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Attractions for Akita Shore Excursions

Akita shore excursions offer a rare blend of authentic experiences, from stunning snow-covered winters and soothing onsen hot springs to the beloved Akita dog breed, graceful local culture, refined regional cuisine, and especially the rich, savory taste of traditional Japanese sake.

Namahage Museum

Being the symbol of the area, Namahage Museum is included in any Akita shore excursion. The name Namahage is usually thought that represents for demons, but in fact, it is kami – the deity or god in the Western language. The museum has plenty of endless stories about that even the oldest villager cannot know exactly how it was created. The famous legend is that on December 31st annually, the kami enter the house in the late evening to scare the children who are lazy and disrespect their parents and family. The museum reveals the history and the role of namahage with various pictures of exhibiting instruments for torturing and clothes. Moreover, the museum has many real-size namahage models and a special photo area where you can try to cosplay a namahage. Enjoy the documentary displaying the scenes of kami banish bad spirits and poor energy.

Mount Kanpu

Kanpu-zan, or Mount Kanpu, is a not-very-high mountain with a height of 355 meters above the sea surface level covered with lush green grassland. On the top of the mountain, the observatory and café shop together offer a wonderful view of the beautiful sea and especially the World Heritage Site Shirakami Sanchi. On clear days, you can admire the horizon flying above the deep blue ocean, lush green mountains, colorful villages, and serene lakes nearby. The observation is not for viewing only. The restaurant on the first floor provides the traditional local cuisine of Akita shore excursions and also the Oga Peninsula. Have a delicious lunch under the high blue sky with a peaceful atmosphere can be one of the most memorable experiences in your Japan shore excursions. Especially, sample the vanilla ice cream made with salt from the sea water right in the peninsula.

Shinzan Folklore Museum

Nearby the Namahage Museum is the Shinzan Folklore Museum included in Akita shore excursions where you can learn about many legends of this area. The museum is an ancient, preserved and originally gloomy wooden dwelling. There is the introduction given in both Japanese and English between the householder and the ogres.

Sake Brewery

No Akita shore excursion miss a visit to at least a sake brewery. There are nearly 40 sake breweries in Akita, each of them has their own brand and attracts a huge number of visitors around the years. Sake is recognized globally due to its rich flavor matching with not only traditional Japanese cuisine but also other food with Western or Chinese style. Akita’s sake is made with scrumptious rice and mineral water blessed with perfect climate and location in the rice-producing region. The three rivers of Omono, Koyoshi, and Yoneshiro together provide the rich rice fields with endless water flow. Due to the cold weather and snowfall in the area, the cold brewing technique, developed by master brewers long time ago, is a secret key to make scrumptious sake.