Travel guide to Akita: Japan’s rural northern Prefecture

With a rugged coastline, interesting cultural traditions, seasonal festivals, panoramic viewpoints, and the oldest beech forest in the world, there’s no reason why Akita shouldn’t be on your Japan travel itinerary. The top spots of Hiroshima, Osaka, and Kyoto are always provided as must-visit destinations, but what about the untouched region of Tohoku in the northern part of the main island of Japan? 

During our recent trip to Tohoku, we travelled around the prefectures of Aomori and Akita and were pleased by the raw beauty, tasty food and lack of foreign crowds in this part of the country. read on to learn a lot more about travelling to the rural Akita Prefecture, including the top things to see and do, what to expect, how to get around and more. 

While we didn’t get to stay in the region too long, we were invited by the Tohoku tourism Board which indicated that we had a private motorist and were able to see lots of different parts of the prefecture that may be missed by the average traveller. Their support made it possible to see a lot of the things that Akita and Aomori had to offer in a very short period of time.

Table of Contents
An introduction to Akita 
Things To See and do in Akita
Transportation In and around Akita
Final Thoughts
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Don’t miss our Tohoku travel video, which showcases both the Aomori and Akita prefectures:

An introduction to Akita 

Prior to our recent trip to Japan, when I heard “Akita”, I always associated it with the breed of pet dog and didn’t realize it was actually a prefecture in Japan. Yes, this is where the Akita dogs are from, but there’s much a lot more to this rugged area than that.

The Akita prefecture is one of 6 that comprises the lesser-visited Tohoku region, an area at the northern idea of Honshu Island. The capital city of the Akita prefecture is also called Akita…which makes things a little confusing.

We found nearby Aomori to have a lot more outdoor activities available, but Akita felt a lot more standard and used many festivals and events, plus some very special cultural experiences.

Known for its steamy onsens, rice paddy scenes, well-preserved Samurai District, interesting folklore and for being the largest consumer of sake in the country, Akita is a very diverse place.

Due to agriculture and fishing being the main industries here, lots of younger people have migrated to the larger cities in search of jobs in other fields — as with lots of places in the world. While there are negative results of this exodus for the residents, as a tourist, you’ll find Akita to be a quieter, less-developed prefecture that holds on securely to its roots. 

For travellers, the Oga Peninsula, Shirakami Sanchi UNESCO world Heritage Site, Kakunodate town, and Towada and Tazawa Lakes are of particular interest. Plus, the food specialties here are divine! 

A stunning vantage point in Akita

Things To See and do in Akita

Whether you’re a culture seeker, outdoor lover, festival goer, or just a person who likes to get away from it all, you’ll find something in Akita. We wish we had a lot more time to explore some other areas of the prefecture (Lake Towaza, for example), but based on our findings from our short trip, we would happily return.  

Dine On standard Food

What’s so terrific about travelling in Japan is that each prefecture has its own cuisine. Sure, sushi and ramen are loved anywhere in the country, but make sure you sample the various regional foods on offer in each prefecture. 

Here in Akita, you’ll want to try kiritampo and inaniwa noodles. 

Kiritampo is a dish of cooked rice that has been mashed and pounded out, before being wrapped around a cedar skewer. The skewers of rice are then toasted over an open fire, and once cooked, the hollow cylinders of rice are added to lots of dishes. 

We had kiritampo in a hot-pot soup when we first arrived in Akita, but some people eat it alone with miso dipping sauce.

Inaniwa noodles are one of the top 3 udon noodles in the country. The process of stretching, kneading, drying and repeating is what makes these noodles so chewy and smooth (and popular!).

You can try inaniwa all around Akita, but especially in Akita City and Yuzawa. 

This cold noodle dish was so tasty.

The next amazing dish we sampled was made with thin, boiled wheat noodles. having eaten lots of ramen, soba and udon noodles in the past, it was interesting to try cold noodles. They weren’t just cold from the fridge, or run under cold water, but they were actually served with ice cubes on top.

We dipped the noodles in tsuyu sauce with ginger and chives and slurped up every last one. 

Check out Kaneyu restaurant for tasty kiritampo, or if you’re staying at Oga Kanko hotel (like we did), they offer this at dinner as well. To try inaniwa noodles, click here for some TripAdvisor suggestions, or dine at the restaurants at the Akita train station.

Learn about The Namahage 

We checked out the Namahage museum in Oga and the reenactment of the yearly festival was one of the most interesting, yet frightening performances we’ve seen. 

On new Year’s Eve in Oga, the Namahage (men dressed in straw outfits and wearing demonic masks) go door to door, stomping around the villager’s homes trying to find misbehaved children. They alert the families against laziness and buy the children to study hard and obey their parents and grandparents.

Their voices are deep and raspy! 

Man making the standard masks for the Namahage

At the end of the act, the head of the household (a man) calms the Namahage by using them sake and some food. The Namahage then wish the family good fortune and luck for the coming year. 

While children are certainly petrified of the Namahage (who wouldn’t be with these evil-looking characters bursting into your home in the night!), they’re actually considered gods and this tradition is one that is looked forward to by all people of Oga.

It’s also been provided by UNESCO as Intangible cultural Heritage.

We don’t love museums, but this one was great. To learn a lot more about the Namahage, check out the Oga Shinzan Folklore museum and enjoy an informative video, see the outfits that they wear, and then take pleasure in a reenactment of the ritual. It costs 550 yen ($5) for the museum, 880 yen ($8) for the performance and 1,100 yen ($10) for a combination ticket that includes both. Well worth it in our opinion.

