Kakunodate
Important Preservation District For Groups Of Traditional Buildings; Weeping Cherries Are A Natural Monument · Semboku, Akita
A small castle town in Akita in northern Tohoku, founded in 1620, whose samurai district of broad lanes, black board fences and old residences behind gates is one of the best preserved in Japan, earning it the nickname of the little Kyoto of Michinoku. Several samurai houses are open to visitors, with their armour, tools and gardens; the Aoyagi house is the largest, with a set of small museums. The district is shaded by huge weeping cherry trees, some brought from Kyoto centuries ago, and in late April, when they bloom, the town is at its most beautiful and crowded; a two-kilometre tunnel of cherry trees also lines the Hinokinai river bank. Kakunodate is known for kabazaiku, a craft of polished cherry bark used for tea caddies and boxes. The merchants' district across town has old storehouses. In winter the samurai houses stand in deep snow, and the town hosts a fire-swinging festival in February. It is on the Akita shinkansen, about three hours from Tokyo, and near Lake Tazawa and the Nyuto Onsen villages.
Omotemachi, Kakunodatemachi, Semboku, Akita, 014-0331, Japan
NO OPENING TIME HERE WAS CHECKED. The typical pattern: the samurai district's lanes are open at all times. The samurai houses and the kabazaiku hall open daily from about 9 am to 5 pm from April to November and close earlier, around 4 or 4:30 pm, from December to March, with last entry shortly before closing. Shops and restaurants close early. The shinkansen runs roughly hourly and fills in cherry season. Confirm current times before relying on them.