Nobody goes to Tohoku. The region used to be known as Michinoku, meaning, quite literally, "the end of the road." Even today, its six prefectures -- Aomori, Akita, Iwate, Yamagata, Miyagi and Fukushima -- are among the least developed for tourism in Japan. However, if you venture north, you'll find that this region has its fair share of hidden gems. Early Edo Period poet Matsuo Basho recounted some of his highlights in his travelogue, "The Narrow Road to the Deep North." Here are some of my own:
Any place with a population of 32 people, 240 monkeys and 600 deer is just fine by me. Kinkazan (meaning Golden Mountain) was traditionally regarded as one of the holiest places in Tohoku and for this reason, women were banned from the island until the late 19th century. Today, this tiny community welcomes anyone seeking a tranquil retreat far from the grind of daily life. There are no Internet cafes, no convenience stores and no tourist information office on the island. Hiking around is the best way to find some solitude. After a day out in the fresh air, you'll be glad you reserved a room at Minshuku Shiokaze, an archetypal friendly, family-run minshuku with great food and fantastic panoramic views of the sea. The sound of the ocean will help lull you to sleep as you hit the futon.
From Sendai or Furukawa, both in Miyagi Prefecture, you can take the JR Ishinomaki Line to Onagawa. High-speed catamarans run from Onagawa to Kinkazan.