Page 284 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide: Japan

282  JAP AN REGION B Y REGION

y Kakunodate
Kakunodate
Akita prefecture. * 14,000. £
n JR stn (0187) 54-2700.
_ Aki Matsuri (Fall Festival, Sep 7–9).
Famed for its samurai quarter
and weeping cherry trees,
Kakunodate does not have a
large number of its original
samurai houses remaining. But
the overall atmosphere of the
place, centered on its broad
avenue, faced with the gated
houses, is beautifully evocative
of the past. More than 150 of Looking into the garden from Ishiguro-ke samurai house, Kakunodate
the weeping cherries in the
Uchimachi district, brought u Oga Peninsula i Towada-
from Kyoto almost 300 years Oga Peninsula
Hachimantai
ago, have been designated National Park
National Natural Treasures. Akita prefecture. £ JR Oga stn.
n next to JR Oga stn (0185) 24-4700.
Among the samurai houses _ Namahage Sedo Matsuri (2nd
that are open to the public, the Fri–Sun in Feb); Namahage (Dec 31). Akita, Aomori, and Iwate prefectures.
large Aoyagi-ke has three small £ JR Morioka & JR Aomori stns.
museums in its grounds. Look Kicking 20 km (12 miles) @ from stns to Lake Towada.
for the ceilings painted with into the Sea of Japan (East n at Lake Towada (0176) 75-2425.
waves as protection from fire. At Sea), this foot-shaped
the classic Ishiguro-ke, known peninsula has a scenic rocky Touching three prefectures, the
for its beautiful garden, note coastline, pleasant little Towada-Hachimantai National
the transoms between rooms, fishing villages, good seafood, Park is in two sections with the
carved to project shadows by and hills covered with Akita mountainous Hachi mantai
candle light. Also on Uchimachi, cedar. The lookout on Mount section 60 km (37 miles) south
the red-brick Denshokan Kanpu, at the neck of the of the Towada section. Car is the
Museum has exhibits of peninsula, offers a panoramic best way to get around: trains
historical and craft items and view of mountains, sea, and are limited and buses not
demonstrations of outstanding spreading rice fields. The available in winter. Hachimantai
local crafts, including kabazaiku peninsula is best known for its offers hiking and ski trails, frozen
(objects of polished cherry bark) Namahage Festival, held on lava flows, alpine flora, and
and itayazaiku (baskets and folk New Year’s Eve, when men mountain views. A favorite with
objects woven of split maple). dressed in horned demon Japanese tourists, it has scenic
masks and bulky straw coats toll roads, hot-spring and ski
P Aoyagi-ke go from house to house, resorts, and a variety of tourist
Tel (0187) 54-3257. Open daily. & scaring children into being facilities. Good stopping places
good and idlers into working. include Goshogake onsen,
P Ishiguro-ke A tourist version of the festival, Hachimantai Resort ski
Tel (0187) 55-1496. Open daily. &
the Namahage Sedo Matsuri, complex, and the tourist
E Denshokan Museum is held at Shinzan Shrine, in village of Putaro.
Tel (0187) 54-1700. Open daily. & the city of Oga. In the Towada section high-
lights include Lake Towada, a
lovely caldera lake. Its symbol,
a statue of two maidens (1953)
by Kotaro Takamura, is on the
southern shore. More dramatic
is the 9 km (6-mile) Oirase
Gorge to the east of the lake.
While it is possible to travel the
gorge by bus, car, or bike, it is
best to get off the busy highway
and walk. Also im pressive are
Towada’s virgin beech forests,
rightly dubbed an ocean of
trees. North of the lake are some
atmospheric spa inns, such as
Beech forest in the Towada section of Towada-Hachimantai National Park the excel lent Tsuta Onsen.
For hotels and restaurants see p307 and pp337–8

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Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
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Date 12th July 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm