Samurai Food Walk in Kakunodate

We will visit a local sake shop, green grocery, Japanese sweet shop, local snack, and many more in the town!

All the places we visit has its own uniqueness and we will explain all the fun facts about it!

Kakunodate, a castle town that flourished in the Edo period, is called "Michinoku's Little Kyoto." In a compact area with a radius of about 2 km, many samurai residences and other old buildings still exist, making it a popular tourist spot visited by many Japanese and foreign tourists alike, who come to enjoy the elegant townscape. The main street of the samurai residences has been designated as a National Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings and is protected as a cultural asset.
This tour explores the houses of lower and upper-class warriors and includes an entrance into the actual samurai residences. The history of the Samurai, which continues to the present day, will be explained in a fun and informative way.

Akita Prefecture is well known for the rich collection of Japanese sake. Here at Fujita, you will be able to try 3 different types of Japanese sake through the sake tasting experience. Fujita has various Japanese sake brands originating from Akita Prefecture that can only be bought in the region. They also sell local beer that can be bought as souvenirs along with the sake bottles.

Kakunodate is divided into an inner town with samurai residences and an outer town with rows of merchant houses. Ando Brewery is located in the outer town. Since the end of World War II, Ando Brewery has specialized in the production of miso, soy sauce, and pickles, and has continued to preserve the traditional flavors that have been handed down from generation to generation. The main store was rebuilt in 1883 and retains its original appearance.
On this tour, you will enjoy a tasting of miso and pickles and a taste comparison of three different types of soy sauce. You can choose from soy sauce ice cream or miso macaron, a specialty produced here in Ando Brewery.

In the back street of Samurai street lies Fukushindo, a traditional Japanese sweet shop running for more than 140 years. You can try manju, dorayaki and other mochi sweets that are the local’s favorite.

A mid-level samurai family, the Iwahashi family (middle class samurais) were chief retainers of the Ashina clan, the rulers of Kakunodate from 1603 until 1653. After the Ashina clan ceased to exist, the Iwahashi family served the North Satake clan, who ruled Kakunodate from the 1650s until the feudal domain system was abolished in 1871.
The Iwahashi manor house, was remodeled in the late Edo period. The roof was originally thatched, but was changed to its current shingled style during a subsequent remodeling.

Across the street from Aoyagi Samurai Manor, the Samurai Street Teahouse offers Akita local dishes and sweets. You will be able to try the kiritanpo, an Akita classic that is usually only made at home.

Kaba-zaiku is a craft made from the bark of mountain cherry trees. During the Edo period (1603-1867), kabazaiku developed as a handcraft for low-ranked samurai, who, like the samurai, made inro, eyeglass cases, netsuke, and oshime, with an uncompromising one-of-a-kind style. The unique technique used to produce the unique luster of mountain cherry bark, with its austere and deep colors, is widely used as a daily material.
This will be the final stop of the tour.