Destination Spotlight

Nicchu Line Weeping Cherry Blossom

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Nicchu Line Weeping Cherry Blossom

Yesterday I ticked one place off of my Fukushima bucket-list: the cherry blossom along the Nicchu Line in Kitakata City. It definitely did not disappoint, and I am so glad I got to go. The Nicchu Line is an old railway line that used to run between Kitakata City & Atsushio Onsen town. The railway line was over 13 km long, and 3 km of this has been changed into a cycling & walk path, which looks absolutely fantastic in cherry blossom season.

Usually the cherry blossom at Nicchu Line come into full bloom around Golden Week – a string of national holidays in Japan that take place in late April / the start of May – but when I visited in April 2018, the cherry blossom across Fukushima are all blooming really early!

One thing that is really great about the Nicchu Line being 3 km long is that even if some areas along the path are a bit crowded, there will be areas that are less busy so you can take some really nice photos.

Not only were the cherry blossom fantastic, but I loved being able to see them against Mt. Bandai in the distance. It was also really relaxing to walk along a path surrounded by local houses, rice fields, and farmland for as far as the eye can see.

At around the midpoint of the Nicchu Line stands an old steam train that used to used on the Nicchu railway line. The pinker cherry blossom to the left of the train in the photo above weren’t blooming very much, but if I took the same photo in a couple of day’s time, it would look even more impressive!

It was really nice seeing lots of different varieties of cherry blossom all in one place. It was really, really relaxing to walk along the line. I saw the women in the photo below and felt a little jealous – it would be lovely to sit under the weeping cherry blossom with a book and just chill out and read for a few hours!

After a bit of time, I joined the many of the other visitors and decided to take some selfies too!

TIPS

1.) BRING SUN CREAM!

The road is pretty long, which means you might be outside under the sun for quite a long time! Make sure to put on protective sun cream.

2.) BRING A PICNIC!

As above, during the 3 km walk, it’s likely you’ll get pretty peckish. There are some festival stalls at a couple of points during the walk, but it’s worth bringing some snacks (and water), and having a picnic under the cherry blossom. There were quite a few people doing this when I visited.

3.) CHECK THE SIGNS ON THE NICCHU LINE

This map shows where you as well as where how much cherry blossom is blooming at different points along the path. This can help you prioritise which areas you visit during your visit! Below are some words to help you understand the map.

  • 現在地 Current Location
  • 咲き始め Just started blooming
  • 三分咲き30% in bloom
  • 五分咲き 50% in bloom
  • 七分咲 70% in bloom
  • 満開 Full bloom

This sign means ‘Weeping Cherry Blossoms Road this way’ – useful to know if you’re coming by car or walking from the station.

There are no big signs point out the start and end of the Nicchu Line. But when you come to an intersection where you have to cross the road and join a perpendicular path (as shown above), this signifies you’re nearly at the end (or the beginning!) of the road.

4.) RENT A BIKE AT KITAKATA STATION

There are 2 shops outside Kitakata Station where you can rent a bike for a couple of hours. This means you can see the whole of the Nicchu Line without getting tired out from all the walking!

5.) VISIT NEARBY SIGHTSEEING SPOTS

Kitakata has some amazing sightseeing spots, such as the red brick warehouse district, a Ramen Museum, Shingu Kumaho Shrine Nagatoko temple, traditional shops, and much more. Make the most of your trip to Kitakata by exploring some of these places! You can find more information on their locations on this English map.

 

GETTING TO NICCHU LINE

 

BY PUBLIC TRANSPORT

The most southern point of the Nicchu Line is only a 7 minute walk from Kitakata Station! 

There are Burarin sightseeing loop buses that take you a bit further up the Nicchu Line.

BY CAR

For those travelling by car, there are a number of temporary car parks set up around Oshikiri Park during cherry blossom season, so please use these!