To get to Oga from the Akita Train Station, take the 1-hour train journey on the Ou Line. This is a JR train and is included in your JR Rail Pass. once at the Oga Station, walk towards the bus station (about 4 minutes away), and look for the Namahage shuttle bus. It’s about a 25-minute bus ride to the museum. Of course, you could also take a taxi.

A reenactment of the Namahage ritual

Watch Sunset From The Oga Peninsula 

While you’re in Oga, don’t miss this outstanding coastal sunset spot.

Cape Nyudozaki is the most northern part of the peninsula and is where you’ll find a lighthouse of the same name. This rocky coastline is the best spot to enjoy sunset in Akita — and actually, it was selected as one of Japan’s top 100 sunset views.

To the southern end of the peninsula, you’ll find the popular “Godzilla Rock” which, when the sun sets behind it, creates a silhouette of Godzilla.  

With a can of cold coffee in hand, we stood on the grassy point and enjoyed as the sun dipped towards the Sea of Japan. This is a terrific way to end the day in Akita. Click here for directions to Cape Nyudozaki.

Sunsets on the Oga Peninsula are the best

Be Entertained by Geisha and Maiko

Here in Akita, the Kawabata Geisha culture used to be very prominent. But, as with lots of things, over time it sort of died off and usually you can now only see Geisha and Maiko (Geisha in training) in Kyoto. Thankfully, the culture is making a comeback due to the efforts of Ms. Chinatsu Mizuno, the CEO of Sen Inc. (See her TEDx talk in the video below.)

One of the places you can see this culture is at Kaneyu in the city of Noshiro, which used to be an upper-class Japanese restaurant. These days, while the restaurant isn’t in full operation, the 80-year-old building can be checked out by tourists, and you can rent out a room for a pre-arranged meal, complete with Geisha and Maiko. 

Tatami mats line the floor of the narrow hallways and meeting rooms, quality cedar wood was used in the construction of the building, and each room has something different to offer (including secret doors and windows!).

As we entered into one of the main rooms, we were greeted with little tables on the floor, with a tray of standard food waiting for us. two Maiko and one Geisha were hired for our lunch and we were able to experience an authentic, sophisticated performance complete with singing, dancing, and playing of string instruments. 

The women poured beer for us and we chatted about life (yes, they spoke some English!). 

Watching this standard geisha and maiko performance was a highlight of our trip

Being able to see Maiko and Geisha up close and to interact with them was incredible. To learn a lot more about these performers in Akita, click here. To get to Noshiro from the Akita Station, it takes around 1 hour and 45 minutes, on the Ou Line and the Gono Line. This is a JR Train and is included in your JR Rail Pass.

Wander around The Park 

Japanese cities always have well-manicured parks, and Akita City is no exception. check out Senshu Park and wander around the grassy area, explore the Kubota castle and check out the ponds and shrines. This large park is a nice, quiet spot in the city. 

Note, there are also Akita dogs here for visitors to see. When we were told this, we assumed the dogs would be on a leash and walked around the enormous park, but when we arrived, we saw one sad pet dog in a kennel. The cage was generally the size of him. As dog-lovers and people who can see a better option to showcasing these animals, we would recommend that tourists avoid this “attraction” in the park.

Wandering around the stunning Senshu Park

Witness A Festival  

Every August in Noshiro, the Noshiro Tanabata “Tenku-no-Fuyajou” festival takes place. during this time, sophisticated lanterns are paraded through the street. But, they aren’t just small floats, these castle-shaped lanterns are around 24 meters tall! considering that these are lightweight lanterns, if it’s windy the show will be postponed. We saw a replica of what the lanterns would look like, and it was so intricate. To learn a lot more about this festival, click here. 

If you’re checking out Akita in the winter, don’t miss the Yokote Kamakura Snow Huts festival where little snow huts (similar to igloos) are illuminated and the local children invite people inside to serve them refreshments and treats. 

If fireworks are a lot more your thing, you’ll want to time your check out for one of the quarterly Omagari Fireworks festivals taking place in the city of Omagari. These competitive festivals are some of the best in the entire country. Click here to learn more.

Akita prefecture has many festivals throughout the year, so no matter when you visit, there must be an exciting event taking place. 

A model of the types of floats at the lantern Festival

Visit Shirakami Sanchi

Another UNESCO certification for Akita! Sharing part of the nature reserve with the neighbouring prefecture of Aomori, this130,000 hectares (321,000 acres) site is one you don’t want to miss.

This excellent place is terrific for hiking and checking out lakes while being surrounded by the largest beech forest in the world. There are lots of trails to explore here, and while the Juniko Lakes are on the Aomori side of the reserve, it’s worth checking out here as well. We spent a few hours hiking around here and enjoying the autumn leave colours. check out this terrific English map of the area. 

Autumn colours at Juniko Lakes, a stunning place

Soak in An Onsen

You can’t come to Japan without soaking in an onsen (Japanese bath). here in Akita, there are lots of outstanding baths that you don’t want to miss. 

The Nyuto Onsenkyo is an area in the mountains that uses extraordinary ryokan and onsens. The onsens here vary depending on where you go, but all of them are outdoors, allowing you to be completely surrounded by nature.

Sitting outside while soaking in an onsen is one of the top things to do in all of Japan, and here in Akita there are some of the best on