17 Best Sights in Tohoku, Japan

For walking among the splendid and vast virgin beech, pine, and cedar forests deep in the heart of Tohoku, you could not pick a better destination than Towada-Hachimantai National Park. The mountains afford sweeping panoramas over the park's gorges and valleys, crystal clear lakes like Towada-ko, gnarled and windswept trees, and volcanic cones. The park straddles Aomori, Iwate, and Akita prefectures, and sprawls over 330 square miles (855 square km). Hot springs and tiny villages lost in time are secreted here, and the fresh tree-scented air promotes a feeling of true wilderness. Most facilities are closed between mid-November and April.

A visit to this miso and soy sauce business, still located in the historic home of the Ando merchant family, is a treat for both the eyes and the taste buds. Beautiful seasonal flower arrangements and artifacts decorate the tatami rooms, while the unusual redbrick storehouse houses some fine painted screens. And don't miss the inner storehouse, where you can find free miso soup and pickles.

Fish, shellfish, preserved seaweed, and fish eggs—in short, all manner of marine organisms—are hawked by hundreds of vendors in this seafood market. It's one block east of JR Aomori Station, in the basement level of a modern building with distinctive crimson pillars.

Thirty-three of the Soto Sect's Zen temples line up along Zenrin-gai (Zen Forest Street), at the end of which Chosho-ji temple stands with great dignity. The Tsugaru clan's family temple was originally built in Ajigasawa in 1528 but was moved here in 1610 to protect Hirosaki Castle. You'll see an elaborate gate meant to shake off greediness and complaining and 500 statues depicting Buddha's disciples.

Just beyond the plaza and boat pier in Matsushima is a small temple constructed in 1609 at the behest of daimyo Masamune Date. The temple is on a tiny islet connected to the shore by two small arched bridges. Animals representing the zodiac are carved in the timbers and facing each sign's corresponding direction.

This park is large enough to get lost in, with varied landscapes, an astonishing variety of artfully placed flowers and trees, shady groves, streams, and colors in every season. It's a good place for a romantic walk. In 1597 the 26th Lord of Nambu had a fine castle built here, but all that remains are ruined walls. Even so, the walls themselves are fascinating enough.

Buses leave JR Tsuruoka Station and S-Mall in summer for the nearly two-hour trip (¥2,100) to the Gas-san Hachigo-me stop. Check schedules with the tourist information center as they change seasonally. From there you can hike three hours past the glaciers and wildflowers to the 6,500-foot summit of Gas-san, literally Moon Mountain—the highest of the three holy Dewa mountains. From the top you can see the whole gorgeous gallery of mountains that is Yamagata, including one called Mt. Chokai (also known as Dewa Fuji) for its perfect shape. There is even a temple at the top should the spirit take you. It's not possible to climb without snowshoes and winter gear from November to late April or May.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.