Two days in Akita: choose the park and harbour or residences
For one night, choose either Akita city and harbour or Kakunodate’s residences. Rather than fitting both cities and the lake, give the park and harbour separate days or split the two residence visits. Shorten or omit day two’s visit if departing in the morning.
Choose a 1 night, 2 days itinerary
Two days: Akita’s park and harbour from the station
Stay one night near Akita Station, visiting the park and harbour views on separate days. First check the connection between your return Selion bus and departing train.
Two days: Akita’s park and harbour from the station →1 night, 2 daysTwo days: separate residence visits in Kakunodate
Stay a night in Kakunodate for leisurely visits to houses and gardens in the samurai district. Visit Aoyagi on day one and Kawarada on day two. To see both, leave enough viewing time after day one’s arrival and before day two’s departure.
Two days: separate residence visits in Kakunodate →Two days: Akita’s park and harbour from the station
Stay one night near Akita Station, visiting the park and harbour views on separate days. First check the connection between your return Selion bus and departing train.
Day 1 · Senshu Park
Walk through Senshu Park on arrival in Akita. Start around the moat and climb to the Ninomaru site if you are comfortable with slopes.
- Akita Station and hotel area → Senshu Park walk
From Akita Station, Senshu Park’s pocket park is about five minutes on foot; the Ninomaru site is about 15 minutes. Walk around the moat and climb to Ninomaru if slopes suit your group. Allow about 60–90 minutes for an afternoon walk. If a late arrival or rain leaves too little daylight, shorten it to the moat area. The park is open all day, but this itinerary does not recommend walking after dark. To visit Kubota Castle’s Osumiyagura interior too, check operation on your date and adjust the walking time.
- Senshu Park → Hotel check-in and dinner
Return to your booked hotel and check in at its stated time. Have dinner near the station and rest at the same hotel.
If arriving late, take a short moat walk and have dinner.
Day 2 · Selion observation deck and departure from Akita Station
Visit Selion’s observation deck, then return to Akita Station. Decide on lunch at the harbour according to the time before your return bus.
- Akita Station west-side stop 4 → Selion bus stop
Take a Selion-bound bus from Akita Station west-side terminal stop 4 and get off at Selion. The adult one-way fare is JPY 550. Choose how long to stay at the harbour around the return bus time.
Operator: Selion line timetableStop-specific fare and timetable search
- Selion bus stop → Port Tower front entrance and fifth-floor observation deck
Enter Port Tower through its front entrance and visit the free fifth-floor observation deck for Akita harbour and sea views. The deck opens 09:00–21:00. Selion Rista and Plaza are separate buildings from the observation tower.
Observation deck operationTourism federation: Selion buildings and entrances
- Selion observation deck → Rest and return to the bus stop
After the harbour views, take a break and return to the bus stop. Services are infrequent, so choose the return bus before fitting in a meal. If there is too little time for harbour lunch, eat after returning to the station.
- Selion return bus stop → Akita Station west exit
Take an Akita Station west-exit-bound bus from Selion. Each direction costs JPY 550, totalling JPY 1,100 return.
Operator: Selion line timetableStop-specific fare and timetable search
- Akita Station → Leave for your next destination
Return to Akita Station for onward travel. For Tokyo or Morioka, check Akita Shinkansen stops and reserved seats for your date. For the airport, look up the airport bus separately. Leave time for meals and boarding between the bus back from Selion and your departure.
Official JR timetableOperator: Selion line timetableFAQOfficial access
Choose the return bus first. If there is too little time to eat at the harbour, eat back at Akita Station.
Includes: Adult Selion buses at JPY 550 each way; Selion observation deck is free. Senshu Park’s paid indoor facilities are excluded.
Additional costs: Hotels, meals, travel into/out of Akita, airport connections and extra facilities are excluded.
For one adult. Read included items and additional costs together.
