Making the most of Akita
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
Within the prefecture that bears its name, Akita is the largest city.
Akita Port Cruise Terminal stands approximately 5 kilometers from central Akita.
A Selion bus stops close to the berth, while city buses take around 25 minutes to reach Akita Station. From there, the Akita Shinkansen (bullet train), local rail services and highway buses connect travellers throughout Akita.
The port is home to Selion Port Tower, whose viewing point is some 100 m high, and Selion Lista, a lush, intimate covered green space that remains enjoyable throughout the year whatever the weather.
Housed in a former 20th-century bank, Akita City Folklore Museum is an attractive art museum. Its red-brick Renaissance façade conceals a baroque interior displaying work by two celebrated local artisans.
Senshu Park is particularly pleasant for a stroll in spring, when its cherry blossoms are out.
Nearby places
In the heart of eastern Akita Prefecture, circular Lake Tazawa is Japan's deepest lake, reaching almost 1,400 feet.
At Mt. Kanpuzan Observatory, the view turns through 360 degrees, revealing ever-changing scenery and varied photographic opportunities across a treeless landscape.
Reached in about an hour by shinkansen, Kakunodate is one of Japan's few genuinely historic towns, with old samurai houses that welcome the public.
Food and shopping
Akita is among Japan's best-known rice-producing regions and is renowned for some of the country's finest local sake.
Money
Japan uses the yen: notes are issued in ¥10,000, ¥5,000 and ¥1,000 denominations, while coins are ¥500, ¥100, ¥50, ¥10, ¥5 and ¥1.