47 Best Sights in Tohoku, Japan

The climb up Mt. Haguro begins at the red Zuishin Gate (Zuishin-mon), then goes up 2,446 or so stone steps to the summit. The strenuous ascent cuts through ancient cedar trees that rise to dominate the sky. You'll pass a 14th-century pagoda sitting alone in the forest. A tea shop is open from late April through October. The trail is just over 1.7 km (about 1 mile) in all, and it may take you an hour to reach the 1,400-foot summit with its thatched-roof shrine, Dewa-Sanzan Jinja. Up to 12 buses a day make the 35-minute trip to Zuishin Gate and up to the peak of Haguro from JR Tsuroka Station. It is possible to stay overnight on the mountain at the temple-lodge of Sai-kan, which is attached by a long stairway to the Dewa-Sanzan Jinja.

If you can't visit Aomori during the Nebuta Festival, you can see the glowing papier-mâché sculptures painted with the fierce countenances of warriors from the past year's festival at this museum, right by Aomori Station. There are floats on display, but you can also learn how they are made and interact with a variety of exhibits. 

Inside Towada-Hachimantai National Park, Nyuto consists of seven different hinabita onsen—all charming—characterized by their milky water and surrounded by a beech forest. Each onsen has well-managed ryokan, and you can purchase a pass (¥1,800) at the ryokan where you are staying that gives you free shuttle transport and access to all seven. Shuttles run about one per hour. Nyuto is about 45 minutes from Tazawa-ko. From JR Tazawa-ko Station, take the Ugokotsu bus bound for Nyuto Onsen, and ask your ryokan where to get off; they will pick you up from the nearest stop.

An excellent—if a bit crowded—choice for a walk is this gorge northeast of the lake at Nenokuchi. The carefully tended trail follows a river and a series of waterfalls for a total of 9 km (5½ miles; about two hours 40 minutes). A two-lane road parallels the river, so if you get tired you can catch buses north to Aomori and south to Nenokuchi and Yasumiya. Be prepared for cold mist or rain, pack ample snacks and water, and find out the bus schedule before you start out.

One of the few structures left standing in Sendai after World War II, this shrine houses the guardian deity of military families. As such, the shintai (the object of worship in a Shinto shrine that is believed to contain the spirit of a deity) has a history of being passed among Tohoku's ruling families. In 1607, local daimyo Masamune Date had it brought to Sendai. Nestled among trees is the elegant wooden structure, with bright-metal ornamentation over subdued black lacquer. The main building has been designated a National Treasure. It's in the northwest section of the city, about 45 minutes from the station by the Loople and 30 minutes from the Zuihoden area.

Interested in Zen meditation? This temple, with a quintessentially Japanese garden, holds free zazen-kai (seated meditation class) on Saturday evenings after the temple has closed to visitors. In early summer, the garden is a blaze of color as the various flowers come into bloom. During the blooming season, visit in the early evening when the crowds leave. From JR Sendai Station, take the JR train to Kita-Sendai Station and walk 10 minutes.

If you're looking for a stopover between Yamadera and Sendai, this hot spring area (with five hotels) is five minutes by free bus from JR Sakunami Station. Sakunami is only 39 minutes (¥500) by local express from Sendai Station, close enough to be an alternative spot to spend the night, but not convenient. There are also free tours (in Japanese only) at the nearby Nikka Whisky distillery here.

Want to know what it was like to live in this area 5,500 years ago? One of the country's largest archaeological sites, this features a reconstruction of a Jomon settlement that lasted for roughly 1,500 years, from 3500 to 2000 BC. After an extensive excavation, it was opened to the public and has attracted crowds of children on school outings, tourists from all over, and, of course, archaeology buffs. Its interactive approach encourages visitors to try their hands at making crafts and cuisine. Free English-language tours can be arranged if you call in advance.

