Tsurugajo Kaikan is a shopping complex next to Tsurugajo Castle. Here you can try local cuisine, from Wappa Meshi and Sauce Katsudon, to soba noodles and Kitakata Ramen. The French restaurant "Racines" is also on the premises, so that both Japanese and western-style cuisines can be enjoyed in one location. The restaurants have seating for approximately 1,000 guests.
The first floor contains a tax-free shop that sells local Aizu goods and souvenirs, from ready-to-cook Kitakata Ramen, soba noodles, Japanese pickles, and sweet treats, to traditional crafts like Akabeko lucky red cow.
You can even try painting your own akabeko cow (a traditional folk toy which is said to bring luck), and take it home as a souvenir of your trip. Painting an akabeko takes about 30 minutes, and a reservation is required for groups. The parking area accommodates full-size buses as well as personal vehicles.
| Website | http://tsurukan.com/(Japanese) |
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| Contact | Tsurugajo Kaikan (+81) 242-28-2288 |
| Best Season | All Year |
| Opening Hours | 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (In Winter, Tsurugajo Kaikan closes at 4:00 PM)<br>Open daily year-round Open daily year-round |
| Parking | Parking is available for up to 200 cars and 50 full-size buses (free for restaurant and store customers). |
| Access | 4-47 Oite-machi, Aizu-Wakamatsu City, Fukushima Pref. 965-0873 View directions |
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| Getting there | By Car: 15 min drive from the Aizuwakamatsu I.C. exit off the Ban-etsu Expressway By Bus: Easily accessible from Aizu-Wakamatsu Station (JR Ban-etsu West Line) via the sightseeing loop bus. The bus takes around 15 min. The nearest stops on the "Haikara-san" loop bus route are Tsurugajo Kita-guchi (鶴ヶ城北口) and San-no-Maru (三ノ丸) . |
Oze Hinoemata Onsen has hot springs fed to every household, as well as bathing facilities run by the village for day visits. Aruza Oze no Sato, Hiuchi no Yu, Koma no Yu are all names of hot spring establishments in the town. Hinoemata area is also famous for Kabuki, a form of traditional performing art in Japan. Traditional Kabuki performances with a rich history dating from the Edo Period are still performed to this day on Hinoemata's kabuki stage, which is over 250 years old. There are three performances per year (May 12, August 18, and the first Saturday of September). Explore historical and cultural treasures such as the kabuki stage, the unique shrine featuring a stone statue of Hashiba-no-Banba, itakura (wooden storehouses), the six jizo statues, and the Hinoemata Folk Village by foot. Make sure to try Hinoemata area's 'Yamodo Cuisine': a characteristic cuisine centered on 100% buckwheat noodles, which features dishes such as 'Hatto soba' and rice cakes. Visitors can also enjoy walking and fishing at Hinoemata Mini Oze Park, a spacious park which comes to life with bright colours throughout the year as various flowers take turns to bloom. Oze Hinoemata Onsen is at the gateway to Oze National Park, making it as a base for hiking around Ozegahara Marsh, and for climbing mountains such as Mt. Hiuchigatake, Aizu Komagatake, Teishakuzen, and Tashiroyama.
The Byobuiwa Crags (屏風岩) are a rock formation in Minamiaizu, in the Southern area of Fukushima Prefecture. The rocks have eroded through many years to their current shape. The crags are light in color, offering an interesting contrast with the blue of the gushing Ina river, and the vibrant colors of the surrounding foliage, creating a scenery that becomes particularly poignant during the autumn. Visitors can stroll the walking course around the crags, which takes approximately 20 minutes to be completed and includes several interesting picture spots.
Named by the Crown Prince Yoshihito upon its opening in 1907 as “The Palace of Heaven’s Mirror”, Tenkyokaku is a decadently decorated former villa.Imperial Prince Arisugawa Takehito decided to build Tenkyokaku after being impressed by the beauty of Lake Inawashiro during a visit to the Tohoku District. His family, the Arisugawa-no-miya Family, owned the villa until 1952, when it was granted to Fukushima Prefecture.Tenkyokaku has since been used as a meeting hall and a space for lectures and exhibitions. The former villa, its annex and its front gate have been specified as important cultural properties of Japan.Despite being restored in 1984, the building retains many of its original features, including the impressive chandelier which can be seen below.Despite no longer being able to see Lake Inawashiro from the windows of Tenkyokaku, the luxurious renaissance-style architecture and liberal use of all things gold and glittery means that visitors will by all means feel that its name still rings true.For only 1000 yen, you can dress up in a traditional outfit and take as many photos as you would like in the building!
Yunokami Onsen is famous for having one of the only thatched roof station buildings in Japan. The hot spring area is fed from 8 source springs. Each ryokan (traditional Japanese inn) in the town draws its hot water directly from the source. The clear, transparent water is beloved for being soft and gentle on the skin. Many lodges offer just day-use of their baths, making it a great place to enjoy on a whim. There is also a public foot bath located at Yunokami Onsen Station. During the cherry blossom season, visitors can enjoy a warm foot bath while watching the light pink petals fluttering in the wind.
Although Fukushima is most famous for its sake distilleries, the Inawashiro Original Beer Brewery has a growing reputation among expats for its rich taste. The large beer hall here is well-located in central Inawashiro, close to the lake, allowing travellers a chance to sample the beer and German sausages. Views of Mt. Bandai from the second-floor restaurant hall are spectacular and unobstructed, making this an excellent stopping place on a longer journey.The beer at Inawashiro is made using the famously pure mountain spring waters of Mt. Bandai, combined with German wheat and hops for a unique taste you won't find anywhere else in Japan. A 5-drink sample set is available for new guests to try the range of the brewery's most popular five beers.There's also a shop downstairs selling Fukushima specialties and beers from the brewery, as well as souvenir stand where you can buy ice cream (including a beer-flavoured one!)The brewery shares parking with the World Glassware Hall, where visitors can try their hand at glass-blowing and etching. The Hideyo Noguchi Memorial Hall is also a short walk away.
A lovely restaurant where you can savor the flavors of handmade soba and coffee. This restaurant is commited to serving delicious, seasonal food. In summer, the noodles are made thinner. In winter, they’re made a bit thicker. You’ll be able to relish the stone-ground, handmade noodles. Their most popular topping for soba is their large umeboshi (sour pickled plums) from the Kishu Domain, which can be enjoyed as part of Ishiharaya's Grated Plum Soba dish.
A lovely café deep located in Ouchi-juku, decorated with adorable items like okiagari-koboshi (traditional monk dolls) and Aizu-made decorated candles. In addition to yukimuro coffee (snow-cured coffee), they’ve put together an original menu full of locally produced drinks and sweets. Feel free to leisurely enjoy a coffee in Ouchi-juku.
The tradition of weaving ‘karamushi' (plant fiber from nettles, known as 'Ramie") has been handed down in Showa Village for generations. Learn more about this tradition at this facility, which house a shop selling locally-produced goods, and an area where you can try ramie weaving for yourself.
