With a population of more than 1 million, Sendai is the largest city in the Tohoku region. While it has a fascinating historical side, the downtown areas of the city really come to life at night.

Here you'll find pubs serving craft beers, relaxing bars where you can stop by after a meal, jazz bars playing great music, clubs where you can dance the night away, retro theme bars, and much more. Take your pick. Join us as we explore the best options for spending a memorable evening in Sendai.

  • 1

    Kokubuncho

    Welcome to the liveliest downtown area in Sendai and Tohoku

    Kokubuncho
    • Food
    • Nightlife

    Kokubuncho is the busiest downtown area in Sendai. In fact, Kokubuncho is probably the liveliest area in the entire Tohoku region, and it really comes to life at night.

    While retaining an atmosphere of the good old days of Sendai, which came to prominence as the castle town of the Date clan, Kokubuncho now prospers as a nightlife district packed with izakaya pubs, cocktail bars, and karaoke boxes, as well as wide range of restaurants serving everything from ramen to beef tongue dishes. This is an excellent place to enjoy the night in Sendai.

    Location: Aoba Ward, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture 980-0803, Japan

    Map

    photo by Sendai Blog (CC BY 2.0) modified

  • 2

    Sendai Mediatheque

    A beautiful glass-enclosed public facility facing Jozenji-dori Street

    Sendai Mediatheque
    • Budget
    • Photo

    Sendai Mediatheque is an entirely glass-walled public facility facing Jozenji-dori Street. As the name implies, this is a place where all kinds of media are brought together for the public to experience.

    It houses the Sendai City Library, an event space, a gallery, an image centre, a studio, a museum shop, and more, and is used as a hub for art and visual image culture activities. Designed by world-famous architect Toyo Ito, the building itself is famous and attracts architecture enthusiasts from all over the world. There's also a café where you can chill out.

    Location: 2-1 Kasugamachi, Aoba Ward, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture 980-0821, Japan

    Open: Daily from 9 am to 10 pm. Closed on maintenance, inspection days (4th Thursday from January to November) and New Year holidays (29th December to 3rd January)

    Phone: +81 (0)22-713-3171

    Map

    photo by yisris (CC BY 2.0) modified

  • 3

    Rensa

    A live music venue with a capacity of 700 people in Sendai's downtown Ichibancho area

    Rensa
    • Nightlife

    Located in the Ichibancho 4-chome shopping district, Rensa is one of Sendai's largest live music venues. Famous artists often play here.

    The acoustics of the venue are excellent and you get a great closeness to the performers. There are about 250 seats, or standing capacity for 400-700 people. The name Rensa means "chain" or "link" and is inspired by the Toichi Rensa restaurant district that existed before the redevelopment of the current building. This is a venue where you can really connect with artists and enjoy a great time as part of an enthusiastic audience.

    Location: 7F TIC Building, 4-9-18 Ichibancho, Aoba Ward, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture 980-0811, Japan

    Phone: +81 (0)22-713-0366

    Map
  • 4

    CRAFTSMAN Sendai

    Enjoy craft beer from around the world together with Italian cuisine using local ingredients

    CRAFTSMAN Sendai
    • Food

    CRAFTSMAN Sendai is a stylish, modern restaurant that serves craft beer and Italian dishes.

    They have as many as 31 types of carefully selected craft beer fresh from the barrel. Visit once and you'll definitely want to return. The cuisine features ingredients harvested in the surrounding Tohoku region. Everything here is based on the concept of local production for local consumption, and the results speak for themselves.

    Location: Chuo 2-2-38, Aoba Ward, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture 980-0021, Japan

    Open: Weekdays: 5 pm to 1 am, Weekends and holidays: 11.30 am to 1 am

    Phone: +81 (0)22-797-8431

    Map
  • 5

    Iroha Yokocho

    A nostalgic alley where time stands still

    Iroha Yokocho
    • Food
    • Nightlife

    Running east from Sunmall Ichibancho, Iroha Yokocho is an arcade-covered shopping district that (in a good way) seems to be stuck in the Showa era. Its 2 passageways are lined with shops with narrow storefronts, and there’s even an age-old well remaining at one corner.

    Iroha Yokocho is believed to have sprung up in 1945, at the end of the Pacific War, when people opened an open-air market with the aim of rebuilding the city after it was burned to the ground in the Sendai air raids. This area is lively even now, crowded with local people coming for lunch on weekdays, as well as people who want to have a drink at a yakitori (grilled chicken on a stick) restaurant or izakaya (Japanese-style pub).

