Miyagi

Miyagi is the most populous prefecture in the Tohoku region. Sendai, the prefectural capital and the region's largest city, is a vibrant metropolis with a unique combination of modern facilities and huge Zelkova trees. Sendai is known throughout Japan as a city with a lot of greenery. The Italian soccer team has chosen to set up its camp there. Located just 10 kilometers (6 miles) from Sendai is Rifu, a small town of 30,000. Rifu is home to Miyagi Stadium, where three World Cup games will be held.

World Cup Games to Be Held in Miyagi
Mexico vs Ecuador (June 9)
Sweden vs Argentina (June 12)
Winner, Group H vs Second-place, Group C (June 18).

Fun Facts About the Stadium
Miyagi Stadium has a huge metal roof that covers two-thirds of the spectator seats. Viewed from a distance, the roof looks like a crescent moon, a symbol used by Date Masamune, the feudal lord who built Sendai Castle about 400 years ago. The stadium has gently sloping stands and wide concourses, so that everyone will find the facilities easy to use.

Famous Local Products and Foods
Sendai is known for its kokeshi (small painted wooden dolls). One famous local food is a soft, sticky rice cake called zunda-mochi. These rice cakes have a distinctive bright-green color that comes from being covered with a paste made by mashing edamame (green soybeans). Another of the region's famous foods is sasakamaboko, which is made of fish paste that is molded in the shape of bamboo leaves and roasted.

Historic Sights and Other Famous Places
The history of Sendai begins with the construction of a castle there by feudal lord Date Masamune, and the ruins of Sendai Castle (also known as Aoba Castle) are quite famous. Another point of interest is the Sendai City Museum, which houses a wealth of documents on Hasekura Tsunenaga, a retainer of Masamune who was sent on missions to establish trade with southern European nations. Hasekura's travels took him to Mexico, Spain, and Italy, and he met with foreign leaders, such as Spain's King Philip III and Pope Paul V. This was the first diplomatic mission sent by Japan to foreign countries, and it lasted from 1613 to 1620.

Also, located 20 kilometers (12 miles) from Sendai is Matsushima Bay, where a group of more than 260 small islands is scattered off the coast. Matsushima is known as one of the three most beautiful places in Japan.

Festivals
Sendai's Tanabata Festival, held on August 6 and 7 every year, is one of the biggest festival in Japan, attracting about two million visitors from all over the country. The Tanabata Festival has its origins in Chinese and Japanese folk legends. People write their wishes on brightly-colored strips of paper and tie them to slim bamboo branches, which are placed in front of buildings or stuck in rice paddies to get the attention of the gods. Date Masamune is said to have encouraged this festival in Sendai as a way of promoting feminine culture, meaning music, dance, flower arranging, the tea ceremony, and other artistic activities often performed by women. In recent years, the celebration has become more and more elaborate.