Tokyo in summer is an endurance test. Tohoku, the country’s northern region, is the opposite — cooler, quieter, and dramatically undervisited. Here’s a five-day itinerary through Akita and Aomori that makes the case for going north.

Day 1: Tokyo to Akita

Akita is 3 hours 40 minutes by Shinkansen from Tokyo, or just over an hour by plane. Start easy — stroll the Akita City Center, walk the Nichomebashi Bridge, and follow the Sanno Jujiro Crossroads route. If you’re visiting in early August, this is where the Akita Kanto Festival takes over the streets with gravity-defying bamboo lantern poles. End the day at Nyudozaki Cape, where the Sea of Japan stretches out in front of you.

Stay near Akita Station. Dormy Inn Akita has an onsen; Toyoko Inn is the budget option.

Day 2: Samurai Streets and Sapphire Lakes

Kakunodate Samurai Street is one of Tohoku’s finest stretches — wooden homes, shaded paths, and the quiet atmosphere of old Japan. From there, Dakigaeri Gorge offers emerald waters cutting through dramatic cliffs. Close the day at Lake Tazawa, Japan’s deepest lake, famous for its surreal blue color. Dinner should be local: Kiritanpo grilled rice skewers, silky Inaniwa udon, smoked Iburi-gakko pickles, and Hatahata sandfish.

Day 3: Akita to Aomori

A three-hour limited express train connects Akita to Aomori. Cross the Aomori Bay Bridge at golden hour, then head to the Nebuta Museum WA RASSE for a look at the illuminated floats from Aomori’s most famous festival. If you’re there between August 2 and 7, the Aomori Nebuta Festival itself is unmissable — drums, dancers, and enormous glowing lanterns filling the streets. Stop by A-Factory for locally produced apple cider and souvenirs.

Stay near Shin-Aomori or Aomori Station. Iroha Ryokan offers an authentic Japanese experience.

Day 4: Aomori’s Wild Side

This is a full outdoor day. Towada-Hachimantai National Park delivers alpine scenery, forest trails, Lake Towada, and the Oirase Gorge riverside walk. Hot springs are available for recovery. For food, try Ichigo-ni — a clear, traditional broth with sea urchin and abalone — and Aomori’s famously crisp local apples, which show up in everything from roadside stalls to desserts.

Day 5: Back to Tokyo

The Tohoku Shinkansen makes the return to Tokyo in about three hours. From there, it’s a straight shot home to Manila.

Worth Adding: Hanamaki Onsen

If the itinerary has room, Hanamaki in Iwate Prefecture is one of Tohoku’s best hot spring destinations, with 12 distinct springs along the river. Resorts like Koyokan and Senshukaku offer the full experience; Osawa Onsen is the rustic alternative.

Tohoku works in summer because it doesn’t try to compete with Tokyo. The festivals are spectacular, the nature is striking, and the crowds are a fraction of what you’d find further south. It’s the kind of trip that moves at its own pace — and that’s exactly the point.