Experience the Culture and Traditions of Tohoku and Niigata Through These Exclusive Experiences
Make lasting memories while immersing yourself in the culture and traditions of Tohoku and Niigata by joining these special experiences, designed to showcase each region's unique charms.
Tour a 400-year-old sake brewery in Yonezawa City, Yamagata Prefecture, and try your hand at silk weaving and the region's proud tradition of safflower dyeing at a professional studio.
Head to Noshiro City in Akita Prefecture to watch a performance by local Akita geisha and maiko (apprentice geisha) at the Japanese restaurant Kaneyu, a nationally registered tangible cultural property. After the show, you can even chat with them and take photos together!
For those wanting to experience a mix of Japanese culture and French cuisine, stop by Sado City in Niigata Prefecture. Enjoy a show of Bunya Ningyo Joruri Puppet Theater and dine on French cuisine made with local ingredients at a restaurant set in a traditional Japanese structure, savoring the charms of Sado with all your senses!
Visit Kuroishi City in Aomori Prefecture and craft one-of-a-kind lanterns using genuine Neputa paintings that once adorned Kuroishi Neputa Festival floats.
Be sure to try these unique cultural experiences to make great memories during your trip!
Yamagata Prefecture: Discover Yonezawa's Traditional Culture
This tour takes you to sites connected to Uesugi Yozan, the esteemed lord who saved the struggling Yonezawa Domain during the Edo period (1603-1868).
Start at Kojima Sohonten, the Uesugi family's former official sake brewery, and tour the facility with the owner. Next, explore the traditions and techniques of Japanese sake at Toko Brewery, one of Tohoku's largest sake museums.
At Nitta, a silk weaving and safflower dyeing studio, learn about the history of Yonezawa textiles and safflower dyeing directly from the owner.
You can also enjoy a hands-on safflower dyeing experience—creating the vibrant Japan Red, a color admired worldwide.
https://www.tohokukanko.jp/en/attractions/detail_1011579.html
Niigata Prefecture: Enjoy a Bunya Ningyo Joruri Puppet Theater Show and Sado-Inspired French Cuisine
Kyomachi Street, which still reflects the prosperity of the Sado Island Gold Mines—a World Heritage Site—is home to a charming restaurant housed in a traditional Japanese building perched on a hill. Here, you can experience the rich food and culture of Niigata and Sado.
Begin with a performance of Sado's traditional Bunya Ningyo Joruri Puppet Theater, including a storyline introduction and a chance to try manipulating the puppets yourself—perfect for first-time visitors.
Afterward, indulge in a luxurious French full-course meal made with the bounty of Sado's land and sea. It's a unique opportunity to experience the charms of Sado with all five senses!
https://www.tohokukanko.jp/en/attractions/detail_1011531.html
Aomori Prefecture: Create a One-of-a-Kind Neputa Lantern
The Kuroishi Neputa Festival takes place every year for seven days starting on July 30 in Kuroishi City, Aomori Prefecture. During the festival, you can try making your own lantern using actual Neputa paintings from the event.
Choose and combine your favorite sections from the colorful, square-cut artworks to create a truly one-of-a-kind piece!
The experience takes place at Handmade Workshop Irodori, located along the charming Nakamachi Komise Street. Enjoy this special hands-on activity where tradition meets art.
https://www.tohokukanko.jp/en/attractions/detail_1011129.html
Akita Prefecture: Catch a Performance by Akita Geisha and Maiko at a Historical Restaurant
At Kaneyu, a Japanese restaurant in Noshiro City, Akita Prefecture, you can enjoy a dance performance by Akita geisha and their apprentices, known as maiko.
The restaurant itself is an elegant wooden building made from natural Akita cedar—a wood that is no longer harvested—and stands as a symbol of Noshiro's history, once celebrated as the "Largest Timber City in the East." The structure is also registered as a tangible cultural property.
In this atmospheric, historical setting, you can watch the geisha and maiko perform, chat with them, and take photos together. Experience an unforgettable moment where history and culture truly come alive!
https://www.tohokukanko.jp/en/attractions/detail_1011588.html