Tohoku (Niigata & Sado Island)

Tohoku, a region of Japan’s Honshu Island, is known for its volcanoes, mountainous terrain and skiing. It’s home to the tiny, pine-covered islets of Matsushima Bay, and Lake Towada, a huge crater lake renowned for its bright-blue color and surrounding forests. Tohoku’s biggest city is Sendai, site of the Osaki Hachimangu Shinto shrine and ornate Zuihoden, the tomb of feudal lord Date Masamune.