Zuiganji Temple

A landmark ancient temple of Tohoku, said to date way back to 828. The remaining buildings were built by Masamune Date, the first lord of Sendai Clan, who spent five years transforming it into the flamboyant Momoyama architectural style. The main hall and Kuri (kitchen) are certified national treasures, and Onarimon (the grand gate) and Nakamon (the smaller gate) are important certified national cultural properties.
In the main hall, established in 1609, you are allowed to view a room with an elevated platform that used to belong to the feudal lord, and the hawk room, where samurais stood watch. The partition doors carry beautiful paintings of peonies, a peacock and a hawk.
The Kuri, a certified national treasure and a building that used to be the kitchen area, has beautifully contrasting white walls and wooden beams, as well as a magnificent smoke outlet on the top of the roof. It was Lord Masamune's sense of beauty that brought the openwork foliage patterns to the practical space of the kitchen.
On the premises is also Seiryuden, a treasure museum, storing and displaying some 30,000 pieces of treasure and historical artefacts on Matsushima. Not to be missed is the mural in the main hall, also a certified important national cultural property. Aside from the regular exhibition, the museum holds special themed exhibitions.