Vegetarian's Japan Guide

Kakunodate Town – The Little Kyoto of Northeastern Japan

Kakunodate, or Kakunodatemachi (角館町), is a town in Akita Prefecture that is known as “Michinoku no ko Kyoto (みちのくの小京都)”, or “Northeastern’s Little Kyoto”. The town used to be the home of the samurai stationed at Kakunodate Castle back in the Edo period (1603 – 1868). Even now, traces of the presence of the samurai remain a vivid reminder of their glory days during the Edo period.

The town is an escape from the big-city hubbub. The tranquil atmosphere will heal your tiredness from the exhausting daily grind. And, of course, the delicious local cuisine is another reason why we love Kakunodate!

One of the best things about Kakunodate is that most attractions are within a 30-minute walk from Kakunodate Station (角館駅)! Without having to use any sort of transportation between the places tourists want to explore, you can save on both time and money, which are the two most limited things to us tourists!

Refer to HERE for Kakunodate’s map.

Click HERE to skip to Kakunodate’s access information.

Tip: Accommodation in Kakunodate is limited. Book yours as soon as possible. Hotel Folkloro Kakunodate is really close to Kakunodate Station. And if you want to be close to where all the Samurai residences are, stay at Machiya Hotel Kakunodate!

Tours and Activities You Can Join in Kakunodate

Kakunodatechō Sightseeing Information Center (仙北市観光情報センター「角館駅前蔵」)

As soon as you come out of the Kakunodate Station, you will see this white-walled storage building on your right.

© Lake Tazawa/Kakunodate Tourism Association

It is the first spot you will want to drop by for all the tourist information about Kakunodate. For some of the attractions on your itinerary, there might be discount vouchers or coupons that you can get from this center!

If your hotel is in Semboku City, you can utlize the luggage delivery service to send your belongings to your hotel. The cost is 650 yen per piece of luggage. But note it can’t delivery the luggage to accommodations in Kakunodate.

Luggage Storage Service at Kakunodatechō Sightseeing Information Center

If you are dragging large suitcases, check them in at the information center for 500 each from 9 am, and remember to pick them up by 5:30 pm (4:30 pm in winter)!

For smaller bags, utilize the coin-operated lockers to save!

Free Services at Kakunodatechō Sightseeing Information Center

  • At the entrance of the information center, the white plastic umbrellas are there for anyone to use without charge. Before you borrow one, please let the staff know!
    • Refer to the 4th photo in the IG post.
  • In winter, when it is snowing heavily outside, rent out a pair of boots for free suitable for walking in the snow before you start exploring this lovely town (^_-)-☆.
  • If you require a wheelchair, you can also rent one out from the information center.

Kakunodatechō Sightseeing Information Center’s Opening Hours and Access Information

  • Kakunodatechō Sightseeing Information Center is open from
    • 9 am to 6 pm from April to September
    • 9 am to 5:30 pm from October to March
    • It closes on the 31st of December

Click HERE to return to a list of attractions in Kakunodate!

Shimoda Rental (下田レンタサイクル)

Instead of taking a bus, cycling is a great way to explore Kakunodate. And the best place to rent one out is Shimoda Rental, just a one-minute walk from Kakunodate Station. Plus, they offer free luggage storage service if you rent a bicycle from them!

With a bicycle, you can go as far as the stunning Dakigaeri Valley (抱返り渓谷), which would be harder to get to with public transportation!

Tip: If you need an electric-assisted bicycle, you can rent from Kakunodate Guest House Choux (角館ゲストハウスシュ).

Shimoda Rental’s Business Hours, Bike Rental Cost, and Access Information

  • Shimoda Rental is open from 7 am to 5 pm daily from April to November.
  • The cost to rent a bicycle is 300 yen per hour.

Inaniwa udon (稲庭うどん)

© Akita Tourism Federation

We are all familiar with udon noodles. But did you know that there are different kinds of udon noodles?

Inaniwa udon is the type of udon that originates from Akita Prefecture. What makes it so special is its translucent and flat shape. Compared to normal udon, Inaniwa udon is incredibly smooth!

Whether you like it cold or hot, grab a bowl when you visit Kakunodate (=゚ω゚)ノ.

Tip: Hyakusuien (百穂苑) can cater to the vegan diet.

