Aoyagi Samurai Manor Museum

Aoyagi Samurai Manor in Kakunodate, Akita Prefecture is one of the best-preserved samurai residences in Japan, still holding the thatched gatehouse, earthen walls, and inner rooms of a household that served the local domain. The Aoyagi family occupied the residence for generations, and their accumulated possessions, including swords, ceramics, lacquerware, woodblock prints, and armor, fill several display rooms open to visitors. The property also has a restaurant serving Akita dishes and a shop selling local crafts. Kakunodate's samurai district around it has six other historic residences open to visitors, and the whole area is walkable in an afternoon.