Two days in Akita: choose the park and port or samurai houses
For one night, choose either Akita city and port or Kakunodate's houses as your base. Instead of fitting both cities and the lake into the trip, give the park and port a day each or split the two houses across the days. For a morning departure, shorten or skip the second day's sightseeing.
Choose an itinerary for 2 days, 1 night
Two days, one night: Senshu Park and the port from Akita Station
Stay near Akita Station for one night and give the park and port views a day each. On departure day, check the gap between your return Selion bus and onward train first.
Two days, one night: Senshu Park and the port from Akita Station →2 days, 1 nightTwo days, one night: split Kakunodate's samurai houses across two days
Stay one night in Kakunodate if you want time to explore the houses and gardens. Visit Aoyagi on the first day and Kawarada on the second. To see both, allow enough sightseeing time after arrival and before departure.
Two days, one night: split Kakunodate's samurai houses across two days →Two days, one night: Senshu Park and the port from Akita Station
Stay near Akita Station for one night and give the park and port views a day each. On departure day, check the gap between your return Selion bus and onward train first.
Day 1 · Senshu Park
On arrival in Akita, walk through Senshu Park. Start along the moat, then climb to the Ninomaru site if you are comfortable with slopes.
- Akita Station and hotel area → Senshu Park walk
From Akita Station, the Senshu Park Pocket Park is about five minutes on foot; the Ninomaru site is about 15 minutes away. Walk around the moat, then continue uphill to Ninomaru if slopes are manageable. Allow 60–90 minutes for an afternoon walk, but shorten it to the moat if a late arrival or rain leaves too little daylight. The park is open all day, but this itinerary does not recommend walking after dark. To visit Kubota Castle's Osumiyagura interior too, check its opening days and hours and adjust your walking time.
- Senshu Park → Hotel check-in and dinner
After your walk, return to your hotel and check in at the time specified in your booking. Have dinner near the station and spend the night at the same hotel.
If you arrive late, take a short walk by the moat, then have dinner.
Day 2 · Selion observation room and departure from Akita Station
Visit the Selion observation room, then return to Akita Station. Decide whether to eat lunch at the port based on the time left before your return bus.
- Akita Station west-side bus stop 4 → Selion bus stop
Board a Selion-bound bus at stop 4 in Akita Station's west-side bus terminal and get off at Selion. The adult one-way fare is ¥550. Set your time at the port around the bus back to Akita Station.
Operator's Selion route timetableStop-by-stop fare and timetable search
- Selion bus stop → Port Tower entrance and fifth-floor observation room
Enter through the Port Tower's front entrance and go to the free fifth-floor observation room for views of Akita Port and the sea. It is open 9:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. Rista and Plaza are separate buildings from the tower containing the observation room.
Observation room informationTourism federation's Selion building and entrance guide
- Selion observation room → Break and return bus stop
After seeing the port from the observation room, take a break and return to the bus stop. Buses are infrequent, so choose your return service before adding a meal. If there is not enough time for lunch at the port, eat after returning to the station.
- Selion return bus stop → Akita Station west exit
Take the bus from Selion to Akita Station's west exit. At ¥550 each way, the round-trip bus fare is ¥1,100.
Operator's Selion route timetableStop-by-stop fare and timetable search
- Akita Station → Depart for your next destination
Return to Akita Station and leave for your next destination. For Tokyo or Morioka, check your date's Akita Shinkansen timetable for stops and reserved seats. For the airport, look up the airport bus separately. Leave time for food and boarding between your return Selion bus and onward departure.
Official JR timetablesOperator's Selion route timetableFAQOfficial directions
Choose the return bus first. If there is too little time for a meal at the port, eat after returning to Akita Station.
Included: Round-trip Selion buses at ¥550 each way for an adult; free Selion observation room. Paid indoor facilities at Senshu Park are excluded.
Additional costs: Hotels, meals, travel to and from Akita, airport transportation, and additional facilities are excluded.
