Tohoku Travel plan-any suggestion?

Hello,
I booked for travel in June for 24-28days and plan to rent a car for travel as follow:
**Tokyo-Niigata EchigoYuzawa-akita-oga-Odate-Hirosaki-Towada ko-Aomori-Mutu-Hachinohe-Tazawa ko-Kakunodate-Hanamaki-Tono-Hiraizumi-Sendai-Yamadera-Dewa Sanzen-Yamagata-Zao Onsen-Bandai-Tokyo,**
@Is above viable routing? Any suggestion for no back track travel?
@Any suggestion on additional points of interest to stop over?
@ Any idea how many days will be required if I intend to go to Sado-ga shima leaving by car ferry from Noetsu and back to Niigata?
Bandai back to Tokyo any suggestion of scenic route?
I have driven in last two years to Fuji Five lakes, Nikko and the romantic road as well as Nagano, Matsumoto,Alpine/Kurobe route and Toyoma area.If possible, I would like to choose a different route enroute to Niigata and back to Tokyo.
Thanks in advance!

I would put Dewa Sanzen on the way up to Akita. We too drove in Sado and spent a night there. Provided you can allocate 2 full days driving around the island it should be adequate.

There are MANY more worthwhile destinations in the lovely region of Tohoku and what to take in depend on personal interest and available time. Are you spending the whole of your 24-28 days in Tohoku!? If yes you can indeed add in more. For a start, around the Bandai Kogen region you can add in Goshiki-Numa, Hibara-ko, Nakatsugawa Valley, Inawashiro-ko, Kitakata, Aizu-wakamatsu, Ouchijuku, Shimogo, To no Hetsuri, etc. The list is far from complete as there are more in the whole of the Fukushima Prefecture and Fukushima is just one of the prefectures in Tohoku.

The Sanriku Coast is beautiful in October and in May. You may wish to take Route 45 from Hachinohe to Ishinomaki.

Thanks, William/John!

Yes, I want to ttavel for the total 24 days in Tohoku leaving from Tokyo and back to Tokyo. Due to availability of time, unfortunately I could travel only in June.
I have been driving to other places in Japan a few times each 20-24 days and last year was in October and the year before in April.
I have been holding back for travel to Tohoku due to the nuclear and Tsunami disaster and have decided to amke it this year as per earlier advise in the forum, travel and food are safe.

Any suggestion on the routing without backward travel will be very much appreciated. My earlier mail shows the routing I intend to take and will modified to add destinations as per your kind suggestions.

Thanks you for your further recommendation and suggestion esp on appropriate itinerary to cover the destinations.

Thank yiu once again.

Hello again!

Based on your suggestion, will the following routing be more appropriate:
Tokyo-Niigata EchigoYuzawa-Sago ga shima-Dewa Sanzen-akita-oga-Odate-Hirosaki-Towada ko-Aomori-Mutu-Hachinohe-Route 45 from Hachinohe to Ishinomaki.
-Tazawa ko-Kakunodate-Hanamaki-Tono-Hiraizumi-Sendai-Yamadera- -Yamagata-Zao Onsen-Bandai-Goshiki-Numa, Hibara-ko, Nakatsugawa Valley, Inawashiro-ko, Kitakata, Aizu-wakamatsu, Ouchijuku, Shimogo, To no Hetsuri,
Tokyo,**

I can extend the stay for few more days if Fukushima Prefecture is recommended! What will be the suggestion for sights to see in this prefecture and suggestion on routing?

I was in Matsuyama many years back before the disaster.

Thanks for the advice.

You already have Aizu-Wakamatsu...that's in Fukushima-ken!

Hi reynoldswsc

Thank you for your positive response and a bit surprise to read that you see fit to include all the places on my initial list into your plan. As I said before it is just part of the area around the Bandai region and there are more to Fukushima Prefecture than those places. And on top of it there are many other worthwhile destinations in other prefectures in Tohoku. Haha, now I'm hesitant to list out more as it may take weeks and weeks .... and weeks for an in-depth exploration of the lovely region of Tohoku!

BTW, wonder why you mentioned Matsuyama which is in Shikoku, or did you mean Matsushima!?

Hi, William!
Thanks again. You are no doubt an expert of Tohoku.
Maybe you would be kind enough to give suggestion on the best points of visits for a 24 days driving trip, if it is not too much of trouble?
Sorry for oversights. Yes I mean Matsushima.
In fact I drove the whole of Shikoku in October last n has been to Matsuyama . Sorry for oversight!
Appreciate!

Sorry but I don't have time to discuss in detail all the worthwhile sites in Tohoku as the list would be a LONG one. It would be quite an undertaking even for a 24-day road trip and a lot depends on personal interest and pace of travel. Below I would try to list out some general suggestions for you to consider based on the route you intended to take.

