Named for the castle Aoba-jo in Sendai. The castle was built in the early seventeenth century by Date Masamune, the feudal lord of the district. The name means “fresh leaves”and frequently represents the city of Sendai. In April 1989, Sendai became a “designated city”. One of the five wards of the city is named Aoba-ku, and it is there that both the Sendai Astronomical Observatory and the Ayashi Station are located {see also planets  (3133) and  (3994)}. (M 16045) _ _.