Which Akita attractions should you choose?
In Akita City, walk through Senshu Park’s castle grounds and enjoy port views from Selion. Kakunodate offers samurai houses, gardens and craft exhibitions. To visit the Statue of Tatsuko, choose trains to and from Tazawako Station together with the lake loop bus’s return service.
Attractions: prices, hours and directions
Senshu Park
千秋公園
Walk beside the moat and along the paths through Senshu Park’s castle grounds. It is a useful first walk after arriving at Akita Station. The level moat area and the park uphill have different walking conditions.
- AdmissionA park walk and a paid indoor visit have separate conditions. The city ordinance lists Kubota Castle’s Osumi Yagura at ¥150 for general admission, free for high school students and younger. Check its operating season and whether it is open on your date before planning an interior visit.
- HoursThe city lists the park interior as open around the clock. Paid indoor facilities have separate operating seasons and opening information. Visit the park in daylight.
- DirectionsFrom Akita Station, allow about five minutes on foot to Pocket Park or 15 minutes to the Ninomaru site. Walking time varies by destination within the park.
Akita Port Selion
SELIONセリオン
Selion’s free fifth-floor observation deck offers views of Akita Port, the sea and the city. For sunset, check the weather and your return bus first.
- AdmissionThe fifth-floor observation deck is free. Meals, shops, transport and other facilities cost extra.
- HoursThe fifth-floor observation deck opens 09:00–21:00. Shops, restaurants and the indoor garden have separate hours.
- DirectionsTake the Selion service from stand 4 at Akita Station’s West Exit bus terminal and get off at Selion. The ride is about 25 minutes, with an adult fare of ¥550 one way. Allow separately for waiting and walking to the entrance. Enter the observation deck through the port tower’s front entrance; Rista and Plaza are different buildings. Alternatively, walk about 2 km or 25 minutes from JR Tsuchizaki Station; the JR fare is extra.
Observation deck hoursFacility directionsOperator’s Selion timetableFares and times by bus stopTourism federation: Selion buildings and entrances
Kakunodate Aoyagi Samurai House
Kakunodate Historical Village, Aoyagi House角館歴史村 青柳家
Aoyagi’s garden and sword and weapon exhibitions add an indoor visit to a walk through the samurai district. Individual adult admission is ¥500. Guided tours of the main house, which is not usually open, and paid activities have separate conditions from general admission.
- AdmissionIndividual admission costs ¥500 for adults, ¥300 for junior high and high school students, and ¥200 for elementary school students.
- HoursApril–November hours are 09:00–17:00; the tourist association and city both list it as open year-round. For December–March, closing times differ: 16:30 from the association and 16:00 from the city. For a winter visit, confirm the day’s closing time with Aoyagi before planning your visit.
- DirectionsThe tourist association lists about 15 minutes on foot from Kakunodate Station and the city about 20 minutes. With differing estimates, check your actual walking route. Follow the samurai district signs from the station to 角館町表町下丁3.
Tourist association facility informationCity information
Kawarada Samurai House
Kawarada Residence河原田家
Explore Kawarada’s house and garden. Visiting it alongside Aoyagi lets you compare the layouts of two different houses.
- AdmissionIndividual admission costs ¥500 for high school students and adults, and ¥300 for elementary and junior high school students.
- HoursFrom April to November, the house opens 09:00–17:00, with last admission at 16:30. From December to March, it opens 09:00–16:30, with last admission at 16:00. It closes 28 December–4 January.
- DirectionsWalk about 15 minutes from Kakunodate Station to the house at 角館町東勝楽丁9. If coming from Aoyagi, check the walking route and time between the two houses separately.
City informationOfficial Kawarada information
Ishiguro Samurai House
Ishiguro Family Residence石黒家
Ishiguro’s final day of general admission is 30 November 2026. General visits stop from 1 December, and the official information does not list a reopening date.
