What this area is like
A former castle town where samurai houses line a wide, tree-shaded street. Weeping cherry trees bloom in late April, and the Hinokinai River bank has a long cherry tunnel.
Plan your visit
Several samurai houses are open to visitors; some charge admission.
Choose your next step
Places to see in this area
Kakunodate samurai residences
A street of black-fenced samurai houses under weeping cherries and old firs, kept since the 17th century.
- Access
- About 20 minutes on foot from JR Kakunodate Station.
- Hours
- Street open at all times; houses have their own hours.
- Fee
- Free to walk; houses such as the Aoyagi residence charge admission.
- Address
- Omotemachi-kamicho, Kakunodate-machi, Semboku, Akita
Rickshaws wait near the Kabazaiku Densho-kan; book ahead in winter.
How to plan your time here
- Kakunodate is about 3 hours from Tokyo by Akita Shinkansen. Combine with Lake Tazawa and Nyuto Onsen for a night.
- Late April brings weeping cherries; the riverbank cherries along the Hinokinai follow.
Information checked 26 October 2026. Plans are JapaLens editorial suggestions, not on-site reviews. Hours and fees can change; check the official page before you go.