Strolling around Kakunodate in Kimono

Kakunodate is a town full of Japanese history that you can feel in the air. Blend into the beautiful scenery decorated by traditional houses by wearing a gorgeous kimono when you walk around the town. A kimono will bring your visit to Kakunodate to a whole new level!

There are quite a few kimono rental shops around the station. But if you really can’t find one, check out Aoyagi Samurai House (角館歴史村・青柳家).

© Lake Tazawa/Kakunodate Tourism Association

Bukeyashiki Street (武家屋敷通り)

© Lake Tazawa/Kakunodate Tourism Association

Just like its name, the houses where samurai used to reside are lining up on this street.

A couple of these 200-year-old traditional houses are open to the public. Finding the differences in the construction of the houses between the home of top-ranked samurai, middle-ranked samurai, and lower-ranked samurai can be really fun!

For more information, please refer to our article on Bukeyashiki Street (=゚ω゚)ノ.

Cherry Bark Woodcraft Museum (Kabazaiku Denshokan, 角館樺細工伝承館)

Kabazaiku is a kind of traditional craft in Kakunodate made of cherry blossom tree bark. It started as one of the jobs of a low-ranking samurai back in the Edo period.

© Lake Tazawa/Kakunodate Tourism Association

Just like all the handmade crafts nowadays, the price tag of these beautiful products isn’t so friendly. But at the museum’s souvenir shop, you get to have a feel of how they differ from the normal wooden craft (=゚ω゚)ノ.

In the museum, not only are various fantastic local craftworks on display but demonstrations of Kabazaiku are constantly held in the hall, letting visitors observe the intricate techniques of the artisans up close!

If you are tired, grab a cup of tea or coffee from their café, or simply just rest in their resting hall (^_-)-☆.

Craftwork Experiences at Kabazaiku Denshokan

If you are keen to make your own Kabazaiku, make a booking with the museum to participate in their Kabazaiku wall-hanging workshop at least ten days in advance!

Cost-wise, the more people you have in your group, the cheaper it is!

  • 5,000 yen for one person
  • 2,500 yen per person for 2 people
  • 2,300 yen per person for 3 people
  • 2,000 yen per person for 4 people
  • 1,800 yen per person for 5 people and more participants

If it is too pricy for you, then consider the Itayazaiku workshop. In the workshop, you will make an Itayazaiku wickerwork house (^_-)-☆. The participation cost is 1,000 yen per person.

To get an idea of what exactly you will be making, check out the Japanese website for the craft’s photo HERE.

To make a booking, please call +81-187-43-3353. Alternatively, try emailing Semboku City Hall at [email protected]. They should be able to assist you with the booking as well.

Important: All participants have to be older than the age of ten.

Kabazaiku Denshokan’s Opening Hours, Admission Fees, and Access Information

  • The museum is open from
    • 9 am to 5 pm from April to November
    • 9 am to 4:30 pm from December to March
    • The last admission is 30 minutes before the museum close
  • The museum is closed from the 28th of December to the 4th of January.
  • The admission fee is
    • 500 yen for adults
    • 300 yen for elementary and junior high school students
  • The museum is located a 20-minute walk away from Kakunodate Station.

Tip: Drop by the Kakunodatecho Sight Seeing Information Center (仙北市観光情報センター「角館駅前蔵」) in front of the Kakunodate Station to get one of the vouchers to get a discount on admission fee!

Click HERE to return to a list of attractions in Kakunodate!

Hirafuku Memorial Museum (平福記念美術館)

© Akita Tourism Federation

If you are interested in Japanese painting, drop by the Hirafuku Memorial Museum!

The museum is named after the masters of Japanese painting – Suian Hirafuku (平福穂庵) and his son – Hyakusui Hirafuku (平福百穂), who were from Kakunodate.

On the museum’s display are the two masters’ paintings and artworks of local painters and contemporary artists associated with Kakunodate.

It is quite fascinating how the painting styles are so different between the father and the son. One other interesting thing we found is the contrast between the Japanese artwork and the European-style museum (´▽`*).

Hirafuku Memorial Museum’s Opening Hours, Admission Fees, and Access Information

  • The museum is open from
    • 9 am to 5 pm from April to November
    • 9 am to 4:30 pm daily except Mondays from December to March
    • The last admission is 30 minutes before the museum closes.
  • The museum is closed from the 28th of December to the 4th of January.
  • The admission fee is
    • 500 yen for adults
    • 300 yen for elementary and junior high school students
  • The museum is located a 20 to 25-minute walk away from Kakunodate Station.

