2025 Akita Travel Guide: Must-see attractions, popular food, hotels, transportation routes (updated in July)

#MarchGoodPlaces2025 "Hyakkei Tofu", a tofu specialty store in Shogunno, Akita City, northeastern Japan, is a small shop that I accidentally discovered after walking around the Akita Castle ruins. The white tofu looks quite literary, and it sells bean-related products, but it seems to be open only on weekends, so you need to visit Akita on the Saturday to eat it. The tofu tastes more like tofu pudding, which is very dense and rich. You can taste the quality of the selected beans. Paired with tofu ice cream, it is very light and delicious. According to the introduction, the more special one is "Yojirogage", which is similar to fresh deep-fried tofu skin and can be paired with fried chicken or rice balls. It is quite popular and it is a cute little shop. Hundred Views of Tofu 🕰️Opening hours: 1100-1800 📍Address: 4 Chome-9-31 Shogunnominami, Akita, 011-0936 Japan #JapanTohokuTravel #Akita

📌 🇯🇵 Japan / Akita . Open for Students 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. I've always wanted to visit the Akita International University (AIU) library in Akita 📚✨ Designed by architect Mitsuru Senda The design is reminiscent of an ancient Roman arena with the theme of "Coliseum of Books," and the "umbrella-shaped roof" that makes use of Akita's traditional techniques was so stylish and cool 😭✨ It's also called the "library that never sleeps" because students can use it 24 hours a day, 365 days a year 😳⏳ If I could study in such a wonderful place, I think I'd become smarter too 🥳(?) . #Japan #Akita #Akita International University #akita #tripDomestic travel

The 143m tall port tower From a height of 100m, you can see the Sea of ​​Japan, wind power, the Oga Peninsula, and Mt. Chokai in 360 degrees At the Selion Garden on the first floor, you can find local vegetables, souvenirs and alcohol from Akita The restaurant Selion Kitchen is on the first floor On the fourth floor, 96m above ground, is the Selion Cafe Next to it is the indoor green park Selion Rista, an indoor park that is unique to snowy countries. And what's more, this tower is star-shaped ☆ Cute The cafe is glass-walled, so it's hot, but the view is great! I'm happy to be able to buy local vegetables! I bought a lot! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~🫧~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Akita Port Selion 📍1-9-1 Tsuchizakiminami Nishi, Akita City ⏰Observation deck 9:00-21:00 (varies by store) 🚃18 minutes by car from JR Akita Station 🚌25 minutes from bus stop 4 at JR Akita West Exit Bus Terminal 🚃25 minutes on foot from JR Tsuchizaki Station ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~🫧~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *This information is current, so please check it out before you go! Photo date: 2024/9 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~🫧~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Right now! This moment! Enjoy the Maya trip to the fullest ✔︎A place I'm glad I went and experienced ✔︎I hope this will be helpful for your outings♫ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~🫧~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ #Domestic trip #Free #Value for money trip #Amazing view #Akita Port Celian #Sightseeing in Akita #Roadside station #Tower

Akita Museum of Art, designed by Tadao Ando For those who take the train, it's great that it's close to the station, and the entrance stairs are mesmerizing. But even better is the cafe. The sofa seats facing the windows are the best. The reflections of the scenery on the water are amazing✨ The windows are long, so they make it look like a painting. The greenery and blue sky are reflected on the water, making it feel like a real painting, and it's a very relaxing place. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~🫧🫧🫧~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Akita Museum of Art 📍1-4-2 Nakadori, Akita City, Akita Prefecture ⏰10:00-18:00　Irregular closing days 💰Depending on the exhibition 🚃10 minutes walk from Akita Station ☑︎The museum shop and cafe are free to enter! ☑︎ I'm so happy it's so close to the station! ☑︎ Architect/Tadao Ando ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~🫧🫧🫧~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *This information is current, so please check it out before you go! Photo date📷 2023/8 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~🫧🫧🫧~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Right now! This moment! Enjoy the Maya trip to the fullest ✔︎A place I'm glad I went and experienced ✔︎I hope this will be helpful for your outings♫ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~🫧🫧🫧~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ #Sakura2024 #AkitaMuseumofArt #MuseumVisit #PhotogenicSpots #RecommendedSpots #ArchitecturalTour #Reflection #AkitaCafe #AkitaTourism #Akita #AkitaCity #TadaoAndo

