Off the main road near Sendai Station, Ohisamaya (おひさまや) is a cafe selling organic and macrobiotic cuisine. The spot, started by Shigihara-san (鴫原さん) and her business partner in 1981, has been loved by locals who prefer to eat healthily. While meat and fish were served when it first opened, the restaurant’s menu was largely veganized the following year to cater to customer requests. Thanks to their requests, we can enjoy vegan and vegetarian food in Sendai’s city center!
About Ohisamaya
Just as its name suggests, Ohisamaya’s atmosphere, created by its wooden decor and friendly staff, is as warm as the sun. Its vibe is one of the reasons that it is so popular among the locals! As the cafe receives many international tourists, an English menu is available, although the staff doesn’t speak much English. If you are unsure if an item is vegan, just ask!
Ohisamaya is particular about using as many organic ingredients as possible. As soon as the lunch plate, Ohisama-gohan (おひさまごはん), is brought to you, you know everything on the plate is good for your body. Yet, they are all delicious! The chef even managed to eliminate the distinctive smell of the brown rice that some people find bothersome!
While the lunch plate is filling, try their handmade cakes if you can! Their nutty carrot cakes are incredible, and so are their cheesecakes!
While the food at Ohisamaya tasted incredible, what impressed us the most was its brown rice. It doesn’t have the typical earthy smell that we get at home. Apparently, the secret lies with the cooking utensil. Brown rice tastes better when cooked in a pressure cooker!
Ohisayama’s Vegan Bento Box
Ohisamaya also offers vegan bento boxes. The bento box was smartly designed with two layers: one for rice and one for side dishes and fruit (see the 3rd photo in the Instagram post)!
Just note that the side dishes are likely to be the same as what is served for lunch. We had the lunch plate and also ordered bento boxes to take away. The sides in the bento box were 95% similar to what we had for lunch.
Tips:
☛ To reserve their bento boxes, call Ohisamaya at +81-22-224-8540. Same-day reservations can be made up to 2:30 pm.
☛ It is possible to make your food allium-free.
☛ The natural food store next door sells natural and organically grown vegetables, bread and cookies made with natural yeast and other healthy miscellaneous goods.
Ohisamaya’s Business Hours and Access Information
- Ohisama is open from Monday to Saturday from
- 11:30 am to 2:30 pm for lunch
- 2:30 pm to 5 pm for afternoon tea
- The cafe opens on public holidays.
- The cafe is a 10-minute walk from Sendai Station (仙台駅).
Other Vegan-Friendly Spots in Sendai
Sendai is the biggest city in the Tohoku region. So, if you are planning to be one of the 20 million tourists visiting the city soon, the good news is that there are several vegan or vegetarian-friendly spots where you can enjoy Japan’s delicious food just like everyone else! The vegan/vegetarian food served in the restaurants and cafes in Sendai is just as good and tasty as the meat/seafood dishes, if not better!
For more information, refer to our article on The Guide to Sendai’s Vegan-Friendly Restaurants!
Discover the Fantastic Attractions in Sendai to Visit
You might not be aware of it, but Sendai, the Tōhoku region‘s biggest city, receives more than 20 million tourists each year!
So if you want to find out how Sendai managed to attract so many visitors, refer to our article on Sendai, which is filled with historical, cultural, and natural attractions (=ﾟωﾟ)ﾉ.
