Stand on the upper floor of the Kubota Castle watchtower replica in Senshū Park and the city opens out below you — ponds, pines, and the grid of streets running toward Akita Station. In spring the cherry trees along the park paths fill with people; in winter the same ponds ice over and the trees hold snow.
Akita suits travellers who are happy to build a day around parks, small museums, and one long bus ride out of town, rather than around a single headline sight. Much of what is worth your time sits within walking distance of Senshū Park and Akita Station, with a few places further out that reward the trip.
This guide covers the sights and experiences in and around the city, with a one-day plan at the end for when your time is short.
Top things to do in Akita
1. Senshū Park
Senshū Park is the natural starting point for a day in Akita. It is a good place for a walk in spring, when the cherry blossoms are out, and in winter, when snow covers the trees and the ponds freeze. The park holds a replica of a watchtower of Kubota Castle.
For a small admission fee you can enter the lower floors of the castle, which contain a small museum, and go up to the upper floor for a panoramic view of the city. Combine it with the Senshū Museum of Art, which sits just south of the park.
2. Kanto Museum
The Kantō festival is held every September and is about 400 years old. If your visit does not fall in festival season, the Kanto Museum gives you a taste of what it is like. A renovated 150-year-old kimono shop next to the museum is included with the price of admission, and the guide there may speak some English.
The museum is opposite the Seven-Eleven on Torimachi. If you also plan to visit the Akarenga-kan Museum, ask about a joint ticket for the two.
3. Akarenga-kan Museum
This museum, built in 1912, hosts exhibitions of arts, crafts, and historical materials, and was originally the headquarters of Akita Bank. The name simply describes the building: aka means red and renga means brick.
It is worth pairing with the Kanto Museum, since a joint ticket covers both. The museum is in Ōmachi 3-chōme.
4. Akita Art Museum (including Masakichi Hirano Collection)
This museum, built in 1967, focuses on the works of Tsuguji (Leonard) Foujita. It is open from 10:00 to 18:00 and closes irregularly, so check before you go. Admission for special exhibitions is ¥1000 for adults.
It sits on Nakadori, in the same part of the city as the Senshū Museum of Art, so the two can be visited together.
5. Senshū Museum of Art
The Senshū Museum of Art shows Akita-related art year-round, with various temporary exhibitions from time to time. It is inside Atorion Music Hall, south of Senshū Park and west of Akita Station.
Note that it was scheduled to reopen on 29 June 2024, so confirm it is open before making it the centrepiece of your day.
6. Our Lady of Akita Convent
Of obvious interest to Catholics, this is also a quiet place for reflection in a country of crowded and noisy temples. It is one of the most recent approved sites of Marian apparition, and in the 1980s a statue inside the building wept on national TV. The grounds include expansive gardens and a church with Japanese-style architecture.
Entry is free, though it is polite to leave a donation. To get there, take the 351 or 361 bus from Akita Station West Exit — look for the Nisetsu Resort Park or Akita Onsen buses — and get off at Yuzawa, about a 20-minute ride and about two stops after you pass under a large overpass. There is an information stand at the bus stop and tourist information in the station if you need help. A taxi is quicker but you would miss a good hike.
7. Hitotsumori Park
This park, near the Red Cross Hospital in south Akita City, contains an old samurai house that was built in Nakadori near Kubota Castle and moved and renovated in the 1960s. There is also a Japanese archery (kyūdō) club and shooting range.
Admission is ¥300. It is a good choice if you want to see a traditional house without leaving the city.
8. Koizumigata Park
In northern Akita City, this park is home to the Prefectural Museum and to a 300-year-old rich farmer's house, which is rare and can be visited for free. It is worth the trip if you like old Japanese houses.
Because the Prefectural Museum is on the same grounds, you can see both in one stop.
9. Akita Prefectural Museum
This museum has hands-on exhibits on science and history, making it a reasonable option if you are travelling with children or want something more interactive than the city's art museums.
