Things to Do in Tohoku, Japan
The rugged, uncrowded northeast: samurai towns, festivals, mountain onsen and deep autumn colour.
47 destinations across 6 prefectures
Festivals in Tohoku
Photo: Rarisan / Wikimedia Commons (CC0)
Yokote Kamakura Snow Festival
15 to 16 February 2027
Akita · Snow and ice festival
© Rosino / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Hirosaki Neputa Matsuri
1 to 7 August 2027
Aomori · Lantern festival
Aomori Nebuta Matsuri
2 to 7 August 2027
Aomori · Lantern festival
© 秋田市 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0)
Akita Kanto Matsuri
3 to 6 August 2027
Akita · Lantern festival
© 掬茶 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Sendai Tanabata Matsuri
6 to 8 August 2027
Miyagi · Lantern festival
© KANSEI / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Omagari Fireworks
28 August 2027
Akita · Fireworks festival
Suggested Itineraries
Places to Visit in Tohoku
Photo: Daderot / Wikimedia Commons (CC0)
Osorezan (Mount Osore)
One of Japan's three most sacred places, a volcanic landscape believed to be the gateway to the afterlife
Osorezan (Mount Osore) in Mutsu, Aomori is one of Japan's three most sacred places alongside Moun...
© Sakaori (talk) / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)
Spa Resort Hawaiians
A tropical-themed resort and water park in Fukushima
Built over a natural hot spring, Spa Resort Hawaiians is a massive indoor tropical paradise in Iw...
Shioyasaki Lighthouse
A scenic lighthouse on the Fukushima coast with panoramic ocean views
Perched on a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Iwaki, Shioyasaki Lighthouse is one of Japan'...
Tsunami Memorial Museum and Michi-no-Eki Takata Matsubara
Free tsunami-memorial museum and roadside station in Rikuzentakata
A combined roadside station and free memorial museum in the Takata Matsubara Tsunami Reconstructi...
Taro Kanko Hotel Tsunami Ruins
A tsunami-ruined hotel preserved as disaster heritage in Taro, Miyako
A six-story hotel on the Taro coast of Miyako, gutted to the fourth floor by the 2011 tsunami and...
Miracle Lone Pine
The lone pine that survived the 2011 tsunami, kept as a monument
The single pine that survived the 2011 tsunami among Takata Matsubara's roughly 70,000 trees, pre...
Zuihoden
The ornate mausoleum of Date Masamune, Zuihoden is an example of Momoyama-period architecture wit...
Towada-Hachimantai National Park
Spanning Akita and Aomori prefectures, this national park encompasses the serene Lake Towada and ...
Hiraizumi
UNESCO World Heritage Pure Land Buddhist Architecture with the Golden Hall
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Hiraizumi was the political and cultural center of northern Japan i...
Kitakata
Japan's Ramen Capital with Historic Kura Storehouses
Famous as one of Japan's three great ramen cities, with over 100 ramen shops serving the signatur...
Grave of Jesus Christ
A remote village shrine claiming to be the final resting place of Jesus Christ
This curious site in Shingo Village preserves a local legend that Jesus Christ survived the cruci...
Lake Towada
A pristine caldera lake straddling Aomori and Akita prefectures, renowned for its deep blue water...
Zao Fox Village
Unique Park with Over 100 Free-Roaming Foxes
A one-of-a-kind sanctuary where over 100 foxes of six different species roam freely in a forested...
Yamadera
Yamadera (Risshaku-ji Temple)
A mountain temple with over 1,000 stone steps leading to panoramic views, Yamadera inspired Matsu...
Tendo Onsen
A Charming Onsen Town Famous as Japan's Shogi Capital
A relaxing hot spring town known as the production center of over 90% of Japan's shogi pieces. Th...