In Kanazawa we combined early seafood breakfasts at Omicho Market with one of Japan’s best landscape gardens. When the weather forced us indoors, the modern Prefectural library fit perfectly, and the day ended with a sake tasting and a private kaiseki dinner.
Sado Island, off the coast of Niigata, let us experience the gold rush, a ride in barrel shaped boats and remote island lifestyle. Sado combines raw nature, cultural heritage, and a 400 year gold mine on an expansive island.
A modern hotel set among harvested rice fields on the Shonai Plain became our base before heading into the cedar forests of Dewa Sanzan. This stretch of Yamagata offered architecture, nature, and centuries of mountain worship. The day was complete with the sunset on the Japan Sea and arrival in Niigata.
Rain set the pace in Kakunodate as we walked the samurai streets, moved between old houses, and stayed the night on the former bukeyashiki road. After plans to climb Mount Chokai fell through, we discovered Karamatsu Shrine deep in the trees, before ending the day along the coast at sunset.
Lake Tazawa, Dakigaeri Valley, and Nyuto Onsen are close on the map, therefore we did not drive long this day. From the deepest lake in Japan and its Nessie-like legend to forested valleys, the route ends at a secluded mountain hot spring, one of the most profound I have visited.
Red leaves, white snow, hot spring steam, and a former copper mine. This part of the trip moved between the extremes. From fall in Morioka to winter in Akita’s mountains, including a stay at remote Goshogake Onsen on the peaks of Hachimantai and a visit deep underground at Osarizawa Mine.
These days were active with hikes on Hakkōda-san’s snowy trails, along Oirase Gorge with moss and waterfalls, and quiet moments in the Hoshinoya resort hotel and around Lake Towada. We experienced Aomori with a strong local apple theme throughout.
Aomori was where the trip truly began. Meeting up with three Swiss friends kicked off the two-week road trip across Tohoku. Long drives, beautiful nature and shrines, calligraphy, and surprise encounters replaced trains and crowds, setting the tone for everything that followed.
One day after arriving in Tokyo, I again visited Chichibu with two friends. This time we stayed at a ryokan with a private open-air rock bath and gorgeous dinner. On the way back Kawagoe offered Edo-era streetscapes, sweets shops and a calm shrine.
November is one of the best months to travel in Japan, especially outside major cities. With autumn colors appearing in the mountains and winter slowly approaching at higher elevations, it is an ideal time to explore rural regions beyond the usual routes. This article is the start to a series that explores travelling Japan’s North in autumn.