May 1, 2025, Japan. I was sad to be leaving Tōno. We packed our bags and headed to the municipal museum, which turned out to be excellent. I stayed until 11:45, then rushed back to grab my luggage and made it just in time for the train. It was a lovely, slow ride through the mountains.

We arrived in Kakunodate at 3:00 p.m. and dropped our bags at our lodging at Folkloro. The room was tiny, but we set off exploring right away. I wandered down the famous samurai street and followed the river for quite a while—it had a curious, peaceful pull, so I mostly stuck to walking along it. I stumbled into a Buddhist temple and cemetery, which were quiet and evocative.

Shawn was very starving and wanted to eat, but I wasn’t ready. He ended up finding a noodle place, which I went to check out, but I wasn’t interested, so I kept walking. I still had some food from Tōno that I ate later. In the evening, the samurai streets were completely deserted. The atmosphere reminded me of Carmel or other beautiful old towns—the towering trees, wide quiet streets, and lovely gardens gave it a dreamy, timeless feel.

May 2. After the buffet breakfast (which thankfully ran until 9), I started exploring more thoroughly. First, I treated myself to a cappuccino—the only place in town that served it—and they kindly let me bring in pastries from Mayama Ada pastry shop. I was happy.

I stopped by the tourist information center, picked up an umbrella (rain was on the way), and headed to visit the various samurai homes. I started with the Aoyagi House, which was the largest and very impressive. I explored both the free and ticketed houses, reading all the signs and learning about the families who once lived there.

The houses were part of the fortified castle town, and their inhabitants—samurai families—were responsible for protecting the castle. When needed, they would assemble for defense. Like many castle towns, the samurai district surrounded the central stronghold. What stood out most to me were the old trees lining the streets—majestic furs and pines. They made the town feel grand and alive. It actually reminded me of parts of Palo Alto.

I also visited the art museum and was glad we had another full day—I didn’t feel rushed. I returned to admire the cherry blossoms again and received a ribbon from some kids who asked where I was from. It was a public holiday, so the streets were full of people enjoying the day, which made the town feel festive and welcoming.

May 3. Today was colder and rainier, so I used it to visit the samurai homes I hadn’t yet seen—except for the Nishinomiya-Memorial House complex, which I reached at 4:45, just after it had closed. That was disappointing, especially since we were leaving the next day.