Planning for Tohoku. Need some advice on where to stay and general suggestions.

14 comments

1. Kitakata for the ramen, especially since you plan to go during the rainy season. You’d probably have better luck with ayu in Gifu [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9p7fujyPLfE](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9p7fujyPLfE)

2. I went to Sendai and Yamadera in March. I recommend staying close to Sendai Station as it has everything you need to reach easily. I stayed at an APA hotel that had a convenience store attached to it. The room was okay but you could not control the AC and it made our stay uncomfortable. It was really hot personally.
   If you stay near Sendai station, you can use the loople bus to go to the most famous spots. Under normal conditions, it would take to you a good portion of the day since there are lots of sights and 2 museums I think. Though the museums were closed due to corona. So our loople tour wasn’t super long and we went to Matsushima by train afterwards, but the boat rides closed at like 4pm I think. The destinations around Matsushima are kind of spaced apart so we took a taxi. You could walk onto one of the islands by bridge. We then took the train back to sleep at APA hotel. The next day, we took a day trip to Yamadera and climbed all the way to the top. By 1pm~, we took a shinkansen to Kyoto to arrive at 9pm~. We used the fastest shinkansen because it is available to JR pass holders (Hayabusa).

   Gyu-tan and Zunda shakes are the local specialties and they are absolutely delicious. I recommend a zunda shake shop on the 2nd floor of Shin-Sendai Station in a corner. Also buy zunda KitKats, definitely some of the best KitKats I bought during my entire trip.

   My goal and time was limited for Sendai and the 3 great sights of Japan (Amanohashidate, Matsushima, Miyajima) so my experience up north wasn’t super detailed.

3. Not ‘crippling’ at all. In my opinion, public transport in Tohoku is very good. Actually, it’s the **best** way to see all of Tohoku in one trip. Driving the whole thing takes too long. Flights are no faster than public transportation. Hell, airports like Hanamaki, Aomori, Akita, are in the middle of nowhere.

   You’ve got a shinkansen line up the eastern backbone that takes around 90 minutes from Tokyo to Sendai, 40 minutes from Sendai to Morioka, then all the way to Aomori. Then you’ve got two more shinkansen lines, the Yamagata and Akita. I recommend you just follow the general direction of the shinkansen lines, with some local train when jumping from one shinkansen region to another.

   Perhaps:

   Tokyo>Fukushima>Yamagata>Shinjo>Yokote>Akita>Kakunodate>Morioka>back south to Sendai>back north to Misawa>Aomori>Hirosaki>Tokyo

   Or maybe this general route is shorter:

   Tokyo>Fukushima>Yamagata>Shinjo>Yokote>Akita>eastern detour to Kakunodate>Kitaakita>Hirosaki>Aomori>Misawa>Morioka>Sendai>Tokyo

   I have used the JR East Tohoku Pass three times and the JR Tohoku-South Hokkaido Pass once. They are very good because you can use up the five days of the pass over a 14-day period, and you don’t have to decide exactly which days until you enter the train gate at the beginning of the day. Totally different concept than the JR Rail Pass that starts running out the clock as soon as you buy it. So you can just take buses and cheap local trains, including JR ones, on some days and use the rail pass on shinkansen days. Though definitely try to plan your route ahead of time so you get the most value on the days you use it. If you buy the Tohoku Pass before you come to Japan, it’s 19350 JPY, meaning you should get at least 3870 JPY value out of it everyday. Otherwise it’s better to just buy tickets.

   If it’s a possibility for you, rental car is an option for some parts. Toyota Rent-a-car doesn’t charge one-way fee if you pick-up and drop-off within the same prefecture. This is useful for Yamagata Prefecture as everything is along a north-south axis, so you could rent in Yokote and return in Shinjo, or vice-versa.

4. I did the same route last autumn, except Fukushima which I had to scrap due to the October typhoon delaying my arrival by 2.5 days. Train links between prefectures in Tohoku are pretty convenient, with the exception of Yamagata-Akita which only operate by normal trains with a transfer at Shinjo. The only thing you should take note about trains is that outside of Sendai, train intervals are really irregular (like 1-1.5 hours between trains), so you need to plan your day trip timings well to avoid excessive waiting times or missing trains.

   3 weeks is a nice and comfortable time, but if you’re taking only public transport and considering the Tohoku JR Pass, the pass only allows usage for 5 days within a 14 day period. That leaves you with 2 choices: either purchase 2 sets of passes for a total of 10 travel days across a 28 day period to cover your entire trip, or buy one pass and pay cash for the remaining 7 days, whenever that is. Either way you could possibly be paying more by buying the passes if you’re not doing many long distance trips within that 14 day period, so you really need to do your cost calculations properly to determine if the passes will help you to save money. Use Hyperdia to plan your trips, they will show you the cost of all your train rides. I personally did just a 2 week trip (Tokyo-Yamagata-Akita-Aomori-Iwate-Miyagi) and everything fit in just fine for me.

