Two nights in Akita: focus on the city or lake?
For the park and samurai houses, spend one night each in Akita and Kakunodate. If the lake is your priority, stay two nights in Kakunodate and visit the houses and Lake Tazawa on separate days. Plan to reboard the same loop bus after its sightseeing stops.
Choose a 3 days / 2 nights itinerary
Two nights: from Akita City to Kakunodate
Spend one night in each area to combine Akita’s park with Kakunodate’s houses. For the day you change hotels, check the actual JR fare and reserve a Shinkansen that stops at Kakunodate.
Two nights: from Akita City to Kakunodate →3 days / 2 nightsTwo nights: Kakunodate with a Lake Tazawa day trip
Stay two nights in Kakunodate and visit the houses and Lake Tazawa on separate days. At the lake, reboard the same loop bus after its sightseeing stops. The stated cost covers house admission and the lake bus only; calculate return JR travel separately.
Two nights: Kakunodate with a Lake Tazawa day trip →Two nights: from Akita City to Kakunodate
Spend one night in each area to combine Akita’s park with Kakunodate’s houses. For the day you change hotels, check the actual JR fare and reserve a Shinkansen that stops at Kakunodate.
Day 1: Senshu Park
Walk through Senshu Park on the first day, then move to Kakunodate and visit Aoyagi the next day.
- Akita Station and nearby hotels → Walk through Senshu Park
From Akita Station, it is about five minutes to Senshu Park’s Pocket Park or 15 minutes to the Ninomaru site. Allow separately for the route from your hotel and walking within the park. Visit the moat in daylight and continue uphill to Ninomaru if the slopes suit you. Set aside 60–90 minutes for the walk. To visit the interior of Kubota Castle’s Osumi Yagura, check its opening dates and hours and adjust the walk accordingly.
- Senshu Park → Check-in, dinner and overnight stay
Return to your accommodation, check in and have dinner near the station. If you arrive late, shorten the walk and rest at your hotel.
If you arrive late, take a short walk beside the moat before dinner.
Day 2: travel to Kakunodate and visit Aoyagi
Move from Akita to Kakunodate and visit Aoyagi today.
- Check out of your Akita hotel → Kakunodate Station
Take a Morioka-bound Akita Shinkansen from Akita Station and get off at Kakunodate. Reserve a train that stops there. The train passes through Omagari; you do not change trains.
- Outside Kakunodate Station’s ticket gates → Aoyagi entrance
Follow the station road and turn right at the T-junction by Kakunodate Post Office into the samurai district. Look for Aoyagi’s sign and entrance at 角館町表町下丁3. The tourist association gives a 15-minute walk from the station and the city gives 20 minutes. Leave extra time for finding your way and breaks.
Official walking routeTourist association facility informationCity information
- Lunch and Aoyagi visit → Hotel check-in and dinner
Have lunch, then explore Aoyagi’s exhibitions and garden and take a break in the samurai district. Allow about 90 minutes for the house. Regular April–November hours are 09:00–17:00, with individual adult admission of ¥500. Afterwards, return to your accommodation to check in and have dinner.
Tourist association facility informationCity informationCurrent facility information
You change hotels today. If you reach Kakunodate late, shorten the house visit and give priority to check-in and dinner.
Day 3: Kawarada and return to Akita Station
Visit Kawarada, then return from Kakunodate to Akita.
- Accommodation and station road → Visit Kawarada
Walk along the road by the post office to Kawarada at 角館町東勝楽丁9, about 15 minutes from the station. See the house and garden in the morning. April–November hours are 09:00–17:00, with last admission at 16:30 and individual adult admission of ¥500. Ask at the entrance whether the guided visit from 10:00 is running that day.
Official Kawarada informationCity informationOfficial walking route
- After visiting Kawarada → Lunch and walk to Kakunodate Station
After sightseeing, have lunch and walk towards Kakunodate Station. If the restaurant queue is long, choose another place so that you do not miss your train.
- Kakunodate Station → Akita Station
Take an Akita-bound Akita Shinkansen from Kakunodate. Check your travel date’s timetable and reserve a train that stops at Kakunodate. Arrange onward travel from Akita Station to the airport or another city separately.
For a morning departure, move this house visit to an earlier day. Leave time to walk back to Kakunodate Station after sightseeing.
Included: For one adult: Akita–Kakunodate ordinary-car reserved-seat e-ticket at ¥2,870 each way, or ¥5,740 return, plus individual admission to Aoyagi and Kawarada at ¥500 each.
Additional costs: Two nights’ accommodation, meals, travel to the stations and transport before arriving in Akita or after returning are excluded. This is a reference amount, not your travel date’s selling price or a paper-ticket fare. Check differences by date and booking product, and the IC card linking requirements.
Admission and a regular-season e-ticket reference amount for one adult. Eki-net registration, a reservation and a linked transport IC card for each passenger are required.
JR EAST e-ticket price tableConditions of useTourist association facility informationOfficial Kawarada information
Two nights: Kakunodate with a Lake Tazawa day trip
Stay two nights in Kakunodate and visit the houses and Lake Tazawa on separate days. At the lake, reboard the same loop bus after its sightseeing stops. The stated cost covers house admission and the lake bus only; calculate return JR travel separately.
