Wallet-friendly Travel with the JR EAST PASS (Tohoku area) ! Tokyo to Aomori to Sendai 4 Nights 5 Days Tour of Famous Sites

The journey begins at Tokyo station. Ride the Hayabusa bullet train on the Tohoku Shinkansen and arrive at Shin-Aomori Station in about 2 hours and 58 minutes. Then, it's just a brief 6-minute ride on the Ōu Line to Aomori Station.

For lunch, head to The Aomori Gyosai（Fish and Vegetable）Center, just a 5-minute walk from Aomori Station, to try the original Aomori Nokkedon. Purchase a starter bowl with plain rice, before selecting all the best of your favorite seafood and sides from the market in this completely personalized bowl. Among the many options and toppings are seasonal seafood such as scallops, rock oysters, sea urchin, tuna, and bonito.

Purchasing is handled via a meal ticket system where each food item corresponds to a certain number of tickets. This full-on, market-style experience adds an extra fun flair, with the option to buy additional tickets as needed.

After satisfying your hunger, take a 7-minute walk from The Aomori Gyosai（Fish and Vegetable）Center to Nebuta Museum Wa Rasse, a museum dedicated to preserving and passing down the traditions of the Aomori Nebuta Festival. Inside, you'll find a vast hall, open up to the second floor, displaying several Nebuta floats that actually participated in the festival. The sight of Nebuta floats all in a line, each measuring 9 meters in width, 7 meters in depth, and 5 meters in height, is surely one to never forget.

The museum buzzes with an extra festive air thanks to a subtle soundtrack of Nebuta festival music. There are even live performances of Nebuta music held three times a day, among other regular events that are worth checking into before your visit.

Spend your first night in Aomori City for a cozy, laid-back time to soak in the local public baths and hot springs inns.

On the second day, depart from Aomori Station and take the JR Ōu Line bound for Akita, getting off at Hirosaki Station after about 45 minutes. From here you’ll move to the castle town of Hirosaki for a sightseeing loop bus ride around the town!

Start off your day with a visit to the Hirosaki Museum of Contemporary Art, a renovated brick-building that's over 100 years old. Step inside and find yourself welcomed by works of Yoshitomo Nara, an artist native to Hirosaki.

The museum keeps an impressive repertoire of works from innovative artists both Japan and around the world. Be sure to check the available exhibitions beforehand to make the most of your time. Inside there’s also a café where you can enjoy lunch and souvenir shopping at the museum shop, before setting out for your stay in Hirosaki.

A 20-minute walk from the Hirosaki Brick Warehouse Museum will bring you to Hirosaki Castle, which one served as the stronghold of the Tsugaru clan, the local lords who ruled this region from the late 16th century until the early Meiji period. With the Meiji era came the castle abandonment edict, after which the castle was opened to the public as Hirosaki Park.

The original castle tower was lost to a lightning strike, but today, the site includes a tower reconstructed in 1810, three turrets, and five gates—all nine of these structures are designated as important cultural properties of the country.

Hirosaki Park is known as one of Japan's leading cherry blossom spots, often touted as the most beautiful in the country. It's also renowned for its autumn leaves and scenic winter snowscapes.

On the third day, wake up a bit early and head from Hirosaki Station via the JR Ōu Line bound for Aomori, transferring at Shin-Aomori to the Tohoku Shinkansen Hayabusa, taking you to Sendai Station in approximately 2 hours and 33 minutes.

You’ll arrive in Sendai just in time for lunch, perfect timing to head straight to "Charcoal-grilled Beef Tongue Rikyu West Main Branch," just a 5-minute walk from the station, to savor Sendai's famous beef tongue! This popular chain has around 80 stores nationwide, and its flavor is well-recognized across Japan.

Beef tongue is a delicacy made by artisan butchers who first remove the skin before slicing, scoring and aging for a taste that celebrates the pure skill and love for their craft.

After lunch it’s time to catch the loop bus for a mini adventure to explore the castle town. Make a stop at Zuihoden, the mausoleum of Date Masamune, the founder of the Sendai Domain and a powerful warlord who ruled the Tohoku region around 1585. The mausoleum was built in the year following Masamune's death in 1636, under the orders of his son and the second lord of the Sendai Domain, Tadamune. The mausoleum is renowned for its vividly colored decorations, particularly the elaborate carvings on the bracketing under the eaves.