- AdmissionIndividual admission costs ¥500 for adults and ¥300 for children. Confirm which ages qualify for the child rate and any discounts with the facility.
- Opening hoursBefore general visits stop, April–November hours are listed as 09:00–17:00. Check any changes for your date with the facility. The final day of general admission is 30 November 2026; general visits stop on 1 December. No reopening date is confirmed in the official information.
- DirectionsThe address is 角館町表町下丁1 in the samurai district. The tourist association lists about a 25-minute walk from Kakunodate Station. Check walking time from your booked hotel address separately.
Tourist association: Ishiguro prices, hours and accessTourist association notice dated 2026-10-06Owner and operator information
Statue of Tatsuko at Lake Tazawa
The Statue of Tatsuko田沢湖 / たつこ像
The Statue of Tatsuko is on Lake Tazawa’s Katajiri side. See the statue and lake views, then reboard the same loop bus. This is a different stop from the eastern lakeshore sightseeing boat pier.
- Transport costUgo Kotsu’s adult fares from Tazawako Station are ¥710 to Katajiri and ¥1,160 for the lake loop. JR travel, sightseeing boats and meals are extra. The loop itinerary returns on the same bus after sightseeing stops; check ticket conditions and extra fares separately if changing to another bus.
- Bus and sightseeing stopsSome Lake Tazawa loop services stop for 20 minutes at Katajiri and 10 minutes at Gozanoishi Shrine. Reboard the same bus to return to Tazawako Station. Some early-morning and evening services have no sightseeing stops, and some services do not run on Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays or designated holiday periods. Check both sightseeing stops and non-operating notes in the operator’s timetable for your date.
- DirectionsTake a Lake Tazawa loop bus outside Tazawako Station and get off during the sightseeing stop at Katajiri (潟尻) to see the Statue of Tatsuko. Official facility information gives about 30 minutes on the bus and one minute on foot from the stop. The eastern lakeshore boat pier is at a different stop.
- Scope of the walkSee the statue during a daytime sightseeing stop on the lake loop bus. Sightseeing boats, restaurants, parking and night visits are excluded. Follow local notices on snow and restrictions affecting roads or walking paths.
Fare tableOperator’s loop timetableOfficial Statue of Tatsuko access information
Kakunodate Kabazaiku Densyokan
角館樺細工伝承館
Explore craft displays at the Kabazaiku Densyokan, and watch artisans at work when demonstrations are running. Individual adult admission is ¥500. Check the demonstration programme for your date before visiting if you want to see one.
- AdmissionIndividual admission costs ¥500 for adults and ¥300 for elementary and junior high school students; children under six enter free.
- HoursFrom April to November, the house opens 09:00–17:00, with last admission at 16:30. From December to March, it opens 09:00–16:30, with last admission at 16:00. It closes 28 December–4 January.
- DirectionsWalk about 15 minutes from JR Kakunodate Station to the museum at 角館町表町下丁10番地1. Allow separately for the walk from your accommodation.
Frequently asked questions
Until when is Ishiguro Samurai House open to visitors?
The tourist association lists 30 November 2026 as the final day of general admission. General visits stop from 1 December, and no reopening date has been confirmed.
How much does Selion’s observation deck cost?
The fifth-floor observation deck is free and listed as open 09:00–21:00. Meals, shops, transport and other facilities cost extra.
Sources and verification dates
- Akita City park information ·
- Paid facility ordinance ·
- Observation deck hours ·
- Facility directions ·
- Operator’s Selion timetable ·
- Fares and times by bus stop ·
- Tourist association facility information ·
- City information ·
- Tourist association notice dated 2026-10-06 ·
- Owner and operator information ·
- Official Statue of Tatsuko access information ·
- Fare table ·
- Operator’s loop timetable ·
- Official Kawarada information ·
- Semboku City: craft museum prices, hours and walk ·
- Tourist association: Ishiguro prices, hours and access ·
- Tourism federation: Selion buildings and entrances ·