1
Tsurugajo Castle

Enjoy a walk through the history of the end of the Edo period at a castle with beautiful "red tiles

Tsurugajo Castle, known as the site of the Boshin War at the end of the Edo period, is characterized by its reddish purple roof tiles called "akagawara. Inside the castle tower, there are many exhibits related to the history of the Aizu domain, and from the observatory at the top of the tower, visitors can enjoy a panoramic view of the city. If you ask for a volunteer guide at the tourist information center inside the castle, he will take you on a free 30-minute tour of the castle's highlights, including the old stone walls and the "Hashirinagaya," which leads from the castle tower to the Kuroganemon (iron gate). A "Gojo-in" (seal of the castle) is also available for those who enjoy visiting castles throughout Japan.

Visit a tea ceremony house associated with Shoan, son of Sen no Rikyu

At the "Teahouse Rinkaku" in the Tsurugajo Citizen's Park, visitors can tour the building and enjoy powdered green tea and sweets while enjoying the seasonal beauty of the garden. The teahouse was built by Shoan, son of Sen no Rikyu, for Ujisato Gamo, lord of the Aizu domain, when he was staying with him, and was moved and restored to its current location in 1990. On the 7th of each month, the monthly anniversary of Shoan's death, tea ceremonies are held by the six schools of Aizu tea ceremony.

2
Aizu Buke Yashiki

Visit the residence of a feudal lord of the Aizu domain and learn about the life of a samurai

The museum is an open-air museum with a collection of buildings that tell the history of the Aizu domain, including the restored residence of Saigo Tanomo, a retainer of the Aizu domain at the end of the Edo period, and the former Nakahata Jinya, an official residence of the Aizu domain. Visitors can tour the guest rooms, tea ceremony room, dressing room, ladies' room, and other rooms from outside the building. The long corridors, surprisingly spacious kitchen, and extravagant furnishings give visitors a sense of the prestigious lifestyle of the retainers of the time.

Visit a rice mill and a variety of exhibits such as handicrafts

A rice mill used from the late Edo period to the middle of the Showa period has been relocated to the side of the Ieres' residence, and was once one of the largest rice mills in Tohoku, capable of milling approximately 1,000 kg of brown rice per day. Visitors will be amazed at the regular movement of the 16 stone mills, which are powered only by water and lifted by wooden poles in turn.
In addition, visitors can see elaborately crafted weapons and artifacts at the "Aizu Historical Museum" located on the site. In addition, there is a "Handmade Experience Hall" where visitors can try their hand at painting akabeko (red cow) and koboshi (small wooden dolls), a Dining Area, and a store featuring local crafts and foodstuffs.

Aizu samurai residences

• 1 Aza-innai 1, Ishiyama, Higashiyama-cho, Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture MAP
• 7 minutes drive from JR Aizuwakamatsu Station
• Take a bus from JR Aizuwakamatsu Station, get off at "Aizu Buke Yashiki Mae" and walk shortly.
• Open 8:30-17:00 April-November, 9:00-16:30 December-March
• Closed during winter
• Admission: Adults 850 yen, Junior and senior high school students 550 yen, Elementary school students 450 yen
  Experience fee: painting akabeko (920 yen), painting kigari koboushi (920 yen), etc.
• 0242-28-2525
• Free of charge

3
Iimoriyama

Sacred mountain that conveys the tragedy of the end of the Tokugawa Shogunate

The Byakkotai, a unit of 16- to 17-year-old men, was formed in the Aizu domain at the end of the Edo period. Iimoriyama, located in the northeastern part of Aizu Wakamatsu City, is famous as the place where Byakkotai members committed suicide during the Boshin War. The tombstones of the 19 Byakkotai members are located in the plaza halfway up the mountain, and many people from all over Japan still visit the site to offer flowers and incense to the men who committed suicide at the young age of 16~17. The tragedy of their deaths still touches the hearts of many people.

Be healed by numerous small shrines and a babbling brook

There are 183 steps from the foot of the mountain where souvenir shops are lined up to the square where the gravestone of Byakkotai is located, but it is easy to climb up thanks to an electric ramp called "Slope Conveyor".
When descending, the recommended route is via "Aizu Sazae-do", "Ugajindo", and "Itsukushima Shrine". The mountains are beautifully green, and the murmuring of the nearby stream will soothe you. At the back of Itsukushima Shrine is the "Tonoguchisekidoketo Cave," through which the Byakkotai, a legendary band of warriors, passed.

