Tohoku Travel Guide: Snow Monsters, Festivals and Lakes
Golden Tropics Travel · Updated
Tohoku, the north-east of Japan's main island, is a region of mountains, hot springs and old towns, with far fewer crowds than Tokyo or Kyoto. Each season has its own reason to go, from winter snowscapes to some of Japan's best autumn colours.
Winter: snow monsters and snowy onsen
- Zao: trees on the mountain are coated in rime ice and snow into shapes called 'snow monsters', usually best from January to February
- Ginzan Onsen: wooden inns along a small river, lit by gas lamps in the snow
- Lake Towada and the mountains of Aomori are deep in snow, with some roads closed in winter
Spring: Japan's last cherry blossoms
Cherry blossoms reach Tohoku after Tokyo, usually from mid to late April. Hirosaki Castle in Aomori is one of Japan's most famous spots, with petals covering its moat, and the samurai district of Kakunodate is lined with weeping cherry trees.
Summer festivals
Early August brings some of Japan's biggest summer festivals, including Aomori's Nebuta, where giant illuminated floats parade through the streets, and the Tanabata festival in Sendai, decorated with colourful streamers. Hotels fill up early at festival time.
Autumn colours and scenery
- Oirase Gorge: a forest walk beside a mountain stream and waterfalls, beautiful in mid to late October
- Lake Towada: a large caldera lake surrounded by autumn colours
- Matsushima: a bay dotted with pine-covered islands, one of Japan's three most scenic views
- Yamadera: a temple reached by a long stone stairway up a forested hillside
Food and travel tips
- Try Sendai's grilled beef tongue (gyutan), Aomori apples and fresh seafood.
- Halal food is limited in Tohoku; tell us your needs when you book so meals can be arranged.
- Winter is very cold and snowy: bring thermal layers, waterproof boots, gloves and a hat.
- Many trips fly into Sendai or travel from Tokyo by bullet train, so Tohoku pairs well with a few days in Tokyo.