Click HERE to return to a list of attractions in Kakunodate!

Andō Soy Sauce and Miso Brewery (安藤醸造 本店)

This brewery was first opened in the Edo period. Even now, at the back of the shop, brewers are still making high-quality soy sauce and miso for us to enjoy. And you get to have a peek at their brewing work from the entrance!

Free sampling is available for soy sauce, miso, and pickles. So utilize it and bring your favorite product back home (=゚ω゚)ノ.

Miso-flavored snacks are also on the shelf if you feel adventurous and want to try unusual flavors. What we can tell you is they are nice!

We visited the brewery close to Japan’s Children’s Day. It is a day for the boys. Thus, samurai-related decor was placed throughout the store. The storage that is open to the public was also filled with samurai dolls and armors (the 5th to the last photos in the IG post).

Tip: As shown in the Instagram post, there is a water fountain next to the brewery. The brewery uses the water to make soy sauce and miso paste. It is drinkable and delicious.

Andō Soy Sauce and Miso Brewery’s Miso

The brewery makes their miso paste by only using locally-grown, high-quality rice, soy beans, salt, and homemade malt. Thus, the miso paste here is referred to as rice-miso.

Apparently, the most important ingredient in miso-making is the malt. So, much effort is put into malt-making at Andō Soy Sauce and Miso Brewery. Not only are there strict rules about how the rice is cooked, constant works are required during the three-day malt-germination.

Then the malt is fixed with cooked soy beans before everything is sealed in barrels and fermented for a year.

Because so much effort is put into their miso-making, the products on their shelf have the top-quality and thus their success for more than a century.

Andō Soy Sauce and Miso Brewery’s Access Information and Business Hours

  • The shop is open from 8:30 am to 5 pm daily
  • Andō Soy Sauce is located a 15-minute walk away from Kakunodate Station.

Click HERE to return to a list of attractions in Kakunodate!

Nishinomiya Residence (西宮家)

In addition to the delicious food and cute souvenirs, the thing we love the most about Nishinomiya Residence is its internal renovation.

The Nishinomiya family was a prominent local landlord in Kakunodate. Their majestic main house demonstrates the prosperity of the family.

Apart from the main house, the family also owns the other five storehouses nearby, which have all been renovated into shops, restaurants, and exhibition spaces for tourists to drop in and enjoy (≧▽≦).

It blends Japanese culture’s simplicity and Western culture’s elegance well. We would love to hire a designer to renovate our place if we could!

Nishinomiya Residence’s Opening Hours and Access Information

  • The residence and the 5 storehouses are open from 10 am to 5 pm daily
  • Nihinomiya Residence is located an 8-minute walk away from Kakunodate Station.

Click HERE to return to a list of attractions in Kakunodate!

The Cherry Blossom and Fall Foliage Spots in Kakunodate

Hinokinaigawa-Tsutsumi-Park-Kakunodate-Akita-Japan-
© Lake Tazawa/Kakunodate Tourism Association

While Kakunodate isn’t the most well-known cherry blossom destination in the Tōhoku Region, it is highly recommended. In addition to the cherry blossom in the town center, the cherry trees also lined the Kinokinai River for two kilometers! Moreover, the cherry trees’ foliage also paints the town in vivid color when the temperature starts to cool down in mid-October.

So, please refer to our Cherry Blossom and Fall Foliage Spots in Kakunodate article for more information! The article includes the information about Kakunodate’s cherry blossom and fall foliage festival.

Click HERE to return to a list of attractions in Kakunodate!

Festivals in Kakunodate (Excluding Cherry Blossom and Autumn Foliage)

Kakunodate Hinameguri Festival (角館雛めぐり)

© Lake Tazawa/Kakunodate Tourism Association
  • In Kakunodate, instead of just the 3rd of March each year, the Hinamatsuri Festival, is celebrated from late February to early March.
  • During the festival, people display a set of ornamental dolls representing the Emperor, Empress, attendants, and musicians in traditional court dress of the Heian period.
  • Throughout the few weeks, many of the facilities throughout the town have various types of Hina Dolls on display. From the traditional ones to the ones made of clay or cloth, strolling through the town for all the different kinds of Hina Dolls is one of the ways to enjoy Kakunodate!