Iimoriyama (Mt. Iimori)

• Hachiman Bentenshita, Ichimino-cho, Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture MAP
• Approximately 8 minutes from JR Aizuwakamatsu Station by car
• Take a bus from JR Aizuwakamatsu Station, get off at "Iimoriyama-shita" and walk for a short while.
• Free to enter the mountain
  Slope conveyor March 21-December 21, 8:00-17:00, December 22-March 20, 10:00-15:00
• No holidays
• Admission free
  Slope conveyor Adults 250 yen, elementary school students 150 yen
• 0242-23-8000（Aizuwakamatsu Tourism Bureau)
• Charged

4
Aizu Sazae-do

The uniquely structured Kannon-do Hall, designated as a national important cultural property

The hexagonal three-story Kannon Hall is located halfway up Mt. It was built in 1796 (Kansei 8) in the middle of the Edo period and is designated as a national important cultural property. Upon entering the hall, a spiral ramp extends in a clockwise direction, allowing visitors to ascend to the third level while looking at the plaque on the wall that reads "24 filial piety of the Emperor" (the Aizu domain's moral instruction book). Once at the top, a counterclockwise descending ramp leads to the next level, so that visitors ascending and descending do not pass each other. It is said to be the only building in the world to have two such ramps, one on top of the other.

A unique space where you can feel the thoughts of people in ancient times

In the Edo period (1603-1867), the building housed statues of the 33 Kannon (Goddess of Mercy) of the Saigoku Sanjusankyo (33 temples in the western part of Japan), and became popular as a pilgrimage Kannon Hall where visitors could see all the Kannon by climbing up and down the 16-meter-high hall. The pillars and walls of the hall are covered with "Senja-fuda," or "one thousand shrine cards," on which the names of worshippers are written, showing the history of the building as well as the depth of people's religious beliefs at that time.
Although the statue of the Kannon has not been placed in the building since the Meiji period (1868-1912), the interesting structure of the building itself and its beautiful details still attract many visitors.

Aizu Sazae-do

• 155 Hachiman-Takizawa, Ichimino-cho, Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture MAP
• Approximately 8 minutes from JR Aizuwakamatsu Station by car
• Take a bus from JR Aizuwakamatsu Station, get off at "Iimoriyama-shita" and walk 5 min.
• April-November: 8:15 - sunset, December-March: 9:00 - 16:00
• No holidays
• Adults 400 yen, high school students 300 yen, elementary/junior high school students 200 yen
• 0242-22-3163（Yamashu Iimori Honten)
• Charged

5
Nisshinkan, Aizu domain school

Byakkotai, an educational institution that produced the Byakkotai

Aizu Domain's domain school, restored on Mt. Takatsukayama in the suburbs of Aizuwakamatsu City. In order to become a warrior of the Aizu domain, boys of the clan attended Nisshinkan, a domain school, at the age of 10 to learn reading, writing, etiquette, martial arts, and other subjects. The Nisshinkan was one of the largest clan schools in Japan, with a total of 1,000 students on a campus of 8,000 tsubo. Students with outstanding grades were offered further academic opportunities, such as admission to universities and study in Edo and other clans. Classroom exhibits reproduce the boys who later joined the Byakkotai, as well as many other students pursuing studies in calligraphy, Confucianism, arithmetic, astronomy, and other subjects.

A variety of Experience menus such as Kyudo (Japanese archery) and Zazen (Zen meditation)

Another feature of this area is its many Properties for learning martial arts. On the expansive grounds, there are archery, swordsmanship, rifle and cannon practice ranges, and wooden horses for horseback riding practice. In addition, the "Suiryoku Suimaike," where visitors practiced swimming with horses and in armor, is said to have been the first swimming pool in an educational institution in Japan.
At the Property, visitors can paint byakkoto (wooden swords), akabeko (red beko), and koboshi (koboshi), as well as experience Japanese archery, zazen, and tea ceremonies. (Reservations are required for zazen and tea ceremony with a minimum of 10 people.)

Nisshinkan, the Aizu domain school

• 10 Takatsukayama, Minamitakano, Kawahigashi-cho, Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture MAP
• 5 min. drive from JR Hirota Station
• Take a bus from JR Aizuwakamatsu Station, get off at "Aizu han school Nisshinkan" and walk shortly.
• 9:00-17:00 (last admission at 16:00)
• No holidays
• Admission: Adults 620 yen, Junior and senior high school students 500 yen, Elementary school students 450 yen
  Experience fee: Painting akabeko (red beko), painting a white tiger sword (920 yen each), painting a kakigaraki-koboushi (a small warrior who rises from the ground) (770 yen each), etc.
• 0242-75-2525
• Free of charge

6
Oyakuen

Enjoy the garden loved by successive lords of the Aizu domain

In the Muromachi period (1336-1573), this was a place where Aizu lords and feudal lords had villas and used it as a recreation center because of the sacred spring that gushed out. The present building was constructed in the Edo period (1603-1867), and its circular garden is designated as a national place of scenic beauty. In the main building "Ochaya Goten" with its impressive thatched roof, visitors can enjoy matcha green tea and Japanese sweets while admiring the beautiful garden. Around the pond is a small waterfall and a hermitage called "Rakujutei" where visitors can enjoy a variety of views as they circle the pond. At the back of the garden, there is a collection of all 15 types of maple trees that live in Fukushima Prefecture, and the fall foliage is spectacular.

