Entsuin Temple is rich with stories from Matsushima’s samurai past. It was founded in 1647 to honor Date Mitsumune, who had been in line to become the third ruler of Sendai. Mitsumune was said to have excelled at his studies and had the potential to be as great a ruler as his grandfather, the legendary samurai Date Masamune. However, he died suddenly at age nineteen and never fulfilled his destiny. His father Tadamune, the second ruler of Sendai, built Entsuin in his honor.

The Japanese gardens of Entsuin Temple are a peaceful oasis at the center of Matsushima’s popular waterfront area. The rock garden near the entrance symbolizes the islands of Matsushima Bay. Make your way up a weathered stairway, formed from the same soft stone as Matsushima’s islands, to a peaceful mausoleum surrounded by trees. It is dedicated to Mitsumune, who is depicted as a warrior on horseback. He is surrounded by seven statues representing the retainers who then followed their master in death.

The vibrant ornamentation on the mausoleum reflect the ambitions of an era that had come to a close. A generation earlier, the Sendai domain had sent an emissary to Rome to open up trade with Europe. They returned to Japan with artifacts including a painting of a European rose. Close inspection of the patterns on the mausoleum’s interior show familiar European symbols including crosses, hearts and spades, and a replica of the rose painting. As the national government began to ban Christianity and close Japan to the world, Sendai’s nascent international trade could not continue. The mausoleum doors with foreign imagery were closed, and the contents kept secret for centuries. Today, in honor of this unique history, Entsuin has a western rose garden.

Entsuin has activities including making Buddhist prayer bead bracelets, which is available without reservation. Near the entrance is an Enmusubi Kannon (a matchmaking deity) where visitors can write their wishes on a small doll and dedicate it to the Kannon. The grounds are also open nightly during autumn for a seasonal light-up event.