Which Akita attractions should you choose?
Enjoy Senshu Park’s castle-site walk and Selion’s harbour views in Akita city. Kakunodate offers houses, gardens and craft exhibits. For the Tatsuko Statue, choose Tazawako return trains together with circular-bus return services.
Attraction prices, hours and access
Senshu Park
千秋公園
Walk around Senshu Park’s moat and paths through the castle site. Start with a walk on your Akita arrival day. The level moat area and hillside paths have different walking conditions.
- PricesSeparate park walking from paid indoor visits. The city ordinance sets Kubota Castle Osumiyagura admission at ¥150, free for high school age and younger. Check its operating season and dated opening before adding the interior.
- HoursThe city lists the park as open all day. Check paid indoor facilities’ seasons and dated opening separately. Visit the park in daylight.
- Getting thereWalk roughly five minutes from Akita Station to the pocket park or 15 minutes to Ninomaru. Walking time varies by destination within the same park.
Akita Port Selion
SELIONセリオン
Enjoy Akita Port, sea and city views from Selion’s free fifth-floor deck. For sunset, check weather and your return bus first.
- PricesThe fifth-floor observation deck is free. Meals, shops, transport and other facilities are separate.
- HoursFifth-floor deck: 09:00–21:00. Shops, restaurants and indoor garden have separate hours.
- Getting thereTake the Selion Line from Akita Station west-terminal stop 4 to Selion. Riding takes roughly 25 minutes; adult one-way fare ¥550. Waiting and entrance walking add time. Use Port Tower’s front entrance for the deck; Rista/Plaza are separate buildings. Alternatively, walk roughly 2 km/25 minutes from JR Tsuchizaki Station, with JR fare separate.
Observation deck operationFacility accessOperator Selion Line timetableStop-by-stop fares and timesTourism federation Selion buildings and entrances
Kakunodate Aoyagi House
Kakunodate Historical Village, Aoyagi House角館歴史村 青柳家
Add Aoyagi’s garden and exhibits of swords and weapons to your samurai-house district walk. Individual adult admission is ¥500. Guided tours of the normally closed main house and paid activities are separate; check their conditions.
- PricesIndividual admission: adults ¥500; junior high/high school ¥300; elementary school ¥200.
- HoursApril–November: 09:00–17:00; the tourism association and city hall list year-round opening. December–March closing differs: 16:30 from the association, 16:00 from city hall. Confirm the day’s closing directly with Aoyagi when planning winter viewing.
- Getting thereStation walking estimates differ: roughly 15 minutes from the tourism association or 20 from city hall. Check your actual route. Follow samurai-house district signs from the station to 角館町表町下丁3.
Tourism association facility guideCity hall
Kawarada House
Kawarada Residence河原田家
Visit Kawarada’s house and garden. Pair it with Aoyagi to compare the houses’ layouts.
- PricesIndividual admission: high school age and older ¥500; elementary/junior high school ¥300.
- HoursApril–November: 09:00–17:00, last reception 16:30. December–March: 09:00–16:30, last reception 16:00. Closed 28 December–4 January.
- Getting thereWalk roughly 15 minutes from Kakunodate Station to 角館町東勝楽丁9. If continuing from Aoyagi, check the walking route/time between the houses separately.
City hallOfficial Kawarada information
Ishiguro House
Ishiguro Family Residence石黒家
Ishiguro’s final general visiting day is 30 November 2026. General visits stop from 1 December; no reopening date was confirmed in official guidance.
- PricesIndividual admission: adults ¥500, children ¥300. Confirm the child age range and discount conditions with the facility.
- Opening hoursBefore the suspension, April–November hours are listed as 09:00–17:00. Check same-day changes with the facility. The final general visiting day is 30 November 2026; visits stop from 1 December. No reopening date was confirmed in official guidance.
- Getting thereAddress: 角館町表町下丁1 in the samurai-house district. The tourism association lists roughly 25 minutes’ walk from Kakunodate Station. Calculate hotel walking time from your booked address separately.
Tourism association Ishiguro House prices, hours and accessTourism association notice of 6 October 2026Owner/operator guidance
Lake Tazawa Tatsuko Statue
The Statue of Tatsuko田沢湖 / たつこ像
The Tatsuko Statue is on Lake Tazawa’s Katajiri side. View the lake and statue, then reboard the same circular bus. This is a different stop from the eastern lakeside sightseeing-boat pier.
- Transport costUgo Kotsu adult fares: Tazawako Station–Katajiri ¥710; lake circuit ¥1,160. JR, sightseeing boats and meals are separate. The circuit returns on the same bus after walking stops; check ticket conditions and extra fares before switching buses.
- Buses and walking stopsSome circular buses pause 20 minutes at Katajiri and 10 at Gozanoishi Shrine. Reboard the same bus to return to Tazawako Station. Some early/late services have no walking stops; some do not run Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays and designated holiday periods. Check both walking-stop and non-operating symbols in your dated operator timetable.
- Getting thereTake a Lake Tazawa circular bus outside Tazawako Station and get off during its Katajiri (潟尻) walking stop for the statue. Official facility guidance lists roughly 30 minutes riding and one minute walking from the stop. The eastern boat-pier lakeside is a different stop.
- Walking scopeView the statue during a daytime circular-bus walking stop. Sightseeing boats, restaurants, parking and night visits are excluded. Follow local guidance for snow, road or footpath restrictions.
Fare tableOperator circular-route timetableOfficial Tatsuko Statue access
Kakunodate Kabazaiku Denshokan
Kakunodate Kabazaiku Densyokan角館樺細工伝承館
Explore craft exhibits at Kabazaiku Denshokan and watch artisans working when demonstrations run. Individual adult admission is ¥500. Check whether demonstrations run on your date first if you want to see them.
- PricesIndividual adults ¥500; elementary/junior high school ¥300; under 6 free.
- HoursApril–November: 09:00–17:00, last entry 16:30. December–March: 09:00–16:30, last entry 16:00. Closed 28 December–4 January.
- Getting thereWalk roughly 15 minutes from JR Kakunodate Station to 角館町表町下丁10番地1. Calculate hotel walking separately.
Frequently asked questions
Until when can I visit Ishiguro House?
The tourism association lists 30 November 2026 as its final general visiting day. Visits stop from 1 December; no subsequent reopening date was confirmed.
How much is Selion observation deck admission?
The fifth-floor deck is free, with listed hours 09:00–21:00. Meals, shops, transport and other facilities are separate.
Sources and check dates
- Akita city park guide ·
- Paid-facility ordinance ·
- Observation deck operation ·
- Facility access ·
- Operator Selion Line timetable ·
- Stop-by-stop fares and times ·
- Tourism association facility guide ·
- City hall ·
- Tourism association notice of 6 October 2026 ·
- Owner/operator guidance ·
- Official Tatsuko Statue access ·
- Fare table ·
- Operator circular-route timetable ·
- Official Kawarada information ·
- Semboku craft museum prices, hours and walking access ·
- Tourism association Ishiguro House prices, hours and access ·
- Tourism federation Selion buildings and entrances ·