The Tohoku area is located in the upper part of Honshu, facing the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan, and consists of six prefectures: Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi, Akita, Yamagata, and Fukushima. In the center of the inland area, the Ou Mountains extend from north to south, and the climate differs from region to region due to the mountains that range in elevation from 1,000 to 2,000 meters above sea level. Regions facing the Sea of Japan are characterized by year-round cloudiness, rain, and snow in winter, while those facing the Pacific Ocean have stable sunshine hours throughout the year.
The Tohoku area is nationally known for its specialty agricultural products, such as hops, a raw material for beer, and safflower, one of the ingredients for vegetable oil, as well as for its marine products, such as oysters, saury, and tuna.
The area is also well known for having some of the best hot springs in Japan, including Nyuto Onsen in Akita Prefecture, which dates back to the Edo period, and Akiu Onsen in Miyagi Prefecture, which is said to have its origins in the Kofun period, attracting many spa tourists.
The main attractions include "Genbikei Gorge" in Iwate Prefecture, famous for its kakko dango (dumplings), "Ryusendo," one of the three largest limestone caves in Japan and designated as a natural monument, and "Oirase Stream" in Aomori Prefecture, designated as a special scenic beauty and natural monument by the government.
Iwate Prefecture's "Genbikei Gorge" is a 2-km-long gorge in the middle reaches of the Iwai River, and was designated a national scenic beauty spot and natural monument in 1927. The scenery of rock surfaces formed by river erosion and trees covering the surrounding area is simply beautiful, and is a popular spot for many tourists. Genbikei is also famous throughout Japan for its kakko dango (dumplings). Visitors pay a fee for the dumplings, which are placed in bamboo baskets connected to both banks of the river by wire ropes, and the dumplings come down from a teahouse on the opposite bank in a bamboo basket.
Ryusendo" is a 3.6-km-long limestone cave with multiple underground lakes and is one of the three largest limestone caves in Japan. It is also characterized by the depth of its underground lakes, the deepest of which is the No. 4 Underground Lake, which is 120 meters deep, making it the deepest in Japan. The water that forms the underground lakes is filtered from deep underground streams and gushes out in the underground lakes, making the lakes exceptionally clear.
The Oirase Stream in Aomori Prefecture is a 14-km-long mountain stream that stretches from Lake Towada's Konokuchi to Yakeyama, and is designated as a special place of scenic beauty and a natural monument by the government. The ensemble of the beautiful clear stream and the trees that change their expressions from season to season, making it a popular tourist spot, attracts many visitors in search of healing and relaxation.
Hirosaki Park is a beautiful urban park located in Shimoshiraganecho, in the heart of Hirosaki City, Aomori Prefecture. Built around the former site of Hirosaki Castle, the historic stronghold of the Tsugaru clan, the park is now internationally known as one of Japan's finest destinations for cherry blossoms. Throughout the year, Hirosaki Park hosts seasonal festivals that showcase the changing b...»
Asahiyama Zoo is the northernmost zoo in Japan and is renowned for its innovative approach to animal exhibits. Rather than simply displaying animals for visitors to observe, the zoo focuses on “behavioral exhibits” that bring out the natural habits and movements of each species. This approach allows visitors to see animals swimming, climbing, flying, playing, and interacting in ways that resemble...»
Jozankei Onsen is a famous hot spring resort nestled in a beautiful valley surrounded by pristine forests. Natural hot spring water rises from cracks in the bedrock along the banks and riverbed of the Toyohira River, creating a tranquil destination where visitors can enjoy both healing waters and spectacular scenery. Located about 26 kilometers south of central Sapporo, Jozankei can be reached by...»
Ginzan Onsen is a historic hot spring resort in the mountains of Obanazawa City, Yamagata Prefecture. Along both banks of the Ginzan River stand elegant three- and four-story wooden ryokan inns dating mainly from the late Taisho period through the early Showa period. The stone-paved streets and traditional wooden buildings preserve the atmosphere of an old Japanese hot spring town. As the gas lam...»
