Akita Station (秋田駅)
Akita Station is one of the main stations on the Akita Shinkansen line in the capital city of Akita Prefecture in the Tohoku region. Although the station is a little far from downtown Akita, there are many sightseeing spots and specialty foods around the station, which are popular among foreign tourists.
First of all, there is a statue of Akita Inu (Akita dog) around the station. This bronze statue of Akita Inu, a representative breed of dog in Akita Prefecture, is located within walking distance from the station, so be sure to visit it when you arrive at the station. Also, near the station is the “Yumonogawa River” that runs through Akita City, where visitors can stroll and enjoy the coastal scenery and the sunset.
Furthermore, kiritanpo hot pot, a well-known Akita specialty, can be enjoyed near the station. Kiritanpo is glutinous rice made into sticks, and its taste is enhanced when it is cooked in a pot. There are many kiritanpo specialty stores and local restaurants in the area, so be sure to try it.
Another famous sightseeing spot in Akita City is the Kanto Festival in summer. During this festival, four-meter-high bamboo lanterns called “Kanto” are brought out at night to color the night sky. Other cultural facilities include the Akita Prefectural Museum and the Akita Museum of Art.
The station has multilingual information displays and a tourist information center, so even foreign tourists can use the station with ease. In addition, public transportation such as buses and cabs are convenient from the station to Akita City, providing easy access to nearby tourist attractions.
The area around Akita Station is full of nature, culture, and delicious food. When you visit Akita, please enjoy the area around Akita Station as a sightseeing spot.
Restaurants, Foods
Some restaurants and food shops around the station.
YA-YA Stazione B (YA-YA Stazione B)
Restaurant Type: Beer hall
Akita Kurasu (あきたくらす)
Restaurant Type: Stand bar
Akita Hinai-jidori Restaurant (秋田比内地鶏や)
Restaurant Type: Chicken restaurant
Tourist area
Some tourist area – the best views, museums and parks – around the station.
Senshu Park (千秋公園)
Tourist Area Type: City park
Senju Park is a city park (general park) and place name located in the ruins of Kubota Castle in Akita City, Akita Prefecture. The park is designated as a scenic spot by Akita City as “Senju Park (Ruins of Kubota Castle)”.
The park was developed on the site of the Honmaru and Ninomaru of Kubota Castle. The park is surrounded by greenery, and the restored Kubota Castle Osumi Yagura and Honmaru Omote-mon Gate convey the atmosphere of the feudal government era. The park is also home to shrines such as Yojiro Inari Shrine, Hachiman Akita Shrine, and Yataka Shrine.
Akita Museum of Art (秋田県立美術館)
Tourist Area Type: Art museum
The museum is located in Area Nakaichi, Akita City, Akita Prefecture. The museum has a large collection of works by Leonard Fujita mainly from the 1930s, including The Events of Akita (1937), many of which were acquired by Hirano Masakichi (1895 – 1989), an art collector and wealthy family in Akita who was friends with Fujita. The second floor has a water garden with a view toward Chiaki Park.
Kubota Castle Ruins (久保田城跡)
Tourist Area Type: Castle
Kubota Castle was located in Kubota, Akita County, Hago Province (formerly Dewa Province), near present-day Chiaki Park, Akita City, Akita Prefecture. The castle was the residence of the Satake clan, lords of the Kubota domain. It is also called Yadome Castle or Kuzune Castle.
The castle was built on Shinmeiyayama (40 meters above sea level) on the left bank of the Asahikawa River, a tributary of the Yubutsu River, in Kubota, Chengeno Village. The castle had only a few stone walls at the base, on which earthen mounds were built (hachimaki-dote). It did not have a castle tower, and a turret called “dashi oshoin” or “odashoin” was built on the mounds instead.
Today, the area around the main and second citadel of Kubota Castle is Chiaki Park, and the Akita Art Theater Milhous, Akita Central Library Meitokukan, Akita City Culture Creation Center, Hirano Masakichi Museum, and Akita Prefectural Cardiovascular and Cerebrospinal Center are all located in the third citadel. The Akita Prefectural Governor’s Office was built on the site of the former San-no-maru Palace.
Akita City Senshū Museum of Art (秋田市立千秋美術館)
Tourist Area Type: Art museum
Akita Municipal Museum of Art (Akita Municipal Senshu Art Museum) is a municipal art museum opened in 1989 (Heisei 1) in Akita Sogo Seikatsu Bunka Kaikan and Art Museum (nicknamed “Atrion”). The museum’s collection consists of (1) Akita Dutch-style painting and related materials, (2) works by Akita-related artists, (3) Okada Kenzo and related materials, and (4) other excellent works from Japan and abroad. As of 2001, the museum had 2,122 works in its collection.
Hotels
There are various hotels around the station.
Hotel Metropolitan Akita (ホテルメトロポリタン秋田)
ANA Crowne Plaza Akita (ANAクラウンプラザホテル秋田)
Convenience Stores, Grocery Stores
Stores for foods, drinks and others.
Tourist Information Center
Tourist information centers inside/around the station.
Tourist Information Center Akita City (公益財団法人秋田観光コンベンション協会 秋田市観光案内所)
Have a nice visit !
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