[DAY 3: Frolic with Foxes at the Fox Village & Try the Sendai Specialty Beef Tongue]

6. Miyagi Zao Fox Village

The village is a 20-minute drive from Yutomori Club. The Zao Fox Village is located deep in the mountains of Shiroishi. This is one of the largest fox-themed wildlife parks in the world and is popular with tourists from all over. You can feed and cuddle the adorable, fluffy foxes here. Although it’s not easy to get to the Fox Village, many travelers go out of their way to come and see the foxes.

The vast grounds of the Fox Village are home to around 250 foxes of 6 species, and mature and young foxes are kept in separate areas. All the foxes here are bred in captivity and given regular health checks, so there is no need to be concerned about viruses. They are also raised by professional staff from infancy, so they are used to human interaction.

There are up to 100 foxes in the free-range area, but visitors do not need to be worried about walking around amongst them. The foxes will be napping or sniffing things or chasing each other around.

You can approach the free-roaming foxes and take photos, but they are still wild animals. It is necessary to follow the rules of the park for your safety. Keep a sensible distance, and refrain from touching them.

Fox Cuddling Experience

One of the best parts of visiting the Fox Village is that you can get up close with the foxes. The most popular thing to do at the park is the Fox Cuddling Experience.

You'll be given a special plastic coat to wear when inside the park so that your clothes don’t get dirty or smelly. The staff will take a photo of you and the cute fox. The fox's squinty eyes and fluffy coats will really lift your spirits!

The fox breeding season is from March to May, so if you visit in May or June, you’ll get to cuddle the adorable baby foxes! If you love foxes, we recommend visiting at this time.

7. Sendai's Specialty Beef Tongue: Zenjiro

It’s finally time for the final stage of this fun journey in Miyagi. Return to Sendai, and end your trip with some deeply satisfying Sendai gourmet food. The most iconic dish in Sendai would have to be "gyutan" (beef tongue). Walk 2 minutes from the west gate of Sendai Station, and you'll find a restaurant that’s famous for its gyutan, Zenjiro (main branch by the station). People still queue up as late as 2 pm, so you know it must be good!

The “Prize Gyutan Set Meal” on the lunch menu consists of barley rice, char-grilled gyutan, gyutan sausage, gyutan tsukune (Japanese meatballs), refreshing palate-cleansing pickles, and ox-tail soup with pungent chili-infused miso and garnished with plenty of spring onions.

The gyutan is flavorsome and juicy with a delicious char-grilled aroma and a crunchy yet tender texture - it’s the perfect accompaniment to rice. The clear, sweet ox-tail soup acts as a palate cleanser. There is plenty of gyutan in the soup as well, and it is extremely tender.

For people who want to enjoy the chewy texture of gyutan, we recommend the super-thick gyutan set! This is a luxurious item that uses the soft portion of the tongue. Though the cuts are very thick, they are nonetheless crispy, so make sure to try this scrumptious experience!

Other than the staple "Gyutan Set Meal", Zenjiro also offers a plethora of creative original dishes, such as thick-sliced gyutan ramen, gyutan zha jiang noodles, and char-grilled kakuni (cubed) gyutan curry. A great thing to do on a cold winter's day is order the gyutan wonton noodles.

8. Sendai Station Souvenir Picks

It’s no exaggeration that Sendai Station is the headquarters for souvenirs of the Tohoku region. Read on for two Sendai souvenirs not to be missed that you can buy at Sendai Station!

“Zunda Saryo” Zunda Shake & Zunda Mochi

You might be used to seeing edamame at izakayas(Japanese pubs), but did you know they can be made into sweets? Here is another one of Sendai's iconic foods: when edamame is seasoned with sugar and salt and then mashed, it becomes “zunda”.

In the souvenir shop and restaurant area on the second floor of Sendai Station, “Zunda Saryo” with its distinctively edamame-colored sign is a zunda specialty store that is particularly famous even in zunda’s home territory.

Popular menu items at Zunda Saryo are the Zunda Shake and Zunda Mochi. The Zunda Shake is a blend of zunda with a vanilla-flavored shake made with select cow's milk. The rich texture of the freshly blended shake has a sweetness that’s not overbearing, and the slightly grainy texture from the zunda is enjoyable. This was a gourmet delight that will completely flip your expectations of edamame.

The other thing you need to try is Zunda Mochi, a traditional Sendai sweet. Soft yet chewy mochi is coated with sweet, thick zunda. The fragrant zunda coats your taste buds with an irresistible deliciousness.

In addition to trying freshly made zundai right here in Sendai, you can also purchase some zunda-flavored souvenirs for your family and friends. Some of the items that earned popularity in 2019 include zunda senbei (rice crackers), Zunda Jagariko from Calbee (potato sticks), and the limited-edition Kit Kat flavor “Zunda Saryo's Zunda Shake Flavor”.

Hagi no Tsuki

Hagi no Tsuki, created by the confectionery company Kasho Sanzen, has been around for over 40 years and is loved by Japanese people and travelers alike.

Hagi no Tsuki is a round sponge cake filled with custard cream in an elegant package that makes for a perfect souvenir.

The sponge is soft and fluffy, and the custard cream has just the right amount of sweetness. Enjoy the delightful flavor of the egg custard as you stuff it in your mouth, in this dessert that has captivated the hearts and minds of people of all ages. The Hagi no Tsuki is very soft, so it's important to note that you should try to keep the outer packaging intact when taking it home as a souvenir.

9. A Restorative Journey Around Zao, Miyagi Prefecture

This article laid out a journey where you can enjoy magnificent nature and hot springs, while taking it easy over the course of 3 days. Try planning a slow-travel itinerary around Zao today! Zao is almost certain to live up to your expectations.

 

If you want to give feedback on any of our articles, you have an idea that you'd really like to see come to life, or you just have a question on Japan, hit us up on our Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram!