Sendai 仙台: Shogun, Street Food Journey, History, Beef Tongue, Bullet Trains & Fish Markets!

We are off to Sendai, Japan. An hour and a half on a bullet train from Tokyo to Sendai. It is a shogun town and, uh, well, town— it's got a million-plus people in it and they're famous for their beef tongue. I have a whole day planned. Let's go!

We have arrived in Sendai.

Yeah.

I don't know where we're going.

Why are we always so dark?

I don't know.

Hello.

Is it better?

Maybe. Just close. You're just a shining bright star, aren't you?

Yeah, okay.

Uh, yeah, we're here at Sendai.

Where are we going?

We're gonna have to figure out how to get out of here. That's step number 1.

Yeah.

And then the first step after that is going to a morning market, which should still be open, where they have all sorts of things for sale. And I thought Nina would like the markets. Ina got sidetracked. She found this store here.

This is the Hotendo Bakery. It's like a cream puff inside. It's very popular in Toronto.

Wait, it's very popular in Toronto? Yeah. Why are we getting it here?

Well, I think it's popular here and then they franchised it in Toronto.

Okay. So, okay, we're gonna try it.

I think it's original here. I'm gonna give it a try.

The original custard flavor.

Quickly, because it's gonna end up, um, I don't have enough time.

Wow, you just shoved it in there. Okay, and how is it?

You see the custard?

Yeah, I do. Is it good?

Yeah, it's like—

Nina approved.

It's not very creamy. Oh, it's not very strong flavor, but it's very light. Okay, I like it.

Okay, nice.

Good.

It smells, uh, something being fried. It's like a— why are you laughing? No, you're funny. It's like a popcorn chicken. No, no, no, no, I want to eat. 2 minutes to the market.

2 minutes to the market. All right, we're at the market. They're still open. Are you excited, Evan?

I smell the fish already.

Yeah, yeah, I smelled it too. That's the first thing I smelled. What's a Sentaï Asechi Market? What's next, Evan?

Another little shopping area. Yeah, see if you get inspired. Little shops, stores. See if you're gonna—

Yeah, okay, let's go to the stores. Evan's impressed by the sign.

Oh, it's just organized.

Yeah, bike on the left.

That's the bike lane, but the bike lane is on the sidewalk, not the road. Yeah, but it's a big thing.

Yeah. All right, we have arrived at this strip with a bunch of shops that you buy, eat stuff. Evan's taking a picture. What are you most excited about this one here?

Um, watching Nina and saying, oh, look at that!

Oh my God, look at that!

And it's like a squirrel or something, right? But she gets very excited about things. It's the best. Actually, if we saw a squirrel here— we haven't seen a squirrel.

Oh yeah, that's true.

It would be actually pretty impressive.

Yeah.

Okay, we're looking for squirrels. Yeah.

We didn't do much at the market. No, the little strip.

We almost went to McDonald's.

Yeah, yeah, I was looking at the menu. I was like, I don't know, should I just eat at McDonald's? But maybe not a good idea.

Before Nina, I would only eat at McDonald's, like food. We got stuff to see. Oh, next. I just hit McDonald's in every city. But now I've become a food snob. Actually, I don't know that I really care that much, but I plan food for Nina. Next, speaking of food, we're an 18-minute walk away from a little hole-in-the-wall sushi spot.

Hole Oh, in the wall?

Yeah, it's like you can't even eat there. It's only takeaway and it's tiny, but they specialize in leaf— they wrap it in a leaf. Okay, leaf sushi. Let's go.

Evan just pointed out the gas station gas pump is coming from the top instead of from the bottom. It saves space.

Yeah, exactly.

Oh, we said it at the same time. Good job.

Yeah, we should get married or something, you know.

Wait, we're married.

Okay, we'll get married again.

It's getting hot.

You're hot.

Yeah, yeah, but I'm sweating. Starting to sweat a lot right now. We quickly approach, approach to the sushi place that Evan's taking me.

Yep.

What are you gonna order?

Uh, mackerel is what their number one thing is.

Okay, but we'll see what else they have.

Mackerel.

Oh, it's very fishy. I don't think you're going to like that.

None of this is for me, you know.

Oh, okay. I think I'm going to like it. I should get lower.

It's for you.