Kakunodate Hifuri Kamakura Festival (角館火振りかまくら)

© Lake Tazawa/Kakunodate Tourism Association
  • Hifuri Kamakura is an event where one swings a fire-lit bale around himself. This is a ritual to pray for a safe and disease-free year.
  • On the 14th of February, from 6 to 8 pm, this ritual can be seen at several venues across the town. As the venues may change from year to year, it is best to get the venue information from the information center in front of the Kakunodate Station.

Kakunodate Festival’s Battling Yama (角館祭りのやま行事)

© Lake Tazawa/Kakunodate Tourism Association

Each year from the 7th to the 9th of September, the Kakunodate Festival is held to pray for the citizens’ prosperity, good harvest, and health.

As the festival comes to an end on the 9th of September, it also marks the beginning of autumn.

For more details, please refer to the official website HERE.

Click HERE to return to a list of attractions in Kakunodate!

How to Get to Kakunodate

By JR East Trains/Shinkansen

It is probably the easiest to get to Kakunodate by catching a JR train. Whether the normal trains or the bullet trains/Shinkansen, they should all stop at Kakunodate Station.

If you are catching a Shinkansen, please catch those bound for Akita (秋田行). The Shinkansen’s name is Komachi (こまち).

Tip: If you plan to take a bullet train from Tokyo, refer to our article on The Best Seats on the Akita Shinkansen: Komachi for which side of the train has better view!

By Airplane

You can catch a flight to Akita airport, and from there, there are reservation-based shared taxi services that will bring you straight to Kakunodate. Albeit it is more expensive, it is a more convenient way. For more information about the price, timetable, and to make a booking, please refer to the Akita Airportliner’s English website HERE.

Note reservation through the internet needs to be made by 5 pm 2 days in advance. If you are booking through a phone call, please do so by 5 pm the day before.

By Akita Nairiku Line

On the other hand, if you are already in the Akita Prefecture, we recommend you catch the Akita Nairiku Line. It is one of the most scenic train lines in Japan you can ever experience (*’▽’).

Kakunodate is the southern terminus stop on the Akita Nairiku Line, so you never need to worry about missing your stop because you fell asleep on the train. The only chance this might happen to you is you are too amazed by all the cute Akitas pictures on the train and the breathtaking scenery outside the train windows.

Find out more about all the scenic spots this train line brings you to with our article HERE!

Akita-Nairiku-Line-Akita-Japan
Find out more about all the great attractions along the Akita Nairiku Line with our article!

How to Travel Between the Attractions in Kakunodate

If you want to travel between the attractions in Kakunodate faster and don’t want to rent a bicycle, there is a community mini bus service called Yobunoru Kakunodate (よぶのる角館). The bus service doesn’t have a fixed timetable. Instead, it is reservation-based. If you read Japanese, you can refer to Yobunoru Kakunodate Official Website. Otherwise, HERE is an English version on Tazawako Kakunodate Sightseeing Association.

The cost is slightly more expensive than the local bus, but it is cheaper than taxis. When we took the bus to Hinokinaigawa Tsutsumi Park, it costed 400 yen per person. The bus arrived within two minutes after I made the reservation phone call.

Payments can be made by cash or Japan’s transportation IC cards, such as SUICA or ICOCA.

Discover the Beauty of Dakigaeri Valley

If you are a nature lover, a really good attraction you can visit when you come to Kakunodate is Dakigaeri Valley. While public transportation can’t reach the valley, you can cycle your way there!

For more information, please refer to our article on Dakigaeri Valley!

Dakigaeri-Gorge-Akita-Japan
Click the photo to find out more information about this beautiful valley!

Explore Lake Tazawa Nearby

Ukiki-Shrine-Lake-Tazawa-Akita-Japan
Click the photo to find out more information about the scenic lake!

Lake Tazawa (田沢湖) in Semboku City, with a depth of 422.4 meters, is the deepest lake in Japan. The 6 kilometers wide caldera lake was formed due to a volcanic eruption. Because of its depth, the lake can absorb a lot of heat in summer that even in the snowy winter, its surface will never be frozen!

As Lake Tazawa is only a few stations away, it is a great destination to explore if you plan to spend a night or two in Kakunodate.

Refer to our Lake Tazawa article for more information!

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