It is northeast of Oiwake Station and east of Kanaashi Agricultural High School, so plan it alongside Koizumigata Park rather than as a separate trip.
10. Ōmoriyama Zoo
A small local zoo with a giraffe, elephant, monkeys, lesser pandas, camels, and other animals. It is open from 09:00 to 16:30 and admission is ¥700.
Allow a half day if you want to see it properly, and go in the morning when the animals are most active.
11. Nakajima Library
Akita International University's library has an interior made of cedar wood and a half-dome-shaped roof, and has won architectural awards. It is free to visit and has free WiFi, restrooms, and vending machines.
It is open every day including most holidays: Monday to Friday 08:30–22:00 (08:30–18:00 in January and February), and 10:00–18:00 on Saturdays, Sundays, holidays and during vacation periods, though it closes over the New Year holidays. Photography is permitted with permission from the reference desk. It is about a 10-minute car ride from the airport.
12. Round One
Round One is a kind of indoor amusement park, with basketball courts, roller skates, a soccer turf, plenty of video games, and similar things. It is open 24 hours.
Pricing runs at ¥690 for one game, ¥1190 for two, and up to ¥2100 for all-day access to as many as ten games, with discounts for students and members. From the brown JA Building, follow Highway 13 south; it is on the corner next to McDonald's. It is a sensible fallback for a rainy day or a late evening.
13. Kanto Festival
Held 3–6 August each year from 18:50 to 21:00, the Kantō festival is a parade of over 200 bamboo poles with hanging lanterns up to 12 metres tall and weighing 50kg, balanced on the shoulder, hip, hand, or head of participants. The poles are meant to represent sprouting rice plants in hopes of a bountiful harvest.
If your dates are flexible and you want to see the city at its most animated, plan your trip around these four evenings.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start in Senshū Park, walking the paths while the light is still soft. Pay the small admission fee to go up the Kubota Castle watchtower replica, see the small museum on the lower floors, and take in the panoramic view of the city from the top.
Afternoon: Walk south out of the park to the Senshū Museum of Art inside Atorion Music Hall, then continue to the Akita Art Museum (including Masakichi Hirano Collection) on Nakadori for the Foujita works. If time allows, head to the Kanto Museum opposite the Seven-Eleven on Torimachi, where the renovated kimono shop is included with admission — and ask about a joint ticket with the Akarenga-kan Museum if you plan to add that too.
Evening: Take the 351 or 361 bus from Akita Station West Exit toward Nisetsu Resort Park or Akita Onsen and get off at Yuzawa for Our Lady of Akita Convent, where the gardens and the Japanese-style church are at their quietest late in the day. Check the seasonal closing times before you set out, and leave a donation in the box.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to see cherry blossoms in Akita?
Senshū Park is the place to go in spring when the cherry blossoms are blooming. In winter, the same park is worth a walk when snow covers the trees and the ponds ice over.
Do I need to book the Kanto Museum in advance?
No advance booking is mentioned. The museum is opposite the Seven-Eleven on Torimachi, and a renovated 150-year-old kimono shop next to it is included with the price of admission. If you also want to visit the Akarenga-kan Museum, a joint ticket covers both.
How do I get to Our Lady of Akita Convent without a car?
Take the 351 or 361 bus from Akita Station West Exit, looking for the Nisetsu Resort Park or Akita Onsen services. Get off at Yuzawa, about a 20-minute ride and about two stops after you go under a large overpass. There is an information stand at the bus stop and tourist information in the station.
What can I do in Akita on a rainy day?
Round One is open 24 hours and offers basketball courts, roller skates, a soccer turf, and video games. The Akita Art Museum, the Senshū Museum of Art, and the Akarenga-kan Museum are also indoor options, though the Senshū Museum of Art was scheduled to reopen on 29 June 2024, so confirm before you go.
Pick your dates, check the seasonal opening times for the places above, and start mapping your route from Senshū Park outward.