角館武家屋敷 – Kakunodate Samurai Residence District

[Original Travel Date: 5/4/2014]

Cherry blossom season is reaching its end in the Tohoku area, but as someone who enjoys Japanese history, architecture and all things samurai, it was still worth the trip up north to visit Kakunodate, a smallish town renowned for its samurai residence district as well as its cherry blossom trees.  And there were still plenty of lovely trees to enjoy, even though many of the “main attraction” trees had already lost their flowers. The nice thing about there being different kinds of sakura is that something is always in bloom (provided you don’t arrive too early).

Unlike other areas known for having a samurai district, Kakunodate’s is quite large having housed as many as 80 families at one time, and prides itself in being one of the best examples of samurai architecture in the country.  In addition to being able to see many of these houses up close and personal, the area gives off a wonderful nostalgic feeling as you walk around.

The district is a short walk from the station, and is very easy to find with plenty of signs pointing you in the right direction.  Many of the residences in Kakunodate are well-preserved and free to look at, although you may only be allowed to walk through the outer gardens or peer inside through open doors.  Two samurai houses of particular note are the Ishiguro and Aoyanagi, both of  which are open to the public and offer tours of the inside (admission fee of 300 and 500 yen respectively).  They both feature some great gardens, inner architecture, as well as some storehouses full of artifacts and old photos.

Kakunodate is quite small, and will probably take more than a half-day to a day to walk through.  Any accommodations available are extremely far away/inconveniently located and pricey, so you are better off making this a day trip visit.  Spring and fall are definitely the best times to appreciate Kakunodate (although they will be the most crowded).  If you do manage to make it in time for peak cherry blossom season, be sure to see the hundreds of cherry trees lining the river bank of Hinokinai (much like Tenshochi in Kitakami).  Despite the fact that most of the flowers had fallen, the festive air was still high in this small town, especially in the area along the river.  There were plenty of stalls selling food, and there are traditional cafes and restaurants inside the samurai district, although there is often a long wait for such places.