Shiroishi Castle

Shiroishi Castle (Shiroishi-jo) is situated atop a 75 m hill overlooking the streets of Shiroishi in Miyagi Prefecture. It was built by Gamo Ujisato, who governed the Aizu region of Fukushima Prefecture in the latter half of the 16th century. It then became the castle of Master Katakura, a retainer of the Date Clan, which exercised great power in the area of present-day Miyagi Prefecture. The castle tower was destroyed by fire in 1891, and the castle was without a tower until one was finally built in 1995.

Wakuya Castle

Watari Shigemune, a military commander, became the governor of Wakuya Castle (Wakuya-jo) in 1591, and for 277 years from that time the castle remained in the possession of the Sendai Clan, which governed this region. Backed by a hill and guarded at the front by the river, Wakuya Castle was a natural fortress. It had no castle tower but instead a row of buildings resembling manors. It was completely destroyed by accidental fire in 1689, then rebuilt over a period of several years. When political power shifted from the Edo Shogunate to the Meiji Government in the mid-19th century, many castles, symbols of the samurai's political power, were destroyed, including most of the buildings of Wakuya Castle. Only the stone walls and the taikodo turret now remain. A three-storied tower-like building stands adjacent to the castle, exhibiting related materials.

Osaki Hachiman-gu Shrine

Osaki Hachiman-gu is home to the guardian deity of the Date family. The shrine was built in 1607 by Date Masamune, the ruler of the region. The architectural style is known as the Date Culture style, and borrows from the style of the Azuchi-Momoyama Period, which was characterized by a brilliant artistic culture dominating the middle of the 16th century. Local people here are very attached to the shrine and call it "O-hachiman-sama." Every year on 14 January, the festival Donto Matsuri is held and thousands of people join a parade of scantily clad visitors to the shrine. The beautiful building of the shrine is mainly covered in black lacquer and decorated with gold leaf, and is designated a National Treasure.

Zuigan-ji Temple

Zuigan-ji is an old temple founded in 828 and located at Matsushima-kaigan, a beach that is one of the most renowned scenic spots in Japan. Later the Date family, rulers of this region, made it their bodai-jo (the family grave site) and used the temple for holding Buddhist memorial services for the repose of departed souls of the family for many generations. Construction of the present-day building took five years and was completed in 1609 by Date Masamune, famed ruler of this region. The building is constructed in the ornate Momoyama style of the late 16th century, a style used by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, supreme warlord of Japan in the latter half of the 16th century, to demonstrate his power. The Peacock Room in the main hall, designated a National Treasure, is variegated with richly colored carvings, giving visitors a glimpse of the style common during this period. The O-nari-mon ("gate of honor") and Naka-mon ("inner gate") have been designated Important Cultural Properties by the Japanese government.

Naruko kokeshi dolls

Naruko kokeshi dolls are simple wooden toys fashioned to look like a person, and a specialty of the regions around the Narugo Spa in Naruko-cho, Miyagi Prefecture, where up to 80 kokeshi doll craftsmen are working. Naruko kokeshi dolls have distinctive broad shoulders and a thick torso, and are painted with a fringe on the head and chrysanthemums on the body. A good balance between the head and body of the dolls gives them a sense of stability and weight. The head is not fixed but simply inserted into the torso, and squeaks when turned, a feature unique to Naruko kokeshi dolls. The dolls were designated a traditional craft in 1981.