I had planned to visit Kakunodate on my 2008 trip to Japan, but was interrupted by the Akita earthquake.
Instead, it was in winter 2009 when I finally got to see this beautiful town.
The original samurai houses from the Warring States and Edo periods, had a variety of interesting collections of traditional and Western antiques and crafts. It was easy to spend most of the day wandering through the samurai buildings and browsing curios.
The craft workshops and galleries were stunning, especially the cherry tree and bark carving workshops!
I’d love to return to see Kakunodate in spring when the samurai district is covered in weeping cherry blossoms, and the river is transformed into a pink-lined tunnel.
But also to visit in autumn, to see the fall colors and large waterfall while hiking through the nearby ravine.
2 months ago