TOHOKU (東北) - JAPAN

Tohoku region (東北, literally "East-North") is the northeastern region of Japan's Honshu island. It includes the prefecture of Aomori, Akita, Iwate, Yamagata, Miyagi and Fukushima.
It is less developed with a harsh climate, but has natural beauty, lots of hot springs and great ski resorts.

PREFECTURES
Aomori	Akita
You might feel that Aomori (青森) is a deserted place; however, it is charming and has a atmosphere where Japan's good old time remains. On top of that, it has some world heritage sites. Explore the corners of the narrow roads to the deep north!! Aomori Travel Guide Aomori Food in Aomori Find more...	Akita (秋田) has the Shirakami Mountain Range which is a World Heritage site, Lake Towada which is the deepest lake in Japan, onsens (hot springs) in abundance. Akita Travel Guide Akita Food in Akita Find more...
Iwate	Yamagata
Iwate (岩手) is located in the northeastern part of the main Japanese island Honshu. Iwate is the Japan's second-largest prefecture. Iwate Travel Guide Iwate Find more...	Yamagata (山形) has much to offer both to the domestic and to the international traveler. It has great unspoilt mountain scenery, world class skiing in winter, temples, distinctive local foods, some of the best onsen (hot springs) in Japan and many summer festivals. Yamagata Travel Guide Yamagata Find more...
Miyagi	Fukushima
Miyagi (宮城) has several attractions, including Naruko Onsen (hot spring), Matsushima which is a bay studded with pine-covered islands and one of the three most beautiful sites in Japan. Miyagi Travel Guide Miyagi Find more...	Fukushima (福島) is blessed with a variety of natural spectacles, such as spaciously undulating mountains, a complicated volcanic topography and different sizes of lakes and ponds. Fukushima Travel Guide Fukushima Find more...

Fast Fact - Tohoku

The cherry blossom season in Tohoku is a few weeks later than those in the southern part of Japan, because of the climate. If you miss the cherry blossom season around the southern part of Japan, for example in Kyushu, Hiroshima, Kyoto and Tokyo, come up here to enjoy cherry blossoms.

As it is generally called Yukiguni (the Snow Country) in winter, it comes to the highest snowfall figures in the world, which means it's very hard to travel here in winter, but also means it's easy to find great ski resorts and onsens (hot springs) with a great white world view.

In Tohoku, people speak the Tohoku dialect, particularly the Aomori dialect, which is very different from the standard Japanese. When Tohoku people speak Japanese on TV, Japanese sub-titles appear; it's very hard even for Japanese people who live in the southern part of the country to understand it. Even though you don't speak any Japanese, it shouldn't be so difficult to travel around here since you'll find no shortage of friendly locals who'll help you keep on track!!