Kakunodate Full Day Tour – Craft, Culture & Cuisine – AKITA

Samurai Heritage, Traditional Crafts & Local Fermentation Culture

Kakunodate, often called the Little Kyoto of Tohoku, is a beautifully preserved former samurai town dating back to the Edo period.

This full-day guided tour combines samurai heritage, traditional craftsmanship and Akita’s rich fermentation culture. Explore the merchant and samurai districts, visit historic residences, enjoy a hands-on craft workshop, and discover local sake and soy sauce traditions through behind-the-scenes visits.

About the Experience

Accompanied by an experienced local guide, stroll through Kakunodate’s atmospheric streets lined with traditional architecture and nationally protected samurai residences.

Learn about daily life during the Edo period, try Kabazaiku, a 200-year-old cherry-bark craft unique to Kakunodate, and visit two historic breweries to discover the region’s soy sauce and sake-making traditions.

The tour offers an opportunity to experience Kakunodate’s living traditions, craftsmanship and culinary heritage through visits, tastings and hands-on activities.

Itinerary

Explore Kakunodate’s Merchant and Samurai Districts

Take a guided walk through the historic merchant and samurai districts, including a visit to a traditional samurai residence. Discover the town’s preserved architecture and learn about daily life during the Edo period.

Experience Traditional Kabazaiku Craftsmanship

Join a hands-on Kabazaiku workshop and create your own coaster using traditional cherry-bark techniques. This craft has been practised in Kakunodate for over 200 years.

Visit Ando Soy Sauce Brewery

Enjoy a private visit to Ando Soy Sauce Brewery, founded in 1853. Explore storage warehouses normally closed to visitors, taste three varieties of soy sauce, and take home a personalised bottle.

Discover Suzuki Sake Brewery

Visit Suzuki Brewery, established in 1689 and historically linked to the Akita feudal lord. Explore the sake-making facilities and enjoy a curated sake tasting paired with local appetisers.

Scenes from the Tour

Basic Information

Location	Kakunodate, Akita
Duration	8 hours
Start / End Time	9:00–17:00
Tour Type	1–10 guests (Private)
Meeting Point	ORENCHI (1-minute walk from Kakunodate Station)
Transportation	Included during the tour

Your Host / Guide

Akita INAKA Travel — Local Guides

Makito Kochihira (Mac)

Born in Okinawa and raised in Nepal, Makito moved to Akita to attend university. After graduating, he worked as a community revitalisation coordinator in Semboku City, where Kakunodate is located.

Mikiya Sugawara (Mickey)

Born and raised in Tokyo, Mikiya spent his childhood holidays visiting his grandparents in Akita and developed a love for the region’s nature. After working for an electronic components manufacturer in Akita for a year and a half, he became a guide to work more closely with nature.

Daiki Nakada (Daiki)

Born and raised in Okinawa, Daiki moved to Akita at the age of 19. He spent a year in France (2018–2019) and another in Estonia (2022–2023). Drawn to Akita’s nature and warm people, he hopes to help visitors experience the region’s culture and natural surroundings more closely.

Ginji Sugitani (Ginji)

Born in Ibaraki and raised in Texas, Ginji moved to Akita for university. He has lived in Portugal and New Zealand and visited 30 countries. After beginning his career in Tokyo, he returned to Akita for its slower pace of life and its people. Through his tours, he hopes to share the richness of inaka — rural life in Akita.