Of course, a consultation with the great Tourism Information Counter staff was in order.

Japan Rail Cafe Miyagi

You can find a copy of Miyagi Weekender in Japan Rail Cafe.

Japan Rail Cafe Miyagi

Finally, as a clever shortcut, wishes were stapled on the tree.

Japan Rail Cafe Miyagi

The workshop for this event was making mini Tanabata trees in anticipation of the Tanabata holiday on July 7.

Japan Rail Cafe Miyagi

These bamboo decorations are always colorful and adorned with wishes written on pieces of paper.

Japan Rail Cafe Miyagi

Participants had fun assembling the ornament and writing their wishes down.

Japan Rail Cafe Miyagi

Japan Rail Cafe Miyagi

The Miyagi event was kicked off by a local representative introducing the best travel spots from his prefecture.

Japan Rail Cafe Miyagi

The youngest and most excited participant of the Miyagi event.

Japan Rail Cafe Miyagi

Journalist Phoebe Amoroso participated in the event and shared with us plans to visit Miyagi prefecture as soon as it's possible.

Japan Rail Cafe Miyagi

Iwate event participants: Utpakkumar, Saori and Joseph, Jessica Iragne and Aala.

Japan Rail Cafe Iwate

The final result.

Japan Rail Cafe Iwate

Beautifully golden, the cow is upgraded with other gorgeous elements.

Japan Rail Cafe Iwate

In this session, participants put together their very own kinbeco, or literally "golden cow". It is actually a wooden cow and a traditional toy of Iwate Prefecture.

Home to Japan’s great noodle trifecta (wanko soba, reimen and jajamen), Iwate is often overlooked by travelers who aren’t interested in food. But the prefecture is rich in culture and unique crafts such as Nambu tekki and lacquerware. More recently, Iwate has also been brewing (pun intended) its own craft beer community.

Iwate is also proud of their beef, so participants received this special instant ramen among other Iwate goodies.

Japan Rail Cafe Iwate

Japan Rail Cafe Fukushima

The friendly Japan Rail Cafe staff were there to share their knowledge and tips too.

Japan Rail Cafe Yamagata

Yamagata event participants: Ida Tuononen, Tanaka Aki, Caitlin Steiner (American Girl in Tokyo), Katie Thompson (The Tasty Traveler) et al.

Japan Rail Cafe Yamagata

Japan Rail Cafe Yamagata

Final result after diligently painting the wooden sculpture.

Japan Rail Cafe Yamagata

Influencer @americangirlintokyo was one of the participants in the Yamagata workshop.

Japan Rail Cafe Yamagata

Katie Thompson from @thetastytraveler was a participant.

Japan Rail Cafe Yamagata

In this session, the participants tried their hand at painting a Japanese wooden sculpture that Yamagata is known for.

Japan Rail Cafe Yamagata

Katie Thompson from @thetastytraveler was a participant.

Japan Rail Cafe Yamagata

Yamagata event participants learn about the prefecture. Yamagata is a favorite among travelers looking for a good hike. The prefecture is home to many beautiful mountain ranges and hot springs.

Japan Rail Cafe Yamagata

Akita event participants: Shivdeep Dhaliwal, Jin Hyeok Gyu, Elena Ito, Janessa Fehr, Cole Lubchenko, Alana Juric, Megan, Mayu and Maku.

Japan Rail Cafe Akita

Two of Akita's most famous symbols.

Japan Rail Cafe Akita

Participant Elena Ito chose a traditional dance scene to paint on her fan.

Japan Rail Cafe Akita

Our Tohoku Ambassador shares Akita tips. Her article on Akita's current coffee culture is on the TW website.

Japan Rail Cafe Akita

Of course, some of the designs had Akita dog, the same breed that Hachiko was, as well as the Namahage ritual.

Japan Rail Cafe Akita

Participants chose their favorite design and quickly got immersed in the activity.

Japan Rail Cafe Akita

In this session, participants painted their very own wooden fans. A perfect accessory for this summer.

Japan Rail Cafe Akita

The Akita event started with sampling three kinds of sake from Akita. Participants had a hard time choosing their favorite one.

Japan Rail Cafe Akita

Soon after the event people went to the Travel Information Counter to plan their Tohoku trip.

Japan Rail Cafe Aomori session

Aomori event participants: Aala aka @ungaijinaujapon, Bronwyn Davis, Arturo Danker, the Lim family. Gifts for this event included various types of apple juice, apple dorayaki, apple pie and more.

Japan Rail Cafe Aomori session

This ornament had a few more steps aside from the embroidery.

Japan Rail Cafe Aomori session

After stitching the missing parts, the participants had to embed the fabric in the round wooden frame.

Japan Rail Cafe Aomori session

There were also several colors to choose from. With some help and supervision from their parents, even children could participate.

Japan Rail Cafe Aomori session

To make things easier for beginners, some of the embroidery was pre-made.

Japan Rail Cafe Aomori session

For this session, participants are invited to try their hand at kogin-zashi, a type of Japanese embroidery and Aomori local craft.

Japan Rail Cafe Aomori session

Participants in the Aomori event watch travel videos. Best known for its apples, fall colors and snowy winters, Aomori is a favorite among nature enthusiasts.

Japan Rail Cafe