Top Things to do in Semboku
Top 9 Free Things to do in Semboku, Tohoku
Discover the best top things to do in Semboku, Japan including Dakigaeri Valley, Hinokinaigawa Kasen Ryokuchi, Samurai District, Tazawa Lake, Iwahashi Samurai House, Kawaradake, Kakunodate, Semboku City Tazawako Tourist Information Center Folake, Statue of Tatsuko.
Restaurants in Semboku
1. Dakigaeri Valley
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 150 reviews
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.
2. Hinokinaigawa Kasen Ryokuchi
3. Samurai District
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 543 reviews
This historic neighborhood consists of wide, tree-lined streets with mansions built during the Edo Period, only six of which remain and are open to the public. The area is particularly beautiful in late April, when the cherry trees are in full bloom.
Reviewed By WarnerL_12 - Pasadena, United States
There are a minimum six houses to visit (of which two are admission), others to be viewed from the exterior free since they are city maintained
4. Tazawa Lake
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 481 reviews
Reviewed By journata - New York City, United States
cycling around this lake is everything! the perimeter around the lake is remnants from the bubble era, which is not necessarily a bad thing. there's plenty of nostalgia and nature to be experienced while riding through local villages and bike paths through the greenery. the statue is what it is but perfect photo opp for IG bragging. rent a bike when you get off the bus, pick up some drinks and snacks at the shop and stroll around the lake!
5. Iwahashi Samurai House
6. Kawaradake
7. Kakunodate
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 159 reviews
Kakunodate is an old castle town located on the northern part of the Senboku Plain. Located along the banks of the Tamagawa and Hinokinaigawa Rivers and cradled on three sides by mountains, this town is known both for its historic samurai mansions and the beautiful blossoming cherry trees that line the streets. Popular with tourists from all over the world, it has an atmosphere truly appropriate to its nickname of “the Little Kyoto.”
Reviewed By 781sarahb - Tacoma, United States
My sister and I had originally planned to spend our 2 days in this area hiking Nyuto/Hachimantai and Akita-Komagatake... but unfortunately the rainy season lingered and so we got tired of being soaked and fighting our way through the muddy/jungly terrain. Having basecamped at semi-remote Kuroyu Onsen (see separate review), Kakunodate was a one-hour drive south - but the driving was easy compared to other routes we did in Hachimantai. We had not planned this side-trip so we visited the very helpful tourist information/office first. My sister does speak Japanese - so that made things easier. We were given some English summaries/maps of the samurai houses - and specific advice to visit the museum house first (which cost about $5 equivalent each) and allocate an hour/most of our available time there (this was fairly accurate). We were also advised to drive to the samurai house district since we were told walking the whole route alone was a couple hours. Although we were told there was free parking, we somehow didn't find it at first - and paid $3 to park along the river (where there are many cherry trees that bloom in the spring); after heading out on foot, we actually did find a small free parking lot by the public restrooms that had room. We hit the museum first. I haven't studied or seen samurai gear much so seeing all that was the most interesting to me. The extensive gardens/grounds (with at least a dozen different buildings) were also impressive. We visited about 5 other free-to-enter samurai properties; most were smaller and simpler - and you could only walk around the exterior of the single-structure grounds. There were also lots of nice eating establishments in the samurai district - and, overall, it is a really cute area for tourism. We did enjoy an umeboshi (pickled plum) soft serve ice cream and we bought lots of low-cost handkerchiefs for coworkers. We were one of probably 20 small groups walking the same route of houses - nearly all others were Japanese families.
