Semboku

Semboku City
仙北市
Semboku in Akita
Location
Country	Japan
Region	Tōhoku
Prefecture	Akita
Physical characteristics
Area	1,093.64 km²
Population	28,877 (as of 2012-04-01)
Symbols
Tree	Zelkova (けやき)
City Hall
Address	30 Tazawako Obonai aza Miyanoushiro Semboku, Akita 014-1201 (〒014-1201 秋田県仙北市 田沢湖生保内字宮ノ後30)
Telephone	☎ 0187-43-1111
Website	Homepage

Semboku (仙北市; -shi) is a city located in Akita Prefecture, Japan.

Semboku (not to be confused with Senboku District, Osaka) was created on September 20, 2005 from the merger of Kakunodate, Tazawako, and Nishiki.

Towns

Semboku City consists of the following three cities after the 2005 merger:

• Nishiki (西木). Between Kakunodate and Tazawako, Nishiki is a place full of festivals and natural beauty.

• Kakunodate (角館). A small town known for its Samurai House district, which consists of several blocks of houses preserved from the Tokugawa era. Several samurai shows and movies have been filmed here. It also boasts some great sakura-viewing in the spring, and popular with tourists year-round.

• Tazawako (田沢湖). An area which boasts a large amount of well known hot springs, a fantastic ski slope, and the ever enigmatic Lake Tazawa.

Transportation

Train

Bullet Train
The Akita Komachi Bullet Train stops at Kakunodate with service to Akita City and Tokyo.

Local Trains
Kakunodate also serves as the southern terminus of the Akita Nairiku Line. This local train line goes north with service to Kitaakita City.

Sightseeing & activities

Semboku is home to some of the most beautiful spots in all of Akita, as well as host to some of her more interesting festivals.

Festivals

• Kakunodate Festival (角館のお祭り) September 7th, 8th, 9th.

  The largest festival in Kakunodate. The festival is to pay respect to the Gods of the nearby mountain shrine. On the first two days, 18 floats created by each neighborhood in Kakunodate parade to the shrine to pray. On each float are musicians. The climax of the festival occurs on the final day, and it is called "ヤマぶつけ." The floats travel down the narrow streets of Kakunodate and battle each other for passage along street. Usually, the festival lasts until dawn on following day (Sept. 10).

• Umezawa Sasara (梅沢ささら) August 15

  A regional variation of Japanese traditional dance, Shishimai. It originated 400 years ago, when the lord of Satake Clan was relocated to Akita from the Ibaraki area. As a means of welcome, this dance was performed at his arrival and it still performed in the form of a street festival in Kakunodate each year.

Kamihinokinai Balloon Festival

• Kami-hinokinai Kamifusen-age AKA `Big Balloon Festival` (上桧木内の紙風船上げ） February 10

  As the name implies, this festival features crafting and releasing big balloon-like lanterns in the Nishiki Area and is held on every year at Kamifusen Hiroba. Following some performances and rituals, schools of glowing balloons light the sky adorning wishes and messages of the community.

• Hiburi Kamakura (火振りかまくら) February 13th and 14th

  A fire swinging festival in Kakunodate, from 6:30-8pm. Held in the 営桜並木 parking lot where the 46 crosses the river, and at various sites throughout town.
  Anyone can step up and try to swing flaming bundles of straw on the first night. Fire-resistant jackets and gloves are provided. For participants, wearing a hat which keeps your hair out of harm's way is recommended.

• Tazawako Alpine Snow Festival (田沢湖高原雪まつり) third full weekend in Feb.

  Friday night through Sun afternoon in at the Tazawako skijo. Most of the events happen from 5:30 to 8:30 at night. Festival events include snow sculptures, Hiburi fire swinging, Nishiki hot air balloons, and traditional dancing. The evening's events culminate in fireworks.

The waterfall at the end of Dakigaeri Gorge

• Tazawako Blue Week

  Special event hosted at Tazawako Campground featuring food vendors, tent sauna, kayaking, star gazing, cycling tour, and stand up paddleboarding. Main event July 8-9 2023

Event Facebook Page

Nature

• Dakigaeri Gorge (抱返渓谷) Located south of Lake Tazawa, off R105. This is a beautiful gorge with steep cliffs and many waterfalls. In autumn, when the leaves change colour many people will visit here.

• Mt. Hachimantai. A group of mountains on the border of Akita and Iwate. This area offers some great views from them top.

• Mt. Akita Komagatake. This mountain is full of rare alpine plants, and is a popular destination for nature hikers.

