region image

Akita

Beauty and the Namahage Beast

About Akita
Photo: 208 [namahage] – Evan Blaser / CC BY 2.0

Top Attractions in Akita

Around Akita

Akita City

Akita City

Akita City is famous for being home to the Kanto Matsuri, one of the three big summer festivals in Tohoku. Beautiful lanterns...

Akita
Kakunodate

Kakunodate

Kakunodate (角館) is a former castle town and samurai stronghold in today's Akita Prefecture. While Kakunodate Castle no long...

Akita
Oga Peninsula

Oga Peninsula

The Oga peninsular lies on the western coast of Akita prefecture, along the Sea of Japan. Whilst primarily known for the loca...

Akita
Semboku

Semboku

Semboku is a city located in Akita Prefecture, Japan. As of October 2018, the city has an estimated population of 25,880, and...

Akita

Top Articles

Upcoming Akita Events

Noshiro Tanabata 2025

Noshiro Tanabata 2025

Kim Bergström

Held over two days in early August, the Noshiro Tanabata Festival in Akita Prefecture serves as a colorful celebration of Jap...

Akita
Omagari Hanabi 2025

Omagari Hanabi 2025

Kim Bergström

Described by Lonely Planet as "Japan's Olympics of fireworks," the Omagari Hanabi event in Akita has over 100 years of histor...

Akita

Where to eat in Akita

Akita: Food Guide

Akita: Food Guide

Farah Bassyouni

Akita is a great place to sightsee and is known for its local dishes and cuisine that are bound to make your experience even ...

Akita
Kiritanpo

Kiritanpo

Charlie Hua

When you spend a day in the kingdom of snow here in Akita, the local speciality Kiritanpo is the perfect winter food for you ...

Akita

Places to stay in Akita

Ganiba Onsen

Ganiba Onsen

Malcome Larcens

Set in the Hachimantai National Park on the edge of Akita and Iwate prefectures, with most of the onsen hot springs open to t...

Akita
Hotel Metropolitan Akita

Hotel Metropolitan Akita

Kasia Szumna

Metropolitan Akita is a three star hotel next to the Akita Station. I had a pleasure to stay in this very comfortable place a...

Akita

Latest Akita Reports

Akita: Food Guide

Akita: Food Guide

Farah Bassyouni

Akita is a great place to sightsee and is known for its local dishes and cuisine that are bound to make your experience even ...

Akita
Close

About Akita

Akita
Okinawa Nagasaki Fukuoka Saga Kumamoto Kagoshima Miyazaki Oita Ehime Kochi Tokushima Kagawa Yamaguchi Hiroshima Okayama Tottori Shimane Hyogo Kyoto Osaka Wakayama Nara Shiga Mie Fukui Ishikawa Toyama Gifu Aichi Nagano Shizuoka Niigata Yamanashi Kanagawa Tokyo Saitama Gunma Tochigi Chiba Ibaraki Fukushima Miyagi Yamagata Iwate Akita Aomori Hokkaido
Region Tohoku
Island Honshu
Capital Akita
Population 1,085,997
Area 11,637.54 sq. km

Get ready to gain weight when you’re in Akita Prefecture (秋田県, Akita-ken), where you can find delicious dishes galore.

Its prime location adjacent to the Sea of Japan means great seafood (most notably the hata hata fish), while Akita is also known for its Akita Komachi brand of rice and the high quality sake brewed from it. Other famous Akita foods include kiritanpo, Inaniwa udon noodles, and the Yokote yakisoba.

When you’re not eating, try visiting the Shirakami Mountains, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, or relax at the Nyuto Hot Springs. Akita is also the host of the All Japan Fireworks Competition, held annually on the fourth Saturday of August. If you’re visiting in the winter, watch out for men dressed as traditional namahage ogres!

Close