Historical Cats and Hedgehogs: A Day in Sendai

    I had seen ads for this exhibit at the Sendai City Museum for months and had really wanted to go. Strange old paintings of cats from hundreds of years ago-- some life-like, some anthropomorphized, some massive and demonic-- came from various collections and locations to be shown here for the first time in eastern Japan.

    Somehow it wasn't until the final day of the exhibit, June 9th, that I finally had the energy and funds to make the trip happen. With my five-year-old daughter, I made my way to Sendai that sunny Sunday morning. We got off the Senseki line at Aobadori and headed for the subway, taking the Tozai line toward Yagiyama Zoo and getting off at the International Center (5 minutes, 200 yen from Sendai).

    I had looked up the access page on the website and the guide even came with pictures for how to get to the museum from that subway station. Unfortunately the pictured area was filled with people and food stalls for a gyoza festival and I couldn't figure out where to go, so I instead followed Google maps, Pokemon Go, and signs posted on the street. I do not recommend following my example as it required walking uphill, past lots of overgrown shrubbery, almost all the way up to Sendai Castle Ruins. Shortly before the final crest of the hill, a small sign directed us back down a side road to the actual museum entrance. We even followed a rock trail to the back side of the front entrance to the place.

    Prices for exhibits here tend to be on the high side but they do offer several discounts including 20% off for Loople bus users, which is probably a nicer way to get to the museum than our long scenic route.

    The museum itself was nice enough and we enjoyed it though I highly recommend using the bathroom before entering the exhibition area as there are no facilities between the entrance and exit to that area and there is no re-entry. It's also probably easier to enjoy this kind of thing when your kid isn't disappointed by the lack of actual felines on the premises.

    There is a slightly expensive restaurant in the museum and a museum gift shop in addition to the sales area for the current exhibit. Also, a large hands-on area where kids are encouraged to touch and play is located between the exhibit sales area and gift shop.

    After this, we made our way out of the museum and walked toward Jozenji street, past the Loople bus stop and toward the Omachi-Nishikoen subway station where we took the Tozai line back to Sendai station and headed for the shopping arcade.

    The week previous, my daughter and I had spotted a sign with an adorable hedgehog on it in Sendai. Being near the end of a long day, my exhausted brain took a minute to decipher the meaning. It was a hedgehog cafe, located just outside of the shopping arcade in the basement floor of a building past Eddie Bauer on the way to Nishikicho park. My daughter demanded to go and I told her we would next time. This was next time.

    The place was nice but a little on the steep side, charging 1400 yen per person per half hour for one drink and one hedgehog to hobnob with. Like the owl cafe, they didn't seem too strict on demanding people leave at the time limit but I also didn't push the issue since I didn't have the cash on me to pay double. They also refused to let me just pay for my kid, which came to be a good idea after all because I wound up holding the little guy a lot. I was so busy making sure my kid didn't drop the little guy that I didn't get a single picture of her holding him. Better luck next time. 

    As with all pet cafes, there is a risk of clothing damage from excrement or urine, but we weren't bothered. I even paid for meal worms that my daughter gleefully fed to her little friend. When our time was up, we said goodbye, leaving our spiky friend in the animal containing area inlaid in the table.