The Tohoku region refers to the six prefectures of Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi, Akita, Yamagata, and Fukushima, which are located in the northeastern part of Honshu.
The largest city is Sendai City in Miyagi Prefecture.
These 6 prefectures occupy about 30% of the area of Honshu.
Located in the south of Hokkaido and the northernmost part of Honshu, it is a cold region in Japan like Hokkaido.
These six prefectures face the Sea of Japan or the Pacific Ocean, and all prefectures have oceans.
The map of the Tohoku region is as follows.
The charm of the Tohoku region
Cherry blossoms in spring, greenery in summer, colored leaves in autumn, and snowy scenery in winter. The Tohoku region is a treasure trove of rich nature that changes its expression from season to season.
The world-famous travel guidebook "Lonely Planet" has ranked Tohoku as the third place in the Top Regions of "Best in Travel 2020", and in recent years, the popularity of Japan's Tohoku region has increased from overseas. I am.
Lots of delicious food
Since all six prefectures in the Tohoku region face the sea, they are rich in seafood.
There are many famous seafood in Japan such as Oma bluefin tuna in Aomori prefecture and oysters and sea squirts in Miyagi prefecture.
In addition to seafood, there are plenty of foods unique to each prefecture.
Aomori Prefecture: "Senbei-jiru", "Ikazushi"
Akita Prefecture: "Kiritanpo Nabe", "Inaniwa Udon"
Iwate Prefecture: "Wanko soba", "Morioka cold noodles"
Miyagi Prefecture: "Beef tongue", "Sasa Kamaboko"
Yamagata Prefecture: "Imoni", "Yonezawa beef"
Fukushima: "Squid carrot", "Kitakata ramen"
As mentioned above, each prefecture has famous dishes with rich local flavors.
The foods I have introduced are typical foods from each prefecture in the Tohoku region, and there are many other delicious foods.
Fillet of bluefin tuna in Oma, Aomori Prefecture
Beef tongue in Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture
Abundant popular hot spring areas
There are popular natural hot springs such as "Ginzan Onsen" in Yamagata Prefecture, "Nyuto Onsen" in Akita Prefecture, and "Zao Onsen" in Miyagi Prefecture, and you can enjoy the open-air bath while watching the snowy scenery unique to the Tohoku region.
You can also enjoy the pool and hot springs at the spa resort "Hawaiians" in Fukushima prefecture regardless of the season.
Ginzan Onsen in Yamagata Prefecture, full of taste
There are many tourist destinations where you can enjoy world heritage sites and superb views
There is one of the most scenic spots in Japan in the Tohoku region.
World heritage sites such as "Shirakami Mountains" and "Hiraizumi", Japan's deepest lake "Tazawako", Japan's three most scenic spots "Matsushima", and Japan's three major limestone caves "Ryusendo" are also located in the Tohoku region.
In the Tohoku region, you can see world heritage sites and beautiful scenery that represents Japan.
Shirakami Mountains, a World Heritage Site that stretches from southwestern Aomori Prefecture to northwestern Akita Prefecture
Enjoy the four seasons
The Tohoku region is rich in nature, so you can enjoy the beauty of each of the four seasons.
Cherry blossoms and flowers are in full bloom in spring, and fresh greenery grows in summer. It's cool in the summer, so it's easy to spend time, and you can enjoy the autumn leaves in the fall and the silver-white snow in the winter, all year round.
Hirosaki Park in Aomori Prefecture is one of Japan's leading cherry blossom viewing spots and is visited by many people every year.
Sakura in Hirosaki Park, Aomori Prefecture
The festival is famous
The three major festivals in the Tohoku region, the Aomori Nebuta Festival, the Akita Kanto Festival, and the Sendai Tanabata Festival, are held in the summer and are visited by many tourists every year.
At each festival, you can experience local traditions.
Each festival is very exciting every year, so please look forward to the atmosphere of the festival.
When sightseeing in Tohoku, it is also recommended to formulate a sightseeing plan according to the three major festivals in Tohoku.
Aomori Nebuta Festival Every year from August 2nd to August 7th
Akita Kanto Festival Every year from August 3rd to August 6th
Sendai Tanabata Festival Every year from August 6th to August 8th
Nebuta Festival in Aomori Prefecture
The Tohoku region is relatively close to Tokyo and is a tourist destination that can be reached by bullet train or plane.
When you come to Japan, why don't you visit the Tohoku region?