The Samurai Residence Street in Akita exudes an antique charm in Kakunodate with weeping cherry trees.

The quaint Samurai Residence Street, known as the 'Little Kyoto of Michinoku', has been developing as a castle town since 400 years ago and still retains the Edo-period small town atmosphere to this day. This area, brimming with an old-world charm, is divided into Uchimachi and Sotomachi. Sotomachi is a shopping street where you can buy local specialties and souvenirs, while Uchimachi is a well-preserved samurai residential area. During the cherry blossom season, the normally tranquil Samurai Residence Street attracts thousands of tourists daily. The reason is the over 400 weeping cherry trees that line the streets, which, when in full bloom, resemble waterfalls cascading down. The scenery, combined with the black fences characteristic of samurai homes, seems to transport visitors back to the Edo period. It is said that the first three weeping cherry tree saplings on Samurai Residence Street were part of the dowry brought from Kyoto in 1656 by the wife of the then-lord Satake Yoshiaki. Today, nearly half of the cherry trees in the area are over 300 years old, with 162 of them designated as national natural monuments. The old cherry trees and ancient houses make the entire streetscape seem as if it has been frozen in time, back in the Edo period, which is no wonder it consistently ranks in the top ten cherry blossom viewing spots year after year. Samurai Residence Street (Bukeyashiki-dori) Address: From Omotemachi to Higashikatsuraku-cho, Kakunodate, Senboku City, Akita Prefecture