of the modern municipalities system following the abolition of the han system. At the time of incorporation, the city's area was 17.45 km2 and its population was 86,000. The city grew, however, through seven annexations that occurred between 1928 and 1988. The city became a designated city on 1 April 1989; the city's population exceeded one million in 1999.

Sendai was considered to be one of Japan's greenest cities, mostly