Kamikoani Village plays host to a wide range of artists, musicians, and performers during this one of a kind arts festival. Exhibitions are open around the village in former schools, small mountain hamlets, and other interesting venues. Modern artists from the Akita University of Art and all around Japan come to exhibit their works. Every year the installations change, so there is always something new to see!

This annual event rigns in the start of the summer tourist season. There are boat races, swan boat rentals, and many other activites during the day. Approxiamtely 2,00 fireworks light up the night sky and color the lake waters below.　Highlights include underwater fireworks and large star-mine mortars. A cruise boat leaves from the harbor for those looking for breathtaking views from the lake.

The Tsuzureko Shrine Festival dates back over 750 years ago to 1262. At that time, the upper and lower sections of the town began to compete to see who could build the biggest drum. The competition reached an apex in 1989 when one a drum 3.71 meters in diameter was officially recognized by the Guiness Book of World Records as the world’s largest drum. However, now an even larger drum 3.8 meters in diameter has been built. The festival itself serves three purposes; to pray for rain, to drive away crop-eating insects, and to pray for an abundant harvest. Groups from both sides of town ride their drums up and down the streets in the hopes that their beating will reverberate up to heaven while vilalgers perform lion dances below.

Every year in early July the Yoneshiro Riverside Park plays host to Akita’s earliest fireworks show of the season. Over 3,000 mortars light up the sky and create beutiful refelctions in the gently flowing river below.

Tashiro is famous for delicious bamboo shoots that come out in the spring called takenoko. Every year the area holds a festival in celebration of the takenoko harvest with food, games, and performances. Games include a takenoko peeling contest (who can peel the fastest) and the most popular takenoko eating contest. Teams of two squeeze into one t-shirt and compete to be the fastet takenoko soup eaters. There are many other events open to all visitors. Raw takenoko, boiled takenoko, and takenoko soup with local pork are sold during the festival.

The streets are filled with the sweet aroma of flowers with the Acacia trees bloom in early June. Kosaka celebrates the blossoming with the annual Acacia Festival. Festival events include: historic walking tour stamp rally stage performances “Two-Person Katsu Ramen Eating Competition” Yumenosuke Theater Troupe show sightseeing railbikes

Be charmed by the wide varitey of roses on display at the Ishida Rose Garden. Rose saplings, souvenirs, and snacks like rose mochi and rose ice cream are available for purchase. During the evening, the garden is romantically illuminated and offers a whole new experience from a day time visit.

Kitaakita Central Park has been named as one of the best places to view cherry blossoming in Akita Prefecture. Approximately 800 yoshino cherry trees line the lakeshore a walking path around allows guests to enjoy all the views. In the evenings from 17:00 to 22:00 the park is illuminated for guests to enjoy the scenery in to the evening.

Keijo Park is the sight of the former Odate Castle which was owned by the western Satake clan. Athough the castle was razed in 1868, there are still remnants to be found in the park including a section of the moat. Every year the town celebrates the blossoming of the 140 yoshino cherry trees in the park by holding performances on the stage and enjoying the surrounding food stalls. The park is illuminated at night so the park can be enjoyed even when the sun sets. The Akita Dog Preservation Society holds their annual dog show in the park on every May 3rd.

Prestigious resident Hirohide Ishida gifted his beloved rose garden to Odate City on July 1, 1995. Now every June, the Odate Rose Festival is held during the first blooming season of the year. The garden covers an area of 2,300 m2 and contains roughly 500 different varieties of flowers. They don’t bloom long, so make sure to see them when you can! The garden remains open throughout the year for walkers, etc.