MORE INFORMATION

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  1. Useful Information

    Fukushima’s Winter Festivals: Details and Dates for 2025

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The candles in this charming onsen town are illuminated for 90 minutes every evening, making for a pleasant atmosphere on an evening stroll.(Candles are lit 16:30-18:00 in December and January, 17:00-18:30 in February)Given its dates, the Candle Festival combines well with visiting other winter festivals on this list, regardless of whether you’re staying in Higashiyama Onsen.Address: Higashiyama Onsen, Aizu-Wakamatsu City7 January: Nanokado Hadaka Mairi FestivalTranslating roughly as, ‘the naked shrine visit on the 7th January’, Nanokado Hadaka Mairi sees a group of men in nothing but loincloths climb a hemp rope to the top of Enzoji Temple. To get there they must race up the 113 stone steps to the main temple building in the freezing cold, and visitors are able to participate (advance notice is required).The festival traces its roots back to an ancient legend, telling of a princess who received a wish-granting jewel from a river dragon to tide against crop failures, and a community who banded together on the night of the 7th to prevent the dragon spirit from taking it back. 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The main display takes place at Seikokan, where over 3,000 fabric dolls hang from under the eaves of the old traditional house.There are also food and merchandise stalls that run primarily on Saturdays and Sundays.Address: Nakanosaku, Iwaki City (Map)7 & 8 February: Aizu Painted Candle FestivalThe start of a weekend of winter events, Friday 7th February is the first night of the Aizu Painted Candle Festival – tens of thousands of candles in artisanal wooden cases, bamboo holders and paper boxes that light up Tsurugajo Castle and the traditional garden down the road at Oyaku-en.The main time to see the candles is between 17:30 and 20:30, where visitors can not only enjoy the beautiful evening views but appreciate the time and craftsmanship involved in making each candle.Tsurugajo Castle: 1-1 Otemachi, Aizuwakamatsu, Fukushima 965-0873Oyaku-en Garden: 8-1 Hanaharumachi, Aizuwakamatsu, Fukushima 965-08047 – 9 February: Tadami Snow FestivalTaking place on the same weekend as the Ouchi-juku festival, the Tadami Snow Festival is a charming local festival that attracts over 20,000 visitors a year. It’s most famous for its large snow sculptures, which are illuminated when it gets dark, in addition to fireworks displays.The main festival takes place on the 8th and 9th, with some smaller festivities on the night of the 7th.Much like Ouchi-juku, the Tadami Snow Festival features music performances, sales of local crafts and food stalls.Address: In front of Tadami Station, Tadami Town, Minamiaizu District, Fukushima Pref. 968-04218 & 9 February: Ouchi-juku Snow FestivalMochi thrown from rooftops, wood-cutting competitions, igloos, traditional performing arts, fireworks, yosakoi dancing, soba noodles eating contests – the Ouchi-juku Snow Festival casts a wide gamut of activities in addition to its beautiful scenery. The thatched roofs of the hamlet covered in snow make for splendid photographs.Local vendors sell merchandise directly from their houses, and during the winter season there are food stalls selling chargrilled dishes and snacks. 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Since daruma come in 18 sizes and a variety on display, it’s easy to find a daruma that suits you – tradition says you make a wish while the daruma has only its left eye filled in (or you fill it in while making the wish), and then you fill in the right eye when the dream is fulfilled.Address: The main street in front of Shirakawa Station that runs parallel to the train line.Looking for more tips about travelling in Fukushima this winter? Check out our full guide.

    Fukushima’s Winter Festivals: Details and Dates for 2025
  2. Destination Spotlight

