JJapan Trips

[Itinerary Help] Tohoku Summer Festival Trip

  • January 1, 2026

Trip Dates: July 30 – Aug 6, 2026

Background: Experienced Solo traveler (5-6 intl trips/year). Prefer fast-paced efficient itineraries. I have visited Japan many times but never Tohoku. I want to maximize festival attendance during my early August visit. I am aware this is a tight schedule. Though most activities are in the evening leaving the day pretty open.

Itinerary:

  • July 30: Arrive Haneda (2PM). Stay Tokyo.
  • July 31: Need to stay in Tokyo.
  • Aug 1: Hachinohe & Morioka
    • AM: Train to Hachinohe.
    • Afternoon: Watch Hachinohe daytime parade.
    • Evening: Train to Morioka for Sansa Odori parade.
    • Stay: Morioka (Base for the next 4 nights).
  • Aug 2: Fukushima & Hirosaki
    • AM: Train to Fukushima for the Big Sandal festival.
    • PM: Train to Hirosaki for evening parade.
    • Return to Morioka base.
  • Aug 3: Akita & Goshogawara
    • Day: Train to Akita to see daytime activities.
    • Evening: Train to Goshogawara for parade.
    • Return to Morioka.
  • Aug 4: Aomori
    • Day: Sightseeing in Aomori?
    • Evening: Aomori Nebuta (Full large floats start today).
    • Return to Morioka.
  • Aug 5: Yamagata
    • AM: Move base to Yamagata (Hotel change).
    • Evening: Parade.
    • Stay in Yamagata.
  • Aug 6: AM Train to Haneda for 4:00 PM flight.
  1. For solo travelers at these specific festivals, how early do I need to arrive for a standing spot? Since I'm on my own, will it be pretty easy to find a spot to squeeze into the crowd
  2. I'm trying to see 7 festivals in 5 days. One is during the day but I need to move one to the day. I chose Akita but is that a poor choice?
  3. I plan to use the JR East Tohoku Area Pass. Given the 2026 dates, I assume seat reservations for the Hayabusa/Komachi are mandatory and will sell out instantly. Is the 30-day window via the JR East website the best way to secure these?
  4. My plan relies on using Hachinohe lockers. During festival week, are lockers notoriously full? Should I try to goto my hotel in Morioka first to drop my bags?
  5. Since train schedules aren't available yet, based on historical schedules is the last train to Morioka late enough so I don't miss much of the Aomori, Hirosaki and Goshogawara parades?

by eng33