One of the snowiest places in Japan, Yokote city, Akita prefecture. “The rows of houses of Masuda” were selected as an important preservation district for groups of traditional buildings last year. Uchigura, a warehouse covered in another building called Saya in order to avoid damages from wind and snow, is a typical building in snowy…read more

Tohoku Regional Forest Office presents two English-speaking guided day tours to the Shirakami-Sanchi World Natural Heritage and its surrounding areas in October 2014. Join us to explore the distinctive forests of Shirakami-Sanchi in autumn colours! (About Shirakami-Sanchi) Shirakami-Sanchi (白神山地) is a mountainous region situated across the border between Aomori and Akita Prefectures in north Japan,…read more

Obon[1] starts today. Many people visit their hometowns to meet their old friends and feel grateful to their ancestors. As more people start visiting, their hometowns come to life and get lively. After Obon in mid-August, autumn starts to gently approach Tohoku. The big temperature difference between day and night makes “it” extra sweet with…read more