Sendai – Anpanman Museum, Aquarium, and Midnight Noodles

~ Adam

For the last part of our trip, we took the bus and train back to Sendai. First stop was lunch at a beef tongue restaurant, one of Sendai’s specialties. Then we hit the Pokémon Center, did a little shopping, and I explored the lively Kokubuncho district at night. Our hotel even served free midnight noodles!

Gyutan (beef tongue), a Sendai specialty.
Kokubuncho at night.
Leanne enjoying the hotel’s midnight noodles.

The next day, we went back to the Anpanman Children’s Museum! We first went last year when we were in Sendai for a concert, and Forrest is still totally obsessed with Anpanman. He met Anpanman, rode in Baikinman’s UFO, watched the dance show, and of course ended up back in jail.

An Anpanman statue on the way to the museum.
Meeting Anpanman!
A big hug for one of Anpanman’s friends.
Riding in Baikinman’s UFO with mama.
Back in jail again.
Anpanman’s world in miniature.
Playing with mama.
Riding the train with Kabao.
All aboard!
Forrest on a giant Anpanman birthday cake.
Bye bye, Anpanman Museum.

That night we found an amazing Taiwanese restaurant where Forrest ate a ton of vegetables. After he went to bed, Leanne and I hung out in the hotel lobby, people-watching and making up stories about the other guests. I laughed so hard!

On our last full day, we took a taxi to the Sendai Umino-Mori Aquarium. Forrest loved the dolphin show and kept asking for “more” dolphin jumping. My favorite part was watching a fluffy brown baby king penguin get fed by its parent (yes, with regurgitated fish). For dinner we stumbled onto Din Tai Fung, and the xiao long bao was just as good as when we had it in Taiwan.

The giant tank at the aquarium.
Leanne at a craft sake brewery shop near the station. Don’t worry, I drank the sake!