Samurai District — Shelby Abroad

Samurai District in Kakunodate

Kakunodate is one of the top attractions in Akita Prefecture and a must see when sightseeing in Tohoku. It’s known as one of Japan’s most well preserved historical locations, and has earned the nickname “Little Kyoto of Tohoku.” Kakunodate was a castle town that housed about 80 samurai families in the 1600s. Today, the castle is no longer there but some of the samurai houses are preserved. They serve a wonderful example of traditional architecture. Several houses are open for tours, so visitors can go inside and get a glimpse of how wealthy samurai families lived. There are also a few museums that explain the long history of some of the families that lived here. Kakunodate is absolutely brimming with history and culture, and it should definitely be at the top of everyone’s list when visiting Akita.

Kakunodate is the busiest during cherry blossom season because there are weeping cherry trees that line the road of samurai houses. Not too far from the residential area is the Hinokinaigawa River, where a 2km (1.2mi) cherry blossom tunnel is open for visitors to walk through. There are about 400 weeping cherry trees in Kakunodate and many of them are more than 300 years old. A lot of the trees are numbered and designated as natural treasures, too. It’s no surprise that this place is listed as one of the top 100 cherry blossom viewing sites in Japan!

Main road, where most of the samurai houses are. Weeping cherry trees line the entire street.

Cherry blossom tunnel next to the Hinokinaigawa River

The bridge near the cherry blossom tunnel is actually a popular photo spot

Springtime may be the busiest, but stunning fall colors surrounding the samurai houses attract a lot of tourists as well. I’m lucky enough to live a little less than an hour away from Kakunodate, so of course I had to see it in both seasons. It’s really hard to choose which was my favorite. I love them both for different reasons, and the scenery is always gorgeous here no matter the weather or season.

Kawarada Residence

The Kawarada samurai house is special because it has maintained its traditional architectural style from the Edo period. It’s a gorgeous place, and I was impressed by the size and the view of the garden from the rooms.

Before entering, guests must take off their shoes so as to not ruin the tatami mats. I entered through the living room, and then an area that acted as meeting rooms for the Kawarada family. According to my brochure, these are rooms where the family “couldn’t relax.”

After that is the master bedroom as well as views of the garden, which was my favorite part of the house. It’s said that the moss was brought from Kyoto and planted here. Within the same area is an entrance that was only used for the person who had a higher status than the owner. It was also used for ceremonial occasions. On the other side of the house was a different entrance, where guests equivalent to the family could enter. I thought this was fascinating how certain people had a special kind of entrance into the house.

This is the entrance that was used for important people

Another interesting part I got to see was the warehouse, where a lot of rice was stored back in the day. Above the door is the family crest and flag. Paintings by famous artists were in just about every room as well and they were wonderful pieces of traditional art.

Before leaving the house, I was told by the receptionist that there was another room that was open to the public. It was an exhibition room and it showcased achievements of the Kawarada Family, as well as related items from their successors.

Aoyagi Residence & Museum

The Aoyagi samurai house is one of the best preserved samurai residences in the nation, and it’s arguably the most gorgeous out of all the remaining ones in Kakunodate. Most of the house has been turned into a museum that showcases samurai armor, weapons, farming tools used back in the day, clothes, antiques, and more. The property is huge and it took a little over an hour to see everything, especially because every sign has English. I was stopping a lot to read and learn about samurai history. As much as I’d like to share, if I included everything in this blog post I think it’d end up being a whole novel. So, I’ll only talk about a couple things that I thought were interesting.

The Armory

In the beginning of the museum is the armory that houses a collection of katana (Japanese swords), armor, helmets, guns, and war flags from the 15th-19th centuries. I loved learning about the different types of blades used for the swords, as well as the different styles of armor. Aoyagi Family heirlooms were also in this room.

There’s also a katana in a box with its handle sticking out, inviting people to try and lift it up. I thought it would be way too heavy to lift, but much to my surprise it was incredibly light and easy to hold. There’s a helmet that I tried on as well, which was heavy and way too big for me. I loved these interactive experiences throughout the museum. They really put things into perspective and made the history all the more exciting!

The armor in the middle is a family heirloom with a “Takeda Shingen” styled helmet. The swords and the red battle surcoat on the wall are also family treasures.