Day 1: Aoyagi Samurai House
Spend two nights in Kakunodate, keeping the houses and lake on separate days. Visit Aoyagi on the first day, shortening the visit if you arrive late.
- Kakunodate Station → Aoyagi Samurai House entrance
Walk to Aoyagi at 角館町表町下丁3. The tourist association lists about 15 minutes from the station and the city about 20 minutes. Check your walking route and allow extra time.
- Aoyagi → House exhibitions and district walk
Explore Aoyagi’s garden and sword and weapon displays in the afternoon. Allow about 90 minutes before walking through the samurai district and taking a break. April–November closing is 17:00. For winter travel, check the facility’s hours for your date rather than using October’s visiting schedule. Retrace your route to your accommodation near the station and rest.
If you arrive late, shorten the visit or move it to tomorrow. Winter closing times may be earlier; check the facility’s information.
Day 2: Lake Tazawa loop
Visit Lake Tazawa today, taking the loop bus and returning to the station on the same bus after its sightseeing stops. Large suitcases cannot be carried on the lake bus; leave them at the accommodation you are returning to that night.
- Kakunodate Station → Tazawako Station and bus stop outside
Take a Morioka-bound Akita Shinkansen from Kakunodate to Tazawako. Outside the station, change to a Lake Tazawa loop bus with sightseeing stops. Choose your outward and return trains around the bus’s arrival back at the station.
- Lakeside sightseeing stops → Reboard the same bus
At Katajiri, see the Statue of Tatsuko and the lake; at the Gozanoishi Shrine stop, visit the shrine. The stops last 20 and 10 minutes respectively. Include the walk to each place and back within that time, then reboard the same loop bus.
Operator’s loop timetableOfficial Statue of Tatsuko access informationOfficial city access information
- Tazawako Station → Return to Kakunodate Station and accommodation
Back at Tazawako Station, take an Akita-bound Shinkansen to Kakunodate. The operator warns that not every loop bus connects with the Shinkansen, so reserve a train with enough time after the bus arrives. Have lunch after returning to the station, rather than during the short sightseeing stops. Rest at your accommodation and have dinner; hot springs and a sightseeing cruise are not added to this day.
Official JR timetableOperator’s loop timetableService status
If you let the bus leave and stay longer, recheck the next service’s fare and your return train.
Day 3: Kawarada and departure from Kakunodate Station
Visit Kawarada on the final morning, then leave Kakunodate. A morning departure leaves little room for sightseeing, so rearrange earlier visits if necessary.
- Your booked accommodation in Kakunodate → Kawarada Samurai House entrance
Walk from your accommodation’s booked address to Kawarada at 角館町東勝楽丁9. The city’s 15-minute walking estimate starts at Kakunodate Station, not your hotel.
- Kawarada → Visit the house and garden
Kawarada opens 09:00–17:00 from April to November, with last admission at 16:30 and individual adult admission of ¥500. Allow about an hour for the house and garden in the morning. It closes from 28 December to 4 January; check that it is open on your date first.
- Kakunodate Station → Your booked departure
After your visit, walk to Kakunodate Station. Use your travel date’s JR timetable to choose a train that stops at your destination and reserve a seat. Check onward connections to Akita Station or the airport separately.
Check Kawarada’s year-end and New Year closure dates, and leave time to walk back to the station after visiting.
Included: For one adult: individual admission to Aoyagi and Kawarada at ¥500 each, plus one Lake Tazawa loop bus journey from Tazawako Station at ¥1,160. Return on the same bus after its sightseeing stops.
Additional costs: Return JR travel between Kakunodate and Tazawako, transport before and after the itinerary, two nights’ accommodation, meals, luggage storage, sightseeing cruises and additional facilities are excluded. If you stay longer beside the lake and take a later bus, check ticket conditions and any extra fare separately.
For one adult. Read the included items alongside the additional costs.
Tourist association facility informationOfficial Kawarada informationFare tableOperator’s loop timetable
Frequently asked questions
Are the Statue of Tatsuko and sightseeing boat pier at the same stop?
Use Katajiri (潟尻) for the Statue of Tatsuko and the eastern lakeshore stop, Tazawako-han (田沢湖畔), for the sightseeing boat pier. They are different stops. The statue itinerary uses Katajiri’s 20-minute sightseeing stop and returns on the same bus. If you let that bus leave and take a later one, reconsider your return train and additional fare.
Official Statue of Tatsuko access informationOperator’s loop timetable
Sources and verification dates
- Akita City park information ·
- Tourist association facility information ·
- City information ·
- Official Statue of Tatsuko access information ·
- Fare table ·
- Official access information ·
- FAQ ·
- Current facility information ·
- Official city access information ·
- Operator’s loop timetable ·
- Service status ·
- Official JR timetable ·
- Official walking route ·
- Official Kawarada information ·
- JR EAST e-ticket price table ·
- Conditions of use ·
- Ugo Kotsu carriage conditions, Articles 16 and 21 ·