Tohoku

Tohoku

Panoramic summit view from Mount Futatsumori with forested ridges and clear blue sky Easy walk
Aomori

Futatsumori: Ogres and a Shot of Vegetation

Two forests, ogres, a poetess, and me in the middle, tiny but curious.

Quiet
Half day (allow extra if coming from a distant base town; the summit is described as about a 1-hour climb from the forest road)
Namu Fudo Myoo
Yamagata

Namu Daishō Fudōson: Fire at the Edge of the Fields

In Tsuruoka, Yamagata Prefecture, a small Fudō altar stands at the edge of the rice fields, right before the forest takes everything back. A red torii, a wooden pavilion: behind the calm watches Namu Daishō Fudōson, deity of fire.

Rusty Ferris wheel in overgrown abandoned amusement park under blue sky Haunting
Fukushima

Kejonuma: The Ferris Wheel Suspended in Time

A rusting Ferris wheel in the Tohoku countryside is all that remains of Kejonuma Leisure Land. Once a vibrant amusement park, it now stands as a haunting monument to a bygone era.

Difficulty
Risk
Takayama Inari Shrine Easy walk
Aomori

Takayama Inari Shrine

Follow the Senbon-Torii path through the red gates to meet the foxes and the goddess Inari ...

Some crowds
2–3 hours (half day if combining with other Tsugaru/Aomori sights or allowing for slower travel connections)
Miharus ancient weeping cherry tree wonderland. Ethereal
Fukushima

Miharu Takizuka: The Most Beautiful Cherry Tree in Japan

A miraculous survivor of the 2011 earthquake, the blossom of the thousand-year-old cherry tree attracts more than 300,000 visitors every year!

Cherry Blossom Peak
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Enchanting Zao Snow Monsters, Twisted Winter Wonderland Haunting
Winter

The Snow Monsters of Mount Zao

It’s not an easy encounter. I’d already visited a few years ago, but a gathering storm made it impossible for me to approach these monsters and stroke their silken fur.

Snow Monsters
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Abandoned Wagakawa Hydro Plant in Japan: A Stunning Autumn Oasis. Off the map
Autumn

The Abandoned Wakagawa Power Plant

Let's go discover this very special haikyo with a man who is equally special, or maybe not.

Difficulty
Risk
Enchanting winter scene of Ginzan Onsen in Japanese Alps - serene and magical ambiance. Frosty
Winter

Ginzan Onsen : Silver Mine Hot Springs

Ginzan Onsen takes you back to the Taisho Era, warming your toes in an ashiyu – a piping-hot footbath – while enjoying an idyllic view of falling snow.

Snow Season
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Enchanting snow foxes playing in Miyagis winter wonderland. Frosty
Japan

Zao Fox Village

At Zao, in Miyagi prefecture, lies the answer to an eternal question: why do we say something is foxy!? With a hundred foxes roaming around, you'll have an extreme immersion experience.

Snow Monsters
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