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Portion of Honshu island, Japan
Photo: Raita Futo from Tokyo, Japan, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Tohoku (東北 Tōhoku, literally "East-North") is the northeastern region of Japan's Honshu island. In winter, the Snow Country (Yukiguni) of the western Japan Sea coast racks up some of the highest snowfall figures in the world, which also means great skiing and lots of hot springs to warm up in. Tohoku also has many castles and samurai residences, making it a good place to take in some history. It also serves as a good backup plan for cherry blossom viewing, since the trees blossom a few weeks later here than they do in Tokyo/Kyoto.
By train
The Tohoku Shinkansen connects Tokyo, Sendai, Morioka and Aomori, with spur lines to Akita and Yamagata.
By ferry
Ferry services connect ports in northern Tohoku to Hokkaido and Nagoya.
By train
Tohoku's main train artery is the Tōhoku Shinkansen (東北新幹線) bullet train line on the east coast, connecting Tokyo to Aomori via Sendai, Fukushima, Morioka and Hachinohe, with spurs to Yamagata and…
By bus
Especially for traveling west-east, buses are often a faster and sometimes even cheaper alternative to trains.
By car
Tohoku (in particular north of Sendai) is one of the few areas in Japan where you might want to rent a car.
Choose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.
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Aizuwakamatsu (会津若松) is the main city in the Aizu region of Fukushima Prefecture, in the north of Honshū island, the largest of Japan. With a population of 120,000, Aizuwakamatsu has a rich warrior history, stretching back 1,000 years.
Akita (秋田) is the capital of Akita prefecture in the northern Tohoku region of Japan's Honshu island.
Aomori (青森), the capital of Aomori Prefecture, Japan, is on Mutsu Bay, at the northern tip of Honshu.
Hiraizumi (平泉) is a small town of 7,400 people (2020) in Iwate, in the northeastern Tohoku region of Japan.
Hirosaki (弘前) is a city in Aomori prefecture, in the northern Tohoku region of the main Japanese island Honshu.
Preserved samurai district famous for its cherry blossoms
Morioka (Japanese: 盛岡) is the capital of Iwate Prefecture. Due to its transport links, it's a good option for a stopover on the way to either Akita or Hokkaido or a base for day trips to Kakunodate and some of the other small towns in the area.
Sendai (仙台) is the largest city in the Tohoku region of Japan's Honshu island, with around 1 million people. It is the capital of Miyagi prefecture.
Yamagata (山形) is the prefectural capital of Yamagata prefecture. Zao Onsen, the largest ski resort in Tohoku that doubles as a hot spring resort, is within city limits, but it's 40 minutes away bus and covered in a separate article.
Dewa Sanzan (出羽三山) is in the northern Tōhoku region of the main Japanese island Honshu. Dewa Sanzan means "Three Mountains of Dewa" and indeed comprises the three sacred mountains of Mt.
Kinkasan (金華山; also Kinkazan) is a small mountainous island at the tip of the Oshika Peninsula, part of Ishinomaki City. It's not far from Sendai, Miyagi, Japan.
Matsushima (松島) is a small town in Miyagi prefecture, northeastern Japan. The town faces Matsushima Bay, famous for some 260 tiny islands (島 shima) covered in pines (松 matsu) — hence the name — and ranked as one of Japan's Three Great Views.
Mount Bandai (磐梯山 Bandai-san) is in Fukushima, Japan and a part of Bandai-Asahi National Park.
Naruko (鳴子) is a small town in Osaki, Miyagi, known for ancient hot springs. Nestled in the mountainous backbone of Tohoku, Naruko is located entirely within the Kurikoma Quasi-National Park.
The Shimokita Peninsula (下北半島 Shimokita-hantō) is the remote northeastern cape of the Japanese island of Honshu, stretching out towards Hokkaido.
Shirakami-Sanchi (白神山地) is a World Heritage Site mountain area in the northern Tohoku region of Japan, straddling the prefectures of Akita and Aomori.
Towada-Hachimantai National Park (十和田八幡平国立公園) is a large national park in the Tohoku region of Japan, straddling the prefectures of Akita, Aomori and Iwate.
Nyuto Onsen (乳頭温泉 (Nyūtō onsen) is one of the popular hot spring resorts in Tohoku, situated in the deep mountain area of Tazawa Kogen plateau, Semboku, Akita.
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