Sendai Castle (or more accurately the ruins of Sendai Castle) offers views of the city. A restored guardhouse is all that remains of what was the residence of the Date dynasty for three centuries. Sadly, it was all pulled down during the Meiji Restoration. The Aobajo Museum, located on the grounds, displays armor and weapons used by Masamune Date, as well as a CG reconstruction of the castle in its heyday. Nearby Gokoku Jinja (Gokoku Shrine) is now the area's main attraction. To get here by bus, take the Sendai Loople and get off at the Sendai-jo Ato/Site of Sendai Castle.

The site of the now-ruined Kubota Castle, Senshu Park is a large, shady respite from the sun where cherry blossoms, lotus, and azaleas add color in season. Large koi carp swim lazily about the ponds and moats, white egrets stand like statues, and turtles bask in the sun. A reconstructed tower with an elevated lookout floor stands in the northwest corner of the park.

View the city of Sendai and the mountains for free from the observatory deck on the top floor of this 30-story skyscraper. Just follow the signs to the Sky Lounge. The northern side of the building is a wedding facility.

Milky, highly acidic water floods into the large cedar bathhouse known as a sennin-buro, a 1,000-person bath. Designated as a national health resort, Sukayu draws many travelers to its curative waters. It has a reputation for the best mixed-bathing in the nation. Several hours are reserved for women only. The trip is one hour from Oirase Gorge and 70 minutes from Aomori. From JR Aomori Station East Exit, take the bus bound for Towada-ko. If you are going to stay the night at the onsen's hotel, you can take the free shuttle bus from Auga's parking lot at 10:15 am or 2 pm daily.

The highlight is the strong, acidic water (which has a minor amount of radium): gushing out at almost 2,400 gallons per minute, it's Japan's swiftest flow from a single spring. In the vicinity is another geothermal area in a national park where many enjoy a hot-rock bath. Take worn-out T-shirts and towels because they will get stained by the waters or even the steam (be careful also of reactive jewelry, such as copper or silver).

Thanks to its famous fall colors, Lake Towada welcomes a rumbling fleet of packed tour buses when the leaves begin to change. The lake fills a volcanic crater to a depth of 1,096 feet, making it the third deepest in Japan. The crater is held aloft like a giant goblet above the surrounding topography, giving it a dramatic illusory aspect. Boat tours let you float by the lovely landscape.

On the northeast corner of the castle grounds, this museum exhibits the giant drums and floats used in the annual Neputa Festival. If you miss the real thing, come here to see the 40-foot fan-shaped floats as they sleep off their hangovers from the mad midsummer revelry. In the workshop you can paint your own traditional kingyo-neputa (bamboo-framed paper goldfish) or kokeshi (traditional wooden dolls) to take home as souvenirs. There is a cute Japanese garden within the complex where you can appreciate a few different architectural styles among the garden's scenery. Craftspeople are working inside one of the larger structures where you can see their wares and how they're made as well as take part. A food court on the premises providing inexpensive hearty Japanese meals.

One of the trio of Dewa peaks, 5,000-foot Yudono-san is generally the last on pilgrims' rounds. You can descend on foot in a few hours from Gas-san, but it involves interpreting signs in Japanese, a bit of exertion, and slippery metal ladders, and you'll want to check with the tourist information folks about current conditions and the bus schedule. Seasonal buses make the 80-minute (¥2,000) run between Tsuruoka and Sen-nin-Zawa, a trailhead for a short climb to the summit, where you make a small monetary donation and be purified in a secret ritual that you are forbidden to photograph or tell anyone about. Once cleansed, don't miss the last bus back down to Tsuruoka, which leaves at 5:20 pm. The Shonai Kotsu buses have an erratic holiday schedule to Yudono-san, so make sure to check the schedule in advance as the bus is the only way back apart from hiking; of the three mountains, ascending this one takes the most advance planning since the bus schedule is so erratic.

Matsushima's main temple dates from AD 828, but the present structure was rebuilt to meet Masamune Date's tastes in 1609. Zuiganji is perhaps the most representative Zen temple in the Tohoku region. The museum, filled with the temple's treasures including a statue of the warlord, is also well worth visiting. The natural caves surrounding the temple are filled with Buddhist statues that novices carved from the rock face as part of their training. Tours in English are available if you call ahead.