   I know you already mention you are only taking public transport, and that works well for most places, but if you are open to driving I highly recommend driving from Aomori to Mt Hakkoda/Oirase Gorge/Lake Towada, especially since you are already planning to head to the first two. These areas can be visited within a day if you have a car since they are roughly within the same area, and although the bus covers the area the one hour interval between buses are really restrictive to me. If you miss a bus all your other plans for the day may be affected as well. With a car you won’t be tied down to bus timings and you can possibly spend more time at each place.

5. I’ve been imagining a trip to Tohoku as well! Not sure if you’re just heading to Zao Onsen for the hot spring, but there seems to be some nice hiking routes. There’s actually a FREE bus in the morning from the Shinkansen Kaminoyama Onsen station that drops you off near the Okama crater. Then you can hike towards the Zao Onsen town from there.

   Are you taking the Resort Shirakami train for visiting Shirakami Sanchi? The “resort” train takes you from Akita to Hirosaki/Aomori along the sea with stops such as Jyuniko. Maybe spots like Inakadake (Rice Field Art) might spark interest as well.

   I honestly have not found extraordinary spots on the Sanriku Coast through my research but it has been my dream to take a ride on the scenic Sanriku Railway.

   For Fukushima I’ve been looking into the area behind Mt. Bandai. Goshikinuma looks like a great nature spot. It’s accessible by bus from Inawashiro Station.

   I’m hesitant to spend time visiting spots far from train lines such as Ginzan Onsen, Hachimantai, all of what you listed on Aomori tbh (Goshikinuma is an exception since it looks very off the beaten path) but as you can guess I’m a railfan so there’s my priorities. And yes, I would say there’s enough to do, a lot to do in Tohoku with just public transport.

6. I visited Yamagata, Sendai, Matsushima and Tashirojima (also visited Gunma for some strawberry picking) last December. Made most of my day trips out of Sendai apart from a night’s stay in a ryokan at Matsushima. You’ll want to stay as close to Sendai station as possible to be able to save time on getting to the trains for your day trips. Whatever you need as a tourist can be easily gotten in the vicinity of Sendai – food, arcades, karaoke, books, gifts, medical supplies etc.

   The best advice I can give if you’re taking public transport is to plan the train and bus rides down to the minute. Trains should not be a problem for you since it’s not your first time to Japan, just that you need to be be aware that the intervals for some of the trains can be really long. If you miss one, it could be an hour before the next train arrives (one of it being the train to Yamadera in Yamagata). Buses in these regions are run by different companies and it will be a big advantage if you can read and speak some Japanese.

   Good thing you set aside an entire day for Tashirojima. For that trip, you’ll want to consider preparing some lunch because there are no convenience stores there. From what I remember, i recall only 2 rest stops where you can get curry rice there. If you’ve prepared some lunch, you can consider hiking to where the cat cabins (Manga Island) are and have your lunch there while facing the Sanriku Coast. You might have some trouble identifying where to take the bus to Ajishima Port from Ishinomaki Station. There are 4 bus stops there at Ishinomaki station, just wait at the stop near the station and check with the friendly bus drivers if you’re not sure. Also prepare some spare change because the private companies which operate these bus lines may not accept Suica/Pasmo yet. On your way back from Tashirojima, you may want to consider a stroll back to Ishinomaki station from the ferry terminal and appreciate how the town is still hard at work recovering from the 2011 Tsunami.

   If you’re into Manholes, you might want to spend some time hunting for the Pokemon themed manhole lids scattered throughout Miyagi and Iwate. I found out about them too late and only managed to get a couple of them here https://www.reddit.com/r/manholeporn/comments/elb9fo/pok%C3%A9mon_themed_covers_in_tohoku_region_yokohama/

   Last but not least, don’t forget to try Zunda and Gyu-tan, the specialties of Miyagi. You won’t miss them, they’re literally everywhere in Sendai. Hope you have a great time in Tohoku, it’s a really underrated area of Japan to visit.

7. Simply put : pick Sendai as your home base, it is an amazing city with the Shinkansen and you can easily plan day trips from there (I stayed in the “Hotel Green Selec” fyi).

   I went to Morioka, Yamagata (as well as Yamadera not far), Matsushima and Hiraizumi : everything was great !

   The Tohoku region seriously is amazing, there are fewer foreign tourists but it is so charming in its own right. I can’t wait to go back.