    How I Joined the Kohata Flag Festival

    Held yearly on the first Sunday of December, Hata Matsuri - the Kohata Flag Festival - is a bustling display of colour and community in a beautiful part of rural Fukushima. Here’s what I learned from joining the procession myself, complete with some tips for the future if you’d also like to attend!Since I arrived in Fukushima, I’ve been trying to go to every festival I can. Attending local festivals is a great way to learn more about lesser-known areas of the prefecture and the local people are always eager to welcome new visitors.With that in mind, after seeing pictures of the Kohata Flag Festival online, I was keen to visit the area and see the colourful flags for myself. That’s how I ended up getting up early on a chilly Sunday morning and heading to the sleepy mountain village of Kohata, a district of equally sleepy Nihonmatsu City.(If the name sounds familiar, Nihonmatsu itself is widely known for its extravagant three-day lantern festival in October, and the Chrysanthemum Doll Festival which takes place roughly around the same time to coincide with autumn colours.)The flag festival, meanwhile, is the biggest yearly event for Kohata. Although the main procession takes place on the Sunday, there are also festivities on the Saturday, including mizugori (purifying oneself with buckets and buckets of cold spring water), dancing and a foot race while holding the great flags.This first day is also when first-time participants to the festival – usually boys who have come of age – are taken halfway up the mountain via the woodland trails to complete their initiation into the flag-bearers. This involves slipping through a narrow gap just barely wide enough for an adult to pass through, before heading up to Okitsushima Shrine to pray and be inducted as a member of the procession.Unlike the all-whites of the regular flag-carriers, these first-timers wear red and are treated as adults. Although usually there are two or three new members, this year there was only one, who was forced to take photos by his family at every step of the journey.The festival traces its history back nearly a thousand years. A defeated Genji army in 1055 barricaded themselves in meagre defences on Mt. Kohata, and it’s said that their pursuers among the Abe forces mistook the heavy snow for Genji banners and fled from certain victory. This is one of the reasons that white flags appear alongside the more colourful ones in the flag procession.The flag-bearers depart from the Kohata Community Center at 8:30am on Sunday. They first gather at 7:30, and there is an opening ceremony from 8:00, but this is mostly speeches from local officials and guests of honour, and since the grounds are surrounded by rows of trees, it can get fairly chilly at that time of the morning – I would say arriving shortly before departure time would be fine for most people.That being said, this is where I met Hatarou, the local mascot (this is a pun, since 'hata' is Japanese for flag. It'd be like calling a mascot 'Flaggy', but funnier.) This also makes Hata Matsuri one of the few Fukushima festivals with its own mascot.The procession lasts for several hours, taking the marchers from the community center in the west part of town up into the foothills of Mt. Kohata, and eventually leading to the magnificent Okitsushima Shrine deep in the mountain woodland. 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Although we passed the front entrance during our walk up the mountain, the flags must first be taken through the back route to the Tainai Kuguri Rock, where a prayer is said for health and good fortune before continuing up the trail. In the woods the slopes can be fairly steep and the footing a little slippery, so this was where I wished I’d worn slightly more rugged shoes with a better grip. Fortunately, you only need to pass this way once, as you’ll use the front steps to leave the shrine later.In addition to the beautiful old shrine building at Okitsushima, the grounds also play host to a beautiful deep red pagoda that is a central pillar of the shrine’s history. It’s said that when famous warlord Date Masamune set Mt. Kohata ablaze in the 1500s that the pagoda would not collapse, and these days it is a power spot for those wishing for academic success and the prevention of disease.When they reach the top of the long steps up to the shrine building, each flag-bearer group stops to say a prayer for long life and celebrate a job well done. Then, the groups come together to hear words from the shrine’s caretakers, after which the festival comes to an end.Overall, the festival began in earnest at 8:30am and ended around 1pm. There were several breaks during the march to allow people to rest up and recharge – not realising how rugged a walk it was, I didn’t bring anything in the way of snacks or water, so I’d certainly recommend that for people thinking of joining all the way to the end.Also, while the walk back down from the shrine avoids the woodland route and thereby takes less time, it still took me about 45mins to walk from Okitsushima Shrine back to the community center where I parked, so you should factor that into your schedule. There is parking at the shrine, but space is limited and the roads can get crowded at home time.Final Thoughts & TipsApart from the great atmosphere, friendly people and the colourful flags, for me the most lasting impression of the festival was the beauty of the local area. Even though the festival is held just after the peak of autumn colour season, there were still streaks of orange in the hillsides, and there’s more than one viewpoint looking over the town as you make the climb to the shrine.Although you don’t have to follow the procession all the way to the top, I think it’s worth it to see the final ceremony with all the flags lined up at the shrine, and the pagoda alone is worth the trip. Several people congratulated me for making it all the way to the top, or said they looked forward to seeing me next year.If I were to go again, I’d be keen to see the other ceremonies and events on the Saturday, and I’d probably aim to arrive shortly before departure to skip standing in the cold. Otherwise, as I mentioned above, good walking shoes and snacks / water will come in handy, and bring your camera!For more festivals in Fukushima, why not check out the Aizu Festival or the horse riding samurai of Soma Nomaoi?