This time, I will introduce 6 photogenic spots that I recommend as a resident of Akita! 💁♀️💓 Whether you have been to Akita before or not, use this as a reference for your trip to Akita📍 Travel destination list 1｜Unosaki Beach (Oga City, Akita Prefecture) A beach in Akita Prefecture known as the "Uyuni Salt Flats"📍The sky reflected on the water surface like a mirror is very beautiful🤩 2｜Nyudozaki (Oga City, Akita Prefecture) A cape at the northernmost tip of Oga🌊 There is a beautiful lighthouse that was selected as one of the "50 Best Lighthouses in Japan"! You can also climb this lighthouse. 3｜Gozaishi Shrine (Semboku City, Akita Prefecture) A shrine with a distinctive torii gate facing the surface of Lake Tazawa⛩️The contrast between the red torii gate and the blue of Lake Tazawa is a spectacular sight🧚♀️ 4｜Omoide no Kata Bunko (Semboku City, Akita Prefecture) The nostalgic! You can visit a closed school 🏫 You can actually play table tennis and badminton in the gymnasium! 5｜Akita International University Nakajima Memorial Library (Akita City, Akita Prefecture) One of the most beautiful libraries in Japan 📕. 6｜Masuda Storehouse (Yokote City, Akita Prefecture) Masuda, which flourished as a merchant town, has buildings from the Meiji, Taisho, and Showa eras, many of which have "internal organs" covered with sheaths. There are many places where you can see the internal organs, so you can enjoy touring the storehouses 🙆 #besttrip2023 #AkitaTourism #Akita Prefecture #Akita #TohokuTrip #TohokuTrip #Tohoku

[Access] Right next to Tazawako Station on the Shinkansen [Points] ~Modern station building~ The waiting room at Tazawako Station is a stylish glass-walled space. It is a rare glass-walled building in the area. There are also Namahage figures on display inside the station, making it a station where you can fully experience the Akita atmosphere. *Information current as of May 2023.

First visit to Akita Airport 🔰 The tough Namahage 👹 and the cute Akita dog 🐶 Akita Airport is where these coexist. Akita Sayogu, we're here! The Namahage welcome you with shining eyes 😆 The little ones might cry 💦 Next to the turntable, there was also an Akita cedar dog hospitality team 🐕 There's also a lot of art in the airport. The works of Shuzo Ikeda, a woodblock artist from Nikaho City, Akita Prefecture, are everywhere 🖼 A fairy tale world with a gentle yet powerful gaze. I couldn't help but stop at every piece of art ☺️ Also, in a corner of the waiting zone outside the restricted area on the second floor, there is a ceramic relief based on an original drawing by Yaguchi Takao, a manga artist from Yokote City, Akita Prefecture 😲 It dynamically depicts the main character from the manga "Tsurikichi Sanpei," a school of yamame trout, and Mt. Chokai! And on the top floor is "Minna no Hiroba Kuu." It's a space that feels like it's surrounded by the sky and clouds 🌤 Not only are there many model planes, including those from JAL, and panels explaining the history of Akita Airport on display, but the cockpit of a three-engine Tristar, which is only introduced by ANA in Japan, is also on display 💡 It was great to see Akita Airport, which makes full use of the limited space to entertain visitors 👍 The interior, which makes abundant use of Akita cedar, is also wonderful ✨ Visit date: October 2021 #Tohoku #TohokuTrip #Airport #airport #AkitaPrefecture #Akita #AkitaTourism #AkitaAirport #Namahage #AkitaInu #ObservationDeck

In front of Akita Station #wintertravel There are many shops and it has a lively atmosphere. I booked a hotel at short notice, but I was glad I was able to enjoy it.

