10-Night Tohoku Itinerary: Northern Japan in Summer

SummerMedium pace

Tohoku in summer is Japan with the volume turned down: festival cities, the cedar coast at Matsushima, and mountain temples without the queues. A Pacific-up, Sea-of-Japan-down loop from Tokyo through Sendai, Morioka, Aomori and Akita.

Festivals, cedar coast, the north when it actually breathes.

Length10 nights
PaceMedium
Designed forReturning visitor
Best seasonSummer
GatewaysIn and out via Tokyo

The route, city by city

Where you sleep and what each base is for. Load it into the planner to reshape the cities, dates, and day-by-day plan.

1
Tokyo
Day 1kanto
1. Day 1Arrive
The world's largest city and Japan's beating heart - an overwhelming, endlessly layered metropolis where every kind of Japan coexists.
What you'll see here
See Tokyo →
2
Sendai
Days 2 to 3tohoku
1. Day 2Travel in
2. Day 3Day trip: Matsushima
Tohoku's largest city, the 'City of Trees', gateway to Matsushima and famous for beef tongue cuisine.
What you'll see here
See Sendai →
3
Matsushima
Day 3 · Day trip from Sendaitohoku
One of Japan's three scenic views - 260 pine-clad islands across a calm bay with an ancient Zen temple at their heart.
Highlights
See Matsushima →
4
Morioka
Days 4 to 5tohoku
1. Day 4Travel in
2. Day 5Explore
A castle city and Tohoku's literary capital, famous for three distinct noodle cultures and the wanko soba eating tradition.
What you'll see here
See Morioka →
5
Aomori
Days 6 to 7tohoku
1. Day 6Travel in
2. Day 7Explore
A lively northern city home to Japan's most energetic summer festival and the remarkable Nebuta Museum WA RASSE.
What you'll see here
See Aomori →
6
Akita
Days 8 to 9tohoku
1. Day 8Travel in
2. Day 9Explore
Akita Prefecture's capital, famed for the Kanto Festival of lantern poles, beautiful sake, and distinctive folk art.
What you'll see here
See Akita →
7
Tokyo
Day 10kanto
1. Day 10Depart
The world's largest city and Japan's beating heart - an overwhelming, endlessly layered metropolis where every kind of Japan coexists.
What you'll see here
See Tokyo →

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