Tohoku 12 days itinerary check

Hi everyone,

In late September, my wife and I are heading to Tohoku for 12 days. It'll be my second trip to Japan and her third (she’s already been to Sendai, Matsushima, Shiogama, and Yamadera).

We’re flying into Sendai and flying out of Tokyo, so we’ll need to end the trip somewhere with good Shinkansen access. The goal is to do some day hikes, soak in nature, and enjoy Japanese culture and food. We love temples, but they’re not the main focus this time. We'll mostly use public transportation, though we’re open to renting a car for a day if it makes a big difference.

After a lot of research, I put together an itinerary (below) that follows a south-to-north route along the Shinkansen line: staying in Sendai, then Morioka, then Aomori. But I’m wondering if we’ll miss out by sticking mostly to larger cities. I’d also really like to spend one night in a ryokan in an onsen town — but it’s been tricky to find one that fits the route and offers vegetarian meals (I’m vegetarian, but I do eat dashi when in Japan). If you know of any good vegetarian-friendly ryokan, or just a nice onsen town that could fit here, I’d love a recommendation!

Here’s the rough itinerary:

Days 1–4: Based in Sendai

  • Day 1: Land in Sendai around noon. Either take a short trip to Matsushima or visit Zuihoden Mausoleum, the castle ruins, and the entertainment district.
  • Day 2: Hike somewhere nearby — maybe the Oku-Matsushima Olle Trail, Naruko Gorge, or Yamadera.
  • Day 3: Visit either Yamadera or Mount Zao. I’m considering staying the night at Zao Onsen (I’ve contacted a couple of ryokan about vegetarian meals), but I’m not sure if the long trip is worth it, even as a day trip. Any thoughts?

Days 4–8: Based in Morioka

  • Day 4: Travel from Sendai to Morioka, stopping at Hiraizumi and Geibikei Gorge on the way. Does this seem doable in one day? If we end up staying in Zao Onsen the night before, we’d skip the stops and go straight to Morioka.
  • Day 5: Day trip to Mount Akita-Komagatake and Lake Tazawa. Hoping to hike around the Moomin Valley.
  • Day 6: Day trip to Miyako and Jodogahama Beach. Maybe also visit Kitayamazaki Cliffs or hike around Kesennuma — though I’m not sure how realistic that is without a car.
  • Day 7: Possibly Mount Hachimantai, Tono, or Kakunodate — depends on the weather and our mood.

Days 8–12: Based in Aomori

  • Day 8 (Sunday): Early train to Hachinohe. Visit the morning market and hike part of the Michinoku Shiokaze Trail (Hachinohe section). Then continue to Aomori. Is the market worth the early start?
  • Day 9: Hike Mount Hakkoda, probably with the ropeway. I also considered visiting Oirase Gorge and Lake Towada, but I’m not sure that’s feasible with public transport in one day. Is it too much? Would renting a car be a big help here?
  • Day 10: Visit Osorezan. Planning to take the train to Mutsu, then either a bus or rent a car to explore the Shimokita Peninsula.
  • Day 11: Either head to Hirosaki and Mount Iwaki, or visit the Takayama Inari Shrine.
  • Day 12: Possibly explore Aomori City — Nebuta Warasse Museum, Furukawa Fish Market — or take the Shinkansen to Hiraizumi if we didn’t stop there earlier. Either way, we need to end the day in Tokyo.

I’d really appreciate any feedback, suggestions, or tips — especially about logistics, vegetarian-friendly ryokan, or places that might be worth swapping in.

Thanks so much!

by BooksandPenguins