“Oyasukyo” Valley in Yuzawa City in the southernmost part of Akita Prefecture. 😻😻🍁🍁🍁 This place has extremely cool natural hot springs 😻 Oyasukyo Daifunto is a natural hot spring that erupts into a wall covering both sides of a cliff and is nicknamed “Hell’s Boiler”.

#Overseas Travel #Japan Travel #Japan The Akita Kanto Festival is a festival held in Akita City, Akita Prefecture. It is held from August 3rd to 6th every year to pray for a good harvest and freedom from disease and disaster. The Shine of 10,000 Lanterns It is mainly men from all walks of life in Akita Prefecture who use their hands, foreheads, shoulders, waists and other parts of their bodies to hold up a 12-meter-long pole with 46 lanterns hanging vertically, and parade along the streets while changing various control techniques easily and freely. As many as 280 poles parade along the street accompanied by the rhythm of wooden flutes and drums. The scene is beautiful and dreamy, and it is worth watching. address 7-1-2 Nakadori, Akita City, Akita Prefecture

Address: 2-1 Nakadori 7-chome, Akita City Atmosphere/Facilities: Adjacent to Akita Station. The common areas such as the hallways and front desk area, as well as the rooms, are clean and comfortable. The furnishings are of high quality and taste. Recommended points: The breakfast buffet is a delicious and varied power breakfast made with locally produced ingredients. Average price: 10,000 yen Budget per person: 10,000 yen Rating: High

I found the best value hot spring inn I've ever stayed at♨️ This inn is called "Komagatake Onsen" and is located in Mizusawa Onsenkyo near Lake Tazawa in Senboku City, Akita Prefecture♪ In addition to the large bath with excellent spring quality, it also comes with a free private open-air bath for less than 10,000 yen! You also get delicious Akita local cuisine for less than 10,000 yen! For less than 10,000 yen, the food is often simple, but the food at this inn is more than worth the price! It also comes with a shuttle service to the most difficult-to-book secluded area in Japan, "Tsuru no Yu," and it was a wonderful inn with everything you could ask for♨️ #Hot spring #Value hotel #Snow scenery

I went to Ogare, a roadside station in Akita. They have a wide range of items, from souvenirs to local ingredients, and just looking around made me feel like I was part of the local community. Akita is also famous for its hot springs, so it's fun to stop by on your way back from a hot spring♪ On some days, you can even interact with Akita dogs. Please visit Ogare, a roadside station packed with the best of Akita! Recommended for a date! #hotsprings #akita #recommendedfordates #hotelroyalpark

I went to YAMAKIU MINAMI SOKO, a fashionable warehouse in Akita that houses miscellaneous goods, a flower shop, and restaurants. When I went inside, I found a very stylish space where I could take a great photo no matter where I looked. It was fun just looking around. It's also recommended for dates and choosing a birthday present for a friend! Please go and check it out! #photogenicspot #recommendedfordates #Akita #yamakiu MINAMI SOKO #hotelroyalpark

I will introduce the hotel I stayed at at Akita Station on my first trip to Akita. Toyoko Inn Akita Station East Exit. The hotel is directly connected to Akita Station, so even if it's raining or snowing, you can reach the hotel without getting wet, and it's very accessible! There's also a convenience store right there! And Toyoko Inn is currently running a U35 discount, so if you're under 35, you can get a great deal! This time, I was able to stay for just 3,149 yen. Because it's a major hotel chain, the hotel services were stable and comfortable, with the bare minimum. Another plus point about this Toyoko Inn is that the views from the higher floors are great✨ #Cost-effective hotel #Snowscape #Akita

On my first trip to Akita, I also rode the Akita Shinkansen Komachi for the first time in my life 🚄 Wherever you go in Tohoku in winter, the snowy scenery is amazing, and it was great to sit in the spacious seats of the Shinkansen and watch the snowy scenery from the wide windows all the time ♪ Akita Prefecture is large and it takes a surprisingly long time to travel, so the Akita Shinkansen plays a really big role! This time I headed to Tazawako Station, and the approximately 1-hour journey from Akita Station was really comfortable ♪ After riding this, I wish there was a Shinkansen in the eastern part of Kyushu (Oita and Miyazaki). #SnowyScenery #AmazingScenery #Akita