Otaru Canal is one of Hokkaido's most iconic waterfront attractions. Along the canal stand rows of beautifully preserved stone warehouses dating from the Meiji and Taisho periods, when Otaru developed as an important port city. Many of these historic warehouses have been given new life as restaurants, cafés, souvenir shops, and other businesses, creating a charming blend of history and modern tou...»
Abashiri Prison Museum is an open-air museum that preserves and exhibits the historic buildings of the former Abashiri Prison, along with tools, documents, and other objects dating from the Meiji period onward. It is the only prison museum of its kind in Japan, offering visitors a vivid look at the history of incarceration and prison life in northern Japan. The museum's principal buildings, inclu...»
Mount Hakodate offers one of the most famous panoramic views in Japan. Rising to an elevation of 334 meters, the mountain overlooks Hakodate's distinctive cityscape and the surrounding seas. The summit observatory is especially popular for its breathtaking nighttime panorama. Together with Mt. Maya's Kikuseidai Observatory in Kobe and Mount Inasa in Nagasaki, the view from Mount Hakodate is recog...»
Shikisai no Oka, officially known as Shikisai-no-Oka Panorama Flower Garden, is a beautiful sightseeing destination in Biei, Hokkaido. Set on a gently elevated hill along the Panorama Road, the vast 7-hectare flower garden offers sweeping views of the colorful hills and the magnificent Daisetsuzan mountain range....»
Shirakami Sanchi is a vast mountainous region stretching across Aomori and Akita Prefectures in northern Japan. In December 1993, it was inscribed as a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site, together with Yakushima, becoming one of Japan's first natural World Heritage sites. The area was recognized internationally for its enormous expanse of primeval beech forest that has remained largely untouched ...»
Noboribetsu Jigokudani, or Hell Valley, lies northeast of the Noboribetsu Onsen resort area in Hokkaido. This spectacular landscape is the remains of an explosive volcanic crater, approximately 450 meters in diameter, formed by an eruption of Mount Hiyoriyama. Numerous fumaroles are scattered throughout the valley, releasing high-temperature volcanic gases and hot water from beneath the ground. T...»
Rokka no Mori is a beautiful garden and cultural destination in Nakasatsunai Village, Hokkaido, spread across an expansive 100,000-square-meter site. The grounds include a confectionery factory producing Rokkatei's famous Marusei Butter Sand cookies, museums and galleries, and a café, all surrounded by carefully restored natural landscapes. The garden was created with the aim of bringing to life ...»
Blue Pond, also known as the Shirogane Blue Pond or Biei Shirogane Blue Pond, is one of the most popular scenic attractions in Biei. Its remarkably blue water and the silhouettes of trees that stand stark and lifeless in the pond create an otherworldly landscape that has attracted photographers and travelers from around the world. The pond's unusual blue color is believed to result from the mixin...»
One of Japan’s Three Scenic Views Matsushima is a breathtaking coastal landscape centered around Matsushima Bay in northeastern Miyagi Prefecture. The area is made up of approximately 260 islands of various sizes and is widely known as one of the Three Scenic Views of Japan, together with Amanohashidate in Kyoto Prefecture and Miyajima in Hiroshima Prefecture. For centuries, Matsushima has attra...»
Located on the north side of Mt. Bandai, Goshiki-numa is a group of about 30 small lakes and swamps of various sizes that show various colors such as green, red, and blue. Bandai erupted, a debris avalanche choked the rivers and formed hundreds of lakes and marshes. The lakes are known for the color of their water, which changes depending on the quality of the volcanic water and the plants and a...»
In the mountains of Minami-Aizu, buildings built in the style of hipped roofs are neatly lined up at right angles to the old highway in the rice paddies, and the Edo period scenery remains intact,The town flourished as one of the inns on the Minamiyama-dori (Aizu West Highway) connecting Aizu-Wakamatsu and Imaichi, Nikko, as a "half farmer, half inn".It was selected as a national Important Preserv...»