    Location: 2-3 Ichibancho, Aoba Ward, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture 980-0811, Japan

    Phone: Central Market Commercial Cooperative: +81 (0)22-223-3151

    Map
  • 6

    HIGHBALL BAR Mori no Miyako 1923

    A highball specialist that reinvents the drink

    HIGHBALL BAR Mori no Miyako 1923
    • Food
    • Nightlife

    HIGHBALL BAR Mori no Miyako 1923 is a modern bar that specializes in highballs, which are basically whiskey and soda. This bar has one of only 16 special 5-level highball towers in Japan, producing a surprisingly delicious drink.

    Using natural water obtained by treating raw water from Mt. Kai-Komagatake, careful attention is paid to the gas pressure at the moment of opening, and ice that has been re-tightened at -15°C is used to prevent melting. You’ll really get a sense of this bar’s passion for serving the finest highballs. If highballs aren’t your think, you can also try beer on tap and various cocktails. Hot whiskey is even served during the cold season.

    Location: 1F Saika Building, 2-15-1 Kokubuncho, Aoba Ward, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture 980-0803, Japan

    Open: Monday to Saturday from 5 pm to 2 am, Sundays and holidays from 4 pm to 12 am (closed on 31st December and 1st January)

    Phone: +81 (0)22-721-5161

    Map
  • 7

    Dining & Bar Jazz-Villeban Sendai

    Relax and have a drink while listening to jazz

    Dining & Bar Jazz-Villeban Sendai
    • Nightlife

    Jazz-Villeban Sendai is a dining bar where you can enjoy a drink while listening to live jazz. Since its opening 40 years ago, it’s always supported the music scene in Sendai, the City of Trees.

    Popular with an international clientele, you’ll hear conversation in various languages as the jazz plays, like stepping into a scene from an old film. As well as beer, whiskey, and sake, the bar also serves more than 100 types of cocktails. Most of the gigs are free of charge, so this is a great place to experience live jazz music.

    Location: Chuo 1-8-22, Aoba Ward, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture 980-0021, Japan

    Open: Weekdays: 5 pm to 1 am, Sundays and holidays: 5 pm to 12 am, Fridays, Saturdays and days before holidays: 5 pm to 2 am

    Phone: +81 (0)22-225-2222

    Map
  • 8

    Bar, isn't it?

    Dance the night away at one of Sendai's largest clubs

    Bar, isn't it?
    • Nightlife

    Bar, Isn't it? is a club located in the Vlandome Ichibancho shopping district. It has 150 seats and standing capacity for 250 people, making it one of the largest clubs in Sendai City.

    You’ll find all kinds of music played here, from hip-hop, house and reggae to disco and R&B. They also have a great selection of cocktails on offer. There are coin-operated lockers, too, so you can leave your stuff there while enjoying the music. There’s a dress code here, so make sure you’re not dressed too casually. Sandals, for example, are a no-no.

    Location: 3F DATE ONE Building, 3-9-13 Ichibancho, Aoba Ward, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture 980-0811, Japan

    Open: Daily from 10 pm to 5 am (hours vary on Respect for the Aged Day). Admission only for ages 20 and above.

    Phone: +81 (0)22-262-0901

    Map
  • 9

    Andy

    A casual drop-in bar where all are welcome

    Andy
    • Nightlife

    Andy is a bar with a relaxing atmosphere in downtown Kokubuncho. Here you can relax and enjoy a drink in a space that feel cut off from the hustle and bustle of the city.

    The concept is for a bar that even beginners can enjoy. It's certainly a great starting point. Whiskey and cocktails are the main drinks on offer. If you can't decide what to order, you can just tell the bartender what kind of drink you feel like and leave it to them to come up with something. Saying "Something light and refreshing, please!" should do the trick.

    Location: 2F Ono Building, 3-6-6 Kokubuncho, Aoba Ward, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture 980-0803, Japan

    Open: Monday to Friday, days before holidays: 4 pm to 12 am, Thursdays: 6 pm to 10 pm, Sundays and holidays: 4 pm to 11 pm

    Phone: +81 (0)50-5485-0944

    Map
  • 10

    Ceskoya

    An international pub with 39 beers from around the world

    Ceskoya
    • Nightlife

    Ceskoya is a pub run by a Czech owner who’s fluent in Japanese. It's the only establishment in Tohoku that directly imports Czech beer and wine.

    The owner even makes hearty Czech dishes that are well worth tasting. If you fancy a tipple, check out the selection of 39 beers on offer. It’s also a great place to get to know the locals and meet fellow travellers while drinking beer from all over the world, including Dutch, Belgian, Chinese, Thai, Indonesian, and of course Czech beer. Even if you're drinking alone, chances are someone will strike up a conversation with you here. Cheers!

    Location: 6F Dai 7 Marusho Kogyo, 2-7-9 Ichibancho, Aoba Ward, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture 980-0811, Japan

    Open: Sunday to Thursday from 6 pm to 12 am. Friday and Saturday from 6 pm to 2 am. Hours vary on Respect for the Aged Day.

    Phone: +81 (0)90-2996-9333

    Map