This is my first time in Akita Prefecture! This is "Akita Station". It seems to have been renovated, but the inside of the station is very modern and beautiful, which surprised me! It was winter, so I could see the beautiful snowy scenery and enjoy the gourmet food near the station♪ "Hirosu Ramen", a ramen originating in Akita, was absolutely delicious🍜 It inherits the taste of "Shinpuku Saikan" in Kyoto, and the rich soy sauce ramen and fried rice are exquisite! Also, "Kamodani Coffee Shop", a coffee shop located in a commercial facility inside the station called Topico, offers morning service all day long, and when I visited in the afternoon, I was able to get afternoon tea sweets just by ordering coffee♪ #Snowy scenery #Akita Station

#Akita Akita Inu no Sato is a 5-minute walk from Odate Station. You can see different types of Akita dogs depending on the day. 🐕 They also sell a wide variety of Akita dog-related goods. Highly recommended for dog lovers. Akita dog 🐕🐕🐕🐕

Address: About 10 minutes walk from Akita City Station Atmosphere/Facilities: A hotel with good value for money. Luxurious, new facilities, spacious lobby, clean facilities Recommended points: 5-star service at the price of a 4-star hotel. Nearby are Senshu Park and Akita City Museum of Art, and it is next to tourist spots. Akita specialty cuisine is also nearby. The breakfast is also delicious. Average price: Less than 10,000 yen/night #Amazing view #Where to go in spring

The Folk Performing Arts Museum opened in 1992 as a branch of the Akita Municipal Red Brick Local Museum to preserve and pass on local folk events and performing arts, including Kanto, and is affectionately known as the "Neburi Nagashi Museum." Within the museum is the former Kaneko residence. The Kaneko family ran a pawnbroker and second-hand clothing business in the late Edo period, and in the early Meiji period they founded a wholesale business selling kimonos and heavy goods (cotton and linen fabrics), running their business here until 1975. The former Kaneko residence is a traditional building that retains the characteristics of a townhouse from the late Edo period, and consists of a main house and a storehouse. The main house and rice-picking storehouse were destroyed in the Tawaraya fire in 1886, but the storehouse survived and has been treasured as the guardian deity of the Kaneko family. (The main house was rebuilt in 1887.) The owner donated it to Akita City in 1996, and it was designated a tangible cultural property by the city in 1997. #Breathtaking views

This is the former head office of Akita Bank. It is an important cultural property that was completed during the Meiji period. It is one of the recommended tourist spots in Akita City. The admission fee is 250 yen, and you can see everything in about 30 minutes. At the former head office of the bank, you can see the old bank on the first floor, the sturdy facilities, the VIP staircase, etc. On the second floor and above is the Katsuhira Tokuyuki Memorial Museum, which has wooden art pieces and paintings. If you come to Akita City, be sure to stop by. #Breathtaking views

The No.1 recommended tourist spot in Akita City, Akita Prefecture: Senshu Park. The green looks good in the photos, but the scenery in the heavy snow is also spectacular. It's about a 10-minute walk from Akita Station, and if you take a leisurely stroll it will take about 2 hours. It takes time to walk through the snowy road, but the snow is pure white, the thickness of which is only found in Tohoku, and the occasional glimpse of greenery in it is truly moving. A garden-like view emerges in the snow, so it's worth visiting again in a season without snow.

I spent two days sightseeing in Nyuto Onsen, Lake Tazawa, and Kakunodate. I arrived at Aomori Station on an overnight bus from Tokyo Station. I'll be sharing how to travel solo around Aomori and Akita. I'm also posting on Instagram under the account "Recommendations for Solo Travel"! Check it out at @hitoritabi_travel! #Akita #akita #NyutoOnsenkyo ##NyutoOnsenTsuruNoYu #LakeTazawa #Kakunodate #Kiritanpo ##InaniwaUdon #SnowScenery #IWantToConnectWithPeopleWhoLikeToTravel #ILoveTravel #TravelLover #TravelInstagram #TravelLover #TravelLoverGirls #TravelWomen #TabiJo #DomesticTravel #AsiaTravel #IWantToConnectWithPeopleWhoLikeToTravel #AroundJapan #SoloTravel #CoupleTravel #GirlsTrip #Backpacker #travel #landscape

