The Akita Museum of Art, Senshu Park and the Kanto Festival are the three best reasons to spend a day in Akita City, the capital of Akita Prefecture on the Sea of Japan coast. Akita is a relaxed, walkable city at the end of the Akita Shinkansen, with a Tadao Ando museum, a castle park beside the station and one of the most spectacular summer festivals in Japan. It is also the gateway to the Oga Peninsula, home of the Namahage demons. This guide covers the three highlights, practical tips and where to stay near Akita Station.
1. Akita Museum of Art
The Akita Museum of Art is a striking concrete building by architect Tadao Ando, about a 10-minute walk from Akita Station, with a dramatic curved staircase, a triangular skylight and a shallow water garden that seems to flow toward Senshu Park. Its centerpiece is “Events of Akita,” a huge 1937 mural by Tsuguharu Foujita, the Japanese artist who made his name in Paris. More than 20 meters wide, it shows everyday life and festivals in Akita in rich detail, and it is displayed in a gallery designed especially for it. Admission to the permanent exhibition is 310 yen for adults (high school students and younger are free), making it one of the best-value art stops in Japan. The museum opens 10:00 to 18:00, with last entry at 17:30, and closes on some days for maintenance, so check the calendar before you go.
2. Senshu Park and Kubota Castle
Senshu Park, just west of Akita Station, stands on the site of Kubota Castle, built in 1603 by the Satake clan who ruled Akita for more than 250 years. Unusually, the castle had no stone walls and no main keep, relying instead on earthen ramparts and moats, and today the hilltop is a peaceful park of old trees, ponds and walking paths. The Omotemon main gate was rebuilt in 2000, and the reconstructed Osumi-yagura turret, at the highest point of the park, has a small exhibition and a lookout over the city. Entry to the turret costs 150 yen (free for high school students and younger), and it opens 9:00 to 16:30 but is closed from December 1 to March 31. About 630 cherry trees bloom in mid to late April, and azaleas follow in May. The moats at the foot of the park, lined with lotus in summer and a waterside boardwalk, are pleasant for a short stroll between the station and the museum.
3. Kanto Festival and Neburi Nagashi Kan
The Akita Kanto Festival, held August 3 to 6 every year, is one of the great summer festivals of Tohoku. Hundreds of performers balance kanto, tall bamboo poles hung with dozens of glowing paper lanterns, on their palms, foreheads, shoulders and hips as drums and flutes play. The largest poles are about 12 meters tall, weigh around 50 kilograms and carry 46 lanterns, and more than 200 of them light up Kanto Odori avenue at night. If you visit at another time of year, head to Neburi Nagashi Kan, the Akita City Folk Performing Arts Heritage Center beside the Asahi River. It displays real kanto poles and explains the festival’s history, and from April to October there are live kanto performances on weekends and holidays from 13:30. Visitors can even try lifting a small pole. Admission is just 130 yen (free for high school students and younger), and it opens 9:30 to 16:30, closed from December 29 to January 3.
Where to Stay Near Akita Station
Where to stay: Akita Station areaHotel links in this section go to Booking.com. If you book through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Most hotels in Akita City are clustered around Akita Station, within walking distance of Senshu Park, the Akita Museum of Art and the Kanto Festival route. Staying here also makes day trips easy, by JR Oga Line to the Oga Peninsula or by Shinkansen to Kakunodate. Book many months ahead for the Kanto Festival in early August.
Luxury
ANA Crowne Plaza Akita by IHG is one of the top international hotels in Akita, a short walk from the station and close to Senshu Park and the museum.
International hotel near the station and Senshu Park.
Mid-Range
Dormy Inn Akita is a comfortable mid-range hotel with the large hot spring baths and free late-night ramen the Dormy Inn chain is known for, convenient for the station and the evening festival route.
Hot spring baths and an easy walk to the sights.
Budget-Friendly
Toyoko Inn Akita-eki Higashi-guchi is a simple budget hotel on the east side of Akita Station, with compact rooms and breakfast included, ideal for early trains.
Toyoko Inn Akita-eki Higashi-guchi
Good-value rooms by the station.
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Hotels in Akita on Booking.com
Stay near Akita Station for Senshu Park, the museum and the Kanto Festival, with easy day trips to Oga and Kakunodate.
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Quick Tips for Visiting
- Book hotels very early if you plan to see the Kanto Festival, August 3 to 6.
- Visit Neburi Nagashi Kan on a weekend or holiday afternoon between April and October to catch a live kanto performance.
- Senshu Park’s Osumi-yagura turret is closed from December 1 to March 31, but the park itself is open year-round.
- For a day trip, take the JR Oga Line from Akita to Oga in about an hour and visit the Namahage Museum (660 yen), where you can learn about the masked Namahage demons, part of a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage listing since 2018. The Namahage Shuttle shared taxi from Oga Station must be booked in advance.
- Akita dog fans can visit the free Akita Dog Visitor Center, a 3-minute walk from JR Odate Station in northern Akita.
Getting there by train: From Tokyo, the Akita Shinkansen Komachi reaches Akita Station in about 3 hours 50 minutes to 4 hours (all seats reserved), passing through Tazawako and Kakunodate on the way. The JR Oga Line links Akita with Oga Station in about an hour. Read our guide to riding trains in Japan, learn how to ride the Shinkansen, and check whether the JR Pass is worth it for your route.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to get from Tokyo to Akita?
The Akita Shinkansen Komachi takes about 3 hours 50 minutes to 4 hours from Tokyo to Akita Station.
When is the Akita Kanto Festival?
The Kanto Festival is held every year from August 3 to 6 on Kanto Odori avenue in central Akita.
How much is the Akita Museum of Art?
Admission to the permanent exhibition, including Tsuguharu Foujita’s mural “Events of Akita,” is 310 yen for adults. High school students and younger enter free.
Can you see kanto poles outside the festival?
Yes. Neburi Nagashi Kan displays real kanto poles for 130 yen, and from April to October it holds live performances on weekends and holidays at 13:30.