Schools

Senior High Schools

• Kakunodate High School (秋田県立角館高等学校)
• Rokugo High School (秋田県立六郷高等学校)
• Kakunodate Minami High School (秋田県立角館南高等学校)

Junior High Schools

• Kakunodate Junior High School
• Obonai Junior High School
• Jindai Junior High School
• Saimyōji Junior High School
• Hinokinai Junior High School

Elementary Schools

• Kakunodate Elementary School
• Shiraiwa Elementary School
• Obonai Elementary School
• Jindai Elementary School
• Saimyōji Elementary School
• Hinokinai Elementary School

Restaurants

Nishiki

• Kashiwa Shokudou (かしわ家食堂). Kashiwa Shokudou is essentially a ramen shop that is quite well renowned in this area. The food is affordable and if you are in the area, one of the best restaurants that you can stop by. The location is adjacent to Hinokinai Middle School, see map for more details.
  秋田県仙北市西木町桧木内字高屋1 (map) ☎ 0187-48-2710

Kakunodate

• Tanakaya (田中屋). Open 11：00～14：00, 17：00～22：00, Closed Mondays. This restaurant is known for the oven cooked food. The most popular meal is their omuraisu guratan. They have a wide selection of food for any taste.
  秋田県仙北市角館町上新町11 (map) ☎ 0187-53-2915

• La Fuga (ラフーガ). Open 11:00 ～ 2:30. This restaurant is open for lunchtime and serves very authentic Italian food. The owners (who happen to speak great English) are very welcoming and the resturant also offers homestays.
  秋田県仙北市角館町小館34-8（南校通り） (map) ☎ 0187-54-2784

Semboku is well known for its iconic cherry blossoms

• Kenny Tone . Located near Kakunodate Station, stellar Jazz cafe with occasional live performances. Owner speaks good English and the coffee is delicious.
  秋田県仙北市角館町上菅沢265-3 (map) ☎09075245744

• Domanin (土間人). Izakaya with an expansive menu, tons of seating, and nice atmosphere. Try the famous miso pizza and check out the old well in the middle of the building. (map) (website)

Tazawako

• Yama no Hachimitsuya (山のはちみつ屋). Less than 5 km from Lake Tazawa, this is mostly a honey shop (with lots of free samples) that also sells goods made of honey, including skin care products, vinegar drinks, and honey soft serve. When you buy some soft serve, you get to roll an 8-sided die to determine how many chocolate bees you get on your dessert, and an added bonus roll if you roll an 8. There is a little cafe next door that may have a limited menu of roll cakes and choux creme, but it has the added bonus of all you can drink espresso. There's also a double-decker bus that you can eat your snacks in.
  Hours: 09:00 - 17:00 daily.
  Address: 秋田県仙北市田沢湖生保内字石神163-3 (Map)
  ☎0120-038-318 (Website)

• Pizza Studio (山のはちみつ屋【ピザ工房】). A pizza shop next door to the Mountain Honey shop, this pizza offers it's signature specialty of local ham and honey pizza. It's a salty and sweet pizza that works surprisingly well and the shop tends to get very crowded on weekends or holidays during lunch time. They offer several other fresh oven-baked pizzas as well that are very good. A much-try if you're in the area.
  Hours: 11:00-16:30 (closed Thursdays).
  Address: 〒014-1201 秋田県仙北市田沢湖生保内石神163-3 (Map)
  ☎ 0120-038-318 (Website)

• Beer Restaurant ORAE (湖畔の杜レストランORAE). Located right outside a Sauna Camping beach area, Orae is largely a lunch restaurant. However, on Saturdays and Sundays, they offer an early dinner menu as well. They have a gift shop with a bunch of local Tazawa goods, beers, and wine (including many of Tazawako Brewery's lineup).
  Address: 〒014-1204 秋田県仙北市田沢湖田沢春山37-5 (map)
  Hours: Mon, Thu, Fri - 11:30-17:00; Sat, Sun - 11:00-18:00 (closed Tues & Wed).
  ☎ 0187-58-0608 (Website)

• Cafe Fuu
  Located in the Tazawakogen area of Tazawako, the Cafe Fuu, offers delicious food at very reasonable prices. The pasta and curries are delicious. Very quaint place. Nice walking path down the hill as well which are great for after meal walks.

