A mausoleum with elaborate Momoyama-style design where Date Masamune is buried.

When you think of ''famous places for autumn leaves,'' many people probably think of mountains such as canyons. However, many people may not know that there are some surprising spots for autumn leaves near Sendai Station. Zuihoden, located a 10-minute walk from Omachi-Nishikoen Station on the Tozai Subway Line, is home to various types of maple trees, and in mid-November, the best time to see the autumn leaves, the area is dyed in a vibrant gradation of red and yellow.

Now, let me introduce Zuihoden. This brightly colored building is a mausoleum that enshrines the spirit of Date Masamune, the first lord of the Sendai domain. Lord Masamune is buried 3 meters underground, and inside the building there is a statue of Miki that resembles what he looked like when he was alive. It was originally built in 1637, but was destroyed in the Sendai air raid in 1945. It was rebuilt in 1979 based on the materials that remained, and through renovation work in 2001, it was brought back to a form closer to its original state.

Prince Masamune is said to have visited Kyogamine during his lifetime to listen to the first sounds of the Hototogisu and made a will saying, ''When I die, I want to be buried at Kyogamine.'' There are other Date family mausoleums dotted around the grounds, such as Kansenden, the mausoleum of the second lord of the domain, Lord Tadamune, and Zennoden, the mausoleum of the third lord, Lord Tsunamune.