In the surrounding area, you'll find additional mausoleums such as Kansenden, the mausoleum of Tadamune, and Sennyoden, the mausoleum of the third lord Tsunamune, as well as related museums. The entire area is designated as the Date Family Mausoleums at Kyogamine, a historic site by the city of Sendai.

From here you’ll hop back on the loop bus and head to the Sendai Castle ruins (Aoba Castle), built by order of Lord Date Masamune. Today, most of the original buildings are gone and the area has been converted into a park. Remaining are the stone walls and the reconstructed Otemon gate turret and the northern earthen wall of the Otemon gate. The statue of Lord Date Masamune on horseback stands in the park and serves as a symbol of Sendai. The site is elevated, offering a panoramic view of Sendai's cityscape.
Adjacent to the site is the Aoba Castle Museum, where you can learn about the history of Sendai Castle. You can even try your hands (and eyes!) at Sendai Castle VR Go, using VR equipment to visualize the remnants of Sendai Castle.

The fourth day will bring you to one Japan's three most scenic places, Matsushima. From Sendai Station, take the JR Senseki Line bound for Ishinomaki and get off at Matsushimakaigan Station, about 41 minutes to arrive.

From the station, it's about a 20-minute walk to the boarding spot for the Matsushima Sightseeing Boat. Once aboard you’ll enjoy the treat of a cruise on the extra-large Niomaru Course, a vessel which takes you on a leisurely 50-minute journey along a 17km route.

The cruise brings you to the forefront of a number of famed sites, including Nio Jima Island, an iconic landmark of Matsushima, and the awe-inspiring rock faces of Kageta Jima Island, Funairi Jima Island known for its ancient Jomon era archaeological findings, and inhabited islands like Katsura Shima Island and Nono Shima Island among many other scenic spots.

Once recharged by the sites of gorgeous nature you’ll take a 6-minute walk from the Matsushima sightseeing boat terminal to visit Zuiganji, an ancient temple initially established as a Tendai sect temple. Its formal name, including its mountain name, is Matsushima Seiryuzan Zuigan Enpuku Zenji, and it currently belongs to the Rinzai school of Zen Buddhism. The existing structures were completed by Date Masamune, with both the main hall and the cloister designated as national treasures.

The main hall features richly colored gold-leaf fusuma (sliding door) paintings, and the temple grounds are known for the red and white plum trees (Goryu-bai), reportedly planted by Masamune himself. To the south of Zuiganji, along the coastline, stands the Godaido, built by Masamune, offering expansive views of the sea of Matsushima.

When hunger strikes, take a 10-minute stroll to a new landmark in Matsushima, Miyagi Prefecture Matsushima Rikyu. Here you can enjoy a beach grilling experience with fresh ingredients or taste some 30 different bites in buffet-style, focusing on sashimi from the Sanriku area. The area also hosts established confectionery shops and canvas stores, making it a great spot for shopping.

Don't miss the Miyagi Prefecture Matsushima Rikyu Museum, where you can learn about the history of Matsushima Bay. The site also features a beautiful Japanese garden that showcases a variety of flowers throughout the seasons, offering a serene experience worth taking time to explore.

After leaving Matsushima, you'll take about a 40-minute ride on the JR Senseki Line from Matsushimakaigan Station back to Sendai Station. For the final night of your journey, you’ll stay at HOTEL METROPOLITAN SENDAI, conveniently located just a short walk from the west exit of Sendai Station.

The concept behind this hotel is “elegance and hospitality of the City of Trees, leading to a story of inspiration”. It boasts a total of 295 guest rooms, including standard single, double, and twin rooms, as well as triple and quadruple rooms, barrier-free universal twins, and Japanese-Western style rooms. The hotel is also equipped with a 24-hour currency exchange machine, an added convenient perk. To top it all off the hotel restaurant keeps a tasty menu of local Miyagi cuisine made from the region's mountain and sea bounty. This makes it the perfect place to relax and unwind on the last night of your trip.

HOTEL METROPOLITAN SENDAI is just a short walk from Sendai Station, a spot with plenty of shopping, coveted finds and perfect souvenirs. If you have the JR EAST PASS (Tohoku area) used for this trip, or other passes like the JR EAST PASS (Nagano, Niigata area) or JR TOKYO Wide Pass, you can enjoy added perks like discount coupons and free drinks at over 100 participating stores, making your trip even easier on the wallet.

With &EKINAKA you can even enjoy offers via easy digital coupons. Use your smartphone to select the plan corresponding to your pass on the designated website, complete the membership registration, and then present your member ticket at participating stores to receive a wide range of perks.

For more details, check out the website!