Culture Samurai Houses of Kakunodate, Akita Justin Velgus Kakunodate is known as the Samurai District for good reason. Scattered throughout the town are remnants of the Satake clan’s g..
Museums Namahage Museum in Akita Justin Velgus You can’t go anywhere in Akita without seeing references to the demon figures known as namahage. Find out what they are and wh..
6 Festivals Akita Kanto Matsuri Festival Bonson Lam The heroics of the lantern bearers loom large and you can come close and personal with the teams vying for the best kanto bearer...
4 Culture The Akita Maiko Nicholas de Thuin Gaviao Meetable Akita maiko in Matsushita, a cafe found in Senshu Park in Akita City, a cheaper option than Kyoto for those who are interested..
Culture Akita's Miyoshi Shrine Victoria Kamila The Miyoshi Shrine is a shinto shrine built in 673 AD that sees over 800,000 visitors a year. In mid January each year the Miyoshi..
Culture Kakunodate Cherry Blossom Festival Bonson Lam The Kakunodate Cherry Blossom Festival is a celebration of nature's resilience in the little Kyoto of Northern Japan. Each April..
6 Anime & Manga Cosplay and Manga Mania in Akita Bonson Lam Sighted in an obscure room in Akita is a treasure trove of cosplay masks & Mizuki Ichiro posters.
Culture Akita Kanto Lantern Festival 2020 Hitoshi Kawai Dokkoisho! The multiple meanings of this word are a reflection of the complex emotions going through the lantern bearer’s mind..