Sendai Airport is a travel hub with both domestic and international flight routes. It’s located less than half an hour from the ciy center by train and is a quick and convenient way to reach north-east Japan.
Facilities at Sendai Airport
Along with souvenir stores and cafes, Sendai airport has all the practical services you might need.
- There is a police box (called a Koban in Japanese) on the west side of the domestic arrivals area on the first floor.
- Nursery rooms can be found on the first and second floors.
- Showers can be found in the domestic arrival lobby on the first floor (800 yen per shower, between 7am and 9pm).
- Prayer rooms are found throughout Sendai Airport
- ATMs and Banks are also available within arrival and departure lounges with foreign cards accepted in 711 and Japan Post Bank machines.
Luggage Storage and Baggage Delivery at Sendai Airport
For short-term storage there are lockers available in the international and domestic arrival lobbies and close to Exit 4 of the International Terminal on the first floor. They are also available in the international and domestic departure lobbies on the second floor.
If you would like to send luggage to or from the airport, there is a Yamato Transport Desk on the second floor. From here you can arrange delivery or collect your items as well as using their storage service (800 yen per piece for one day). The office is usually open from 8am - 8pm but hours are temporarily reduced to 8am - 5pm.(Information as of Jan 2021)
Best Restaurants at Sendai Airport
There are a small but varied selection of restaurants at Sendai Airport, serving everything from salad and sushi to pasta and pizza.
Jinchu Katanya: Beef Tongue
Jinchu Katanya is a great place to get your first pr final try of the local specialty, cow’s tongue. They soak the tongue for 120 hours in their special house-made sauce before grilling fresh to order. You can eat in or opt for a bento (lunchbox) depending on your schedule.
Spot Information
- Name: Jinchu Katanya
- Location: First floor, west side, across from entrance two.
- Hours: 10:30 - 21:00 (last order: 20:30) Currently reduced to 20:00 (last order: 19:30)
Jushoan: Sendai Specials
For a variety of Sendai’s specialties, you can head to Jushoan on the 3rd Floor. They offer beef tongue, sushi from the nearby shores and a mix of popular Japanese dishes. This is great for groups and families as there’s something for everyone.
Spot Information
- Name: Jushoan
- Location: Third floor, east side, across from the small aircraft display.
- Hours: 06:30 - 20:30 (last order: 20:00) Currently reduced to 20:00 (last order: 19:30)
MMC Organic Cafe: Naturally grown produce
Serving Japanese meals using organic and naturally grown ingredients, the MMC cafes have a focus on selecting the best ingredients. You can try beef tongue or more common Japanese dishes such as omu-rice (a rice-filled omelet served with different sauces)/
Spot Information
- Name: MMC Organic Cafe
- Location: Third floor, east side, across from the small aircraft display.
- Hours: 06:30 - 20:30 (last order: 20:00) Currently reduced to 10:00 - 14:00 (last order: 13:45) and 16:00 - 20:00 (last order: 19:30)
Caffe and Bar Pronto
Serving light meals and coffee during the day along with meals and alcoholic drinks in the evening, they offer an Italian atmosphere. Choose from pastas and desserts while you await your flight, with draft beer and a selection of wines.
Spot Information
- Name: CAFFE&BAR PRONTO
- Location: First floor, close to entrance one.
- Hours: 06:30 - 21:30 (last order: 21:00) Currently reduced to 08:00 - 20:00 (last order: 19:30)
Shopping at Sendai Airport
Shopping options at Sendai airport are generally focused on souvenir shops with a good selection of local produce. General Store Hagi is a mini market with a mix of sections including confectionary, seafood and beef. They have great gifts for individuals like beef tongue and locally-made cheese as well as gift boxes called ‘omiyage’ in Japanese. These are boxes of small individually wrapped snacks designed for colleagues or family. Hana no Kura is a store selling local alcohol including sake, wine, shochu and beer. The most popular local sake is called Ichinokura and there are special varieties only available here, so it makes an unusual gift.
Domestic Flight Routes at Sendai Airport
There are a good selection of domestic routes serving Sendai Airport, run by a combination of full-service and budget airlines including JAL, ANA and Peach. While flight schedules may be reduced for the foreseeable future, all routes are currently available.
Domestic Flight Routes from Sendai
- Fukuoka - Japan Airlines, Ibex, ANA
- Hiroshima - Ibex, ANA
- Izumo - Fuji Dream Airlines, JAL
- Kobe - Skymark Airlines
- Nagoya-Centrair - Peach, Ibex, ANA
- Naha - Peach, ANA
- Osaka Itami - Japan Airlines, ANA, Ibex
- Osaka-Kansai - Peach
- Sapporo Chitose - Peach, Ibex, ANA, Air Do
- Tokyo Narita - ANA
While ANA (All Nippon Airways) and JAL (Japan Airlines) are national airlines, Ibex, Peach, and Air Do are budget airlines. This means they will have more basic services, and reduced luggage allowance but cheaper ticket prices.
International Flight Routes at Sendai Airport
For a small airport, Sendai is surprisingly well serviced when it comes to international flight routes. Weekends away to Thailand, Taiwan, Korea and mainland China are all possible thanks to a combination of national and budget airlines.
International Flight Routes from Sendai
- Bangkok Suvarnabhumi, Thailand - Thai Airways
- Beijing-Capital - Air-China, ANA
- Dalian - Air China, ANA
- Seoul Incheon - Asiana Airlines, ANA
- Shanghai-Pudong - Air China, ANA
- Taipei, Taiwan - Tigerair, Peach, EVA Air, Air New Zealand, ANA
How to get to Sendai Airport
Sendai Airport is accessible by public or private transport and is only 13.6km from Sendai City. From JR Sendai Station you can catch the Sendai Airport Access Line which has rapid and local lines running throughout the day. The local train takes approximately 25 minutes while the express takes 17 minutes. JR Sendai Station is on the Tohoku Shinkansen Line, with Tokyo Station a two-hour journey away.
There are public buses running between the airport and Fukushima (2 hours, 1600 yen), Yamagata (80 minutes, 1600 yen) and Matsushima (1 hour, 1000 yen) among other locations.
*Given current circumstances, services have been reduced so please check in advance with the airport information service.
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