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 walked on a muddy path along the river for quite a while. It felt quite magical, especially when white tinker bell lights illuminated the cherry trees still full of blossoms. I stumbled upon a Buddhist temple and cemetery, which were quiet and evocative.

I learned that Kakunodate was established as a castle town in 1620 under the authority of Ashina Yoshikatsu, a local lord. At that time, the town layout was designed to reflect a division between the samurai district and the merchant district. Although the samurai district is better known, the merchant district has some buildings and history. I would visit the latter on my last day in town.

Shawn was starving and wanted to eat, but I wasn’t ready. He ended up at a noodle place, which I went to check out, but wasn’t interested in the menu, so I kept walking. I still had some food from Tōno. As dusk fell, the samurai streets were completely deserted. The atmosphere reminded me of Carmel by the sea—the towering trees, wide quiet streets, and lovely gardens gave it a dreamy, timeless feel.

May 2. After a lovely buffet breakfast, which thankfully ran until 9, I headed to the only cafe in town that served cappuccino, where they let me bring pastries from Mayama Ada pastry shop. On the way, I grabbed an umbrella, available for loan at the tourist information center. I headed to the main samurai district in town, starting with the Aoyagi House, the largest and most impressive of the group. After a thorough exploration of the complex, I walked to other samurai homes, enjoying the festive atmosphere in the streets. Although we were past peak cherry blossom thanks to climate change, there were still many visitors.

On my tour, I learned that the samurai houses in this section of town 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 reminded me of Professorville in Palo Alto, where stately mansions are surrounded by grand trees.

I stepped into several stores selling cherry tree bark products, and ended up buying a jewelry box at the Kabazaiku Woodcraft Museum. In the Demonstration Room, I watched a craftsperson at work. Tea caddies, tobacco holders, and seal cases (inrō) made by leading kabazaiku craftspeople of the past 230 years were on display in the next room. Cherry bark work was introduced to Kakunodate in the 1780s by the samurai retainer Fujimura Hikoroku. It began as a folkcraft predominantly made by lower-class samurai to earn extra income but developed into a stable industry with professional artisans and wholesalers in the early twentieth century. 

I returned to walk along the river and admire the cherry blossoms, and received a ribbon from school kids tasked with asking tourists where they were from. It was a public holiday, and the streets were full of people enjoying the day, which made the town feel festive and welcoming.

May 3. It was cold and rainy, so I used it to visit the samurai homes I hadn’t yet seen. Then I made my way to the merchant district, where I admired the impressive Ando Jozo Miso storehouse and shop. The Meiji Period brick storehouse is a beautifully preserved structure, and I admired the family treasures displayed inside one of the storehouses. Like the rest of Japan, the shop still sells miso and soy sauce produced in the same manner for 150 years.

Nearby, I found several other historic buildings dispersed among the more modern constructions prevalent in this part of town. Two doors down was the atelier marron Regal Ritz, which served a delicious Mont Blanc and soft served ice cream. Of course I had to partake. I walked up and down the small streets, enjoying hidden treasures like the former Kakunodate Silk Factory. When I finally got to the Nishinomiya-Memorial House complex, it had just closed. I was disappointed, especially since we were leaving the next day. I vowed to visit in the morning before our train.

May 4. I got up, packed, and hustled out to the Nishinomiya-Memorial House compound, located adjacent to the merchant district in a second, smaller samurai zone. Once the home of the wealthy Nishinomiya family and previously open to tourists to view, the complex was partially converted into a hotel in 2020. I explored a few storerooms full of family treasures, and had the luck of catching a family who staying in a converted storehouse, aka wanoi KAKUNODATE. They asked if I wanted to see the inside, and I eagerly conceded. I was blown away by the beauty of the place, as well as the amenities and comfort it afforded. The father balked upon hearing the price. I guess his wife hadn’t consulted with him. At $400 per night, I think it was absolutely worth it.

I hustled back to the hotel, grabbed my luggage, and then headed to the train station. It was confusing, as it turned out there were actually 2 stations very close together. Shawn was being pig-headed and unwilling to ask whether we were at the right station. Finally I showed the conductor my ticket and he shook his head, waving his hand in the other direction. I scrambled out the gate, and found out we were supposed to be at the other station. Shawn didn’t even apologize. Nothing new. I breathed a sigh of relief and laughed to see an old train car stop at the platform. And what a wonderful train it was! The Akita Nairiku Jukan Railway, often called the “Smile Rail,” connects Kakunodate to Takanosu, covering 94.2 km through northern Akita’s rural scenery, including mountains, valleys, and villages. It was a slow and scenic tour of the countryside. Definitely my favorite train ride in Japan.