Between Echigo Yuzawa and Akita, consider the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennial sites around Tokamachi, Ojiya, Nagaoka, Niigata, Sadogashima (already on your plan), Dewa Sanzen (also on your plan), Tsuruoka and Sakata. It is a pity that the art festival this year would not start till July 26 or you can go for some of its festive events.

In Oga the Ogahantou peninsula is worth a drive all the way to scenic Nyudozaki Cape with a delicious sashimi rice lunch in one of the eating places by the cliff. Also the unique Namahage Museum is not to be missed.

You can do it later when you travel from Hachinohe to Tazawa-ko but if you want from Oga you can go for Tamagawa Onsen and Goshogake Onsen in the Hachimantai Plateau before going up to Odate. Even without staying overnight there the 2 onsens are worth a brief visit, especially the atmospheric Tamagawa Onsen. In Odate don't forget to pay a visit to Akita-Inu Kaikan.

Between Odate and Hirosaki do a slight detour and go for Shirakami Sanchi, Juniko Lakes and Furo Fushi Onsen. While in Hirosaki don't forget to go for a visit to one of the tourist farms for the famous Aomori apples.

After Hirosaki I would suggest a change of your original route. Instead of going to Towada-ko first consider going to Aomori and leave Towada-ko after coming back down from the Shimokita Peninsula. Between Hirosaki and Aomori there is Tsugaru Peninsula with the main town of Goshogawara.

When going from Aomori to Mutsu note that there is more to the Shimokita Peninsula than just Osore-san. Worth mentioning are scenic Hotokegaura, Cape Ohmazaki and Cape Shiriyazaki with those cute Kandachime horses.

Before Towada-ko, a drive in Hakkoda-san will reward you with spectacular mt scenery, plus you can stop by Sukayu Onsen which is said to be able to accommodate 1000 persons. And of course in Towada-ko don't miss out the popular Oirase Stream.

Before going to Hachinohe the Towada Art Center in Towada town is worth a visit. In Hachinohe pick your own fresh seafood and do a self helped grill meal in Hasshoku Center/Fish Market or go for its yatai alley of Miroku Yokocho.

While visiting Tazawa-ko a highly worthwhile stay is nearby Nyuto Onsen. Kadunodate is a short drive SW of Tazawa-ko, and after it go east to Morioka to try out the famous Wanko-soba and Morioka Reimen. You can even go for a DIY hands-on experience of Morioka Reimen in Pyon Pyon Sha inside the Morioka Handi Work Square. Koiwai Farm is another popular destination while visiting Morioka.

Not far from Hanamaki is the beautiful waterfall of Kamabuchi no taki. Besides enjoying an onsen experience in Hanamaki a highly worthwhile site for the young and the young-at-heart is Kenji Miyazawa Dowa-mura.

Between Hanamaki and Tono also worth a brief stop is Kitakami. Nearby is the open-air folk museum park of Michinoku Minzoku Mura.

Further east towards the coast from Tono is the scenic Jodogahama Beach from where you can drive down south along the Sanriku Coast for some spectacular coastal cliff walls and rock formations. And before turning west inland also worth visiting is the popular seafood port of Kesennuma, a hard-hit victim of Mar 11 four years ago.

Hiraizumi is worth a stay for its town sites plus excursions to nearby Geibikei Gorge and Gembikei Gorge.

North of Sendai are 2 popular onsen destinations of Naruko and Ginzan. Also north of Sendai is the interesting museum of Kankaku Museum, a place for your 5 senses!

Before Sendai, although you had been to Matsushima worth a visit is Ishinomaki which too had suffered severe damage in the tsunami. In town is the interesting Mangattan Musuem and Ishinomaki is the base for an outing to the cat island of Tashirojima.

In Sendai a popular side trip is Akiu Onsen with its beautiful Otaki Falls. And going to Yamadera from Sendai you may just as well drive further to Yamagata and the shogi town of Tendo.

While in Zao Onsen don't miss going to Zao Okama. Between Zao Onsen and Bandai Kogen stop by Yonezawa for its famous beef. And together with those sites around Bandai I mentioned on my first post I am sure you will have enough to plan your road trip.

Pardon me if the above seems brief as I am pretty occupied nowadays and couldn't get involved in the open forum as often as before, but I do hope I have given you some ideas about Tohoku. I am sure you can dig up more worthwhile destinations if you research more as those I mentioned are the more obvious ones and the list is far from finished.

Hi, William!

Vow, you have been extra-ordinarily helpful! Your knowledge of the area is excellent.

Well, the information is more then enough and is really a great help.

I appreciate the time you have taken to provide me with such a lengthy and informative reply!

Thousands thanks!