Odano Naotake

This man’s story was interesting to me because it involves art and how western techniques were introduced to Japan. This part of the museum was also in the garden, which was stunning with all the vibrant fall colors.

Odano Naotake was a Kakunodate born samurai and a remote relative of the Aoyagi Family. He rose to fame for his illustrations of the human body in a book called “Kaitai Shinsho,” which was the first translation of a Dutch book on anatomy published in Japan in 1774. Odano actually created the anatomical illustrations utilizing western techniques he learned about from an inventor named Hiraga Gennai. He taught Odano how to draw in perspective and apply shading, which at the time were techniques not used in Japanese drawing methods.

After the publication of the translated anatomy book, Odano won the respect of many powerful, art loving men. These men began asking him for lessons, and he eventually went on to invent the “Akita Dutch drawing method.” His statue sits in the garden within the Aoyagi residence.

There is so much more this museum has to offer, and I encourage those who visit Kakunodate to take a tour and learn all about the samurai and the families that lived here. It’s crazy how detailed this place is and how deep the history goes!

Bukemaru: Mascot of Kakunodate

Bukemaru is an Akita Inu that everyone in the area loves. He’s always hanging out by his house near the main road in the samurai district. I’ve heard that he is the mascot for Kakunodate, and there’s a shop right next door that sells Akita Inu merchandise. Unfortunately, petting Bukemaru isn’t allowed but he sure does love having his picture taken!

I love that so many people bring their dogs here. I lost count of how many dogs I saw during both of my trips. When I was here in fall, I noticed a big crowd off to the side of the road and wanted to know what all the fuss was about. Turns out someone had brought 7 of their fur babies in strollers, so everyone had stopped what they were doing to take pictures and videos. It was really the cutest thing I had ever seen.

Traditional Snacks & Goods

All around the samurai houses are countless stores that sell traditional goods from around Akita. Kiritanpo is the most iconic dish of Akita Prefecture, which is mashed rice that’s shaped into cylinders around wooden skewers and then toasted over a hearth. It’s usually served with a sweet miso paste, or they act like dumplings in a soup with meat and veggies. I love eating a good soup with kiritanpo in winter. It’s very hearty and it hits the spot in cold weather. Kiritanpo can be found in skewer form at many places in Kakunodate.

There are also a lot of miso based treats around Kakunodate. Miso paste is made from fermented soybean, which is a staple in Japanese cooking. It’s commonly used to make soup broth, dressings, and glazes for fish. When I visited Kakunodate in fall, I tried a miso and butter macaron. The miso taste wasn’t as strong as I had expected, it was very mellow and I tasted more butter than miso. It was so delicious that I had to go buy a couple more to bring home! This little shop was a treasure trove of special Akita goodies. I even saw some amazake and different types of miso paste being sold.

Amazake is a popular drink during the Kamakura Festival. I talked about it in that post!

Other goodies I saw was Akita butter mochi, which is exactly what it sounds like. This mochi tastes like butter with a slight sweetness, and the texture is so soft and pillowy. I really enjoy it and I buy it at my local supermarket from time to time.

Iburigakko is another iconic dish in Akita. This is a radish that is smoked and then pickled in a salty brine. It has a distinctive taste due to the smoking process and it’s very crunchy. It’s salty, a little bitter, and slightly sweet. It pairs well with beer, and some people like to eat it with cream cheese. Iburigakko is served at some restaurants around the samurai houses, so anyone can try it! Whole ones are also available in the shops nearby for those who want to take a lot of it home.

Another one of my favorite items that I see quite literally everywhere around the samurai houses are stuffed Akita Inus. I’m always tempted to buy a huge one to bring home with me. There’s also an ice cream shop a few feet away from all the things I just listed, and they have a bunch of different flavors including miso! In spring, they have cherry blossom ice cream which is amazing. If you’re lucky, there will be a person dressed as a samurai standing outside the ice cream shop. They’re happy to take photos with people.

Ice cream shop with the samurai out in front

On the main road, there are a few udon shops where lines form quickly. One of the shops has Inaniwa udon, which is a thinner type of udon noodle that originated in Yuzawa, Akita. I prefer this type of udon to the usual thick type, because it’s softer and lighter. There are a few different types of broth you can order at this restaurant but I went with the simple one. The udon here also comes with a side of iburigakko!

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