13 Popular Date Spots in Akita: A Trip for Two to Lakes, Gorges, and Quiet Scenic Views

This lake boasts a depth of 423.4 meters, making it the deepest in Japan. With its breathtaking cobalt-blue surface, it is one of Akita Prefecture’s scenic spots and has been selected as one of Japan’s 100 Scenic Views.
You can take in the scenery while traveling around the lakeshore or enjoy the view from the water on a sightseeing boat, making for a relaxing time.
Watching the lake’s surface change with the time of day together is sure to become a quiet and memorable moment.

Dakigaeri Gorge follows the middle reaches of the Tamagawa River between Lake Tazawa and Kakunodate, stretching for a total of 10 kilometers.
A walking trail has been developed along the mountain stream, allowing you to experience waterfalls, unusual rock formations, and scenery wrapped in deep greenery up close as you stroll. Among them, Mikaeri Falls, the gorge’s most famous sight, is said to be so beautiful that you’ll want to turn back and look at it again and again.
The walk along the sound of flowing water lets you slowly take in the depth of nature as the scenery changes.

This historic townscape is lined with black wooden fences and samurai residences, strongly preserving the atmosphere of a former castle town.
Samurai residences from the Edo period are scattered throughout the area. At the Kakunodate Samurai House Aoyagi, you can tour the main house, armory, samurai tool museum, and more across its spacious grounds.
The street known as Samurai Residence Street is characterized by black-painted wooden fences. With weeping cherry trees and other trees adding color to the townscape, each season brings its own charm and a sense of beauty nurtured by history.
As you walk the street and visit the residences, you can enjoy the feeling of traveling back in time while experiencing the scenery, lifestyles, and atmosphere of the past.

This expansive Japanese garden belonged to the Ikeda family, known as one of the three great landowning families of the Tohoku region. It was the first garden in Akita Prefecture to be designated a national Place of Scenic Beauty.
The stroll-style garden spreads out around a pond and features a 4-meter-tall yukimi stone lantern and a white Western-style building, offering different views depending on where you walk. You can spend a calm time taking in the garden as it changes with the seasons.

Located along the west coast of the Oga Peninsula, this aquarium introduces visitors to fish and other marine life that inhabit the waters around Oga.
As soon as you enter, you are welcomed by a large tank recreating the sea of Oga, where about 2,000 fish of approximately 40 species swim. The tunnel-like design lets you view the fish from below, making it feel as if you are walking along the seafloor.
Other highlights include the popular polar bear parent and cub, Gota and Yuki, as well as sea lions, seals, and other beloved marine animals.
Spending time looking at the creatures as you move through the aquarium is sure to become a memorable moment of sharing the same scenery together.

These experience-based facilities let you learn about the traditional “Oga no Namahage” event passed down on the Oga Peninsula. At the Oga Shinzan Folklore Museum, housed in a typical traditional magariya-style farmhouse from the Oga Peninsula, you can experience a powerful Namahage performance based on old customs right before your eyes.
By watching the full sequence up close, including the dialogue and exchanges between the Namahage and the head of the household, you can understand the meaning and etiquette behind their behavior.
At the adjacent Namahage Museum, masks and costumes from different areas are displayed, offering insight into regional differences and backgrounds, so it is worth visiting both.

Located at the summit of Mt. Kanpu near the base of the Oga Peninsula, this observatory offers sweeping panoramic views with nothing blocking your line of sight. The 4th floor is a circular rotating observatory that completes one rotation in about 13 minutes.
You can look out over the Oga Peninsula, the Sea of Japan, Ogata Village, and more, spending a relaxed time together while taking in the scenery as it changes with the passing hours.

Located at the northernmost tip of the Oga Peninsula, this cape offers an open landscape overlooking the Sea of Japan. Beyond the gently sloping grassy land, sheer cliffs about 30 meters high and the expansive Sea of Japan come into view.
If you climb Nyudozaki Lighthouse, the symbol of the cape with its striking black-and-white stripes, you can take in a panoramic view where the sea and land seem to meet.
As you walk across the grass or climb the lighthouse, you can enjoy scenery that fills your field of vision.

Straddling Towada City in Aomori Prefecture and Kosaka Town in Kazuno District, Akita Prefecture, this caldera lake was formed by volcanic activity of the Towada Volcano, which began about 200,000 years ago.
A variety of activities are available, including sightseeing boats that let you view the lake and surrounding nature from the water, as well as canoeing and boat tours.
The best time to actively enjoy Lake Towada is from spring through fall. You can ride a sightseeing boat to take in the scenery from the lake or stroll around the surrounding area while enjoying nature.

This is one of Japan’s oldest surviving playhouses, preserving its Meiji-era appearance and designated as a national Important Cultural Property.
Its original stage equipment remains, including a Japanese-Western architectural style and a manually operated revolving stage, and performances are still held almost every day.
On days without special performances, guided tours of the facility are offered, allowing visitors to see backstage areas and dressing rooms.
By learning about how the stage works and what happens behind the scenes, you can discover the theater’s appeal from a perspective different from usual.