   From Tokyo I suggest getting the JR East-Tohoku Pass : it is a convenient 5 non-consecutive days pass so you can use it smartly.

8. See if you can fit in Tsurunoyu / Nyuto Onsen in the Akita area. My favorite in all of Japan.

9. I know it’s not technically Tohoku, but Hakodate is a quick trip from Shin-Aomori station, and has one of Japan’s most renowned nightscapes (Hakodateyama). Not to mention, there are many amazing sightseeing areas there, like Goryokaku Park, red brick warehouse, and beautiful oceans on 3 side of the town.

   Amazing people and a kind night life. I had some of my greatest experiences in Hakodate on my 6-week trip last year. Hakodate was my first stop (quick flight using the Japan Explorer Pass) before I headed down through Tohoku. I will look through portions of my itinerary and get back to you with other suggestions.

10. Here was my itinerary from last year:

    Tokyo > Hakodate (via flight) > Aomori > Morioka > Sendai > Yamagata > Murayama > Tokyo (via flight)

    Before I get into suggestions, I want you to know that my itinerary was over the course of 6 weeks, which I know is not ideal for most. The reason I mention this is because I didn’t have the time constraints that you’ll likely run into with an ambitious itinerary. Taking your time and being open allows you to stumble upon experiences that you never would have expected; like a local you met in an izakaya wanting to take you to an onsen you’ve never heard of.

    ##Hakodate

    – **Mount Hakodate** (Hakodateyama). Absolutely stunning view.
    – **Goryokaku & Goryokaku Park**. Beautiful park for a nice walk and photo opportunities. Even better during autumn foliage.
    – **Butadon Porco**. Fantastic pork rice bowls from a very lovely married couple, Koshiro and Fusako. They own a bar/restaurant that is decorated with 1980s pop culture and toys.
    – **Daimon Yokocho**. Awesome food stall street that gets very lively at night. Great way to interact with locals over drinks and food in an intimate setting.

    ##Aomori

    – **Nebuta Museum WARASSE**. An exhibit displaying past floats from the Aomori Nebuta summer festival.
    – **A Factory**. Delicious hard ciders made from Aomori apples. Right next door to the Nebuta Museum.
    – **Miso Curry Milk Ramen**. Super heavy and savory ramen. Probably a bit better to have in colder weather!
    – Unfortunately I don’t have too many suggestions for Aomori. I was experiencing very cold weather with 40-50 MPH winds the whole time.

    ##Morioka

    – **Hachimantai**. Since it’s already on your list, I don’t think you need any explanation.
    – **Kakunodate**. Samurai town that is an easy day trip from Morioka.
    – **Lake Tazawa**. Very easy to get to on your way back to Morioka from Kakunodate. Beyond beautiful!
    – **Nanshoso**. Garden and matcha.
    – **SUNDANCE**. Incredibly lively bar where a lot of locals and foreigners come together. I met numerous people here that are still friends of mine, in whom I’ll be going back to visit later this year (hopefully).
    – **Gyukatsu & Jajamen**. Two local dishes that are a MUST try.

    ##Sendai

    – **Osteria Gabu**. Mentioned this in another comment, but it’s worth mentioning again. Shindi is an incredible chef, and his izakaya is a great hangout spot.
    – **Seemingly Endless Shōtengai** (Shopping Streets)
    – **Gyutan** (Cow tongue). Find a good yakiniku restaurant and indulge in Sendai’s amazing gyutan.
    – **Jiro style ramen at Ramen Billy Plus**. Go hungry…

    ##Yamagata

    – **Yamadera**. I know it’s already on your list, but I can’t recommend it enough! The views from the top are breathtaking. Worth all 1,000 stairs.
    – **Zao or Ginzan**. Both are a somewhat difficult to get to, so I would pick one or the other. Definitely worth an overnight stay.
    – **Muchas** in Yamagata City. Great little family-owned Mexican cafe/bar with an intimate feel. Maki and her husband are great company and speak very good English.

    If I think of any more, I will let you know. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions about anything; hotels, transit, etc. Edit: Additional formatting for readability.

11. I’ve seen several comment suggesting to have 1 or 2 “base”, but personally am totally on the idea of changing more often.

    Not sure if the name of the city with links are the plan for bases, but I would change some.

    Fukushima, change for Aizuwakamatsu, there is a bus from there to Ouchi-juku, so that would be much easier to do that as a day trip from Aizu. Other option to consider for local area to visit include Kitakata for their ramen. Oze national part is in Fukushima prefecture, but quite far from the city of Fukushima.

    Yamadera is an easy day trip from Sendai, or could be a stop on the way to Zao or Ginzan onsen, as you would most likely want to stay at the onsen for the night and not return to Yamagata. Or you could just focus on going to onsen that are a bit easier to access.

