Zuihoden Mausoleum

Zuihoden is the lavishly decorated mausoleum of Date Masamune, the brilliant and ambitious warlord who founded the city of Sendai and ruled the mighty Sendai domain in the early seventeenth century. Set atop a hill and reached by a majestic avenue of towering cedars, it is the most important historical site in the city and a dazzling example of the ornate, richly coloured Momoyama-style architecture favoured by Japan's great feudal lords.

Date Masamune, remembered as the 'One-Eyed Dragon' for the eye he lost to childhood illness, was one of the most formidable figures of his age, a fierce general, shrewd politician and cultured patron who built Sendai into a prosperous castle town and even dispatched an embassy across the Pacific and on to Europe. When he died in 1636, his son had this mausoleum built to enshrine him, in accordance with the grand funerary customs of the daimyo. The original Zuihoden was so significant that it was designated a National Treasure, but it was destroyed along with much of Sendai in the air raids of 1945. The present building is a meticulous reconstruction completed in 1979, later refurbished to restore its full brilliance, faithfully recreating the vivid original.

The mausoleum itself is a feast of colour and craftsmanship. Where many Japanese religious buildings are austere, Zuihoden gleams with black lacquer, gold leaf and intricately carved and painted decorations, dragons, phoenixes, flowers and mythical beasts in brilliant reds, greens, blues and gold adorning the eaves, doors and gables. It reflects the wealth and confidence of the Date clan at the height of its power, and the effect against the dark surrounding forest is spectacular.

The approach is an essential part of the experience. From the entrance, a long stone stairway climbs through an avenue of enormous cedar trees, some centuries old, their trunks lining the path like pillars of a natural cathedral and casting the whole ascent in cool green shade. Moss-covered stone lanterns stand among them, and the atmosphere of solemn antiquity builds with every step. Nearby stand the smaller but equally ornate mausolea of Masamune's successors, the second and third lords of Sendai, together forming a compound dedicated to the Date rulers. A small museum on the grounds displays artefacts recovered during excavation of the tombs, including items buried with the lords and analysis of their remains, adding a fascinating human and archaeological dimension.

A visit takes a little over an hour and involves climbing the stone steps, making it moderately demanding, though the beauty of the cedar avenue rewards the effort; the grounds are loveliest in autumn colour and fresh early-summer green. Restrooms, the museum, a shop and a cafe are on site, and the modest entrance fee supports the upkeep of this reconstructed treasure.

Getting here is easy thanks to the Loople Sendai sightseeing bus, which loops the city's main attractions from Sendai Station and stops right at the foot of the approach. Zuihoden combines naturally with the nearby Aoba Castle ruins and Sendai City Museum for a day tracing the story of Date Masamune and his domain. Ornate, atmospheric and steeped in the drama of one of Japan's most colourful warlords, Zuihoden is the essential starting point for understanding Sendai.