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- Kitaakita
- Gourmet Food
Horse Stew
Located inside the Aniai Station building, the Koguma-Tei restaurant serves authentic western cuisine at reasonable prices. Head chef Asagi’s specialty is tender, slow-stewed horse meat paired with a rich demi-glace sauce. Additionally, the restaurant offers an array of local specialty dishes.
- Odate
- Souvenirs & Specialty Products
- Gourmet Food
- Roadside Stations and Direct Sales
Hanazen Restaurant
The award-winning Torimeshi lunch set has its origins during the hard times of post-war Japan. With food scarce, the local people made due with the rations that were available. A resourceful chef was able to combine ingredients at hand into a delicious boxed lunch. The result was an instant hit and has been a local staple ever since. Tender chicken, soy sauce, and burdock make up the flavor profile of the dish. It is popular with those looking for a lunch on the go, especially those passing through Odate Station. To ensure that the take-out lunches taste great even when cold, they are made to suit the day’s temperature and humidity levels for maximum taste. In 2017 Hanazen renovated their store and now customers can watch through a second floor glass window as workers make the lunches in the kitchen below.
- Kosaka
- Gourmet Food
Katsu Ramen
Have the best of both worlds! This hearty meal was created to satisfy customers who couldn’t decided between ramen or pork cutlet for lunch. Each of the seven ramen shops in Kosaka that serve the dish put their own spin on the recipe. Miso, salt, and spicy broth styles are available in addition to the standard soy sauce based ramen.
- Odate
- Souvenirs & Specialty Products
- Gourmet Food
- Roadside Stations and Direct Sales
Authentic Odate Kiritampo
Kiritampo traces its roots to the lumberjacks who worked in the mountains around Odate. The day’s leftover rice would be mashed, kneaded, and then stewed with meat and vegetables or glazed with a miso paste. The dish is nationally renowned as a specialty of Akita Prefecture, but truly authentic kiritampo-nabe stew can only be found in Odate. Although a staple of homecooking, visitors to Akita can try the kiritampo for themselves at any of several restaurants in the area that specialize in the dish.
- Kosaka
- History and Culture
Kudo Estate & Samurai House
Once the residence of the Kudo clan, owners of the land where Kosaka was developed, this Nakoko Estate was built in 1885. Of samurai lineage, head of the Kudo clan also served as mayors of Kosaka town during the Edo, Taisho, and Showa eras. Grand in scale and with a large number of rooms between the first and second floors of the house, this estate stands as an important testament to the samurai days or old. The exquisitely decorated interior lies in sharp contrast the rural aesthetic prevalent in the area.
- Kitaakita
- Souvenirs & Specialty Products
Akita Hachijo Silk
The Hachijo silk tradition began on Hachijo Island off the coast of Japan. From there it spread to the rest of Japan and eventually Akita. Here, the Japanese rose which grows along the coast is used to make dyes which give Akita Hachijo its highly valued and distinctive color. In 2003 the last remaining Hachijo studio in Akita closed. However, former employees took over the looms in 2007 and opened the Kotomu Studio in Kitaakita City, now the sole producer of Hachijo products in the prefecture. In addition to bolts of silk, the studio sells neckties, wallets, pencases and more.
- Kamikoani
- Nature and Scenery
Kobusugi Giant Cedar
In a quiet forest just five minutes from Obayashi Village, a grove of Akita cedar over 250 years old stands proudly. Among the approximately 700 trees, one stands apart from its peers; the Kobusugi Giant Cedar. In 2000 it was named to the “100 Giants of the Forest” list and is a beloved symbol of the village. It is closely protected today and is seen as a living monument to the mysterious ways of nature.
- Kosaka
- Nature and Scenery
- Souvenirs & Specialty Products
Kosaka seven waterfall
Nanataki is conveniently located halfway between Lake Towada and Kosaka Town on the Jukai Line road which begins in Odate. The seven tiered waterfall has a drop of 60m (197ft) and features a shrine and waterwheel located at the base. It is also named as one of the “100 Famous Waterfalls of Japan”. Across the street are the Magozaemon Restaurant, Heartland Market farm stand, EcoSaka Rape Seed Oil store, and Towada Pork outlet.
- Kosaka
- Nature and Scenery
Lake Towada
Lake Towada was formed roughly 200,000 years ago by a series of volcanic eruptions. The resulting crater was the slowly filled with rainwater until it reached a depth of 327m (1,073ft), making it the third deepest lake in Japan. The sky and surrounding mountains reflected in the glassy lake surface is a sight you need to see to believe! Flowing 14km from Lake Towada to Yakiyama, the Oirase Gorge is a popular tourist destination for its pristine natural scenery.
- Kitaakita
- Nature and Scenery
Aikawa Suiun Park
Hydrangeas were first planted in Aikawa Suiun Park in 1988. Since then, over 2,500 bushes in nine different varietes have been planted. The earliest blooming variety begins to bloom in mid July and the latest blooming variety finishes in early August.