Akita accommodation from AU$70

Akita is part of the Tohuku region of Northern Honshu. It’s a little more isolated than the rest of the country, with the East Sea on one side and the Ou and Dewa mountain ranges on the other.

Things to do

Lake Tazawa is 1,388 feet deep, and as a result, it never freezes. Its sapphire blue-water is popular for boating and jet-skiing in summer, and when its cold, this crater lake takes on a haunting and mysterious look. A golden statue of a mythical beauty named Tatsuko stands on its western shore, a mountain landscape on the other side of the lake behind her.

Conveniently placed in the middle of the city, Senshu Park is guarded at the entrance by a replica of the gate of Kubota Castle, built in 1604 and home to the Satake clan. You can also visit a watchtower that’s now a museum, and walk among hundreds of blooming cherry trees. The Aoyagi Samurai Manor Museum is a must for samurai fans – a chance to see authentic swords and a huge amount of other relics from feudal Japan.

Akita Museum of Art, featuring work by Goya and Picasso, is also the home of ‘The Events in Akita’, Tsuguharu Fujita’s 3.65x20.5m masterpiece about life in Akita through the seasons.

And if it’s nature’s beauty that’s caught your imagination, take a trip to Dakigaeri Gorge to take a bushwalk to a waterfall or go for a swim in clear blue water.

Shopping and dining

Browse the department stores in air-conditioned comfort at Akita City’s AEON Mall. There are also smaller department stores like Forus and Jupiter, and high-end fashion at Seibu.

In Akita City’s restaurants, you can tuck into traditional Japanese food or even wind up in a German beer hall or Ethiopian eatery.

Getting here

If the big cities, the mountains or the culture are calling you to Japan, our flights to Japan will get you there for less. Buses run from Tokyo to Akita, or you can catch a domestic flight to Akita airport. Book your Akita accommodation with us and you’ll find a whole world to explore beyond where the typical tourists tread.