Yeah, yeah.

Look at you. Your hair's back now.

Yeah, cuz the hair is sticking out my skin. It's very uncomfortable.

I hate it when that happens.

It's the worst. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

You understand. Yeah, I mean, I told him.

This is a— I can't even say it. This is the store that Evan wants to go. Yeah, but it looks like they closed. I don't know why. That's the food. Sushi. It's sushi on the leaves. Yeah.

Okay, so new place, new place, backup plan. This place, uh, got really high reviews, just not a lot of them because we're kind of in a nowhere town right now. Uh, they're known for their soba, which I'm— we haven't had soba yet, so I'm excited. Soba.

Soba is cold. Yeah.

And there are cartilage, which I'm not a fan of, but Nina loves cartilage. So I think we'll find something here for both of us. Let's go. Oh my God, that scared me. So we got some warm soba for Nina. She thought she was only going to get the cold. I got the large cold meal and Nina got the medium warm meal. I think mine is the classic one, but she wanted warm, so it's good.

I like the soup, hot soup. They all made their own noodle. In Japanese— in Japan, when you eat noodle, you have to slurp.

You're gonna slurp? Let me try. It's a quiet slurp.

And let's go. I'm drenched. I'm sweating like crazy after the hot meal. Look at my hair, it's like so hot. Next thing we ordered, the matcha with the condensed milk with some kind of, I don't know, shaved ice. I think, I think it's plum on the top of it. We're gonna try on a hot day. What's gonna cool me down? I haven't tried the dessert.

It's, uh, shaved ice with beans and condensed milk and matcha.

But I don't know what these are though. I don't know what the white thing is. Oh, I think it's a rice— it's a rice cake kind of thingy. Okay, try it. Oh yeah, it is red bean kidney bean. It looks like a kidney bean. Is it kidney bean?

That's weird. It's a bean. I thought the bean's not sweet.

It's like a natural bean.

Yeah, it's like a— it's like a kidney bean, like a cooked mushy kidney bean, but then it's sweet on top. It's weird. I've never had kidney beans with ice cream or shaved ice.

I am full.

Full? Yeah, I'm good. That was not filling.

Yeah, not feeling for you?

No, no, it was filling, but I'm not like, oh my God, I'm full. Yeah, yeah. Wow, that's probably the best service. I mean, we got the best service, but like the nicest people.

Yeah, very nice.

Yeah, she went out of her way to speak into an app to translate. Yeah, and given us like a map if we needed it.

And yeah, just tell us like what time the bus comes.

Yeah, very, very friendly. Very friendly. That was awesome, awesome service. Uh, now we're gonna walk up to the, uh, many stairs, lots of uphill. Nina's like, man, I didn't get enough activity today.

No, not yet.

I need to sweat like a monster. Okay, well, if you want to sweat, we're gonna run up these steps.

I'm not running back. You're all right.

Hill to the mausoleum of, uh, where the shogun that ran this whole city, where he was buried. We're gonna go check it out.

We are in the taxi car going to— I don't know where.

Castle ruins.

Castle ruins. What do we see there, Evan?

Uh, not much. The castle's gone.

Oh, okay. So what are we going to see?

The ruins.

Okay.

And, and the view. Oh, because it's on a hill.

Okay.

And it's— I think this is— there's like a shrine or a temple or something there too, but— okay.

All right, we're gonna go see the ruins only.

This is, this is the historic part of, uh, and I'm shaking so much.

What's up there?

Giant spider web.

Huge.

Oh, I don't see the spider though.

It's maybe out hunting.

Gotta be a giant spider or sleeping. What's that thing? Yeah, okay, so the castle has been destroyed. But you get to see the ruins and the beautiful view of the city.

It's been a pretty productive day. It is around 2 PM. Yeah, 2:30. We went to places, had a lunch.

You like doing back of taxi cab videos?

Yeah, yeah, just a story with Nina and Evan in the taxi cab. Yeah, okay, we're going to shopping area, shopping district.

What do you hope to buy?

Hoping to buy some expensive stuff. I've never— I haven't— we kept saying it, I haven't bought one that is expensive. Anyway, so we're just gonna go shop around and then go eat some famous beef tongue. We're here. Evan is excited because he's gonna do a lot of shopping. He's gonna buy a few more pants, few more shirts.

Wow, yeah, that's very exciting. Yeah, I'm ready. That's why we're here. That's why we're here. Yeah, I need some Pokémon pants.

I got really sleepy. I told Evan, let's get a coffee. This is my iced coffee, venti, and then he ordered a peach, strawberry peach. This is the largest size. This is— they said this is the largest size they have for that. Not, not a venti size in America. Cheers!

Very peachy.

Nice and refreshing.

It's actual peach in here.

Oh yeah, yeah, it's really good.

Yeah.

All right, this is the floor we're going to see Pokémon.

Pokémon store. There it is. You're here. You made it.

We're done in the mall. I didn't buy anything. Yeah, I didn't buy— the style doesn't really match me. It's not really my style. It's okay. I can't open my eyes right now because it's very sunny. Okay, where are we going next?

Uh, the legendary beef tongue restaurant. Yeah, and then, uh, And then bullet train back home. Get it?

This is a tiny little elevator.

Also on 3F is KFC. We can skip the beef tongue and just go KFC.

No, we waited for I don't know how long, probably an hour. I don't know, but we made it. We're gonna have some beef tongue. It actually tastes pretty good, but it's just weird to eat the tongue.

Okay, here's Nina. Okay, that's great. Okay, don't— the soup is not what we're here for, Nina. Oh my gosh. Okay, okay, there it is. That's the beef tongue. And no, don't lie, Nina. Don't lie, don't lie, don't lie, don't lie. It's not a good word. Don't lie.

You can taste the beef. You can taste it.

Don't lie, Nina.

It's like regular beef.

Really?

Yeah, it's really good.

It's really good?

You're gonna like it.

Okay, there it is.

All right, Evan, try yours.

I have the thick cut.

You have the thick cut? You have the thick cut?

Yeah.

Yeah. Okay, they look about the same.

Oh, actually, before I do that, I have to try the soup.

Yeah, yeah, try the soup. It's nice and warm. Try the beef pan.

It doesn't matter.

It matters, definitely matters.

Okay, we'll try yours here.

Okay, try mine. I think you also dip into the yam soup, but just try it, try it, try it. It's good, it's good, it's good. Just don't think about, don't think about its, uh, tongue.

It's chewy.

It's good. It tastes like beef steak.

Chewier. Definitely chewier.

Okay, taste it. Try your own. Try the difference between the two. Just have a bite. Okay, you're ready for the thick cut.

I tell myself it's tongue.

No, it's not tongue. Just think about the beef steak. You don't have to put the whole piece in your mouth. You could chew it. You could bite it off.

Give me chewier.

Oh, really? Okay, maybe this— the thick— the thin one's better. It's still good. Yeah, it's good, right? Tasty.

You think when you're eating a tongue, but better than expected.

I am so full. I'm full. How are you doing?

Yeah, uh, it was getting extra chewy at the end.

Yeah, yeah, actually the more I, the more I hate it. I feel it's a little too much.

You hate it?

The more you eat it, the more you hate it? I don't hate it.

The more you ate it, the more you hate it? No.

The more I eat it, the more I feel it's very— it's a little too much. It doesn't sit well in my stomach right now, so I can't digest.

Yeah, you want me to push your stomach?

No, then I'm just gonna vomit everything up.

Maybe you feel better after.

Well, it will be not very pleasant.

You think it would help or hurt the video?

What?

You think it would help or hurt the video? Wait, anyway. Okay, to the train station and back to Tokyo.

We just bought our ticket to go back to Tokyo.

Yeah, but there's different classes. Green class on all the other trains is like the reserved higher-end seating, and we just found on this train there's a higher end above the Grand Class, the green class called Grand Class.

So Evan said we have to take it.

Yeah, it's our last bullet train and we've never never done the Grand Class. So this is the highest class, basically, I guess, first class of train. So we got our tickets and we're gonna go. We are back in Tokyo. Amazing day planned. We're going to try to find a flower that only blooms once every 100 years. We're going to be racing go-karts through the streets of Tokyo. Checking out an amazing tokatsu place. And seeing the lanterns at night, the festival, go into the sky. We'll see if we can make all that happen today. If you want to watch it happen, check the video right next to me. I think you'll love it. Continue to believe. We'll see you there.