Hotel JAL City Sendai Single Room (Breakfast)

On the third day of my Tohoku trip, I stayed at Hotel JAL City Sendai, located just a 3-minute walk from Sendai Station. I had booked this hotel 10 months in advance with a non-cancellation policy. This business hotel, part of the Okura chain, has left me with fond memories of its satisfying breakfasts in locations like Nagoya, Nagano, and Okinawa. One of Sendai's advantages is that Sendai Station, where the Shinkansen stops, is at the heart of the city. Shopping, dining, sightseeing, scenic views, and accommodations are all within walking distance. In Tokyo, areas like Shinjuku, Shibuya, and Ginza are diverse, while Shin-Osaka Station is farther from Umeda and Dotonbori. Nagoya has Sakae, Shin-Yokohama has Minato Mirai, and Fukuoka (Hakata) has Tenjin. Kyoto has Kawaramachi, Hiroshima has Hatchobori, and other cities like Kitakyushu (Kokura), Nagano, Okayama, and Shizuoka are similar to Sendai in terms of convenience. For short-term travelers, transportation convenience is a crucial factor, and this is one of the reasons I like Sendai. After enjoying breakfast and a morning walk in Akita, I took the Shinkansen and arrived in Sendai around 10 a.m. I dropped off my suitcase at the hotel, enjoyed the view, and relaxed at Starbucks. I visited two small towns near Sendai, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, and participated in an afternoon tea event in Sendai in between. In the evening, I had made a reservation at the top local gyutan (grilled beef tongue) restaurant near the station. During the waiting time, I checked into the hotel, visited an observation deck for night views, explored the arcade, and did some shopping. When my turn came, I enjoyed a delicious dinner. After dinner, I took the subway to visit Starbucks Reserve and then returned to the hotel. The itinerary was seamless, thanks to everything being conveniently located in one area. The view from my room window included the observation deck and Starbucks at AER, as well as the gyutan restaurant and Sendai Station, all connected by pedestrian bridges. One of the advantages of Hotel JAL City is its single bed, which is 140 cm wide, almost like a semi-double bed. I had a restful sleep in the spacious room and joined the breakfast at 6:30 a.m., which was the highlight of my stay. The breakfast featured Sendai specialties like gyutan curry, sasakamaboko (fish cake), tsundamochi (sweet soybean mochi), and even shakes. I also enjoyed a rich kaisendon (seafood bowl) made with fresh seafood from the Sanriku coast. After leisurely enjoying breakfast, I checked out and reached the Shinkansen platform in just 3 minutes. I boarded the Hayabusa No. 1 at 8 a.m. and headed to Aomori Prefecture before traveling to Tokyo. Thanks to Sendai, I could enjoy a relaxed morning schedule. Thank you.