Akita– category –

Imagine hundreds of dancers moving through lantern-lit streets, their faces hidden beneath black hoods or woven bamboo hats, long silk sleeves trailing through the warm August night — this is the Nishimonai Bon Odori, one of Japan’...

Imagine hundreds of dancers moving through lantern-lit streets, their faces hidden beneath black hoods or woven bamboo hats, long silk sleeves trailing through the warm August night — this is the Nishimonai Bon Odori, one of Japan’...

There is a railway in Akita Prefecture that almost no foreign tourist has ever heard of, and that is precisely what makes it extraordinary. The Akita Nairiku Jukan Railway (秋田内陸縦貫鉄道) winds 94 kilometers (58 miles) through the ver...

If you’re traveling to Japan and you love dogs — truly love them — then Odate is a pilgrimage site you simply cannot miss. This small city in northern Akita Prefecture is the birthplace of the Akita Inu, one of the world’s mo...

Straddling the border between Akita and Iwate prefectures, Hachimantai is one of Tohoku’s best-kept secrets — a vast volcanic plateau where steaming fumaroles pierce snow-dusted wetlands, autumn foliage blazes in every direction, a...

Lake Tazawa Akita Japan travel guide: discover Japan's deepest lake (423m), the iconic Tatsuko statue, cycling routes, skiing, and tips for every season.

Akita City is one of Japan’s most unfairly overlooked urban destinations — a place where ancient samurai culture, world-renowned sake, extraordinary local cuisine, and some of the warmest people you’ll ever meet combine into ...

You’ve heard that Japan’s legendary onsen hot springs are among the greatest bathing experiences on earth — steaming mineral pools nestled in misty mountains, rustic wooden baths where snow falls silently on your shoulders, a...

Imagine a fearsome demon crashing through your front door on New Year’s Eve, bellowing at children to behave and threatening to drag away the lazy. Now imagine that this demon — horned, wild-haired, clutching a wooden bucket and a ...

Kakunodate samurai district Akita Japan travel guide: explore 400-year-old cherry trees, stunning Bukeyashiki residences, kabazaiku crafts & Lake Tazawa day trips.