Miyagi in Half a Day: @ Godaido & Board the Senseki Line — Guide Riko

Title: What's a Private 4-Hour Matsushima Tour from Sendai Like? A Licensed Guide's Report

The guests were a group visiting Japan, some based in North America, with relatives in Sendai. From the assignment stage, the meeting date and place changed several times, which was a source of some worry, but we finally managed to make it happen. At one point a change to the following day was proposed, but due to a visit to a family grave and other plans, they decided to keep the original date. A travel agency was arranged on their side, and that representative acted as an intermediary for much of the communication. It seemed they had not been aware that the accommodation was far from Sendai Station. Arriving on a shinkansen just after 11:00, they had a busy time getting from Sendai Station to the Hotel, dropping off luggage, and having lunch. When I met the group's representative in front of the Hotel, they were sitting in the garden and looked a little tired. There were times when I could not reach the representative to finalize the plan, but it seemed the detailed planning was handled within the group.

A 4-hour slot with a request for the Matsushima sightseeing cruise and Zuiganji Temple was quite tight considering the travel distance from the Hotel, but they agreed to allocate about 30 minutes for Zuiganji after getting off the cruise, with the tour ending on the train. Extending the time had been proposed before, but the request was to keep it as it was, so I found a compromise within the limited time, and the group agreed. With that in mind, I had prepared in advance an English map of Sendai with the route to the Hotel highlighted. On the way to the station I handed it over saying, "We'll walk along this route," and it was passed along to the younger members of the group, who were said to understand it better. I was then asked, "Is there a restaurant that can seat this many people, and a place to buy kokeshi dolls?" so I guided them through the arcade toward the station. As they were traveling with children, I mentioned that family restaurants (such as Marumatsu or Ootoya) might be a good choice.

We were able to catch a train one earlier than planned, so after picking up the cruise tickets, we decided to go to Godaido before departure. When one of the guests said, "So you can eat oysters here," I asked, "Would everyone like to go to Godaido, or shall we have free time and meet at the boarding point 10 minutes before departure?" Eight of them came along to Godaido. On the cruise, those traveling with children spent time on the deck, while others relaxed in their seats, each enjoying it in their own way. After disembarking it was 4:00, and from how everyone was talking, I thought Entsuin might be better than Zuiganji, but unfortunately Entsuin closes at 4:30. So we visited Zuiganji as planned. Even though photography was only allowed in the garden, they seemed impressed by the magnificent main hall.

The group's intermediary had told me, "If you cannot see them off to the Hotel, please buy their return tickets for them," but everyone, said they would be fine. The guests confirmed with me from the Sendai map I had handed over earlier, "We just walk along the road in this color, right?" and I replied, "Yes. It's rush hour, so please be careful when walking through the city." They said, "One of us lives in North America and is used to crowds, so it will be fine." We went over the time by about 30 minutes, but since I had told them before boarding that I would get off at a certain station and they had agreed, we parted ways on the train. I was relieved that everything went smoothly.

Click here for more details: Sendai & Matsushima Customized Half-Day Tour with Licensed Guide

Tour Report by Riko

Hello! I’m Riko, your local guide. During the week, I work at a local university, but on weekends, I love to guide visitors like you. This year(2024) marks my 6th year as a guide, and I’m thrilled to continue sharing the beauty of Japan with you.
I’m a certified Sake Navigator, so I have a wealth of knowledge about Japanese sake. Additionally, I’m well-versed in the gourmet scene of Sendai, Shiogama, and Matsushima, allowing me to tailor your tour to your culinary preferences!
I look forward to creating a memorable tour experience for you, full of fun and lasting memories of Japan. Thanks for choosing me as your guide!