Shrines, museums, parks, and the spots in between, with the access details worked out.
A 19th-century samurai residence in Fukushima that now functions as a museum displaying the lifestyle and culture of the Edo period.
Aizuwakamatsu · FukushimaA historical park built around the ruins of a 16th-century fortress, featuring reconstructed architecture and gardens with panoramic city views.
Shinjo · YamagataSki resort at Zao Onsen, Yamagata, with slopes for all levels, a long season from November to May, hot springs and the snow-covered trees called juhyo.
YamagataRegional museum presenting Fukushima Prefecture's history, traditional arts and crafts, local customs, and the natural heritage of the area.
Aizuwakamatsu · FukushimaA fish market near Aomori Station where visitors pick fresh seafood and vegetable toppings from the stalls to build their own Nokke-don rice bowl.
AomoriEighth-century fortification built to subjugate the Emishi, Akita Castle was the administrative seat of Dewa Province until it was abandoned around 1050.
AkitaInawashiro Lake, Japan's fourth-largest lake, lies among mountains in northeastern Fukushima, known for its clear water and for fishing, boating and camping.
FukushimaAn art museum in Akita showing Japanese and international contemporary art, traditional works and sculpture, with an outdoor sculpture park.
AkitaTree-lined street in Sendai hosting seasonal celebrations, from Tanabata parade in summer to jazz festival in fall and winter lights.
Sendai · MiyagiThis shrine atop Mount Shinzan in Akita honors mountain deities and houses a thousand-year-old kaya tree among ancient cedar groves.
Oga · AkitaSendai aquarium opened in 2015 to succeed an 88-year-old facility, with Pacific marine life, a coral reef tank, interactive exhibits and an underwater tunnel.
Sendai · MiyagiShinto shrine dedicated to Sozen, an Edo-period samurai warrior, established in the early eighteenth century and surrounded by a serene garden.
Takizawa · IwateEarly seventeenth-century castle ruins where the Ashina clan held their regional stronghold, with surviving stone walls and moats now a public park.
Semboku · AkitaA 16th-century castle in Kaminoyama now preserved as ruins with a reconstructed main keep that offers panoramic views of the surrounding region.
Kaminoyama · YamagataSituated at the foot of Mt. Shinobu, this modern museum opened in 1984 and exhibits fine works of contemporary and modern art with diverse programming.
FukushimaThis Aomori museum preserves Tachineputa, giant 16-meter festival floats decorated with traditional ornaments, and shows both historical and modern examples.
Goshogawara · Aomori
