In my early 20s, I decided to use my summer holiday to travel the coast of Iwate on my own. I bought the JR Seishun 18 Ticket, which meant I had free range of almost all the JR stations in Japan—and I chose Miyako as my first stop.
Located in Iwate Prefecture, Hiraizumi was the administrative center of northeastern Japan in the 12th century, said to have rivaled the splendor of Kyoto at its peak.
There are a variety of interesting festivals in each prefecture of Japan throughout the year.
While it's estimated there are 600,000 festivals in Japan, some are decidedly weirder than others!
Places in Tohoku can be quite spread out, so if you're traveling through a number of spots in the area, a train pass or bus pass is your best bet.
Asamushi Onsen, right outside Aomori City, is well known by Aomori locals and residents of the Tohoku region for its wide array of bathhouses, all conveniently located in one small town.
Come with us on a journey to Akita Prefecture to see an incredible wooden theater, the oldest one in existence in Japan.
Are you a cat or a dog? Japan has several ways to describe a person's personalities based on animalistic behaviors. You might even be a penguin!