    How I Joined the Kohata Flag Festival
  3. Useful Information

    Large Luggage in Fukushima: Where to Find Coin Lockers at Every Train Station

    Travelling with large luggage during your trip? In this article you'll find all the information about the best places to stash your personal belongings somewhere safe and reliable.Use your browser search function (Ctrl + F) to find specific stations or popular sightseeing spots (for example, ‘Aizu-Wakamatsu Station’ or ‘Ouchi-juku’.)Fukushima StationNearby spots: Jododaira (Mt. Azuma-Kofuji), Fruit Line orchards, HanamiyamaTrain lines: Tohoku Shinkansen, Yamagata Shinkansen, Iizaka Line, Abukuma Express, Yamagata Line, Tohoku Line Location Fees West Exit Ticket Gate 2F Large: 11, ¥600 Small: 11, ¥300 West Exit 1F Large: 6, ¥600 / 3, ¥800 Medium: 18, ¥500 Small: 15, ¥300 East Exit (Inside ticket gates) Large: 2, ¥600 Small: 15, ¥300 Shinkansen (Inside ticket gates) Large: 8, ¥700 Medium: 2, ¥600 Small: 10, ¥400 East Exit Large: 27, ¥600-700 Small: 20, ¥400 More details here. Iizaka Onsen StationNearby spots: Fruit Line orchards, Kyu Horikiri-tei traditional residence, onsen, Iizaka Fighting FestivalTrain lines: Iizaka Line Location Fees Outside ticket gates, left of the stairs leading out of the station Large: 4, ¥400 Medium: 6, ¥300 Small: 8, ¥200 More details here. Nihonmatsu StationNearby spots: Nihonmatsu Lantern Festival, Ebisu Circuit (20min taxi), Kasumigajo Castle Park (Nihonmatsu Castle) & Nihonmatsu Chrysanthemum Doll Festival, Ryusenji TempleTrain lines: Tohoku Line Location Fees After leaving ticket gates, on the left after stepping outside Large: 4, ¥600 Medium: 3, ¥500 Small: 15, ¥300 More details here. Koriyama StationNearby spots: Chansey Park in Koriyama, Takayashiki Shrine (15min taxi)Train lines: Tohoku Shinkansen, Yamagata Shinkansen, Ban-etsu West Line, Ban-etsu East Line, Tohoku Line, Suigun Line Location Fees East Exit passage Large: 6, ¥500 Medium: 12, ¥400 Small: 16, ¥300 East-West passage Large: 2, ¥500 Medium: 9, ¥400 Small: 41, ¥300 Outside Shinkansen gates Large: 4, ¥1200 Medium: 6, ¥1000 Small: 33, ¥600 S-PAL exit Large: 9, ¥1200 Medium: 14, ¥1000 Small: 23, ¥600 Central entrance / exit 1F Large: 3, ¥1200 Medium: 8, ¥1100 Small: 4, ¥1000 1F Large: 2, ¥1100 Medium: 6, ¥1000 Small: 35, ¥600 食品館 / Food hall entrance 1F Large: 4, ¥1100 Medium: 4, ¥1000 Small: 37, ¥600 More details here. Shirakawa StationNearby spots: Komine Castle (5min walk)Train lines: Tohoku Line Location Fees After leaving ticket gates, on the left Large: 1, ¥700 Medium: 1, ¥400 Small: 10, ¥300 More details here. Miharu StationNearby spots: Takashiba Deko Yashiki Craft Village (10min taxi), Miharu TakizakuraTrain lines: Ban-etsu East Line Location Fees After leaving ticket gates, on the left Medium: 12, ¥200 Small: 10, ¥100 More details here. Inawashiro StationNearby spots: Goshikinuma ponds, Hideyo Noguchi Memorial Museum, ski resorts, Kawakyo Ramen, Tenkyokaku former imperial residence, Morohashi Museum of Modern Art, Mt. 