Half Day Kakunodate Tour of Crafts Culture…

Duration

3 hr

From pickup or the meeting point and back

Your call needs

8+ hours

Incl. getting ashore and the hour before all-aboard

Price

From US$204 per person

Non-refundable · as of 26 Sep 2026

Group

Small group · up to 6

ORENCHI, a few minutes' walk from JR Kakunodate Station

Why it is on this site

It covers the site's number 5 Akita pick, Kakunodate, and adds the merchant quarter, which gets far less attention than the samurai street.
The cherry-bark craft workshop, the Ando brewery visit and tasting, and entry to the Ishiguro residence, the oldest open samurai house and still lived in by the family, are included.
It meets a few minutes' walk from JR Kakunodate Station, in a small group of up to six, with a 5.0 rating across 16 reviews.

Best for

Travelers on an 8-hour or longer Akita call who are happy to take the train inland and want Kakunodate explained properly.

Think twice if

All sales are final: no refund for any cancellation. Transport is not included, and Kakunodate is about an hour inland from Akita plus the 25–30-minute taxi (or a 10-minute walk and 26-minute bus) from the port to Akita Station, so the three-hour tour needs most of a day.

What the operator lists

The day, stop by stop

15 minWe will have our tour briefing at ORENCHI. Information regarding Kakunodate Town as a samurai town and also as a merchant’s town will be given here.
1 hrEstablished in 1876, Yatsuyanagi Shoten is a manufacturer and distributor of kabazaiku, a traditional handicraft designated by the national government.
Ando Jozo Brewery Honten · 45 minIt is said that Ando Brewing began with the year 1853 which is inscribed on the miso barrels. The main shop was rebuilt in 1883 and retains its original appearance.
30 minKakunodate is a former castle town which flourished during the Edo period. Known as the “Little Kyoto of Tohoku”, the town is home to a district 800-metres in radius consisting of samurai residences and traditional architecture popular with both domestic and international tourists.
30 minBelieved to have been built in 1809, the Ishiguro Family Residence is the oldest of the six residences that are open to the public in Kakunodate’s historic samurai district. It is also the only home that is still occupied by the family’s descendants.

Included

Entrance fee of Ishiguro House
Sakura craft workshop fee
3 hours in-person guiding
Insurance for the tour
Ando brewery excursion and tasting

Not included

Private transportation
Souvenirs for yourself

Guide languages: English. Cancellation: All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations. Run by Akita INAKA Travel.

Timing

Check your call first

This tour needs about 8 hours in port, counting the half hour to get ashore and the hour before all-aboard. Add the port-to-station ride and about an hour each way to Kakunodate.

Upcoming calls it fits

Mon, Oct 12 · Diamond Princess · 09:00–17:00
Wed, Oct 14 · Norwegian Jade · 07:00–16:00
Thu, Oct 15 · Seabourn Encore · 10:00–18:00
Thu, Oct 22 · Norwegian Jade · 09:00–18:00
Sun, Oct 25 · Asuka II · 09:00–17:00
Thu, Oct 29 · Seabourn Encore · 08:00–18:00
Sun, Nov 1 · Diamond Princess · 09:00–18:00
Mon, Nov 2 · Norwegian Jade · 07:00–17:00

From the official Akita Prefecture Inbound & Cruise Promotion Office — 令和８年（２０２６年）クルーズ船寄港予定 (PDF, Akita Port rows only) schedule. Your line's all-aboard time decides — check it.

Or do it yourselfThe complete Akita guide — berths, transport, timed days →Free timed plans for Akita →The top 10, with how to get there →Every guided day from Akita →

Where it takes you

What you will see

Our own guides to the stops — so you know what you are booking before you book it.

~6h with transfer

Kakunodate samurai town

Whole streets of samurai manors under weeping cherries, an hour inland — crafts, kimono rental and cellar museums.

Our guide to it →

Book it

Check dates and book

Booked through Viator (a Tripadvisor company). There is rarely a tour desk at the pier, so book before you sail.

Half Day Kakunodate Tour of Crafts Culture and Cuisine5.0★ · 16 reviews · Small group · up to 6From US$204 per personCheck dates →

We may earn a small commission if you book, at no extra cost to you. It never decides what we recommend — the “think twice” note above is there on purpose.

Quick answers

Before you book

Is the Half Day Kakunodate Tour of Crafts Culture and Cuisine worth it from the Akita cruise port?

A three-hour guided walk through Kakunodate's merchant and samurai districts, with a bark-craft workshop, a miso brewery tasting and a samurai house. Best for: Travelers on an 8-hour or longer Akita call who are happy to take the train inland and want Kakunodate explained properly.

How long a port call do I need for this tour?

About 8 hours. The tour runs 3 hr; add half an hour to get off the ship and keep the hour before all-aboard free. Add the port-to-station ride and about an hour each way to Kakunodate.

Can I cancel if my ship skips the port?

The operator's policy: All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.

What should I know before booking?

All sales are final: no refund for any cancellation. Transport is not included, and Kakunodate is about an hour inland from Akita plus the 25–30-minute taxi (or a 10-minute walk and 26-minute bus) from the port to Akita Station, so the three-hour tour needs most of a day.

From the same berth