Must-Try Dishes When Traveling to Miyagi Prefecture, Japan

Hello there! Over the past few days, you’ve read plenty about Miyagi Prefecture and its capital, Sendai, on my blog. To keep the Miyagi series rolling, I’m sharing the can’t-miss dishes you should dig into when visiting Miyagi, Japan. It’s all about giving you more info and extra reasons to explore this gem.

1. Sukiyaki Hot Pot – Paired with Sendai A5 Wagyu

I’m not sure how to explain this so you’ll get it—back home in Vietnam or places like Australia and Europe, folks rave about Kobe beef as Japan’s top-tier stuff. But hitting Miyagi, I learned beef isn’t ranked by region—it’s graded nationally from A1 to A5, with A5 being the elite tier. Only one spot in Japan nails A5 consistently: Sendai beef. If you’ve read my posts, you know Sendai’s Miyagi’s biggest city, famed for its beef and Gyutan (beef tongue).

Sukiyaki hot pot—what I call “dry hot pot” since it uses barely any broth—is a must. Besides the base (Japanese soy sauce) and fresh Sendai beef, key players include:

• Ito Konnyaku (Shirataki): Known as Konjac noodles, though my friends say no one eats it straight—it shrivels up dry. Toss it in the pot, and it soaks up the salty broth, turning intense. It’s 97% water, 3% indigestible fiber—diet food that keeps you full forever, perfect for Sukiyaki.
• Chrysanthemum Greens & Mushrooms: These balance the beef’s richness with fresh, aromatic vibes.
• Fresh Egg: Your dipping sauce. Sounds fishy, right? Nope—100% raw egg, yolk and white mixed, for dunking your simmered Sendai beef. That sweet meat, salty broth, and egg’s creamy aroma melt together in your mouth—pure bliss.

Where to Try Sukiyaki with Sendai A5 Wagyu

Restaurant: IRUMA Sukiyaki

Address: 4-7-17 Ichibancho, Aoba-ku, Sendai-shi, Miyagi Prefecture (Odakyu Sendai Building, B1)

2. Sendai Beef Tongue – A Miyagi Must

Like I said, Sendai’s not just about A5 beef—it’s Gyutan central too (Gyu = tongue, tan = beef, not some “Gyutan brand” tongue—don’t mix that up!). Sendai beef tongue pops up on most big restaurant menus here. At the Activity Resort Zao hotel’s dinner buffet (Daiwa Royal Hotel in Miyagi), it’s on the lineup. Want the premium stuff? Book a special order with the hotel chef.

In Sendai city, Gyutan’s the real deal—locals kept nudging me to try it. I hunted for Sendai-raised beef tongue spots but struck out, so I settled for an Aussie beef tongue joint, cooked Japanese-style. The owner swore Aussie’s better—haha!

How’s it done? Grilled—flip it twice over glowing coals and dig in. That’s when it’s fragrant, crispy, and pops in your mouth. They use Iwate Prefecture charcoal (same Tohoku region as Miyagi). It’s served with white rice, oxtail soup, and veggies. The rice? Miyagi-grown, mixed with barley for a nutty, tasty twist—better than plain white. The oxtail soup simmers 5 hours, packed with rich, melt-in-your-mouth goodness.

You’ve gotta try Sendai beef tongue in Miyagi—it’s irresistible. Writing this, my mouth’s watering again. Save these spots:

Where to Try Sendai Beef Tongue

Restaurant: TSUKASA

Addresses:

• 1F Seto Building, 2-13-27 Kokubun-cho, Aoba-ku, Sendai-shi, Miyagi Prefecture (from their website)
• 2F Majesty Building, 1 Chome 8-25, Center 1, Sendai, Aoba District, Miyagi Prefecture (where I ate—they’ve got 3-4 spots, even one in the U.S.)

Note: Book ahead—they’ve only 24 seats.

3. Zao Dairy Cheese from Miyagi

Zao’s got a big dairy scene—closed-loop from cow to product. One dish you can’t skip in Zao town, Miyagi? Kuranet—a famous treat pairing Zao cheese, like Mozzarella, with French bread.

First, they’ll intro the cheese and Zao’s dairy process (if you ask—otherwise, you’re just another eater). A Kuranet plate comes with two cheeses: pure stuff and a floral mix (no clue what flowers, haha, but it’s yellower). It’s pan-seared with shrimp, bacon, white onions, zucchini, cauliflower, and tomatoes. Once cooked, pile it on pre-sliced French bread and dig in. First bite? Amazing. Second? Drool-worthy. I’ve never tasted cheese this good.

Besides cheese, they sell fresh cream ice cream and boxed dairy goodies—great souvenirs from Miyagi. Here’s the spot:

Where to Try Zao Dairy Cheese

Zao Dairy Center

Address: Nanokahara-251-4 Togattaonsen, Zao, Katta District, Miyagi Prefecture 989-0916, Japan

4. Miyagi Oysters at Matsushima’s Oyster Haven

For seafood, Miyagi’s oysters top Japan—and the world. I toured Suenaga Kaisan, a Miyagi seafood plant pumping out oysters and scallops for Vietnam, the U.S., and beyond. Their strict, high-standard process blew me away.

Oysters here morph into tons of dishes: grilled, steamed, smoked, or raw sashimi-style. Miyagi oysters are so good and safe, the restaurant owner pried one open and ate it raw—no prep, just chowed down. Getting sick from raw food in Japan? Weird. Loving it? Totally normal.

In Matsushima city, Miyagi, hit an oyster-specialty spot. Go buffet, hot pot, or à la carte—eases you into the oyster overload if you’re not used to it.

Where to Try Miyagi Oysters

Restaurant: MATSU

Address: Fugendo-13-13 Matsushima, Miyagi District, Miyagi Prefecture 981-0213, Japan