Wander the extraordinarily preserved homes of Akita's Meiji-era merchant elite in Yokote — three grand mansions open exclusively to visitors who know to seek them out, each a time capsule of wealth and Japanese craft.
What to expect
The Masuda district of Yokote, south of Akita city, harbours three extraordinary early-20th-century merchant mansions — the Mochizuki, Yamamoto, and Ando residences — whose owners grew wealthy on Akita's silk and rice trades. Your guide narrates the social and economic history of Meiji Japan through the architecture itself: ornate ranma carved transoms, lacquered tokonoma alcoves, secret storage rooms, and private tea ceremony gardens designed to impress visiting dignitaries. The human scale of the walking tour — never more than a handful of guests — means you can ask questions freely, photograph at leisure, and absorb the silence of spaces most visitors never find. Combine with a stroll through Yokote's castle town streets and a stop for Yokote yakisoba, a regional noodle dish that locals are fiercely proud of.
Good to know
Yokote is approximately 55 km south of Akita port (about 50 minutes by private car). Allow 2 hours for the walking tour plus transit time; ideal as a half-day excursion paired with a port-side sake experience on your return. Book the small-group tour directly via GetYourGuide well in advance as spaces are very limited.
Sail there
Luxury cruises that call at Akita — book through us, the fare is identical and your concierge stays on your side.
More to do in Akita
- Kakunodate Samurai District & Sake Brewery Private Tour
- Oga Peninsula: Namahage Folklore & Coastal Cliffs at Sunset
- Nyuto Onsen: Private Rotenburo Soak in an Ancient Forest Village
- Lake Tazawa & Tazawako: Japan's Deepest, Most Luminous Lake
- Akita City Highlights: Senshu Park, Kanto Festival Hall & Museum of Art