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Tohoku Region Travel Guide: Matsushima, Aomori and Hidden Japan

By JAPN Published · Updated

Tohoku Region Travel Guide: Matsushima, Aomori and Hidden Japan

Matsushima Bay

Matsushima Bay scatters roughly 260 pine-covered islands across an inlet of the Pacific coast in Miyagi Prefecture, earning its designation as one of Japan’s three most scenic views alongside Amanohashidate and Miyajima. Sightseeing boats from Matsushima pier cruise among the islands for 50 minutes at 1,500 yen, passing rock formations eroded into arches, tunnels, and mushroom shapes. Zuiganji Temple, founded in 828 and rebuilt by Date Masamune in 1609 with ornate carved transoms and painted sliding doors, ranks among Tohoku’s most important Zen temples.

Godaido Hall stands on a small islet connected by a vermillion bridge, housing five Buddhist statues displayed to the public only once every 33 years, with the next opening in 2039. Entsuin Temple next door features a rose garden unusual for a Zen temple and a main hall with ceiling paintings in Western style, evidence of Date Masamune’s diplomatic contacts with Rome via his envoy Hasekura Tsunenaga. The oyster season from October through March brings kaki-goya huts along the waterfront where fresh oysters are grilled, steamed, fried, and served raw.

Aomori and Hirosaki

Aomori’s Nebuta Festival in early August parades enormous illuminated papier-mache floats depicting warriors, demons, and mythological figures through the streets while dancers called haneto in colorful costumes leap and chant. The festival draws three million visitors over six nights. Nebuta no Ie Wa Rasse museum displays retired floats year-round and explains the construction process that takes months of bamboo framing, wire wrapping, paper application, and painting for each float.

Hirosaki Castle, an hour west by train, presides over one of Japan’s premier cherry blossom sites with 2,600 trees surrounding the castle moat. Petals falling on the water create a pink carpet effect called hanaikada that peaks in late April. The castle itself, a modest three-story tower originally built in 1611 and reconstructed after fire in 1810, was moved 70 meters in 2015 for foundation repairs and currently sits on a temporary platform with plans to return it by the 2030s. Hirosaki’s preserved samurai district and French Renaissance-style former bank building reflect the city’s layered history.

Festivals and Inland Tohoku

Sendai Tanabata in August decorates the city’s shopping arcades with thousands of elaborate bamboo streamers up to five meters long, each handmade by local businesses and organizations over months. Akita Kanto Festival in the same week features performers balancing 12-meter bamboo poles hung with 46 paper lanterns on their foreheads, hips, and palms. Yamagata’s Hanagasa Festival completes the trio of major Tohoku summer festivals.

Ginzan Onsen in Yamagata Prefecture preserves a row of three-story wooden ryokan along a narrow river gorge, gas lanterns illuminating the street at night in a scene that reportedly inspired the bathhouse town in Spirited Away. Nyuto Onsen near Lake Tazawa in Akita clusters seven rustic hot spring lodges in a mountain forest, each with different mineral-rich water sources including the milky-white sulfur springs of Tsurunoyu. The Zao Snow Monsters, or juhyo, form on Mount Zao in Yamagata when freezing mist coats trees until they become massive white sculptures viewable from January through early March.

Getting Around Tohoku

The Tohoku Shinkansen connects Tokyo to Sendai in 90 minutes, Morioka in two hours 15 minutes, and Shin-Aomori in three hours. The JR East Pass Tohoku Area covers five consecutive days of unlimited travel for 20,000 yen including shinkansen, making it economical for visitors exploring multiple Tohoku destinations. Local lines branch to coastal towns and mountain onsen, though service frequency drops significantly outside cities.

Renting a car opens access to rural hot springs, mountain roads, and coastal villages that train service does not reach efficiently. Tohoku’s roads are well-maintained but winter driving from December through March requires snow tires and confidence in icy conditions. The region receives less international tourism than Kansai or Kanto, meaning English signage is less prevalent but local hospitality often compensates with personal assistance. Summer festivals concentrate in the first week of August, and combining two or three creates a spectacular week-long itinerary.

This content is for informational purposes only and reflects independent research. Details may change — verify current information before making travel plans.