At these recommended sightseeing spots, you can enjoy the scenery of each season. What season do you want to experience Semboku?
A Bukeyashiki is a residence where samurai used to live. The difference between Kakunodate and other samurai residences in Japan is that people still live in these homes. Some residences are home to descendants of the samurai and their families. Many are protected as cultural properties, and some are open to the public. In spring, varieties of cherry blossoms, such as the weeping cherry blossoms, bloom and it is a beautiful area throughout the entire year with gorgeous greenery, mesmerizing autumn leaves, and a stunning snowy scenery.
Kakunodate is also renowned throughout Japan for the beauty of its cherry blossoms. The trees form a 2 km-long tunnel of flowers along the banks of the Hinokinai River flowing through the center of the town, and in the samurai district over 400 magnificent weeping cherry blossom trees are on display.
The reccomended viewpoint is from Mt.Furushiro where you can overlook the samurai district from above.
Lake Tazawa is the deepest lake in Japan and also one of the most transparent. The depth is 423.4 meters with a lakeside circumference of 20 kilometers. The lake is always a sight to behold no matter season, and there are plenty of outdoor activities to do there.
There's a famous legend from Lake Tazawa of a beautiful woman that transformed into a dragon and still lives there to this day.
Once upon a time, there was a young woman renowned for her beauty from the Tazawa region. Wanting to preserve her beauty forever, she prayed at a temple on the base of Mt. Okura every night for 100 days. On the 100th evening, the goddess of mercy bade her to drink from a magical spring far to the north.
Not wishing to worry her mother, as she set out she told her she was going to search for some wild vegetables and after passing through numerous mountain passes, at long last, she reached the spring. Doing as she had been instructed, she drank from the mountain spring. However, she became ever more thirsty the more she drank, eventually sticking her whole face in the water drinking until the spring went dry. At this point, she realized she had become a dragon and returned to Lake Tazawa. Tatsuko's mother, grief-stricken upon learning of her daughter's transformation, threw her torch into Lake Tazawa. The blackened torch became what we now call Nishimasu (Black Kokanee) which live in Lake Tazawa to this day.
Dakigaeri Gorge is called the "Yabakei Gorge of the Tohoku region" and is famous for the beauty of the virgin forest on both sides of the river, waterfalls on the shore and its unique blue stream, as well as lucious greenery and autumnal leaves.
The promenade is well maintained and you can lesurily look apon the strange rocks, rapids, and various sized waterfalls. The view from the "Shin-no-Iwa Bridge", a suspension bridge that can be seen when you arrive at the valley, is also wonderful.
Nyuto Onsenkyo is located in Towada Hachimantai National Park. Whatever the time of year enjoy the scenery from any of the seven hot spring inns hidden among an ancient beech forest.
Explore the richly varied baths here and become an onsen connoisseur.
