Aizuwakamatsu (Fukushima)
Local Guide
Recommended sightseeing spots where you can feel the history of Aizuwakamatsu

Aizu Wakamatsu City is dotted with places where you can feel the local history and culture, from the Tsurugajo Castle and samurai residences associated with the Aizu clan to Nanoka-machi Street, lined with buildings from the Meiji and Taisho periods. Here are seven spots recommended for sightseeing.

<Recommended sightseeing spots in Aizuwakamatsu

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

The symbol of Aizu Wakamatsu City. It is visited by many tourists throughout the year.
The symbol of Aizu Wakamatsu City. It is visited by many tourists throughout the year.

Tsuruga Castle, known for having served as a battleground during the Boshin War at the end of the Edo period, is characterized by its reddish-purple roof tiles, known as “red tiles.” The interior of the castle keep features an extensive exhibition on the history of the Aizu Domain, and the observation deck at the very top offers a panoramic view of the city.If you ask for a volunteer guide at the tourist information center in the park, you can enjoy a free, approximately 30-minute tour highlighting historical sites such as the ancient stone walls, the main keep, and the “Hashiri-nagaya” (a row of connected buildings) leading to the Kurogane Gate.Additionally, “Gojōin” (castle stamps) are available for visitors who enjoy touring castles across the country.

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

"Rinkaku Tea House"

Located within Tsurugajo Park is “Rinkaku,” a tea room associated with the Sen family. In Tenshō 19 (1591), Sen no Rikyū incurred the wrath of Toyotomi Hideyoshi and was sentenced to death.Regretting that Rikyū’s school of tea ceremony might be lost as a result, the then-lord of Aizu Castle, Ujisato Gamō, sheltered Rikyū’s son, Shōan, in Aizu and, together with Tokugawa Ieyasu, petitioned Hideyoshi to revive the Sen family.It is said that this “Rinkaku” was built at that time.
Later, Shōan was pardoned and returned to Kyoto, where he revived the Sen family tradition, which has been passed down to the present-day tea ceremony.
After the Boshin War, it was relocated to the castle town and preserved there, but in the Heisei era, it was moved back to and restored at its original location within Tsuruga Castle.
At the Rinkaku tea room, you can enjoy matcha and sweets while taking in the seasonal charm of the surroundings.

Tsurugajo Castle
  • Address 1-1 Otemachi, Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture MAP
  • Bus Direction 20 min. ride on Aizu Bus Machinaka Shuttle Bus "Haikara-san" from JR Aizuwakamatsu Stn. and get off at "Tsurugajo Iriguchi". 2 min. walk from the bus stop.
  • Hours of Operation 8:30-17:00 (last admission at 16:30)
  • Closed No holidays
  • admission feeTenshukaku entrance fee: Adults 410 yen (520 yen for a ticket for the tea house Rinkaku), children 150 yen, tea service 600 yen (with snacks)
  • TEL 0242-27-4005 (Tsurugajo Administration Office)
  • Parking Charged

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

Onarinoma, a guest room for the lord of the domain, is also located in the residence of the feudal lord.
Onarinoma, a guest room for the lord of the domain, is also located in the residence of the feudal lord.

This open-air museum features a cluster of historic buildings, including the “Kero Yashiki” (Restored Residence of the Senior Councilor), a reconstruction of the residence of Saigo Tanomo—a senior councilor of the Aizu Domain during the Bakumatsu period—and the “Old Nakahata Jinya,” the former magistrate’s office.Boasting a vast 2,400 tsubo grounds, the Senior Councilor’s Residence features 38 rooms. Visitors can enter and explore spaces such as the “Onari-no-ma” (a room used only when the domain lord or high-ranking samurai visited), as well as guest rooms, tea rooms, dressing rooms, and maids’ quarters.The long corridors, surprisingly spacious kitchen, and luxurious furnishings offer a glimpse into the dignified lifestyle of the senior retainers of that era.

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

The rice mill of the clan. A water wheel turns a wooden cogwheel, and a wooden stick is used to polish the rice.
The rice mill of the clan. A water wheel turns a wooden cogwheel, and a wooden stick is used to polish the rice.

Next to the senior retainer’s residence stands a rice-milling facility that was relocated here; it was in use from the late Edo period through the mid-Showa era. Capable of milling approximately 1,000 kg of brown rice per day, it was once one of the largest facilities of its kind in the Tohoku region.You’ll be amazed by the rhythmic motion of the wooden rods, which rise in sequence using only water power to drive the 16 stone mills.
In addition, the “Aizu History Museum” on the grounds hosts special exhibitions where visitors can enjoy learning about Aizu’s history and the skills of its artisans. Furthermore, the site features areas for making Akabeko figurines and glass cups, woodcarving, and kyudo (archery) experiences, as well as a Dining Area and a shop offering local crafts and food products.