The medicinal herb garden with various plants is one of the highlights.

The name "Goyakuen" comes from the fact that Masanori Hoshina, the second lord of the Aizu Matsudaira clan, established a medicinal herb garden on the grounds to save the people of his domain from epidemic diseases. The third lord of the clan, Masayo Matsudaira (Masakata), planted ginseng here and widely promoted it among the common people. This was the beginning of "Aizu Otane ginseng," a specialty of the Aizu region. Even today, there is a "Medicinal Plant Specimen Garden" beside the garden, where about 400 kinds of medicinal herbs and trees are planted. In addition to the Aizu Otane Ginseng, there are ginger, leeks, roses, buttons, lotus, and other flowering plants that are used in Chinese medicine and for food.

Oyakuen

• 8-1 Hanaharu-cho, Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture MAP
• 10 minutes drive from JR Aizuwakamatsu Station
• Take a bus from JR Aizuwakamatsu Station, get off at "Oyakuen" or "Shokokusho chambers-mae" and walk for a short distance.
• 8:30-17:00 (last admission at 16:30)
• No holidays
• Admission: Adults 330 yen, High school students 270 yen, Elementary/junior high school students 160 yen
  Special set ticket for admission and green powdered tea: Adults 800 yen, high school students 750 yen, elementary/junior high school students 600 yen
• 0242-27-2472
• Free of charge

7
Nanoka-machi Street

Enjoy shopping for souvenirs and dining on the retro street

This nostalgic street runs from Nanokaicho Station to Hideyo Noguchi Youth Street. Many stores and restaurants that make use of old Western and Japanese architecture are popular for their Taisho (Taisho Era) romanticism. The street has long flourished as a transportation hub where the three highways of Nikko, Echigo, and Yonezawa converge, and its name comes from the fact that a market was held on the seventh day of every month.
Many long-established stores with historic buildings, such as Shibukawa wholesale store, where you can taste traditional Aizu cuisine such as kozuyu (soup with many ingredients) and sansho pickled herring, Mitsutaya (miso warehouse), and Tsurunoe Sake Brewery, offer a unique atmosphere.

You can find many goods and crafts typical of Aizu.

Many stores selling traditional Aizu crafts are also a feature of this area. At Aizu lacquerware stores, including the Shirokiya Lacquerware Shop in a dignified Western-style building, visitors can encounter a variety of lacquerware designs, from traditionally decorated vessels to colorful dessert cups. There are also several select stores that sell cloth goods made of Aizu cotton with a rustic texture, picture candles, pottery, and sundry goods with motifs such as akagire-koboshi and akabeko, allowing visitors to find something unique to Aizu Wakamatsu. Visitors can also enjoy dining at a variety of restaurants, from Japanese restaurants serving local cuisine to Italian restaurants, cafes, and sweet shops.

Nanoka-machi Street

• Nanokaicho, Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture MAP
• A short walk from JR Nanokaicho Station
• Take a bus from JR Aizuwakamatsu Station and get off at "Nana-nichi-machi Chuo", "Nana-nichi-machi Shiroki-ya-mae", or "Nana-nichi-machi Ekimae", then walk shortly.
• Varies by store
• Varies by store
• 0242-23-9611（Nokaicho Tourist Information Center)
• Charged

8
Bandaisan Onsen Hotel by Hoshino Resorts

An inn where you can fully enjoy Aizu culture and stay active all year round

Bandaisan Onsen Hotel by Hoshino Resorts is located in a place where "Bandaisan," one of the 100 most famous mountains in Japan, towers in front of you and Lake Inawashiro shines like a mirror below. With a heated swimming pool, spa, and hot springs, guests can enjoy a stay that brings them into contact with the unknown culture of Aizu. You can stay active from the season of fresh green to the season of blazing autumn leaves and deep snow. Enjoy a highland resort stay amidst magnificent nature and the changing seasons.

Bandaisan Onsen Hotel by Hoshino Resorts

• 6838-68 Kiyomizu-Hirazu, Sarashina, Bandai-cho, Yama-gun, Fukushima MAP
• 15 min. by free shuttle bus from JR Bandai-cho Station
• 050-3134-8094（Reservation center/9:30-18:00)
• Bandaisan Onsen Hotel by Hoshino Resorts Reservation Site