Did you know that Akita is the sixth largest and second least densely populated prefecture in Japan? Not only does it have a low population, it is also so off the beaten path, that, on average, only 380 foreign tourists visit it per day. In theory, that leaves every foreign tourist with 30 square kilometers all to themselves. Truly, this is a prefecture to visit if you want to get away from the crowds and most common tourist sites. But why do so few people go to Akita?
Sure, there are places with even fewer foreign visitors, but why does a place like Akita, so easily reachable by Shinkansen from Tokyo, see so few foreign travelers?
Why people don’t go to Akita
Living in Akita, I have had many foreign friends come visit. Some from abroad, some from other parts of Japan. They have generally had two things in common – They had almost no way of getting around, and no idea about what to visit.
It takes almost four hours to get to Akita City by Shinkansen from Tokyo Station. This alone can scare off a lot of potential visitors. And once people get to Akita, getting around can be a bit slow. The public transport tends to be rather infrequent, things are far apart, and a lot of information is almost entirely in Japanese. Most of the major tourist attractions are reachable by public transport, but the amount of time needed to get there, will often not seem worth it, especially to people who have a very limited amount of time.
In Akita, the hands down best way to get around, is by car. For this reason, my advice is for anyone who can drive in Japan with an international drivers’ license, to get the license and just rent a car. Being as remote and open as Akita is, finding parking is never a problem (outside festivals). But driving in Japan can seem like a daunting task if you are from a country with left side steering, so it is no wonder that few people even consider this option.
Should someone choose to try their luck with Akita despite the transportation problems, the next issue is deciding what to see. Most of the sites are spread out pretty far, and not many travel bloggers come to Akita, so there isn’t that much of an image about what Akita offers.
No one could blame tourists for not going. Everyone wants pictures with the great buddha of Kamakura, to see the bowing deer of Nara, or go to Shibuya Scramble crosswalk and have a taste of the cyberpunk fantasy that is downtown Tokyo. Akita is so far removed from these usual, arguably more impressive at first glance, attractions, that there just isn’t a very clear image of what kind of place Akita is.
No matter how you cut it, Akita is not an obvious choice for the first time Japan visitor (unless they have an abundance of time and spirit of adventure).
Why you should totally go to Akita
I like to imagine that the kind of people who go to Akita, are people who have experienced Japan before. Maybe they live in Japan or maybe they have already travelled the country extensively. Maybe they want a break from the tightly packed tourist sites like Asakusa, which at times seem more like a mosh-pit at a metal concert than a temple-area. Perhaps it is someone who wants to experience a more remote and slower paced part of Japan, where people say konnichiwa when they pass you on the street.
This last bit is especially true for Akita. It is rather remote, in the sense that things are far apart, and life happens just a bit more gently than down south. Rushing from one site to the next just isn’t how things happen in Akita for the most part, and I strongly advise against it.
Slow tourism is a good approach to have when it comes to Akita. If one was to try visiting several of the most interesting locations in one day, they would spend the majority of their time travelling only to catch a few rushed glimpses of what they spend so much time travelling to see.
A funny illustration of this, is how the Shinkansen bullet train only drives at local train speeds once it leaves Morioka towards Akita. Heck, on the way out of Akita it even drives backwards!
But if you are willing to slow down a bit and go deep rather than wide, Akita is the place for you. You could visit Oga Peninsula, where you can see the scary Namahage demons, watch a unique form of Japanese Taiko drumming, or even go diving in the summer months. You could go into the mountains, see Japan’s deepest lake, Tazawako, and then go to Tsuru-no-yu hot spring, arguably one of Japan’s most beautiful places for a dip. You can stay in Akita City, see museums, visit the castle park, and pet an Akita dog. How about seeing the world’s largest drum? Or, perhaps you like festivals, and want to see Japan’s tallest lantern float, which stands an impressive 24 meters tall? Or how about the Kanto festival, where men balance long bamboo poles with lanterns on their foreheads and hips? You can also come for some great skiing and see the Inukko festival, dedicated to dogs and snow. Maybe visit the museum dedicated to the loyal Akita dog breed? Eat Japanese food, made with the freshest ingredients, served at the lowest prices and in the largest portions. You could also see Shirakami Sanchi forests, a UNESCO World Heritage Site tucked away in the mountains of Akita. Or come in autumn, when Akita is at its most beautiful and see the autumn colors.
The list of places to see is long, but as I said above, plan for slow tourism rather than a whirlwind tour. If not, you might miss out on what makes Akita such a good place to visit: the authentic and unique culture and nature you only get from the quiet, unassuming, and down to earth life that people tend to live in Akita.
So, slow down a bit, and come visit Akita.