Sendai Station (Miyagi)

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Sendai Station

Sendai Station (仙台駅, Sendai eki^?) is the major railway hub of the Tōhoku region in Japan, serving more passengers than any station outside the Greater Tokyo Area. It is a stop for all Akita and Tōhoku Shinkansen trains, the eastern terminus for the Senzan Line, and major stop on both the Tōhoku Main Line and Senseki Line. It is located in Miyagino and Aoba Wards in Sendai, Miyagi.

[edit] Lines

• JR East Akita Shinkansen Line
• JR East Tōhoku Shinkansen Line
• JR East Tōhoku Main Line
• JR East Senzan Line
• JR East Senseki Line
• JR East Jōban Line
• The Sendai City Subway Line
• Sendai Airport Line (under construction, due to open 2006)

[edit] Layout

Although the main JR train station and the subway station are physically separate, there are underground passageways connecting the two. The main Sendai Station is above-ground, and is a hub for the East Japan Railway Company containing both the Tōhoku and Akita Shinkansen lines and several other local lines. The above-ground portion of Sendai Station lies in Aoba-ku, and is situated so that tracks run roughly north-south. In the station's easternmost section, underground and across the ward border in Miyagino-ku, is the platform for the east-west Senseki Line. Until recently, this platform was also above ground; but in 2000, the line was extended to Aoba-dōri to the west, and the line was re-routed underground beneath the rest of the station.

The subway line lies to the west, and can be accessed from the main station via underground passageways at both ends of the station. The platform for the subway at Sendai Station is actually closer to Aoba-dōri Station than the other lines through Sendai Station. In fact, there is a transfer-only gate between the subway and Senseki Line platform at Aoba-dōri Station.

[edit] Surrounding area

[edit] West (Main) Exit

The area outside the west exit of Sendai Station is the traditional center of activity around the station. This is because the area is closer to the central business district of Sendai, which initially developed around Sendai Castle.

The area is home to some of the largest department stores in Sendai. The S-Pal department store and the Station are directly connected to each other. A large elevated walkway outside the exit provides access to other departments stores, such as the Sakurano Department Store, the Jujiya Co. Sendai Store, and EBeanS. EbeanS is home to Junkudo Sendai, the largest bookstore in the Tohoku Region. The AER Building, a large office building built through recent redevelopment, is also located in the area and is home to various offices and stores, such as Maruzen, another large bookstore.

The area around the Asaichi-dori street, next to EBeanS is known as the Sendai Asaichi (Sendai morning Market), although stores are open all day long. The Asaichi is home to a wide variety of small stores that mainly sell Japanese foods.

The Sendai Metropolitan Hotel can be directly accessed via the elevated walkway and is extremely convenient for visitors unfamiliar with the area. The entrance to Sendai's largest shopping malls, such as the Clis Road Shopping District and the Ichibancho Shopping District, are located close to the exit of the elevated walkway, and a bus exchange area and taxi pool can be found under the walkway.

[edit] East Exit

The area outside the east exit of Sendai Station is the "new" side of the station. It traditionally had a smaller concentration of businesses compared to the west side. The fact that the area was not damaged by World War II bombing also delayed development in the area.

The municipal government decided to conduct redevelopment in the area in 1960. The redevelopment project is still in progress, but the area has already been largely renovated with a new bus exchange area and taxi pool. The Yodobashi Camera Sendai Store, one of the largest electronics retailers in Sendai, is located right outside of the east exit. BiVi Sendai, a department store, is also located closeby. The east side of the station is also close to many entertainment venues, such as Beeb Sendai, Sendai Sunplaza, and Zepp Sendai. Fullcast Stadium Miyagi is also within walking distance.

[edit] History

[edit] Adjacent stations

Stations of the Sendai City North/South Subway Line . Izumi-Chūō - Yaotome - Kuromatsu - Asahigaoka - Dainohara - Kita-Sendai - Kita-Yobanchō - Kōtōdai-Kōen - Hirose-dōri - Sendai - Itsutsubashi - Atagobashi - Kawaramachi - Nagamachi-Itchōme - Nagamachi - Nagamachi-Minami - Tomizawa