Kakunodate

Kakunodate is a town located in Senboku District, Akita, Japan. On September 20, 2005 the town merged with the town of Tazawako and the village of Nishiki to form the new city of Semboku. In 2003, the town had an estimated population of 14,138 and a density of 90.26 persons per km². The total area was 156.63 km².

The town is famed for its well-preserved samurai houses and the proliferation of cherry trees. It is a popular destination for hanami, or cherry blossom viewing. It is sometimes referred as 'the little Kyoto of Tohoku' (Michinoku no sho-kyoto).

The Akita Shinkansen Komachi from Tokyo, Sendai and Morioka makes a regular stop at the JR Kakunodate station. Komachi provides hourly service from Tokyo and the journey takes roughly 4hrs from Tokyo, 2.5hrs from Sendai and 1hr from Morioka. Please make sure to book your seat in advance, as seats on all Komachi trains are all reserved. Japan Rail Pass is accepted.