily necessities that blend seamlessly into your life to miscellaneous goods perfect as travel souvenirs.
For souvenirs from Sendai and Miyagi, we recommend masking tape featuring motifs from the Sendai Tanabata Festival, Japanese paper incense shaped like the seven bamboo decorations, and adorable Akabeko keychains.

[Product Name/Price]
Sendai Tanabata Festival Japanese paper incense 1,100 yen each, Atelier "Mi" Tenugui 1,320 yen, Tohoku-zukushi patch keychains 770 yen each, Sendai Tanabata Festival/Suzume Odori masking tape 770 yen

Pay attention to the store space design that is rooted in the local community

In a space filled with the warmth of wood, items are beautifully displayed as if in a gallery.
Products are beautifully displayed like in a gallery within a space filled with the warmth of wood.

What catches your eye most in the store is the wooden shelving stacked along the walls. This was built by combining stools from the Miyagi Prefecture furniture brand "Ishinomaki Laboratory," and it uses cedar from Miyagi Prefecture. Other display tables also use wooden tables from the same brand, allowing you to shop in a relaxed, warm space unique to wood. In addition, we hold fairs at the store approximately every month. Apparel, accessories, tableware, and more appear on a rotating basis, so you will find new encounters every time you visit.

Local
Supporter

From traditional Tohoku crafts to one-of-a-kind items with a handmade feel and unique pieces, these make great souvenirs for yourself. They are also perfect as gifts for your loved ones.

Tohoku Standard Market
  • AddressSendai Parco Main Building B1F, 1-2-3 Chuo, Aoba-ku, Sendai-shi, MiyagiMAP
  • AccessApprox. 1-minute walk from JR Sendai Station
  • Business hours10:00 - 20:30
  • ClosedIrregular holidays (subject to facility closures)
  • TEL022-797-8852
  • ParkingPaid
    *1 hour free for same-day purchases totaling 3,000 yen (incl. tax) or more at Sendai Parco, and 2 hours free for 10,000 yen (incl. tax) or more.

A winery opened with the goal of supporting Tohoku's recovery

From the left: "Akiu Merlot 2022" made from 100% estate-grown grapes, "Neo Trail Orange 2024" a blend of Delaware and Neo Muscat, and "Akiu Field Blend Blanc" which harmonizes floral notes of lychee and rose with a touch of spice.
From left: "Akiu Merlot 2022" made from 100% estate-grown grapes, "Neo Trail Orange 2024" a blend of Delaware and Neo Muscat, and "Akiu Field Blend Blanc" which harmonizes floral notes of lychee and rose with a touch of spice.

A winery that promotes the "marriage of wine and food." It opened in 2015 following the Great East Japan Earthquake, driven by a desire to support local agricultural and fishery producers and ensure the survival of the wine industry in the prefecture.
In the store, we sell wines made from Tohoku-grown grape varieties, including "Akiu Merlot," which uses 100% grapes from our own farm. During the brewing process, we take care to change the extraction method for each variety, which is the appeal that allows you to enjoy the different aromas and flavors of each. In addition to wine, "Akiu Craft Cider," which allows you to fully taste the deliciousness of apples from Miyagi Prefecture, is also popular as a souvenir.

[Product Name/Price]
"Akiu Merlot 2022" 5,720 yen
"Neo Trail Orange 2024" 3,080 yen
"Akiu Field Blend Blanc 2023" 5,610 yen
"Akiu Craft Cider" 990 yen

Tohoku-produced snacks that pair perfectly with wine are also popular

The shop is lined with a wide selection of carefully curated wines and ciders.
The shop is lined with a wide selection of carefully curated wines and ciders.

The shop also offers a wide selection of local specialty snacks, focusing on processed goods such as sausages and cheese.
At the restaurant, you can enjoy pasta lunch sets and wine tasting flights, as well as lunch boxes that include snacks, sandwiches, and bottled wine. We also recommend having a winery picnic while looking out over the vineyards on the premises.
In addition, there is a winery behind the restaurant where you can observe the wine preparation and brewing process through the glass.

Local
Supporter

On weekdays only, we offer a "Winery Tour (by reservation)" where you can visit the vineyards and the winery. The tour is a fulfilling experience that includes a tasting of our house-brewed wines paired with snacks specially prepared by our chef after the tour. Please contact us for details, as the tours may be suspended during certain periods.

Akiu Winery
  • Address6 Biwahara-nishi, Yumoto, Akiu-cho, Taihaku-ku, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture MAP
  • AccessApprox. 28 minutes by car from JR Sendai Station
  • Bus accessApprox. 50 minutes by Miyagi Kotsu Bus from JR Sendai Station, get off at "Akiu Bunka no Sato Center," then a 6-minute walk
    Approx. 40 minutes by Takeya Kotsu Bus from JR Sendai Station, get off at "Akiu Sato Center," then a 6-minute walk
  • Business hoursShop & Cafe 9:30–17:00
    Restaurant 11:00–17:00 (Lunch until 15:30)
    *Dinner (18:00–21:00) is by reservation only, course meals only
  • ClosedTuesdays
  • Admission FeeFree (Brewery can be viewed through a window *No reservation required)
  • TEL022-226-7475
  • ParkingFree

Kokeshi dolls with a new sensibility that fuses tradition and modernity

From the left: "Small Kokeshi," "Pancake Kokeshi," and "Blue Kokeshi."
From left: "Small Kokeshi," "Pancake Kokeshi," and "Blue Kokeshi."

