I get up early and cross the road from my hostel to pick up my now customary pastries and coffee, then gather my stuff and head to the main station in Sapporo for my 9:37 train to Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto, where I get 20 minutes to head over to the Shinkansen platform and meet the Tokyo bound train that’ll get me to Sendai around 3 hours later. This time Im riding the slow train in daylight and get to enjoy the views from both the slower local train and the speedy Shinkansen.
Arriving in Sendai, a quick check of google maps indicates I can walk up to my hostel, which I duly do, but finding it is another matter. It’s now dusk, and the age old issue of things being harder to find in the dark is still true, despite google maps actually being accurate, I walk around the block until I come back and realise I was in the right place all along. My hostel is ok, hostelworld has it at 8.5/10 which I would question, and the host seems quite ill and I’m soon feeling ill at the disgusting noises he’s making. Still, I’ve paid for three nights, it’s old and a bit scruffy but clean and cheap.
Having sorted out my stuff, and to be fair my bunk has far more space than a lot of places I’ve had, plus my own large dedicated cubbyhole for my bags, it’s time for food. For some reason I fancy a burger, the first place I try doesn’t exist (thanks google) but the second place – Teddys Diner, a 50’s themed burger joint is just what I need. Latin music playing, a tasty deluxe burger, fries and a coke (¥1,400) devoured and I’m ready for what’s next.
What’s next, is a little cafe I noticed earlier while walking to the burger joint. Super Good Cafe Bar. This place is probably one of the coolest little venues I’ve ever been to. A small bar on a corner with wall to wall shelves stacked with Jazz, Funk & Hip-Hop vinyl. One of the two lovely hosts on the decks, and a fine selection of drinks. This place isn’t the cheapest, there’s a cover charge (¥1,000) and my beers (¥900 bottle) were not the bargain type of ale. In my opinion all worth it, for the vibe, the friendly couple and the incredible tunes. They even have a full working Wurlitzer, I never expected I’d have Gil Scott-Heron’s The Revolution Will Not Be Televised blasting away on 7″ from a Jukebox, but there it was.