Hirosaki Castle is a beautiful hilltop castle located in the center of Hirosaki City, Aomori Prefecture, in northern Japan. Built on a small hill approximately 50 meters above sea level, the castle once served as the political, economic, and military center of the Tsugaru domain. For much of the Edo period, Hirosaki Castle was the residence of the Tsugaru clan, the ruling family of the region. Ev...»
This is a 28.7 km long, full-scale mountain sightseeing road that traverses the Azuma Mountain Range.It runs from Takayu Onsen in Fukushima City along the eastern side of the Azuma Mountain Range in Bandai-Asahi National Park, passing through Jododaira and ending at Tsuchiyu Pass. Located in Bandai-Asahi National Park, the road is blessed with a large scale view of the Zao mountain range in the d...»
The Kanemori Red Brick Warehouses are a historic group of brick buildings in Hakodate's Bay Area. The warehouses flourished during the Meiji era as maritime trade and cargo transportation expanded following the development of Hakodate Port. For a time, changes in transportation and distribution methods threatened the future of the warehouses. However, their architectural and historical value was ...»
The dynamic beauty of nature's formations and the rich colors of the four seasons are woven together in this valley. Iwai River flowing from Mt. Kurikoma, the 2-km-long gorge offers scenery of oddly shaped rocks, monstrous rocks, waterfalls, and deep pools. From the promenade, visitors can enjoy the contrasting scenery of "stillness" and "movement" of the wild upstream flow and the relaxing abys...»
Zuiganji Temple is a historic Zen temple of the Myoshinji branch of the Rinzai school of Buddhism, located in Matsushima Town, Miyagi Prefecture. Its formal name is Matsushima Seiryuzan Zuigan Enpuku-ji. As one of the most important historic sites in Matsushima, one of Japan's Three Scenic Views, Zuiganji is a must-visit destination for travelers interested in Japanese history, Buddhist culture, a...»
Aoiike Blue Pond is one of the famous lakes of Juniko, a group of lakes and ponds located within the Shirakami Sanchi World Natural Heritage area in northern Japan. Striking for its vivid cobalt-blue water, Aoiike is surrounded by ancient beech forests and peaceful mountains, creating a landscape that feels almost otherworldly. The exceptionally clear surface reflects the surrounding trees like a...»
One of the three largest limestone caves in Japan and designated as a national natural monument. Fresh water gushing from deep within the caves forms deep underground lakes at several locations, with the third underground lake at a depth of 98 meters. The third underground lake is 98 meters deep, while the fourth underground lake, which is not yet open to the public, is the deepest in Japan at 12...»
A paradise with a constant temperature of 28 degrees Celsius, Spa Resort Hawaiians combines a bright local atmosphere with the charm of the South Pacific. There are thrilling pools and activities, entertainment facilities such as authentic tropical dance shows and comfortable hot springs, and tropical gardens. You can also feel the comfort of materials touching your skin. The open-air baths have ...»
The limestone caves were created by the metamorphism of limestone into crystalline limestone over a period of 80 million years. Since long ago, limestone and marble mining has been active in the area, and stalactites of various shapes and sizes have developed along the 600-meter public tour route. Stalactites that drop from the ceiling, stalagmites that accumulate like bamboo shoots from under t...»
Kakunodate, the castle town of Kakunodate Castle that flourished in the Edo period, is known as "Michinoku's Little Kyoto" for its old and quiet atmosphere. Within a compact area of about 2 km in radius, many old buildings such as samurai residences still exist, making it a popular sightseeing spot with its elegant townscape. In the past, the inner town (samurai town) and outer town (merchant to...»
The contrast between the pure white castle walls and red roof tiles makes for a beautiful castle tower, also known as Aizu Wakamatsu Castle, Wakamatsu Castle, Kurokawa Castle, or Aizu Castle. The exterior of the castle tower was reconstructed in reinforced concrete, and the interior is used as the Wakamatsu Castle Keep Local History Museum. Kurokawa Castle was originally built by Naomori Naomori...»
