Semboku/Kakunodate



Kakunodate (角館) is a town in Semboku, Akita. Known as Samurai town (武家屋敷) and "The Little Kyoto of Tohoku".(みちのく小京都).

Understand
In 2005, Kakunodate, along with the town of Tazawako (田沢湖), and the village of Nishiki (西木) were merged to create the city of Semboku (仙北).

Tourist Information Site
The local tourist association has a Japanese-only guide site.

Get in
The Akita Shinkansen Komachi (こまち) running between Tokyo and Akita, via Sendai and Morioka, makes a regular stop at the JR Kakunodate station every hour. The journey takes roughly 4 hr from Tokyo, 2½ hr from Sendai and 1 hr from Morioka or Akita. Make sure to book your seat in advance, as all seats on Komachi trains are reserved and station staff may be busy when the train arrives. The Japan Rail Pass is accepted.

Get around
Walking is really the most logical option in this small, compact city - it takes about 15 minutes to walk from the train station to Bukeyashiki Street. A shuttle bus meets Shinkansen trains (it appears that this needs to be pre-booked) and there's a taxi rank outside the train station.

Rickshaws are available in the center of the city, and offer tours of the Bukeyashiki Street district.

See
Kakunodate is well known for well preserved Samurai houses scattered around along Bukeyashiki Street (which means Samurai House Street) and forming as a Bukeyashiki Samurai District. Some of these houses are open to public.
 * Samurai houses

Buy
Kakunodate is famous around Japan for its cherry bark crafts which are sold at just about every store in the town.

Go next

 * Lake Tazawa. Japan's deepest lake.
 * Nyuto Onsen. Tohoku's secret spa resort in the deep forests of Akita Kogen Plateau.
 * Daisen
 * Akita
 * Yokote
 * Ugo
 * Yuzawa
 * Senboku
 * Nishiwaga