These amounts are for one adult. Check both the included items and additional costs.
Stop-by-stop fare and timetable searchFacility directionsObservation room information
Two days, one night: split Kakunodate's samurai houses across two days
Stay one night in Kakunodate if you want time to explore the houses and gardens. Visit Aoyagi on the first day and Kawarada on the second. To see both, allow enough sightseeing time after arrival and before departure.
Day 1 · Aoyagi Samurai House
Visit Aoyagi on your first day in Kakunodate. Choose a train that leaves enough afternoon viewing time; shorten the visit if you arrive late.
- Kakunodate Station area → Walk to the Aoyagi entrance
Follow the road in front of the station and turn right at the T-junction where you see Kakunodate Post Office to enter the samurai-house streets. Follow the tourism association's walking-route signs and look for 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 about 20 from the city. Allow extra time for photos, navigation, and your actual starting point at the hotel.
Official walking routeTourism association facility guideCity hall
- Aoyagi Samurai House → Exhibits and garden · ¥500
Explore Aoyagi's exhibits and garden in the afternoon, allowing about 90 minutes. Normal April–November hours are 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., and standard individual adult admission is ¥500. Separate tours and paid activities are not included in this amount.
- Aoyagi Samurai House → Hotel check-in and dinner
After visiting, return toward the station via the samurai-house streets and the road by the post office, then check in. Eat at a restaurant whose opening hours you have checked and return to your hotel. If a late arrival means missing the first day's visit, reconsider which houses to see using their hours and your next day's departure time.
If you arrive late, shorten the visit or move it to the next day. Winter closing times may be earlier; check the facility information.
Day 2 · Kawarada Samurai House and departure from Kakunodate Station
If you visited Aoyagi yesterday, see Kawarada today before leaving.
- Station road and samurai-house streets → Visit Kawarada
Follow the same station road and post-office T-junction to Kawarada in the samurai-house streets. The address is 角館町東勝楽丁9, about a 15-minute walk from the station. See the house and garden in the morning. April–November hours are 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., with last reception at 4:30 p.m.; standard individual adult admission is ¥500. Guided visits are listed as available from 10:00 a.m. and take about 10–15 minutes. Ask at the entrance about that day's sessions and reception.
Official walking routeOfficial Kawarada informationCity hall
- After visiting Kawarada → Depart from Kakunodate Station
Return via the road by the post office to Kakunodate Station. Choose an afternoon departure if you want lunch first. Check your date's JR timetable for a train that stops at your destination, and reserve seats.
For a morning departure, move this house visit to the previous day. Allow time to walk back to Kakunodate Station afterward.
Included: Adult admission to Aoyagi and Kawarada houses, ¥500 each.
Additional costs: Hotels, meals, JR travel on arrival and departure, taxis, and additional tours and activities cost extra.
These amounts are for one adult. Check both the included items and additional costs.
Tourism association facility guideOfficial Kawarada informationCurrent facility information
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to visit two Kakunodate samurai houses?
Standard individual adult admission is ¥500 at Aoyagi and ¥500 at Kawarada, totaling ¥1,000 for one visit to each. Hotels, meals, trains, and separate tours are excluded. Check each house's winter schedule. Aoyagi's winter closing time differs between the tourism association (4:30 p.m.) and city hall (4:00 p.m.), so ask the house about your date. Kawarada closes reception at 4:00 p.m. and the house at 4:30 p.m. in December–March; it is closed December 28–January 4.
City hallTourism association facility guideOfficial Kawarada information
Sources and check dates
- Akita city park guide ·
- Observation room information ·
- Facility directions ·
- Operator's Selion route timetable ·
- Stop-by-stop fare and timetable search ·
- Tourism association facility guide ·
- City hall ·
- Official directions ·
- FAQ ·
- Current facility information ·
- Official JR timetables ·
- Official walking route ·
- Official Kawarada information ·
- Tourism federation's Selion building and entrance guide ·