#triplocal #triplocal

This summer, play a different trip, go to Akita for the Lantern Festival! In the summer, the Milky Way is like a pour, full of avenues, like lanterns made of rice bags, and cutting-edge pipa, showing a dreamy scene. Use the long bamboo poles to form a cross shape, decorate the lights, and play the drums while traveling in the city. On the 12-meter raft, there are 46 lanterns hanging, such as the mature rice ears emitting golden brilliance. With such weight, the test is the ability to balance. is one of the three major festivals in the Northeast. It was originally designed to drive away the summer sickness and evil spirits, but it is full of endless aesthetic fantasy, especially in the night sky, interesting and beautiful. The men are working hard to hold the shackles. We are on the table, we are screaming, cheering, tacit understanding, and the scene is lively and spectacular. When we are nearing the end, we can touch all kinds of lanterns, pray, health and safety. . Viewing date: 2019.8.3-8.6 Traffic information: Get off at JR Akita Station.

#summervacay Just a 5-minute walk from Hirosaki Castle, this **free** historic park is where locals escape the tourist crowds—but you’ll still get castle views, samurai vibes, and *maybe* a ninja sighting (disclaimer: ninjas not guaranteed). --- ### **Why Senshu Park?** ✅ **Samurai HQ Ruins**: The **Tsugaru Clan’s** old admin buildings are now poetic rubble. ✅ **Secret Cherry Spots**: Same blooms as the castle, but with 90% fewer selfie sticks. ✅ **Free Moat Access**: That iconic red bridge? Yours for $0. --- ### **📍 Sneaky Shortcut** - From Hirosaki Castle’s **main gate**, turn left and follow the outer moat (10-min walk). - **Bus Hack**: Ride the *100-yen loop bus* to “Senshu Park” stop. --- ### **🌸 Best Things to Do** 1. **Photograph the Floating Bridge**: At sunset, it glows like a **ukiyo-e painting**. 2. **Hunt Samurai Stones**: Look for carved clan symbols in the ruins. 3. **Picnic Like a Local**: Grab *igamenchi* (squid croquettes) from a vendor and claim a bench. --- ### **⏰ Pro Tips** - **Golden Hour**: 4-6PM for **empty pathways** and soft light. - **Winter Magic**: Snow transforms the ruins into a **samurai ghost scene**. - **Combo Move**: Hit the **Neputa Mura Museum** (¥600) afterward for Aomori’s festival lore. **Verdict:** All the feudal atmosphere, none the castle entrance fee.