Aizu samurai residences
  • Address 1 Aza-innai 1, Ishiyama, Higashiyama-cho, Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture MAP
  • Direction 7 minutes drive from JR Aizuwakamatsu Station
  • Bus Direction Take a bus from JR Aizuwakamatsu Station, get off at "Aizu Buke Yashiki Mae" and walk shortly.
  • Business hours Open 8:30-17:00 April-November, 9:00-16:30 December-March
  • Closed Closed during winter
  • Admission Fee Admission: Adults 1,000 yen; Middle and High School Students 600 yen; Elementary School Students 500 yen
    Experience Fees: Red Cow Pottery Painting 1,250 yen; Standing Little Monk Pottery Painting 1,250 yen; Glass Engraving 1,100 yen
  • TEL 0242-28-2525
  • Parking Free of charge

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

Tombstones of the 19 Byakkotai warriors line the hillside of Mt.
Tombstones of the 19 Byakkotai warriors line the hillside of Mt.

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

Itsukushima Shrine stands behind the torii gate.
Itsukushima Shrine stands behind the torii gate.

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)
  • Address Hachiman Bentenshita, Ichimino-cho, Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture MAP
  • Direction Approximately 8 minutes from JR Aizuwakamatsu Station by car
  • Bus Direction Take a bus from JR Aizuwakamatsu Station, get off at "Iimoriyama-shita" and walk for a short while.
  • Hours of Operation Free admission (until sunset)
    Slope Conveyor: March 21–November 20, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM; November 21–March 20, 9:00 AM–4:00 PM *Service may be suspended due to heavy snowfall
  • Closed No holidays
  • Admission Fee Admission free
    Slope conveyor Adults 250 yen, elementary school students 150 yen
  • TEL 0242-23-8000（Aizuwakamatsu Tourism Bureau)
  • Parking Free municipal parking for tourists available

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

At the entrance, there is a statue of monk Ikudo, who built Sazae-do.
At the entrance, there is a statue of monk Ikudo, who built Sazae-do.

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

The hexagonal ceiling. Senja-fuda, a kind of
The hexagonal ceiling. Senja-fuda, a kind of "Senja-fuda" (a kind of "card of a thousand shrines") left by visitors to the shrine, are pasted on the ceiling.

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

Byakkotai, an educational institution that produced the Byakkotai

Taiseiden, the core of Nisshinkan. It looks like a Chinese temple.
Taiseiden, the core of Nisshinkan. It looks like a Chinese temple.

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)

The
The "Suiren Suibaike" where students practiced swimming.

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
  • Address 10 Takatsukayama, Minamitakano, Kawahigashi-cho, Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture MAP
  • Direction 5 min. drive from JR Hirota Station
  • Bus Direction Take a bus from JR Aizuwakamatsu Station, get off at "Aizu han school Nisshinkan" and walk shortly.
  • Business hours 9:00-17:00 (last admission at 16:00)
  • Closed No holidays
  • Admission Fee 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.
  • TEL 0242-75-2525
  • Parking Free of charge

Enjoy the garden loved by successive lords of the Aizu domain

Shinji-no-ike Pond, which is said to be shaped like the character for
Shinji-no-ike Pond, which is said to be shaped like the character for "heart. The building on the left is "Rakujutei" and the building on the right is "Ochaya Goten.

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 medicinal herb garden features plants such as Japanese milkwort and lady’s mantle, and the Asagi Madara butterfly can be seen fluttering about
The medicinal herb garden features plants such as Japanese milkwort and lady’s mantle, and the Asagi Madara butterfly can be seen fluttering about

The name “Oyakuen” (Medicinal Herb Garden) originates from the fact that Hoshina Masatsune, the second lord of the Aizu Matsudaira clan, established a medicinal herb garden on the grounds to protect his subjects from epidemics.The third feudal lord, Matsudaira Masakata, planted Korean ginseng here and encouraged its widespread use among the common people. This marked the beginning of “Aizu Otane Ginseng,” a famous local specialty of the Aizu region.Even today, the “Medicinal Plant Specimen Garden” stands beside the garden, where some 400 varieties of medicinal herbs and trees are cultivated.In addition to “Aizu Otane Ginseng,” visitors can see many flowering plants, including a rose named after Her Imperial Highness Princess Setsuko of Chichibu (Princess Chichibu), as well as peonies, tree peonies, lilies, and lotus flowers.

Oyakuen
  • Address 8-1 Hanaharu-cho, Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture MAP
  • Direction 10 minutes drive from JR Aizuwakamatsu Station
  • Bus Direction Take a bus from JR Aizuwakamatsu Station, get off at "Oyakuen" or "Shokokusho chambers-mae" and walk for a short distance.
  • Hours of Operation 8:30-17:00 (last admission at 16:30)
  • Closed No holidays
  • Admission Fee 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
  • TEL 0242-27-2472
  • Parking Free of charge

Enjoy shopping for souvenirs and dining on the retro street

Nanoka-machi Dori Street is a mix of old and new stores of various genres.
Nanoka-machi Dori Street is a mix of old and new stores of various genres.

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.

A small container with a
A small container with a "koboshi" (a small object that is raised up and dropped down) found at the select store "Aizu Brand Kan" (2,640 yen each).

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
  • Address Nanokaicho, Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture MAP
  • Direction A short walk from JR Nanokaicho Station
  • Bus Direction 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.
  • Business Hours Varies by store
  • Closed Varies by store
  • TEL 0242-23-9611（Nokaicho Tourist Information Center)
  • Parking Charged

MAP

<Recommended sightseeing spots in Aizuwakamatsu
Hoshino Resorts facilities nearby
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The information in this article is current as of the date of the update. Please check before visiting as they are subject to change.