As much as I like Sendai, I'll allow that the compact center isn't home to that many landmark sights. But if anything, that makes it easier to plan! At the top of my short list there were the lavish mausoleum of Zuihoden, the Mediatheque art and community center, and the Miyagi Museum of Art.
Before I even went into the building, I had plenty to enjoy. The area around the museum and the garden behind it are home to plenty of sculptures, many of them rather playful: a big fat cat, some classical figures, a chubby man riding an equally chubby horse, some more abstract pieces.
I decided not to see the special exhibition, going instead just for the permanent collection. In the spacious rooms there were paintings by mostly post-war Japanese artists, many of them attractive, well executed portraits and landscapes. The last room featured more modern works, including some colourful abstracts and an interesting, unusual sculpture.
Then at the end, there was a final surprise for me. In a room with deep blue walls there were a number of paintings by famous European artists, notably Wassily Kandinsky and Paul Klee. Minor works, but still enjoyable to find
In another part of the museum there's a separate gallery dedicated to the works of Churyo Sato, an acclaimed sculptor from Miyagi. Visitors are greeted by a row of bronze heads, but soon find more variety in the poses of the subjects, making this a fun few rooms to wander around.
Finally, there's the Kenmin gallery, a space available for rent to anyone who wants to exhibit. When I visited, there was an exhibition of artworks by students at local schools, whose various artworks displayed wonderful talent and imagination.