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There are four small lockers for ¥300, or larger luggage can be left with staff.More details here. Hayato StationNearby spots: Mugenkyo River Crossing departure pointTrain lines: Tadami LineThere are no coin lockers at Hayato Station. The closest storage location would be the luggage care service (with rental bicycles available) at the Tadami Town Information Centre. Aizu-Yanaizu StationNearby spots: Enzoji TempleTrain lines: Tadami LineThere are small coin lockers at Aizu-Yanaizu for ¥300, while larger luggage can be left with staff at the Tourism Information Centre. (Please be aware this is a 10 minute walk from the station.)More photos here. Yunokami Onsen StationNearby spots: Ouchi-jukuTrain lines: Tadami LineLuggage can be handled at Yunokami Onsen Station for ¥300 per item per day. Kitakata StationNearby spots: Kitakata ramen restaurants (example itinerary)Train lines: Ban-etsu West Line Location Fees Outside ticket gates Large: 2, ¥900 Medium: 14, ¥500 Small: 15, ¥400 More details here. Hirota StationNearby spots: Nisshinkan samurai academyTrain lines: Ban-etsu West LineThere are no coin lockers at Hirota Station. Futaba StationNearby spots: Great East Japan Earthquake and Nuclear Disaster Memorial Museum (Denshokan), Futaba Art DistrictTrain lines: Joban LineAlthough there are no coin lockers at Futaba Station, there are several places in Futaba where luggage can be stored: Location Fees Great East Japan Earthquake and Nuclear Disaster Memorial Museum 174 lockers available behind the reception counter, many 40cm x 39cm x 38cm with larger sizes available. ¥100 deposit Futaba Business Incubation and Community Center (FBICC) Medium: 6 Small: 8 ¥100 deposit FUTABA POINT Coworking Space Some lockers available  Namie StationNearby spots: Ukedo Elementary School (15min taxi)Train lines: Joban LineThere are no coin lockers at Namie Station. Izumi StationNearby spots: Aquamarine Fukushima (there are coin lockers and a luggage care service at the aquarium).Train lines: Joban Line, Hitachi & Tokiwa Location Fees Outside ticket gates on the left. 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Large: 1, ¥600 Medium: 3, ¥500 Small: 8, ¥400 More details here. Yumoto StationNearby spots: Yumoto onsenTrain lines: Joban Line, Hitachi & Tokiwa Location Fees Exit the station, turn left and continue: Lockers can be found in the shadow of the building Large: 2, ¥600 Medium: 3, ¥500 Small: 10, ¥400 More details and photos here. Iwaki StationNearby spots: Iwaki City Art MuseumTrain lines: Ban-etsu East Line, Joban Line, Hitachi & Tokiwa Location Fees Outside ticket gates Large: 1, ¥1200 Medium: 4, ¥1000 Small: 21, ¥800 More details here. Haranomachi StationNearby spots: Soma Nomaoi Festival (shuttle bus runs during the festival), Somaota ShrineTrain lines: Joban Line, Hitachi & Tokiwa Location Fees Outside ticket gates Large: 2, ¥600 Medium: 3, ¥500 Small: 5, ¥400 More details here. Soma StationNearby spots: Soma Nakamura ShrineTrain lines: Joban Line, Hitachi & Tokiwa Location Fees Outside ticket gates Large: 2, ¥600 Medium: 3, ¥500 Small: 5, ¥400 Photos and details here. Kashima StationTrain lines: Joban LineThere are no coin lockers at Kashima Station. Odaka StationNearby spots: Soma Odaka ShrineTrain lines: Joban LineThere are no coin lockers at Odaka Station. 

    Large Luggage in Fukushima: Where to Find Coin Lockers at Every Train Station
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