Aoba Castle (青葉城, Aobajo) was built 100 meters above the city on Mount Aoba. It was commissioned by Date Masamune, founder of the Sendai Domain, in 1600. He chose the location based on the considerations for defensive strategies. The castle was used as the residency for the Date Clan for many generations. It was able to survive the anti-feudal fervor of the Meiji Restoration, but it was not able to withstand the fire in 1882 and bombings in 1945. There were efforts made to restore what they can, which is why parts of the outer stone wall and guard tower remain on the grounds. A monument of Date Masamune fully clad in his signature armor on horseback was built as a reminder of the sites history. During the reconstruction process Aoba Castle Museum was built on the grounds to commemorate the history of the site. It has models of what the castle used to look like as well as artifacts from the place. They even added the Gokoku Shrine, which is a branch of the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo, to the grounds. Walking distance away from Aoba Castle is the Sendai City Museum where many relics of the Date Clan are displayed.