This street preserves a historic townscape lined with merchant houses from the Meiji through Showa periods.
Masuda once flourished as one of Akita Prefecture’s leading commercial areas and was also located in a heavy-snow region. As a result, it retains a distinctive architectural style known as uchigura, or inner storehouses.
Many of these inner storehouses are open to the public, allowing you to step inside and see the lifestyle ideas and spatial design unique to snowy regions.

Located in Futatsui Town, Noshiro City in northern Akita Prefecture, this prefectural natural park is a scenic area where you can enjoy views in every season.
Within the park are spots associated with good relationships, such as the Love Letter Post, Meoto Iwa, and Love Letter Shrine. Kimimachi Bell is popular with couples because of the belief that if lovers ring it together, they will stay together forever.
Surrounded by lovely natural scenery, it is a place where couples will want to visit the romantic power spots together.

This tourism and exchange facility, located near JR Odate Station, lets visitors experience the appeal of Akita dogs.
Inside, you’ll find the Akita Dog Museum, where you can learn about the breed’s characteristics and history in an engaging way, an Akita dog viewing room where you can see the dogs, and a shop lined with Akita dog goods.
Another highlight is the building modeled after Shibuya Station in the Taisho period, in reference to Japan’s most famous Akita dog, Hachiko.
Seeing their charming appearance up close makes for a time together when conversation naturally flows.

One of the facilities at Roadside Station Akita Port, this all-glass tower is a symbol of Akita Port.
It is a landmark of Akita Port, offering panoramic views of Akita City and the Sea of Japan from its observation deck 100 meters above the ground.
At night, you can look out over the lights spread across the city, or relax at the observation cafe while enjoying the view.

This cape sits at the northernmost tip of the Oga Peninsula, which juts out into northwestern Akita Prefecture, on the 40th parallel north.
The sunset over the Sea of Japan is beautiful, and one highlight is the scenery where the grassy land overlaps with the silhouette of the lighthouse.
As you walk toward the tip of the cape, you can take in the sea and sky filling your view and feel the colors change with time. Watching the sky and sea slowly take on color as the sun sinks is a fitting way to end the day.

Located in the southern part of the Oga Peninsula, this shallow coast is a scenic spot sometimes called “Akita’s Uyuni Salt Flat.”
The sight of blue sky or sunset reflected on the shallow water stretching as far as the eye can see is truly impressive. At dusk, the colors of the sky reflect on the water, letting you enjoy a landscape that changes over time.
At low tide, you can walk about 200 meters offshore, strolling while taking in the reflected scenery on the water up close.

This restaurant serves French cuisine that makes use of Akita ingredients such as Akita beef, Hinai-jidori chicken, and local seafood.
The course menus feature A4- and A5-grade Akita beef as the main dish, along with plates that bring out the appeal of each ingredient.
In addition to a dining room overlooking a garden filled with blooming roses, there are also four private rooms suited for anniversaries and similar occasions. With its calm atmosphere, it is an easy choice for dinner on a special day.

Located in Kawabata, Akita City’s largest entertainment district, this izakaya serves local sake and regional cuisine. Along with its signature Akita oden, you can enjoy local sake and wine paired with dishes carefully prepared with flavorful dashi.
The interior has counter seats and raised seating areas, creating a calm, grown-up hideaway atmosphere. It is a place where you can relax and enjoy a meal without feeling formal.

This French restaurant operates by reservation only and is based on the concept that food and medicine share the same roots. It incorporates local vegetables, mountain bounty, seafood, and meat, offering cuisine that lets you sense Akita’s natural environment and culture.
The tableware and plating that enhance the dishes, the calm service, and the extensive selection of wine and sake are also appealing. A relaxed meal here is sure to become a wonderful memory of Akita.
It is a restaurant you will want to visit for dinner on a special day or on an evening when you want to take your time enjoying conversation.

Located along Kakunodate Samurai Residence Street, this inn consists of three types of renovated storehouses over 100 years old, each rented as an entire building. Each storehouse is furnished in a way inspired by its history, such as samurai tools or pickle barrels, creating spaces where you can feel the area’s history and culture.
Whichever room you choose, stepping inside lets you instantly forget everyday life and feel as if you have traveled back in time.
Breakfast is delivered to your room, while dinner can be enjoyed at nearby restaurants along with a stroll around town.

This resort hotel stands on the shores of Lake Towada, offering a stay in a quiet setting surrounded by nature.
From the private garden, main dining room, and lobby lounge, you can admire the dreamlike seasonal scenery of Lake Towada.
Its appeal includes French course meals using ingredients from northern Tohoku and an open-air hot spring bath overlooking the lakeshore.
Time spent gazing at the lake scenery will make a stay on a special day even more memorable.

This is one of the most popular hot spring inns in Nyuto Onsenkyo, a secluded hot spring area representing Akita. Deep in the mountains away from settlements, it has the atmosphere of a hidden samurai village.
You can enjoy several baths with different spring qualities, including white and black hot spring waters. The main open-air bath is mixed-gender, so women may need a little courage, but because the water is cloudy, it is not a major concern once you are in.
With guest rooms under thatched roofs and meals around an irori hearth, you can spend time away from the ordinary while experiencing a traditional way of life.