Onsen

• Arupa Komakusa (アルパこまくさ). Rotenburo with sweeping view of Tazawako. Beautiful wooden interior, baths nice and temperature. Road station, info center, and onsen all rolled into one. Open 9:00-19:00. Admission: ¥500
  秋田県仙北市田沢湖生保内字駒ヶ岳2-17 (map) ☎ 0187-46-2101
• Nyuto Onsen Village (乳頭温泉郷). Arguably the most famous onsen in Akita. Nyuto Onsen is actually is a cluster of onsen with milky white water. Onsen in this area frequently have an outdoor pool with mixed-sex bathing, (called konyoku, 混浴). Mixed bathing areas will (ideally) be clearly marked with the kanji 混. (Website)
  Nyuuto includes:

  

  Tsuru-no-Yu

  1. Kyukamura Onsen (休暇村乳頭温泉郷). This is one of the more newer, prominent, and visible onsens you'll encounter in Nyuto. It may also be the most accessible for first-timers at Nyuto. It does offer more modern Western facilities and includes a hotel, restaurant, gift shop, and more. They have 3 baths: warm sulfur bath, hotter milky bath, and the outdoor bath. The baths are available and separated for both men and women. Bring your own towel.
     Bath hours: 11:00-17:00.
     Admission: ¥800
     Address: 秋田県仙北市田沢湖駒ケ岳2-1 (map)
     ☎ 0187-46-2244
     Website
  2. Tsuru no Yu (鶴の湯). Billed as a "secret onsen dating back to the Edo period", Tsuru no Yu is the most old-school onsen in the ken, and one of the best without question. No showers here, only buckets and extremely sulfur-y waters. The biggest rotenburo here is mixed. You'll have to get dressed to go between all the indoor pools, so bring a yukata to cover up.
     Hours: 10:00-15:00 (open air bath closed on Monday).
     Admission: ¥700
     Address: 秋田県仙北市田沢湖先達沢国有林50 (map)
     ☎ 0187-46-2139
     Website
  3. Tae no Yu (妙乃湯). This small onsen doesn't have a huge capacity, but the inside is steamy and gorgeous, full of ambiance reminiscent of old Japan. Mixed outdoor bathing with a view of a waterfall is available through the door marked with 混.
     Hours: 10:30-14:00 (bath closed on Tuesday).
     Admission: ¥1000
     Address: 秋田県仙北市田沢湖生保内字駒ヶ岳2-1 map
     ☎ 0187-46-2740
     Website
  4. Kuroyu (黒湯). This onsen also dates back to the Edo period. Very hot rotenburo. This onsen is located way off the main road, and is only accessible from late April to late November.
     Hours: 9:00-16:00 (bath closed on Wednesday).
     Admission: ¥800
     Address: 秋田県仙北市田沢湖生保内字黒湯沢2-1 (map)
     ☎ 0187-46-2214
     Website
  5. Ganiba (蟹場). Ganiba's exterior may not be that impressive, but the onsen itself is wonderful. The highlight of Ganiba is the rotenburo, which is accessible down a 50 meter long path of stone stairs. It's a beautiful place for watching fall leaves or snowfall. The only catch is that the outdoor pool is mixed bathing.
     Hours: 9:00-16:30.
     Admission: ¥800.
     Address: 秋田県仙北市田沢湖田沢字先達沢国有林 (map)
     ☎ 0187-46-2021
     Website
  6. Magoroku (孫六). This medicated bath in the mountains has a large female only rotenburo by the side of the river.
     Hours: 9:00-16:00.
     Admission: ¥600
     Address: 秋田県仙北市田沢湖田沢字先達沢国有林 (map)
     ☎ 0187-46-2224
     Website
  7. Ōgama (大釜). Footbaths open in the summer.
     Hours: 9:00-16:30.
     Admission: ¥600
     Address: 県仙北市田沢湖田沢字先達国有林 (map)
     ☎ 0187-46-2438
     Website
     
• Tamagawa Onsen (玉川温泉). Tamagawa Onsen is one of the most famous onsen in Japan. Tamagawa has the most acidic water in the country, with a pH of 1.1! It also has the largest water flow (8000-12000 L/min).
• Komagakage Onsen (駒ヶ岳温泉). Homepage
• Ōfuka Onsen (大深温泉) ¥500 Hours: 7:00-18:00, close Nov-June. No showers, taps, soap or stools. ☎0186-31-2551
• Plaza Hotel Sanroku Sō Bekkan Shikisai (プラザホテル山麓荘別館　四季彩) Homepage ☎ 0187-46-2026
• Ipponmatsu Onsen (一本松温泉). A free onsen in the mountains.
• Mihari no Yu (見張りの湯). A free onsen in the mountains.

Enzyme Bath

• Yasuragi Kan (やすらぎ館). Has a enzyme bath (酵素風呂; kōsofuro). Open daily from 16:00-21:30. Cost: ¥1,000.
  〒014-1201　秋田県仙北郡田沢湖町生保内駒ケ岳2-32 (map) ☎ 0187-46-2131 Website

External links

• Semboku official website (English)