I head to the Akita Prefecture to explore the small feudal town of Kakunodate and it’s preserved samurai district, which dates back to the Edo period (1603-1868). These houses showcase the lifestyle, customs, and artifacts of the samurai class from centuries past. I truly recommend making a visit to Kakunodate for an authentic Japanese samurai cultural experience.
00:00 Intro
00:51 Yamadera Temple
04:04 Kakunodate
07:23 Outro
Check out all the different videos below of my extensive travels throughout the vast country of Japan.
Part 1 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c30F5Ou-4ZY&t=21s
Part 2 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JC-7l7Z_Vck
Part 3 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=py4SHuUT9nE
Part 4 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAvqsJuqjwg
Part 5 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JciKaiq_LNE&t=606s
Part 6 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pd7BB4uW9Gw
Japan Travel Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLaR9vtyA7CFp5s3B9Fui4iGxVGbE0iEca
Feel free to check out some of my other videos for travel tips, ideas, and overall impressions of the country I’m in!
#LeoDoesLife #Japan #Travel
Ever since I was young, I’ve always been fascinated by Japanese samurai culture and Bushido code. Their mix of self-disciple, swordsmanship, and loyalty drew me in right from the beginning. I wanted to find more of that during my time in Japan, so I took a bullet train heading north from
Tokyo, to a tiny samurai stronghold village of Kakunodate. The journey is a long one, with a few stops along the way to make transfers. The one stop I made before arriving to Kakunodate was at Yamadera Temple, near the city of Yamagata. It’s essentially a Buddhist
Temple that’s been built into and on top of a mountain. It’s well over 1,000 years old, where you must conquer 1,015 stone steps to reach the summit. The climb can seem a little strenuous but walking through a cedar forest on the way up can take your mind off the hassle.
It’s filled with little details along the way and as I made my way closer and closer to the end, I began to see how everything integrates naturally into the mountain itself. There’s no artificial architecture here and one of the most iconic spots here is this hall that’s perched on a cliffside
Overlooking the valley. It’s amazing to see it when the sun hits it just right and can make for some truly amazing photos. My favorite part wasn’t actually the summit itself, but this small wooden overlook that opens up to the entire valley below. A great place to catch
Your breath and take in the natural beauty of the Japanese countryside. The final steps at the top is where most people stop and pray. It’s pretty rewarding to have this general feeling of accomplishment and enlightment. There’s no need to rush to the top, Yamadera is a
Place where the phrase about it being the journey, not the destination, really applies. This was a great cardio workout and seeing familiar Jizo characters made me smile and appreciate the care and dedication that went into this temple. I recommend coming here
If you’re traveling in the area, as it’s a great spot to add to your Japan itinerary. I hopped back on my bullet train, which I now refer to as the lady in red, and continued my journey onwards to Kakunodate.
My calves were still burning from the hike and let me just say that the small convenience store sushi pack never tasted so good on my ride heading west. It’s about a 2 hour journey to the Akita prefecture and the samurai stronghold of Kakunodate. After arriving to this historic feudal town,
I did a quick ride through the preserved samurai district, also known as Bukeyashiki. This district features rows of traditional samurai residences on each side, some of which date back to the 1600s. To really get a sense of how the samurai families lived,
It’s important to read up on each family’s history in the region. There is a map you can get at the train station that gives a little backstory on each home, and while some can be free of charge, most charge around 500 yen for entry.
I chose the Aoyagi home since it was the largest estate. There are beautiful gardens, study rooms with classic kanji manuscripts, and of course, an impressive armory where you can hold various weaponry, including the iconic katana. There are so many different kinds of katanas on display, as well as the traditional armor that
Samurais wore in battle. There’s even a separate room where you can try on some metal cast samurai helmets, which were surprisingly heavy but for all the right reasons. Something I didn’t know before was how much the samurais loved collecting western items. There are so
Many different varieties of vintage cameras, film cartridges, vinyl records, and just about every variation of gramophones I’ve ever seen. They were true connoisseurs of their time. I definitely recommend checking out Kakunodate if you are ever in the Akita Prefecture. It’s definitely a more authentic and less crowded
Experience than you would get at the more well-known cities and to see the samurai culture in it’s true form is something that you just can’t get in a many other places. In my next video, I travel further north in Japan and hop to the island of Hokkaido. This is such a wild,
Rugged, and downright unique place I’ve been to in Japan. A seafood lover’s paradise and one I can’t wait to share. As always, thank you for watching, subscribe if you’re new, and I’ll see you next time.