Getting There & Getting Around
Northern Tohoku's major airports are in Aomori and Akita. JAL flies from Tokyo's Haneda Airport to Aomori (¥26,200/$250 one-way) as well as to Akita (¥21,200/$202 one-way). You can also travel to Tohoku via Shinkansen bullet train from Ueno or Tokyo Station in Tokyo as far as Akita, with stops at Kakunodate and Tazawako, a convenient springboard for travel onward to Towada-Hachimantai National Park.
Although there is bus service in the national park, buses to some of the more remote areas are infrequent or nonexistent. For that reason, Tohoku is one of the few regions in Japan where rental cars are a great convenience, if not a necessity. In addition to car-rental agencies at both Aomori and Akita airports, there are JR Eki Rent-A-Car offices at train stations throughout Japan, including Aomori, Morioka, Kakunodate, and Tazawako stations, which offer 20% discounts for train fares booked in conjunction with car rentals. You'll also find Toyota Rent-A-Car offices virtually everywhere. If you want to keep your driving to a minimum, I suggest taking a Shinkansen as far as Tazawako and renting a car there. You could then visit nearby Kakunodate, Lake Tazawa, and Nyuto Onsen before continuing northward to Lake Towada. A 2-day rental of a subcompact car costs about ¥19,270 ($184), including mileage and insurance. Drop-off fees can add ¥4,000 ($38). Keep in mind that Tohoku's winter season, from November to March, can bring below-freezing temperatures and up to a foot of snowfall virtually overnight. Some mountain passes are occasionally closed due to snowfall, though access to major ski resorts is generally open.