A kokeshi doll workshop located in "Akiu Kogei no Sato," a village that brings together eight workshops producing traditional crafts. Under the third-generation kokeshi artisan, who won the Prime Minister's Award at the All-Japan Kokeshi Competition, they now work with his son, the fourth generation, to display and sell pieces that are carefully finished one by one.
While valuing tradition, the third-generation artisan also creates original kokeshi dolls that incorporate unique, modern arrangements. Mini-sized kokeshi dolls, such as the approximately 3.5cm "small kokeshi" and the "pancake kokeshi"—an arrangement of the "ejiko kokeshi," which is said to represent a baby in a basket—are popular as souvenirs.

[Product Name/Price]
"Small kokeshi" 1,500 yen each, "Pancake kokeshi" 3,000 yen, "Blue kokeshi" 2,000 yen each

Painting experiences are also perfect for making memories

In addition to traditional Sendai kokeshi dolls painted in red and black, wooden products such as trays and bowls are also available.
In addition to traditional Sendai kokeshi dolls painted in red and black, wooden products such as trays and bowls are also available.

Not only the traditional Sendai kokeshi dolls, but also the modern, mini-sized versions are all handmade one by one, each offering a unique, heartwarming feel. Some are even created for seasonal events like Christmas and Halloween, so you can enjoy discovering new kokeshi dolls every time you visit.
In addition, the shop offers kokeshi painting experiences (reservation required). Creating your own original design on a 7cm-tall plain wooden kokeshi doll is the perfect way to make memories of your trip. You can take your finished kokeshi doll home with you on the same day.

Local
Supporter

These adorable mini-sized kokeshi dolls are not distributed nationwide, and there is no guarantee that the same design will be sold again. If you find a kokeshi doll that catches your eye, we recommend purchasing it without hesitation.

Ganguan Kokeshiya
  • Address54-20 Uehara, Yumoto, Akiu-cho, Taihaku-ku, Sendai-shiMAP
  • AccessApprox. 31-minute drive from Sendai Station
  • Bus accessApprox. 50-minute ride on the Takeya Kotsu Bus "Akiu/Kawasaki Sendai Seibu Liner" from Sendai Station, get off at "Akiu Kogei no Sato," and walk immediately.
  • Business hours9:00–17:00 (Experience reception 9:30–15:00)
  • ClosedTuesdays
  • Admission FeeKokeshi doll painting experience 1,500 yen
  • TEL022-398-2673
  • ParkingFree

A specialty store for Shiroishi Umen, with a history dating back to 1897

Selling Shiroishi Umen noodles, loved by locals of all ages.
We sell Shiroishi Umen noodles, loved by locals of all ages.

This is a long-established shop for "Umen," a specialty known as a product of Shiroishi City, Miyagi Prefecture. Umen are dried noodles made only from wheat flour and salt. A key feature is that no oil is used during the noodle-making process, making them easy on the stomach and highly digestible. Slightly thicker than somen, these noodles are soft and smooth to swallow, which is why they have been loved by locals of all generations. It is also a delight that they can be enjoyed both ways: refreshing when served cold, or comforting when served in a warm broth. They are also perfect as a final dish after drinking alcohol.

The texture and flavor unique to the hand-stretched method are exceptional

Clockwise from top left: "Te-nobe Shiroishi Umen" with a smooth texture, "Kin-jirushi Shiroishi Umen" with a firm, chewy texture, and "Tsurigane Shiroishi Umen" which offers a perfect balance of smoothness and bite.
Clockwise from top left: the smooth-textured "Te-nobe Shiroishi Umen," the firm-textured "Kin-jirushi Shiroishi Umen," and the "Tsurigane Shiroishi Umen," which offers a perfect balance of smoothness and chewiness.

Cut into short lengths and made without oil, Umen are easy for everyone from children to the elderly to eat, making them a perfect souvenir for the whole family to enjoy. Among the four standard types of Umen, the most popular is the "Tenobe Shiroishi Umen." This is a product carefully crafted by artisans who adjust the preparation and aging process according to the temperature and humidity of the day, allowing you to experience the firm texture and smooth mouthfeel unique to hand-stretched noodles. We also recommend the "Kin-jirushi Shiroishi Umen," which is more affordable than the hand-stretched version while still pursuing the chewy elasticity and refined flavor of the noodles.

[Product Name/Price] "Tenobe Shiroishi Umen" 702 yen, "Kin-jirushi Shiroishi Umen" 573 yen, "Tsurigane Shiroishi Umen" 476 yen
[Expiration Date] 2 years from the date of manufacture

Local
Supporter

Kichimi Seimen also offers factory tours (fee required, reservation required). Additionally, at the adjacent restaurant "Tsurigane-an," you can enjoy their specialty hand-stretched umen noodles in a space renovated from a samurai residence built in the Edo period.

Kichimi Seimen
  • Address46 Honmachi, Shiroishi City, Miyagi Prefecture MAP
  • AccessApprox. 44 min. by car from JR Sendai Station
    Approx. 8 min. on foot from JR Shiroishi Station
  • Business hours9:00–17:00
  • ClosedIrregular holidays
  • TEL0224-26-2484
  • ParkingFree
*The information provided is current as of the date of the article's update. Please check in advance as it may be subject to change.