    Hirosaki can easily be done as a day trip from Aomori.

    Hiraizumi in itself have two famous temples, so would be a good chance to do visit the 4 most famous temples in Tohoku and collect the stamps to complete a small pilgrimage : [https://en.japantravel.com/yamagata/tohoku-s-four-temple-pilgrimage/18180](https://en.japantravel.com/yamagata/tohoku-s-four-temple-pilgrimage/18180)

12. Apologies if this has already come up but JR East allows you to prebook tickets up to a month in advance with some rail passes [JR East](https://www.eki-net.com/pc/jreast-shinkansen-reservation/English/wb/common/Menu/Menu.aspx) and has their all schedules on their website. It’s admittedly a bit of tricky website to use however it does mean that you can exchange your rail pass and collect the majority of your tickets all in one go. I did this with the JR East-South Hokkaido pass and it was great, combined it with a Suica card for shorter journey days and only had to buy one separate ticket on an almost 3 week trip.
    Also there’s a little Italian café next to the station at Matsushima Bay that is well worth visiting, had some delicious coffee and cake there after a cold boat trip!

13. Hi, a bit late here. I saw you’re interested in the Lake Towada/Oirase area. I live in the area and frequent it for sightseeing and hiking as well.

    Car is definitely necessary. I also recommend giving yourself extra time and getting out and about outdoors if you’re into that. You technically *can* zip through both the Lake & gorge areas, plus the mountain, in a day, but i think to enjoy it you might split it – Lake Towada & and walking around the gorge one day, Hakkoda (ropeway and walking around the top) plus Sukayu Onsen the other day. It’s a large and really beautiful, tranquil area that really is better when you’re not rushing through it.

14. I’ve been browsing Reddit for a three week Japan trip next year, including two weeks in Tohoku and joined to reply here! Such good advise here all round. Personally I’m planning on flying to Tokyo and basing my itinerary loosely on two October festivals I want to experience: Nihonmatsu Fukushima Lantern Festival and Omagari Fall Fireworks Festival, which affects timings somewhat. (Would love August festivals but the weather is too hot.)

    Other than those, my must see are shaping up to be: mountain onsen (Nyuto and Hijiori – I researched Ginzan and stumbled upon Hijiori which seems very charming and is just next door to Ginzan in Yamagata); Yamadera (most likely combined with Okama crater/Zao rotenburo); Hagurosan hike; Resort Shirakami train between Akita and Aomori stopping at Shirakami Sanchi/Furofushi onsen for a stretch; Akita maiko experience (every Saturday); Ozoresan; Kakunodate (including local sake and soy sauce factory visits and tasting).

    Taking the JR East Tohoku Pass for travel and not having one ‘base’ but travelling along and staying one/two nights in each place, which hopefully will be relaxed enough as most days there won’t be much distance to cover. I’ll end the trip in Nikko before returning to Tokyo on local trains later.

    If festivals are your thing, I’ve found it best to look at local tourism pages for regional smaller matsuri – the more local the govt website the better (e.g. Tohoku region -> Akita prefecture -> **Semboku area** local tourism website would give you random small Kakunodate/Tazawako festivals even in English which Google may not otherwise find you from bigger websites.)

    I’ve planned so far as below, with rough JR train costs according to Google maps/Hyperdia (although I find Google maps so much quicker to use for a rough outline like here) – and hence travel days in bold where it makes most sense to use the precious 5 days of the JR Pass.

    1. **Tokyo – Nihonmatsu for festival** **Y8,980**
    2. **Nihonmatsu (first train) – Kaminoyamaonsen for Okama/Zao – Yamagata for the night** **Y2,200**
    3. Yamagata – Yamadera – Shinjo for Hijiori onsen Y1,230
    4. Hijiori onsen – Tsuruoka for the night Y1,170
    5. Tsuruoka – Hagurosan – Tsuruoka day trip
    6. Tsuruoka – Akita, arrive in time for noon market hall sushi lunch and afternoon maiko experience, Kawabata dori izakayas for the evening Y2,310
    7. Akita – Furofushi onsen on Resort Shirakami train, stop at Juniko for Shirakami Sanchi walk between trains Y2,310
    8. **Furofushi – Shimokita** **Y4,460**
    9. Shimokita – Ozoresan – Shimokita day trip
    10. **Shimokita – Nyuto onsen** **Y8,750**
    11. Nyuto onsen – Kakunodate, via a stop at Tazawako to cycle round the lake (lockers and rental bikes available at station) Y330
    12. Kakunodate
    13. Kakunodate – Omagari for evening firework festival Y330
    14. **Omagari – (Hiraizumi) – Nikko** **Y16,060**