A rail journey through Japan’s relatively under-explored Tohoku region provides a unique perspective on the area, enabling travellers to stop and engage with spectacular mountain
scenery, vibrant culture and adventure activities. This vivid photographic portrait of Tohoku, shot on a five-day train
odyssey, features steaming hot springs, towering ‘ice monsters’, heaped bowlfuls of ramen and colourful kabuki theatre. Words: Oliver Smith. Photographs: Ben Weller