Originally Posted by
mrwunrfl
To sum it up, your plan is spend a day on Resort Shirakami and night in Akita. My suggestion is shinkansen to Kakunodate to spend the day at Kakunodate and night in Akita, Kakunodate, or Nyuto Onsen. That would be the 25th.
You could skip that night in Sendai. Add that night to northern Tohoku. On the day you travel from there, if the weather is nice you just get off at Sendai to go see Matsushima. If the weather is not nice then you can still visit Matsushima - am assuming the boats to out in the rain because Japan.
These are great suggestions, I'll take a look. I was also considering something like this (could overnight in Kakunodate on April 25 like you suggest):
- April 25: Train to Kakunodate. See weeping cherry blossoms, Samurai district and its houses, visit the woodcraft museum. Train to Sendai. Dinner at Matsuzakaya (if I can get a reservation).
- April 26: If the weather is good, do Yamadera + one of Sakunami onsens which allow day visitors. If not, then Sakunami onsen + Nikka whiskey distillery tour. Back to Sendai for rest and dinner.