Dewa Shrine is located at the summit of Mount Haguro, a 414-meter-high sacred mountain in the Shonai region of Yamagata Prefecture. Mount Haguro is one of the three sacred mountains collectively known as the Dewa Sanzan, together with Mount Gassan and Mount Yudonosan. The shrine enshrines Ideha-no-kami and Inakura-tama-no-mikoto and has a deep connection with the history of Shugendo, a Japanese t...»
The Dewa Sanzan, meaning the “Three Mountains of Dewa,” is the collective name for Mount Gassan, Mount Haguro, and Mount Yudonosan, which extend across the Murayama and Shonai regions of Yamagata Prefecture. Revered as a sacred area of Japanese mountain worship since ancient times, the Dewa Sanzan remains an important pilgrimage destination where Yamabushi ascetics and worshippers continue to visi...»
Shiogama Shrine is a historic Shinto shrine located on Mount Ichimoriyama in Shiogama City, Miyagi Prefecture. With a long history and deep religious significance, it has been revered since ancient times as “Ichinomiya of Oshu,” the highest-ranking shrine in the traditional Oshu region of northeastern Japan. It is also widely known as “Shiogama-sama,” a familiar name reflecting the shrine's close ...»
Lake Towada is one of northern Japan’s most spectacular natural destinations. Located on the border between Aomori and Akita prefectures, the lake lies at the heart of Towada-Hachimantai National Park and is surrounded by mountains, forests, cliffs, and pristine waterways. Situated at an elevation of approximately 400 meters, Lake Towada covers about 61 square kilometers, has a shoreline of appro...»
Visitors can experience a demonstration of the traditional Namahage, which has been strictly preserved in the local Mayama area since ancient times, in a kyokka (a farmhouse with an L-shaped flat roof) with a distinctive thatched roof. Visitors will be overwhelmed by the power of the Namahage, which can be seen up close as it ravages through the house. Also nearby are the Mayama Shrine, the Many...»
This is one of the representative scenic spots on the Rikuchu Coast, where sharp, white, meteoric rocks adorn the beautiful coastline, each one with a different appearance. Nambu red pine and other evergreen trees tower over the rocks, creating a beautiful Japanese garden-like landscape in contrast with the green of the pine trees, the white rock surface, and the deep blue of the sea. Jodogahama...»
Visitors can enjoy sheepdog and sheep shows, horseback riding, archery, trolley rides, and other attractions while enjoying the view of Mount Iwate in the background. Visitors can also tour the barn and dairy factory. At the restaurant and store, you can taste the famous Genghis Khan and fresh milk. Contact with nature, a fun experience Koiwai Farm is one of the largest private farms in Japan, ...»
Nyuto Onsenkyo is the generic name for the hot springs scattered along the foot of Mount Nyuto in Towada-Hachimantai National Park. This hot spring village is dotted with rustic one-house inns surrounded by deep mountains, each with its own unique source, offering a variety of spring qualities. Myonoyu, Ogama, Kaniba, Magoroku, and Kuroyu are located downstream, and Tsuru-no-yu is located along ...»
A historical building, the Akarengakan was established in 1911 as the head office of the Bank of Morioka, and later served as the head office of the Bank of Iwate for many years. Designed by Kingo Tatsuno and Manji Kasai, the same architects who designed Tokyo Station, it is known as the only Tatsuno work in the Tohoku region. In 1994, it became the first active bank building to be designated an...»
This 27 km long drive route traverses the Hachimantai Mountains and connects Iwate and Akita. It winds through the mountainside of Chausu-dake (Mt. Chausu), and offers the unique scenery of Hachimantai, a magnificent volcanic belt, including Mt. Iwate, blue lakes and marshes, and the unique landscape of dead ash trees. Especially just after the opening of the road in mid-April, several meters of...»