Northern Honshū (Tōhoku)
More than 70,000 pine trees lined the coastline around Rikuzen-takata until 2011, when all but one were destroyed in the tsunami. That tree, known as the…
Must-see attractions in Northern Honshū (Tōhoku)
Northern Honshū (Tōhoku)
Date Masamune constructed this small wooden temple in 1604. Although it stands on an island in the bay, connected to the mainland by two short bridges, it…
Northern Honshū (Tōhoku)
Legend has it that long ago, a local maiden, Tatsuko, believing that the spring water would make her beauty last forever, drank so much that she turned…
Northern Honshū (Tōhoku)
On the eastern edge of Aizu is Iimori-yama, the mountain where the White Tigers (Byakkotai) samurai killed themselves during the civil war of 1868. You…
Northern Honshū (Tōhoku)
In the 19th century there were dozens of fiery kilns lining the Hazukashi-gawa, turning out beautiful bluish-grey mottled pottery pieces known as nashi…
Northern Honshū (Tōhoku)
Rows of Hinamatsuri dolls welcome visitors to this centuries-old brewery overseen by one of the oldest families in Akita Prefecture. Andō makes soy sauce…
Northern Honshū (Tōhoku)
If you can't make it to town for the Kantō Matsuri pole lantern festival, this small museum is the next best thing. The highlight is a large hall with…
Northern Honshū (Tōhoku)
The towering 1965 reconstruction of Tsuruga-jō sits in sprawling grounds framed by the original moat and some ruins of the old castle walls. Inside is a…
Miyagi Sant Juan Bautista Museum
Northern Honshū (Tōhoku)
A full-scale replica of the Spanish-style Japanese-made ship Sant Juan Bautista, commissioned by Date Masamune in 1613 as part of a diplomatic mission to…
Aomori Prefecture
At the heart of Hirosaki-kōen lie the ancient remains of this castle, originally constructed in 1611. Rather tragically, only 16 years after it was built…
Northern Honshū (Tōhoku)
In the hills above Ishinomaki, 56m above sea level, this beautiful park stands on the site of the former Ishinomaki castle. Offering sweeping views over…
Iwate Prefecture
A curious rock that rests amid aromatic cedars, Tsuzuki-ishi is either a natural formation or a dolmen (primitive tomb). A short, steep hike rewards you…
Northern Honshū (Tōhoku)
Built in 1809 as the residence of the Ishiguro family, advisers to the Satake clan, this is one of the oldest buildings in the samurai district…
Niigata Prefecture
This lovely little museum displays memorabilia from the life of author Kawabata Yasunari, the first Japanese recipient of the Nobel Prize for Literature,…
Yamatogawa Sake Brewing Museum
Northern Honshū (Tōhoku)
Step into the Yamatogawa Sake Brewing Museum to peek inside a kura (mud-walled storehouse) that dates from 1790 and, until 20 years ago, functioned as a…
Iwate Prefecture
If you head east on foot from the train station along Kaiun-bashi for about 2km, you’ll eventually come to this landscaped park, where Morioka-jō once…
Northern Honshū (Tōhoku)
The restored Aoyagi family compound is impressive in its own right, but inside each well-maintained structure is a fascinating exhibition of family…
Minami-Sanriku Crisis Management Centre
Northern Honshū (Tōhoku)
The steel shell is all that remains of this three-storey building, standing alone in what once was central Minami-Sanriku. It has been preserved by the…
Iwate Prefecture
A huge cracked granite boulder sits in front of the Morioka District Court, out of which sprouts this large cherry tree, said to be almost four hundred…
Aomori Prefecture
Come here to see some of Hirosaki's huge Neputa festival lanterns and try your hand at the giant taiko (drums). There are also exhibitions of local crafts…
Northern Honshū (Tōhoku)
Opposite the city hall, this private home once belonged to a wealthy shipping agent. With a beautiful garden and a fascinating variety of room divisions…
Niigata Prefecture
Come to this former 1920s schoolhouse, saved from demolition to take up a new life as a folk museum, to gawk at all manner of Sado's cultural artefacts …
Sendai
Built on Aoba-yama in 1602 by Date Masamune and destroyed during Allied bombing, Sendai-jō still looms large over the city. Giant moss-covered walls, as…
Northern Honshū (Tōhoku)
In the hills above Kamaishi, this enormous (48.5m) statue of the Goddess of Mercy has witnessed much tragedy below, but remains a source of hope for…
Niigata Prefecture
This rustic wooden temple, with its thatched roof and pleasant gardens, is where the Buddhist monk Nichiren was first brought when exiled to Sado in 1271…
Aomori Prefecture
Even if you miss the Nebuta festival, you can still gawk at the awesome artisanship of the floats at this well-curated museum on the waterfront. On…
Iwate Prefecture
In the hills above Tōno, these eerie, moss-covered rock carvings of five hundred disciples of Buddha were fashioned by a priest to console the spirits of…
Iwate Prefecture
One of only two original constructions remaining on the Chūson-ji site, this understated building guarded by Kishi Monju Bosatsu and Four Attendants…
Northern Honshū (Tōhoku)
Once the opulent headquarters of Akita Bank, this brick structure built in 1912 is now a local history museum. On the top floor you'll find beautiful…
Northern Honshū (Tōhoku)
At the foot of Iimori-yama, this museum tells the story of the dramatic suicides of the teenage samurai who died during the Bōshin civil war of 1868, and…
Northern Honshū (Tōhoku)
This sprawling hilly park has views of the ocean and is a wonderful spot for a stroll or a picnic, especially at sunset. In April, 400 cherry trees burst…
Sendai
Housed in an award-winning structure designed by Japanese architect Itō Toyō, this cultural hub includes a library, art galleries and event spaces. Check…
Iwate Prefecture
About 2.5km southwest of Tōno Station is Unedori-sama, the matchmaking shrine. According to legend, if you tie a strip of red cloth around one of the…
Iwate Prefecture
The start and end point for the Sansa Odori dancers in Morioka's biggest festival is this modest shrine on the edge of Iwate-kōen.
Aomori Prefecture
The observation deck on the 13th floor of Aomori's unmissable A-shaped ASPAM Building on the rejuvenated waterfront offers stellar views over the port,…
Sendai
The city museum offers a comprehensive account of samurai Masamune's epic life, as well as displaying more than 13,000 artefacts on loan from the Date…
Iwate Prefecture
You may need to ask a local to take or direct you to this photogenic little shrine in the middle of a luminous yellow field of canola. If you're a…
Niigata Prefecture
Built in 1873 as Japan's first citizen's park, Hakusan-kōen remains a lovely place for a stroll among beautiful, manicured gardens. There's a pond full of…
Northern Honshū (Tōhoku)
In the centre of Matsugasaki-kōen, surrounded by a koi-filled moat, this shrine sits on the land previously occupied by the inner castle during feudal…
Niigata Prefecture
Pine and cherry trees mark the entrance to this cremation mound, which honours Emperor Juntoku, who was forced into exile on Sado in the early 13th…
