I just returned last week from a 10-days trip to Tohoku (with a splash of Tokyo for shopping). It was nothing short of amazing, and I would...
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The original was posted on /r/japantravel by /u/Infinitris on 2024-11-18 15:12:32+00:00.

I just returned last week from a 10-days trip to Tohoku (with a splash of Tokyo for shopping). It was nothing short of amazing, and I would definitely return for a visit again in the near future. The landscapes were stunningly beautiful, and the slower pace of life and lack of crowds(!) provided a much different experience from touring the popular cities. If you like nature, rugged sea coasts, you have to see Tohoku. It’s also great if you have travel companions (like my parents) who don’t enjoy cities, noise, and crowds that much.

Arrangements I made to factor in my elderly parents’ (69 & 71yo) creaky joints and average fitness:

  • Hotels were all within walking distance (<10mins) from major shinkansen stations
    • Aomori (3-nights): Hotel JAL City Aomori. Daiwa Roynet might have been a better choice here, but the breakfast at JAL was amazing so it was worth it. I had lots of scallops and other seafood, so did my parents.
    • Akita (1 night): ANA Crowne Plaza Akita. This was supposed to be a buffer before our onsen stay. Very convenient with plenty of food options around the hotel.
    • Nyuto Onsen (1 night): Taenoyu Ryokan. Not very easy to get to, but there was minimal walking involved. Will provide a detailed write up below.
    • Sendai (2-nights): Hotel Monterey Sendai. Pretty near to Sendai station. There is an elevator on the overhead walkway next to Parco 2 which one can take. There is NO NEED to carry baggages down stairs. You can use their spa (onsen) for free!
    • Asakusa (2-nights): Asakusa Tobu Hotel It’s right beside Asakusa Station on the Ginza line. Very easy to get to if travelling on Shinkansen to Ueno. Elevators to street level are all accessible (ableit with some searching and keen eyes)
  • Minimal luggage dragging
    • Booked transport to and from airports. From Aomori, it was ~6300yen and booked through KKday. A little pricey, but Aomori airport is in the middle of nowhere and we landed at 8pm. To Haneda, it was ~9000yen, booked through Klook. Asakusa Tobu Hotel offers same day luggage delivery to airport. Might want to consider that if you are on a tighter budget.
    • Used Kuro Neko Yamato delivery for baggage. Sent ours at 2000yen per piece from Akita (through hotel) to Sendai so we could travel hands free to Nyuto Onsen. Best 6000 yen spent. Hotel staff filled up all details for us and we arrived at our Sendai hotel with luggage already sent to our rooms.
  • All hotel booking had breakfast.
    • Starting the day with full tummies ensures the elderly travel far.

