Linear Collider Workshop 2019 (LCWS 2019) is fast approaching. Have you done your research of Sendai City, the host of LCWS 2019? I know you are all preparing for serious debate with your colleagues at LCWS, but allow me to show off some places and activities in Sendai you can try even if you only have a little downtime to spare.
The LCWS Venue: The Sendai International Center
Only a five minute subway ride from Sendai Station
The Sendai International Center. A subway station was built here in 2015, making it very easy to get to
You can get to the LCWS venue from JR Sendai Station by using the subway (Stops: Sendai ⇒ Aoba-dori Ichibancho ⇒ Omachi Nishi-koen ⇒ International Center). You could walk as well, as it only takes around 30 minutes. Starting from the west exit of Sendai Station, walk straight along Aoba-dori street. Once you cross the bridge over Hirose River, you’ll see the International Center on the right side.
How to get to the International Center from Sendai Airport/Sendai Station:
http://www.aobayama.jp/english/access/
Date Masamune, Famous Samurai of the Warring-States Period, and the Sendai Castle Site
From the front entrance of the Sendai International Center, you can climb a steep road for about 15 minutes, and you’ll reach the former spot of Sendai Castle. In the year 1600, famous samurai warlord Date Masamune built his stronghold Sendai Castle here, beginning Sendai’s history of prosperity.
Photo credit: Sendai Tourism, Convention and International Association. Sendai Castle Ruins seen from above. Some of the best views in Sendai!
It was a fantastic spot for defending against enemy attack, as there is a steep embankment to the east, a hilly forest in the west, and a ravine to the south.
You’ll see a castle-like structure as soon as you climb the hilly, but this is not the castle. This is a replica of a structure called a sumiyagura, which is a watch tower placed on the corner of samurai castle premises.
Photo credit: Sendai Tourism, Convention and International Association. This is the sumiyagura, which is often mistaken as a castle by even Japanese people.
Sendai Castle was completely burned down during a World War II bombing, and only the site now remains.
Here is a fact that even the locals don’t know! Japanese castles are often built with a classic structure we call the Castle Tower, but the Sendai Castle didn’t have this tower. There are many theories as to why, but a favored interpretation is that they built this castle for war, not for beauty.
Photo credit: Sendai Tourism, Convention and International Association. Date Masamune overlooks the castle grounds. He is one of the most famous samurai in all of Japan.
Sendai Castle Site
https://sendai-travel.jp/places/sendai-castle-site/
Advice: The castle site is around a 15 minute walk from the LCWS venue, but the road is quite steep. However, a beautiful view of the city awaits you. If you ever come to Sendai, this is definitely the place to visit.
Meet the model for Darth Vader HERE!
(*someday)
Photo credit: Sendai Tourism, Convention and International Association. The Sendai City Museum. A special exhibition will be hosted during LCWS called “The Sendai Domain and Sendai’s Castle Town”
A 3 minute walk from the LCWS venue lies the Sendai City Museum in the middle of a hill. Within this museum is the suit of samurai armor that served as the model for Darth Vader of Star Wars fame. This armor was worn by Date Masamune, and is called “Kurourushi-gomai-dougusoku (黒漆五枚胴具足)”. You can check it out at this webpage:
Don’t you think it looks like Darth Vader? They say the museum got a call from the movie creators to get a picture of the armor.
In the book “STAR WARS−THE MAGIC OF MYTH” they even have a photo of samurai armor with the caption saying they used Japanese armor from the warring-states period as a reference.
Sendai City Museum
Hours: 9:00-16:45 (Entrance until 16:15)
Admission: Normal exhibitions 460 yen (separate pricing for special exhibitions)
URL:https://www.city.sendai.jp/museum/
※Unfortunately, the Darth Vader-like armor won’t be on display during LCWS.
…and MORE!
Nestled right by the Sendai City Museum is Goshikinuma Pond. At first, it seems just like any old pond, but this was actually the birthplace of figure skating in Japan. Japanese gold medalists Shizuka Arakawa (2006, Torino Olympics), and Yuzuru Hanyu (2014 Sochi and 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics) are both from Sendai.
