The 10 Best Free Things to do in Tohoku, Japan

June 22, 2021 Marlin Saiz

The Tōhoku region (東北地方, Tōhoku-chihō), Northeast region, or Northeast Japan consists of the northeastern portion of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. This traditional region consists of six prefectures (ken): Akita, Aomori, Fukushima, Iwate, Miyagi and Yamagata.
Restaurants in Tohoku

1. Mt. Iwaki

Hirosaki Aomori Prefecture
Excellent
52%
Good
39%
Satisfactory
9%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 243 reviews

Mt. Iwaki

2. Dakigaeri Valley

Tazawako Sotsuda ~ Kakunodatemachi Hirokunai, Semboku 014-0300 Akita Prefecture http://www.city.semboku.akita.jp/sightseeing/spot/05_dakigaeri.html
Excellent
42%
Good
44%
Satisfactory
13%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 150 reviews

Dakigaeri Valley

Reviewed By MarvinY52

The views are nice and the trail not too difficult for all ages. The full trail can be completed in slightly over an hour (or an hour if you hurry past the photo ops). Something I wish I knew before coming was transport options and could not find an updated one in 2018. There is a Free shuttle bus from Kakunodate station (yes, they do a return leg too) at 4 times a day during 10 oct to 10 nov 2018. Timings in the picture. The visitors centre at the station will be able to advise you. (Come out of the station, its a standalone hut on the right). The visitors centre can also hold your bags for you, but if they run out of capacity, there are always lockers.

3. Hanamiyama Park

17 Hara Watari, Fukushima 960-8141 Fukushima Prefecture +81 24-522-3265 http://www.hanamiyamakoen.jp
Excellent
62%
Good
27%
Satisfactory
7%
Poor
3%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 178 reviews

Hanamiyama Park

4. Tanesashi Coast

Samemachi, Hachinohe 031-0841 Aomori Prefecture +81 178-51-8500 http://tanesashi.info/vicinity.html
Excellent
41%
Good
49%
Satisfactory
9%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 188 reviews

Tanesashi Coast

Reviewed By TWHK - Hong Kong, China

It is a wonderful place. The coast is in front of a big grassland.There are a lot of seagulls. The grass is green in summer. It should be the best time to go there.

5. Oirase Gorge

Okuse, Towada 034-0301 Aomori Prefecture +81 176-75-2425 http://towadako.or.jp/towadako-oirase/
Excellent
66%
Good
29%
Satisfactory
5%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 1,043 reviews

Oirase Gorge

Reviewed By traveller26943 - Singapore, Singapore

Start early .. total Around 14 km if you walk all the way you can take JR tohoku bus and stop where you like to start , we managed 12km n took the bus back to Yasumiya . we love the walk ... the scenery is really tranquil

6. Hirosaki Park

1 Shimoshiroganecho, Hirosaki 036-8356 Aomori Prefecture +81 172-33-8739 http://www.hirosakipark.jp/
Excellent
55%
Good
37%
Satisfactory
8%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 563 reviews

Hirosaki Park

Reviewed By teresalegg - Democratic Republic of the Congo, null

This is a must see park when the cherry blossoms are in bloom during April. The trees are full and magnificent. There is a lot of food and things to buy on sale during the Cherry Blossom Festival in April. The tree are lit up very beautifully at night which is very romantic and beautiful to see. Well worth a visit

7. Naruko Valley

Naruko Onsen Shitomae ~ Hoshinuma, Osaki 989-6827 Miyagi Prefecture http://www.city.osaki.miyagi.jp/index.cfm/24,1166,108,234,html
Excellent
38%
Good
50%
Satisfactory
11%
Poor
0%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 195 reviews

Naruko Valley

Reviewed By jaylowe - Hong Kong, China

This gorge + valley are so colourful in autumn. We drove there and it wasn't hard to get a parking spot. The whole valley was dotted with red, orange and yellow and very pretty. I found the autumn leaves here are more in red than other places in Tohoku Japan. (Most places we've been to are mostly yellow to orange in shade.) We hike down the valley and back up. It's really one of the highlights of our trip.

8. Mt. Haguro

Haguromachi Toge, Tsuruoka 997-0211 Yamagata Prefecture http://www.dewasanzan.jp/publics/index/71/
Excellent
66%
Good
30%
Satisfactory
3%
Poor
0%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 305 reviews

Mt. Haguro

9. Mt. Chokai

018-0400
Excellent
48%
Good
47%
Satisfactory
5%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 88 reviews

Mt. Chokai

Reviewed By jessthejet423

Chokaisan is one of my favorite mountains in all of Japan. While the hike itself is difficult (about five hours up, three and a half down), I can honestly say it is one of my favorite memories from living in Japan. As you hike, you can see so many different kinds of landscapes, from lush green valleys to volcanic crevices, and at the very top, huge boulders that you have to scale to reach the summit. There are two routes you can take, one along the valley floor and one along the mountain ridge. Both are challenging, but the valley is a little easier since the road is wider and the ascent isn't quite as steep. My friends and I took the ridge up and the valley down, so we could see all that the mountain had to offer! We hiked the mountain in October, and while it was cold in the morning when we started it heated up to a pleasant temperature in the afternoon and when we were at the summit, we ate our lunch in just our T-shirts. Once you reach the top, you're above the clouds and you can see the sea! You also have the option to hike the mountain starting at around one o'clock in the morning so that you can see the shadow of Chokaisan on the sea as the sun rises, but this requires headlamps and a lot of warm clothing. It's also much more dangerous to reach the summit if you climb it this way, because the boulders that you have to climb are icy. I personally haven't climbed it this way, but my best friend has (we acutally ran into each other on the mountain, her on the way down, me on the way up!) and she said that she really enjoyed it. Before you climb the mountain, there's a station just before the main path where you have to fill out a sheet with your climbing plan (which route you plan to take, how many people in your party, when you start the climb), and it's a good idea to fill it out in case of an emergency. The easiest way to do it if you can't read Japanese is to use a translator app. If you choose not to fill out the form, I highly suggest telling someone who isn't on the mountain your plan just in case. Overall, this hike is challenging with stunningly beautiful views. There are plenty of photo opportunities, but more importantly, it's a beautiful landscape where you can commune with nature and spend a day on an amazing mountain in Tohoku.

10. Shirakami Sanchi

Southwest of Aomori prefecture to Northwest of Akita prefecture http://www.shirakami-visitor.jp/nyuuzan.html
Excellent
52%
Good
43%
Satisfactory
4%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 95 reviews

Shirakami Sanchi

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