Trip Report

  • Day 1 - Aomori
    • Flew SQ to Tokyo T3, then transferred to T1 for domestic flight (JAL) to Aomori
    • Passed immigration, grabbed luggages and checked in again all at T3. Counters only opened at certain time for JAL/ANA, please check airport website.
    • Note that it’s possible to pass through security check at T3 and shuttle buses to T1/T2 are available too.
    • Dinner was ramen at T1. Not great, but hey, not every meal has to be amazing. The main thing was keeping my parents sated and happy.
    • Checked in at about 9pm. Took a short walk to Lawson for some nice konbini fried chicken supper.
  • Day 2 - Aomori
    • Morning: Went to ASPAM, paid for 360deg observatory, had very(!) delicious apple pie, and bought plenty of apple pastries.
    • Afternoon: Checked out the station & Lovina. Bought gigantic apples the size of small melons. They were delicious. Had late lunch at ootoya. (My parents don’t take raw food so there was no nokkedon for them, and me >.<) We later went to Auga Fish market where most stores were closed because of Culture Day. Bought some dried scallops – they are the secret ingredient to making eggs, soups and porridges so much better. Sweet and umami. The smaller they are, the sweeter!
    • Evening: Nothing, LOL. Shops closes very early. Bought snacks for supper at lawson. Turned in early.
  • Day 3 - Aomori
    • Day trip to Oirase Gorge, Lake Towada and Hirosaki booked through KKday. Tour was conducted in Chinese.
    • As there was a recent spike in temperatures, the autumn leaves stayed on and we got some really good views of the gorge. Totally worth the long drive. It was a pity though that we didn’t have time for Hakkoda ropeway. Might consider that when I visit the region again.
    • Hirosaki is home to many many apple parks, and the castle grounds were beautiful. We got more apples (and jam!) from a nearby local store. They were very sweet and juicy. The peanut cookies sold there were also very good. Would recommend a stay in the city if time permits.
  • Day 4 - Aomori -> Akita
    • Took the Resort Shirakami to Akita.
    • Beautiful views of northwestern coastlines. Consider reservations the day tickets come out, or better yet, the hour which they are released. I made mine the day after and many seats were gone, but it could have been a seasonal thing
    • Afternoon/Evening: Walked around the vicinity of Akita Station. Saw the nearby park a bit. Had udon for dinner. It was a chill evening. Chill is good for elderly.
  • Day 5 - Akita -> Tazawako -> Nyuto Onsen (Highlight!)
    • Arrived at Tazawako to fog in the mountains and light rain. Temperatures fell to ~4c. Took the Tazawako loop bus to see the lake, which would have been prettier if the weather wasn’t so dreary. But we had an amazing lunch near the station that was prepared by the sweetest lady so all was good. (Ekimae Shokudo)
    • Took the Nyuto line bus towards the onsen. FYI, the bus has space for luggage, but only big enough for maybe 3-4 standard sized baggages, and one has to lift them onto the storage area about 1m above floor. Several lockers are available near station (not just at the kiosks) if one wants to store baggages. The tourist center ONLY keeps your luggages until 4-5pm.
    • Had the great fortune of witnessing rain turning to snow(!!!) while the bus slowly climbed its way up the mountains. By the time we reached Tae no yu, there was white everywhere. It was truly a sight to behold. Red autumn leaves covered in powdery snow. So, so beautiful T_T. The inn staff mentioned it was the first snow of the year, and it usually fell for an hour or so, but that day, it snowed till late in the evening.
    • The stay at the ryokan was really comfortable. Food was fresh (expect lots of mushrooms and vegetables), and there was an option for Kiritanpo, which was delicious!
    • The onsen facilities were clean with plenty of baths to choose from (Silver & Gold). The open mixed gender bath had a womens only hour from 5-6pm. It had unobstructed view of the waterfall. Truly a treat.
  • Day 5 - Nyuto Onsen -> Tazawako -> Sendai
    • Left Nyuto Onsen for Tazawako station and then Shinkansen to Sendai. The weather had cleared by that morning, and we were treated to blue skies and the beautiful soft peaks of the surrounding mountains, some with snow still present.
    • Unfortunately, the shinkansen we were on was delayed (slightly more than hour). By the time we reached Sendai, it was late afternoon and the sun was setting.
    • We strolled around the station and checked out several nearby malls. Dinner was at saboten. My parents had a lot of fun grinding sesame seeds for the sauce.
  • Day 6 - Sendai -> Yamadera -> Sendai
    • Climbed Yamadera (yes, climb)
    • I asked my parents to choose between a leisurely day trip to matsushima for some beautiful islands or hike the 1000 steps(!!!) for amazing views. For some reason, they chose the latter.
    • We took the 8am train to beat the crowd (but i think the 7am one would have been better). The hike up was… challenging for my parents, but they made it to the top in the end. I suspect they were spurred on by the many elderly japanese that overtook them.
    • Views of the valley from Godaido hall were gorgeous. And my parents were really glad they pushed themselves.
    • Afternoon/Evening: We had a simple late lunch back in Sendai. The rest of the afternoon was spent resting, and we later enjoyed the complimentary spa baths (great after a hike). Skipped dinner.
  • Day 7 - Sendai -> Tokyo
    • Shikansen to Ueno, then a short subway ride to Asakusa where I met up with a friend and her mum (61yo)
    • Asakusa Tobu Hotel is probably one of the best hotels to stay in the area. Proximity to everything made eating out and shopping a breeze.
    • Afternoon/Evening: We walked to skytree and got the full access ticket (booked earlier through klook). Reserving a ticket online definitely helps in beating the line and the line was LONG.
    • Had a simple dinner (ramen) at the location itself.
  • Day 8 - Nikko
    • My friend booked a private tour (total 70000 yen) to Nikko.
    • The ride there was painfully long (nearly 3hrs), but the views at Nikko were magnificient as we arrived to pre/peaking red/orange/golden leaves. Watched a Japanese TV programme earlier in the trip ranking the best places to view fall foliage n Japan, and Nikko was ranked number 1. I could understand why.
    • Saw Kogen falls, Shinkyo bridge, Toshogu shrine and the other temples. All had beautiful fall foliage, but OMG THE CROWDS. Still, the views were worth it.
    • Had delicious lunch at a syokudo restaurant (Hippari-Dako) that sold cheap, hearty meals (think yakisoba+rice+chicken skewers for just 900 yen). The chicken was really, really good. Highly recommended. It’s rated 4.5 stars for a reason.
  • **Day 9 - Asakusa (Exploring/Strolling)*…

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