Northern Honshū (Tōhoku)
Stretching out above Tokyo is the fabled Tōhoku (東北; Northeast) – starring Miyagi, Yamagata, Iwate, Fukushima, Akita and Aomori Prefectures – where ice monsters and river imps inhabit the imagination (but hopefully not the onsen). Hugging the west coast is Niigata Prefecture, a skiing and hiking wonderland that also includes the rugged and remote island of Sado-ga-shima.
Three national parks, alternating between thick mountain forests, stark volcanoes and coastal marshes, offer year-round outdoor pursuits, while the spectacular caldera lakes of Tazawa-ko and Towada-ko welcome summertime pleasure-seekers. Stylish Sendai is the pick of the prefectural capitals for those seeking an uncomplicated urban fix.
Feudal-era remnants are present in numerous places – Hiraizumi and Kakunodate being the most historically notable – and traditional cultures are alive and well.
This region suffered greatly in the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, and some coastal areas along the glorious Sanriku Kaigan, in particular, will welcome your visit as they continue to rebuild.
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Top attractions
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Northern Honshū (Tōhoku).
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Osorezan-bodaiji
This holy shrine at Osore-zan's summit is a moving, mesmerisingly atmospheric and beautiful place honouring Jizō Bosatsu, protector of children and a much-loved deity in Japanese mythology. It's also said to be located at the entrance to hell: a small brook that flows into the beautiful crater lake, Usori, is said to represent the legendary Sanzu river, which souls must cross on their way to the afterlife. Fittingly people visit to mourn lost children or to commune with the dead. Several stone statues of Jizō overlook hills of craggy, sulphur-strewn rocks and hissing vapour. Visitors are encouraged to help lost souls with their underworld penance by adding stones to the cairns. You can even bathe on hell's doorstep at the free onsen off to the side as you approach the main hall. Allow an hour or two to wander the landscape in deep contemplation. Five daily buses run to and from JR Shimokita Station and Osore-zan (¥800, 45 minutes). If you'd like to spend more time on the mountain, it is possible to stay overnight at the temple (¥12,000 per person including two meals); reserve in advance.
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Haguro-san
The 2446 stone steps through ancient cedars to Haguro-san's summit (419m) have been smoothed by centuries of pilgrims. The climb, taking up to two hours, passes Gojū-no-tō (五重塔), a beautiful wooden five-storey pagoda dating from the 14th century. At the top marvel at the San-shin Gōsaiden (三神合祭殿), a vivid red hall that enshrines the deities of Dewa Sanzan's three mountains. If you're completing the circuit, you must catch the bus from the parking lot beyond the shrine, bound for Hachigōme (八合目; eighth station), where the trail to the top of Gas-san picks up again. The last bus leaves just after 2pm. Most of the old 20km pilgrim trail along the ridge line to Gas-san became overgrown after a road was built in the 1960s.
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Aomori Museum of Art
Looking like a modernist sculpture, the geometric white facade of the Aomori Museum of Art was designed to blend in with the landscape when blanketed with snow. The permanent collection features works by Aomori icons, including pop artist Yoshitomo Nara (and his 8.5m-tall dog) and master printmaker Munakata Shikō, alongside international artists. The showstopper is four huge ballet backdrops painted by Marc Chagall, which hang on the walls of the gallery's central atrium. Contemporary temporary exhibitions are elegantly staged. The museum is about 5km west of JR Aomori Station, adjacent to Sannai Maruyama. City buses leaving from stop 6 at the JR station for Menkyō Center stop at Kenritsu-bijyutskan-mae (¥270, 20 minutes), across the road from the museum.
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Gas-san
Accessible from July to September, Gas-san (1984m) is the highest of Dewa Sanzan's sacred mountains. From Hachigōme (八合目; eighth station) the route passes through an alpine plateau to Kyūgōme (九合目; ninth station) in 1¾ hours, then grinds uphill for another 1¼ hours to the top. From here the pilgrimage route presses on towards the steep descent to Yudono-san. This takes another three hours or so, and you'll have to carefully descend rusty ladders chained to the cliffs and pick your way down through a slippery stream bed at the end of the trail.
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Yudono-san
Accessible from May to October, Yudono-san (1504m) is the spiritual culmination of the Dewa Sanzan trek. Coming from Gas-san it's a short walk from the stream bed at the end of the descent to Yudono-san-jinja. To finish the pilgrimage, it's a mere 10-minute hike down the mountain to the trailhead at Yudono-san Sanrōsho (湯殿山参籠所), marked by a torii and adjacent to the Sennin-zawa (仙人沢) bus stop.
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Chūson-ji
Established in AD 850 by the priest Ennin, the Chūson-ji complex was expanded by the Ōshu Fujiwara family in the 12th century. A total of 300 buildings with 40 temples were constructed. Ironically, the family's grand scheme to build a Buddhist utopia was destroyed when a massive fire ravaged nearly everything in 1337. Only two of the original structures, the Konjiki-dō and Kyōzō, remain, alongside more recent reconstructions. The sprawling site is reached via a steep cedar-lined avenue.
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RIAS Ark Museum of Art
High in the hills above Kesennuma, this local art museum houses the largest collection of photographs and artefacts in existence relating to the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami. A comprehensive booklet containing an English translation of each exhibit is available. The sheer volume and nature of the collection is a little overwhelming.
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Zuihō-den Mausoleum
The mausoleum of Date Masamune sits majestically atop the summit of a tree-covered hill by the Hirose-gawa. Built in 1637 but destroyed by Allied bombing during WWII, the current building, completed in 1979, is an exact replica of the original, faithful to the ornate and sumptuous Momoyama style.
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Zuigan-ji
Tōhoku’s finest Zen temple, Zuigan-ji was established in AD 828. The present buildings were constructed in 1606 by Date Masamune to serve as a family temple and the Hondo (main hall) has been beautifully restored to its former glory. Visitors pass by a series of dark-wood chambers illuminated by golden doors painted with exquisite images of flora and fauna. Nearby the excellent Seiryūden (temple museum) has a number of well-preserved relics from the Date family, including national treasures. The temple is 500m north of Matsushima-kaigan Station.
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