Hi, I’m Jo — and I’m obsessed with Tohoku.
I’ve been living in Sendai, Miyagi for years, and I still discover something that takes my breath away almost every week — a hidden waterfall, a centuries-old festival, a bowl of ramen so good it made me emotional. That’s the magic of Tohoku, and it’s exactly what I want to share with you.
Tohoku Hidden Gems was born out of one simple frustration: most travel guides skip northeastern Japan entirely. Travelers fly into Tokyo, race down to Kyoto, maybe squeeze in Hiroshima — and they completely miss one of the most beautiful, most authentic, most soul-stirring regions in the entire country.
I want to change that.
What This Blog Is About
Tohoku Hidden Gems is your insider’s guide to the six prefectures of northeastern Japan: Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi, Akita, Yamagata, and Fukushima.
Here you’ll find:
- 🎯 Honest, detailed travel guides — written for real travelers, not just highlights reels
- 🍜 Local food deep-dives — from wanko soba to gyutan to kiritanpo nabe
- ♥️ Hot spring and ryokan guides — because Tohoku has some of Japan’s best onsen
- 🎊 Festival coverage — Nebuta, Tanabata, Kanto, and dozens of local matsuri
- 🏔️ Nature and outdoor adventures — hiking, skiing, gorges, lakes, and coastlines
- 🏯 History and culture — samurai towns, UNESCO sites, ancient temples
Every article is written with international travelers in mind — especially visitors from the United States, Australia, Canada, and the UK who want practical, trustworthy information they can actually use to plan a trip.
Why Tohoku?
I get asked this a lot. Why not Tokyo? Why not Kyoto?
Here’s my honest answer: those places are incredible — and they have plenty of coverage already. Tohoku is where Japan feels real. Where you can walk through a cedar forest that’s been sacred for 1,000 years and have it almost entirely to yourself. Where you can sit in a riverside hot spring as snow falls around you and feel like you’ve stepped outside of time. Where locals will invite you in for tea and refuse to let you leave without trying their grandmother’s pickles.
Tohoku is the Japan that most visitors never see — and once you’ve been, it’s the Japan you’ll never forget.
A Note on How I Write
I write every guide the way I’d explain a place to a close friend who’s visiting Japan for the first time. That means:
- Real prices (in both JPY and USD)
- Actual transport directions, not vague suggestions
- Honest opinions — including when a famous spot isn’t worth the hype
- Cultural context that helps things make sense
- Practical tips you won’t find on generic travel sites
Get in Touch
Have a question about traveling in Tohoku? A place you’d love to see covered? Or just want to say hi? I’d genuinely love to hear from you.
📧 Reach me at: naoyasaijo1987@gmail.com
📍 Based in: Sendai, Miyagi, Japan
Thanks for being here. Now go plan that Tohoku trip — you won’t regret it.
— Jo, Tohoku Hidden Gems