Rail to Northern Vistas and Timeless Craft

Northern Tohoku, encompassing Akita, Aomori, and Iwate prefectures, is a hidden gem where tradition and creativity thrive amid breathtaking natural landscapes.

With the JR EAST PASS (Tohoku area), you get unlimited travel on Shinkansen and local lines for ten consecutive days. This pass offers incredible flexibility and value, costing roughly the same as a single round trip from Tokyo to a major Tohoku city like Aomori or Akita, allowing you to explore the entire region and its rural villages, snow-capped mountains, and coastal towns at a leisurely pace.

This 10-Day itinerary encourages slow travel, inviting you to immerse yourself in the local culture, and enjoy activities from apple picking and soaking in hot springs to traditional craft workshops.

Begin your journey in Akita City and explore the prefectural capital. View contemporary works at the stylish Akita Museum of Art, which features striking architecture designed by Tadao Ando, and then enjoy a slow walk through nearby historical Senshu Park. In the evening, warm up with Akita's famous Kiritanpo hot pot.

On Day 2, travel to Kakunodate, the "Little Kyoto of Tohoku," renowned for its well-preserved samurai residences. Try your hand at kabazaiku, a traditional craft made from cherry tree bark. Spend the night like a samurai at wanoi KAKUNODATE, a renovated kura storehouses turned into luxurious accommodation.

Take a leisurely train ride along the Sea of Japan coast and through the Shirakami Mountains, a UNESCO World Heritage site, aboard the Resort Shirakami Sightseeing Train.

The Gono Line's "Resort Shirakami" offers breathtaking views of the Shirakami Mountains, which bridges Akita and Aomori prefectures, and the scenic Sea of Japan.

Continue to Aomori City, where you can purchase apple souvenirs and other handcrafted goods at A-Factory, conveniently located next to Nebuta Museum WA RASSE.

Spend Day 4 in Hirosaki, the heart of Japan's apple production.

Visit Hirosaki City Apple Park and learn about over 80 varieties of apples grown in the orchard. View Hirosaki-native Yoshitomo Nara’s artwork at the Hirosaki Museum of Contemporary Art, housed in an old sake warehouse, then stop by the adjacent cafe & shop BRICK to enjoy apple pie and cider.

Enjoy afternoon tea at the Taisho Roman Tea Room, a charming cafe overlooking the Fujita Memorial Garden and views of Mount Iwaki (nicknamed Tsugaru Fuji). The menu offers 10 types of apple pie, as well as apple curry and tea.

CASAICO offers workshops to experience Tsugaru-nuri lacquerware. The crafting technique used here is exclusive to the Tsugaru region of Aomori, and has a history dating back to the Edo period. Extracting the sap from the urushi tree is a long and laborious process, as one tree yields only 200 grams per year.

Venture to Kuroishi and immerse yourself in the rich local culture. At IRODORI, learn about the Kuroishi Neputa Festival, a designated Aomori Prefecture Intangible Folk Cultural Property, and use recycled washi from the floats to create your own fan or lantern. Visit the Tsugaru Traditional Crafts Museum and experience a variety of local arts such as kokeshi dolls and kogin-zashi embroidery.

Disconnect at Lamp no Yado Aoni Onsen, a secluded, lantern-lit hot spring retreat with no electricity or cellular reception.

On Day 6, discover Towada City, home to beautiful natural scenery like Lake Towada. Visit the Towada Art Center, where contemporary sculptures and installations spill onto the streets, blurring the line between art and nature and turning the city into an open-air art gallery.

In the port city of Hachinohe, hike the first section of the Michinoku Coastal Trail along the scenic, windswept Sanriku coastline.

In the evening, visit Miroku Yokocho, a charming lantern-lit alley lined with food stalls. Sample local specialties like senbei-jiru, a comforting soup filled with Nambu senbei crackers, and chat with locals.

Spend Day 8 in Morioka City, the capital of Iwate Prefecture. Morioka’s abundant natural resources have made it the ideal place to hone centuries-old crafts, such as Nambu tekki iron casting. Explore this tradition at Kamasada, a long-standing ironworks shop.

Visit one of Morioka’s most iconic buildings, Konyacho Banya, a former firehouse constructed in 1891 and renovated into a community space and cafe. Just next door, Shirasawa Senbeiten is a family-run business that has been selling Nambu senbei crackers since 1936.

Just minutes from Morioka Station, Kaiunbashi No Johnny is a cozy, eclectic jazz bar, where the owner Johnny showcases his great collection of music memorabilia and vinyl records. This pioneer of Japan’s jazz community charms visitors with his stories and warmly welcomes all music lovers.

In Hanamaki, immerse yourself in the mystical world of famed author Kenji Miyazawa through sound, light, and other imaginative displays at the Fairy Tale Village. Learn about the traditional brewing techniques of the revered Nambu Toji sake masters and sample the region’s renowned sake at Nambu Toji Heritage Hall. Soak in one of the area’s 12 famous hot springs, each said to have benefits ranging from improving circulation to leaving skin looking renewed and radiant.

Before heading back to Tokyo, spend your last day in Tohoku appreciating the region’s beautiful nature in Hiraizumi. Visit Chuson-ji and Motsu-ji Temples, considered two of Japan’s most culturally significant temples.

Finally, take a leisurely cruise down the Satetsu River through Geibikei Gorge, and listen to the boatman’s folk song echo off the towering 100-meter cliffs before heading back to Tokyo.

The JR EAST PASS (Tohoku area) is the essential tool for exploring the region. Choose the 10-day option for maximum freedom or the 5-day pass for a more compact shorter trip. Journey off the beaten path, and fully engage with the region’s landscapes and traditions at your own pace.

Would you like to read our featured article, which introduces a rail journey to connect with the spirit and soul of Southern Tohoku, from samurai legends to sacred mountains and beautiful coastlines?

Embark on a scenic railway journey through Tohoku and let the rails lead you to discoveries you never expected and memories you’ll never forget.