Right near the LCWS venue. It’s kind of hidden, so see if you can find it!
Map of the Sendai International Center
Japanese
LCWS2019仙台のちょっとした空き時間に楽しむこと－ダースベーダーのモデルになったサムライに会おう！－
いよいよLCWS2019が近づいてきました。開催地・仙台のリサーチはお済みでしょうか？今回は、LCWSで真剣な議論をする皆さんが、ちょっとした空き時間にフラッと立ち寄れる場所を、エピソードを添えてご紹介します。
１．LCWS会場まで、仙台駅から地下鉄で5分
LCWS会場は、JR仙台駅から地下鉄で行くことができます（仙台⇒青葉通一番町⇒大町西公園⇒国際センター）。徒歩だと、30分くらいでしょうか。仙台駅西口を出て、青葉通をひたすらまっすぐ進んで、広瀬川にかかる橋を渡れば右手に見えてきます。
【写真】
【仙台空港、仙台駅からのアクセス】
http://www.aobayama.jp/english/access/
２．戦国大名 伊達政宗と仙台城址
【写真】
LCWS会場・仙台国際センター正面入口を出て、きつい坂を15分程度登ると、かつての仙台城に辿り着きます。西暦1600年に、戦国大名・伊達政宗が自身の居城「仙台城」を築いたことが仙台繁栄のはじまりです。
東側が断崖断崖、西側が山林、南側が渓谷となっており、敵の侵攻を防ぐのに絶好の立地条件でした。
登りはじめてすぐ、左手に城のような建物がありますが、これは城ではありません。隅櫓（sumiyagura）と言い、sumi＝corner,yagura＝watch tower,で戦国時代の見張り台です（レプリカ）。
【写真】
仙台城は第二次世界大戦の空襲で焼失してしまいましたので、今は城跡だけが残っています。
ここで、地元の人でも知らない人が多い豆知識！仙台城には、日本の城としてよく知られる、天守閣（Castle Tower）はありませんでした。天守を作らなかった理由は諸説あるのですが、「華美な城ではなく、戦うための城を建てた」という説が、ロマンがあると思います。
【写真】
【Sendai Castle site（仙台城址）】
https://sendai-travel.jp/places/sendai-castle-site/
アドバイス：
LCWS会場から徒歩で15分。とにかく坂がキツイ。ただ、登り切れば素敵な景色が待っている。仙台に来たら、必ず行ってほしい場所。
３．ダースベーダーのモデルがここに。
【写真】
LCWS会場から徒歩3分。坂の途中にあるのが「仙台市博物館」です。ここには、スターウォーズ作品の影の主役、ダースベイダーのモデルになった鎧が収蔵されています。伊達政宗が着用した、その名も「黒漆五枚胴具足 (kurourushi-gomai-dougusoku)」。見た方が早いですね、これです。
http://datebunka.jp/cp/1/
ダースベイダーに似ている、でしょ？なんでも、映画制作関係者から博物館に電話がかかってきて、黒漆五枚胴具足の写真を送ってあげたんだとか。
米国で発行された「STAR WARS−THE MAGIC OF MYTH」に、「日本の戦国武将の鎧を参考にした」と写真付きで載っているそうです。
【仙台市博物館】
開館：9:00～16:45（入館は16:15まで）
料金：常設展／ 460円 ※特別展は別途
URL:https://www.city.sendai.jp/museum/
※ LCWS期間は、黒漆五枚胴具足の展示をしていないようです。残念！
４．おまけ
仙台市博物館の隣にひっそりと佇むのが、「五色沼」。いたってふつーの池ですが、実はここ「日本フィギュアスケート発祥の地」なんです。日本が世界に誇る金メダリスト、荒川静香さん（2006年トリノ）、羽生結弦さん（2014ソチ、2018ピョンチャン）も仙台の出身だったりします。
【写真】
【地図】
