Arrive in Kakunodate, a historic castle town in Akita Prefecture known for its well-preserved samurai district and deep-rooted local culture. Meet your guide at the starting point and step into a side of Kakunodate that most visitors never reach — the izakayas, small bars, and drinking alleys where locals unwind after work.

The area’s walkable layout means each venue is just minutes apart, and the atmosphere shifts noticeably from one street to the next. Follow your guide into the first bar, where you order drinks and settle in. Over the course of the evening, move through three distinct venues, each with its own character.

At every stop, order from the menu, interact with staff and locals, and absorb the rhythm of how people drink and gather in this part of Akita. Your guide helps bridge any language gap and points out what’s worth ordering at each place.

By the time you reach the third bar, work your way through a genuine cross-section of Kakunodate’s local drinking culture. Leave having visited three real neighborhood spots, tasted regional drinks and bar snacks, and spent an evening the way locals do — moving through the streets, raising glasses, and connecting with the town beyond its tourist highlights.