On the first day of our Akita trip, we spent all day traveling and arrived at Akita Station around 4 PM. We chose to stay at the Main Building of Hotel Metropolitan Akita because it’s directly connected to the station, making the transition with kids incredibly smooth.
Basic Info & Access
After passing through the Akita Station ticket gates, you’ll be greeted by massive statues of “Namahage” (traditional ogre-like demons) and Akita Inu dogs. The hotel entrance is just a short walk away. For parents traveling with little ones, this proximity is a total lifesaver!
Arrival
We checked in after 4 PM. While the lobby isn’t huge, it felt fresh, clean, and welcoming.
While my husband was busy with the paperwork, the staff kindly gave my boys coloring sheets featuring local trains and Akita dogs. This thoughtful gesture kept them smiling and occupied—a huge help for a busy mom!
Room with a Train View
Here is our room!
Since the hotel is right above the station, we had a perfect view of the tracks.
From the window, we spotted…
“Komachi” Shinkansen,
the Uetsu and Ou Main Lines, and even a glimpse of the “ACCUM” train. Seeing the vehicles running through the snowy landscape kept the kids glued to the window!
The bus terminal is right in front of us, so you can see many buses coming and going. The kids are glued to the window, watching all the vehicles travel through the snowy landscape!
While the kids were occupied with the view, I hurried to get their snow gear and warm clothes ready.
Time to head out for a shabu-shabu dinner!
Since we had a room-only plan, we headed out for dinner
We thought, “A 20-minute walk? We can do that!” and set off, but my eldest son was so thrilled by the snow! He started playing right away, and before I knew it, his clothes were completely soaked (lol).
In the end, we headed back to the hotel to change and decided to take a bus instead.
Time for a bath!
After eating our fill, it was bath time!
Since this hotel doesn’t have a large public bath, we used the private bathroom in our room.
We had a little bit of a struggle in the bath…
The bathtub had one of those round plugs, and my toddler decided it was his new favorite toy—he just wouldn’t stop pulling it out! It was so sensitive that the slightest bump would send the chain disappearing into the drain, making it a real mission just to get the water to stay in the tub.
My plan of “letting the kids in the tub first and washing myself while it fills” didn’t really work with this type of plug.
Helpful Bed Rails
Two beds were pushed together in a Hollywood Twin setup for us in advance.
We also rented two bed guards that were almost as wide as the bed itself. My eldest son moves around the bed like a Roomba while sleeping, but thanks to the guards, I didn’t have to worry about the kids falling out. It was so quiet that we all slept soundly.
Facilities & Services
- Kids’ Space: None
- Convenience Store: There is a 24-hour 7-Eleven inside the hotel, which is so convenient!
- Guest Laundry: None (*Not available in the Main Building, but guests in the North Wing may have access, so please check in advance.)
Hotel Metropolitan Akita
For more photos, guest reviews, and current rates, check these platforms:
Off to our next destination, Oga!
For breakfast, we ate the rice balls bought at Tokyo Station the day before and the rest of the “U-pai.”
A lot of snow had piled up outside, as it had been snowing since morning. We relaxed in our room until the very last minute of check-out, and now we’re heading off to Oga Station!
Check out these hotels around Akita Station for your reference.