If you plan to go to the Tohoku Summer Festival this summer and experience a different Japan, you can save travel expenses by using the Tohoku JRPASS for several great festivals. By the way, the Tohoku Shinkansen will merge and separate in Morioka, which is also a must-see scenery. First of all, let’s talk about the most beautiful scenery in the Tohoku Summer Festival-the Morioka Sansa Dance Festival, which is held on Central Avenue from August 1 to August 4 every year. Not only does it have the Guinness World Record for the largest number of people and the drum parade, but also the annual Sansa Dance Miss will participate in the parade. According to legend, in ancient times, there was an evil ghost that had been invading this area, and the residents were miserable, so they went to ask the gods of the Mitsuishi Shrine for help. After the gods subdued the evil ghost, they asked him to put handprints on three stones to promise not to make trouble again. This is also the origin of "Iwate Prefecture". After the evil ghost was subdued, the residents happily danced around the stones and shouted Sansa, Sansa, which also became the origin of the Sansa Dance. Since the summer festivals in Tohoku are concentrated in early August, the following is a five-day itinerary for reference: Day 1 (8/3): Use JR Pass to take the 9:54 or 10:14 Shinkansen from Tokyo Ueno to Morioka, which takes about two hours. After arriving, you can first taste the famous Morioka cold noodles. This cold noodle with watermelon is chewy, salty and sour, and finally eat a bite of watermelon to cool down. After dinner, check in at the hotel or store your luggage, and then visit the Iwate Bank Red Brick Museum and Morioka Hachimangu Shrine. In fact, during the festival, there will be a Japanese drum team performing in front of the station at noon to welcome tourists. 📍Address: 11-2 Uchimaru, Morioka, Iwate 020-0023 Japan In the evening, you can go to the Yatai Street to buy some festival food and drinks, and then walk to the Central Avenue, have a picnic, and wait for the festival to come at 6 pm. Day2 (8/4): In the morning, there is still some time to visit Sakurayama Shrine and feel the protective power built next to the ruins of Morioka Castle, and then walk around the park to see Morioka Castle. Take the 11:59, 12:09, or 12:26 Shinkansen to Aomori Hachinohe. First store your luggage at the station and have lunch first. Starting at 3 pm, there will be a Sansha Festival, a portable shrine and a float parade. 📍Address: 1 Chome-1-1 Uchimaru, Hachinohe, Aomori 031-0075 Japan After feeling the lively atmosphere of the festival, you can take the 17:14 Shinkansen to Shin-Aomori and then transfer to Aomori. After checking in at the hotel, participate in the lively Nebuta Festival. You can also give up the Sansha Festival and take the 12:09 or 12:47 Shinkansen to Shin-Aomori to transfer and choose to stay in Hirosaki. Then go to Aomori to visit the product hall and see the daytime sleep demon. Watch the festival until 8 o'clock in the evening, take the bus back to Hirosaki, and enjoy another fan-shaped sleep demon festival. 📍Address: 1 Chome Central, Aomori, 030-0822 Japan Day3(8/5): If you live in Hirosaki, you can visit Hirosaki Castle in the morning, and then visit the Tsugaru Domain Sleep Demon Village to see the fan-shaped sleep demon craft. Then take the JR Ou Main Line to Akita, which takes about 2 hours. After checking in, you can go to the Namahage Museum to see the unique folk customs of the Oga Peninsula, or enjoy the lotus in Senshu Park. At night, you can enjoy the only competitive Kanto Festival in the Tohoku summer festival. 📍Address: Japan 〒010-0921 Akita, Omachi, 1 Chome−6−41 Kamiyamachi 1-chome Public Hall Day4(8/6): In the morning, you can use the time to visit Kakunodate Samurai House and experience the Little Kyoto of Mutsu, or go to Nyuto Onsen, and return to Tokyo the next day. You can also take the 13:13 or 14:06 Shinkansen to Sendai. After checking in, you can go to Hirose Street to experience the beautiful decorations of the Tanabata Festival. If the trip is made one day in advance, you can also enjoy the fireworks show on 8/5. 📍Address: 3 Chome-2 Ichibancho, Aoba Ward, Sendai, Miyagi 980-0811 Japan Sendai's edamame milkshake, edamame mochi, and beef tongue are all delicious. Don't miss them. Use JRPASS to return to Tokyo the next day. The Tohoku version of jrpass is not cheap, but if you look at the itinerary, it should be worth the price. #MayGoodPlaces2025

Another gem for coffee lovers—Starbucks Coffee at Akita ALS is conveniently located within walking distance of the Akita JR Station and right beside a high-end hotel, making it a great stop for both locals and travelers. We dropped by in the evening, and although most of the shops in the mall were already closed due to the winter season, Starbucks was still open and welcoming. Entry is through a side door next to the mall’s main entrance, which felt like a hidden little entrance to warmth and caffeine. The holiday spirit was in the air with their Christmas promotion ongoing, and we noticed quite a few students settled in with their books and laptops—clearly a favorite study spot too. Our drinks were up to the usual Starbucks standard, paired with delicious pastries and cakes that hit the spot. Perfect place to take a break, get a warm drink, and enjoy the festive ambience. #summervacay #StarbucksJapan #AkitaALS #CoffeeTime #WinterInAkita #StudySpot #ChristmasVibes #CafeHoppingJapan #StarbucksLovers #japan #japantrip #tohoku #travel #tohokutrip