Stop-specific fare and timetable searchFacility directionsObservation deck operation
Two days: separate residence visits in Kakunodate
Stay a night in Kakunodate for leisurely visits to houses and gardens in the samurai district. Visit Aoyagi on day one and Kawarada on day two. To see both, leave enough viewing time after day one’s arrival and before day two’s departure.
Day 1 · Aoyagi residence
Visit Aoyagi on arrival in Kakunodate. Choose an arrival that lets you finish during afternoon opening; shorten the visit if arriving late.
- Kakunodate Station area → Walk to Aoyagi’s entrance
Follow the road from the station and turn right at the T-junction by Kakunodate Post Office into the samurai district. Use the tourism association’s walking signs to find Aoyagi’s sign and entrance at 角館町表町下丁3. Walking estimates from the station differ: about 15 minutes from the association and 20 from the city. Allow extra time for photographs, navigation and your hotel’s starting point.
Official walking routeTourism association: facility guidanceCity hall
- Aoyagi residence → Exhibitions, garden and JPY 500 admission
Explore Aoyagi’s exhibitions and garden in the afternoon, allowing about 90 minutes. Ordinary April–November hours are 09:00–17:00; individual adult admission is JPY 500. Separate tours and paid experiences are excluded.
- Aoyagi residence → Hotel check-in and dinner
Afterwards, walk back towards the station via the post office road and check into your hotel. Eat at a restaurant whose opening you have checked, then return to your hotel. If arriving too late for day one’s visit, reassess which residences to see according to next day’s departure and both facilities’ hours.
If arriving late, shorten the visit or move it to tomorrow. Winter closing may be earlier; check facility guidance.
Day 2 · Kawarada residence and departure from Kakunodate Station
After yesterday’s Aoyagi visit, see Kawarada before leaving today.
- Station road and samurai district → Visit Kawarada
Follow the same station road and post-office T-junction to Kawarada in the samurai district. Its address is 角館町東勝楽丁9, about 15 minutes’ walk from the station. Visit the house and garden in the morning. April–November hours are 09:00–17:00, with last admission at 16:30; individual adult admission is JPY 500. Guided visits are listed from 10:00, lasting about 10–15 minutes. Ask at the entrance whether they are running and accepting visitors that day.
Official walking routeOfficial Kawarada informationCity hall
- After the Kawarada visit → Departure from Kakunodate Station
Return via the post office road to Kakunodate Station. Choose an afternoon departure if having lunch before leaving. Check JR services stopping at your destination and reserved seats for your date.
For a morning departure, move this residence visit to the previous day. Allow time to walk to Kakunodate Station afterwards.
Includes: Adult admission to Aoyagi and Kawarada at JPY 500 each.
Additional costs: Hotels, meals, JR travel into and out of Kakunodate, taxis, extra tours and experiences cost extra.
For one adult. Read included items and additional costs together.
Tourism association: facility guidanceOfficial Kawarada informationCurrent facility guidance
Frequently asked questions
How much does visiting two Kakunodate residences cost?
Individual adult admission to Aoyagi and Kawarada is JPY 500 each, totalling JPY 1,000 for one visit to each. Hotels, meals, rail travel and separate tours are excluded. Check each facility’s winter operation. Aoyagi closing differs between sources—16:30 from the tourism association and 16:00 from city hall—so confirm your date’s time with the residence. Kawarada’s December–March last admission is 16:00, closing at 16:30; it closes 28 December–4 January.
City hallTourism association: facility guidanceOfficial Kawarada information
Sources and dates checked
- Akita city: park guidance ·
- Observation deck operation ·
- Facility directions ·
- Operator: Selion line timetable ·
- Stop-specific fare and timetable search ·
- Tourism association: facility guidance ·
- City hall ·
- Official access ·
- FAQ ·
- Current facility guidance ·
- Official JR timetable ·
- Official walking route ·
- Official Kawarada information ·
- Tourism federation: Selion buildings and entrances ·