by Gavin Pirie

Tohoku is truly one of the most underrated parts of Japan. It’s filled to the brim with spectacular natural wonders, a rich culture that is unique from the rest of Japan, and a staggering amount of food-coma-inducing-cuisine.

Route 227s’ Cafe Tohoku aims to give its customers a taste of northern Japan without having to travel hours to experience it. 227 refers to the numbers of villages, towns and cities that form Tohoku. This cafe wants to take you to every single one of them, and if you’re not sure how to get there, there’s a massive map on the wall to show you.

Separated into three distinct time settings; lunch time (11:00-14:00), cafe time (14:00-17:00) and dinner time (17:00-23:00), customers have a wide range of options and set menus to choose from. The food is delicious and most are sourced from various locations around Tohoku. It also doesn’t suffer from the curse of Japanese restaurants, SMALL PORTIONS! You’ll definitely get your money’s worth, whether you order pizza, pasta or dessert. Menus are also in English and Japanese, so rest easy if your kanji reading is not up to scratch. Check out the dinner menu here. 

Customers have the option of sitting inside or outside. For those that choose inside, you’ll feel cosy amongst the dark modern interior. It’s easy to stare endlessly at the map, trying to spot all the places you know. Don’t stare too much though, because the family sitting under it might get a little uncomfortable. Outside on the terrace is a totally different experience. On the deck, it’s bright and you can take in a lively, leisurely Sendai that you don’t get to experience if you stay close to the station.

If you’re itching to get out and explore more of northern Japan, but aren’t quite sure where to start; why not have lunch or dinner at Route 227s’ Cafe Tohoku? The friendly and fast service are sure to point you in the right direction.

For more information on the Route 277s’ Cafe Tohoku concept, menu, or sightseeing recommendations, check out their website here.

Access

By train and bus

From Sendai Station take the Namboku Subway to Kotodai Koen Station. Leave the station through the Park Exit 2 to find the cafe. This trip will take 5 minutes.

By foot

From Sendai Station walk towards Kotodai Park. It will take about 20 minutes.