The largest city in the Tohoku region of Japan, Sendai is located in the prefecture of Miyagi along the eastern seaboard of Honshu. Sendai is known for its Gyuutan (fried beef tongue), and is about 20 minutes by train from Matsushima, which is one of the Three Famous Views of Japan (Nihon Sankei). The kanji that make up the name "Sendai" mean, approximately, "friendly wizard living in a cave." Although the city may seem a little backwoods compared to Tokyo or Sapporo, it is nonetheless considered the cultural center of the region.