Destination Spotlight

Shoko Kanazawa Calligraphy Art Museum In Iwaki

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Shoko Kanazawa Calligraphy Art Museum In Iwaki

The Shoko Kanazawa Art Museum in Iwaki City is home to many fantastic pieces of calligraphy created by Shoko Kanazawa, an artist who was born with Down syndrome.

The art museum shares its location with a kimono museum called Kimononoyakata Marusan (which contains the world’s largest kimono!) and a beautiful garden inspired by the traditional Japanese gardens of Kyoto.

I was really moved by Shoko’s beautiful and emotive calligraphy when I visited the Shoko Kanazawa Art Museum.

I’ve practised shuji (calligraphy) before, so I can only imagine the amount of time it takes to produce the artistic form of calligraphy referred to as shodo in Japanese. Many shodo artists imagine the form they want their brushstrokes to take before starting a piece. The sheer size of her pieces also gives Shoko an extra challenge.

ABOUT SHOKO KANAZAWA & HER ART

Shoko started practising shodo (Japanese expressive calligraphy) at the age of 5 years old, inspired by her mother, who is also a shodo artist.

Shoko’s work was first exhibited publicly in 2005, and the Shoko Kanazawa Art Museum was opened in 2012, following the Great East Japan Earthquake.

Many of the key works at the Art Museum, including the piece featured below which stands in the main hall, are related to the Great East Japan Earthquake, and express Shoko’s hopes for the reconstruction of the areas on the coast affected by the events that followed the triple disaster.

The piece above contains the kanji words 共に生きる（tomo ni ikiru), which can be translated as “to live together”. The meaning of this work is left up to the viewer, but it’s likely that it refers to humans living together with natural disaster, or the need for communities to pull together after a disaster to move forward.

Another piece related to post-3.11 reconstruction is 希望光 (kibou hikari), which translates as “the shining light of hope”. The message is concise, and the viewer can really feel Shoko’s emotion through the size and style of her characters.

One more connection between Shoko and the events of 3.11 is the use of her calligraphy as the logo for the Onahama Marine Bridge – this bridge was opened during certain hours for the public from last August, and is a symbol of reconstruction for the people of Iwaki City.

I found her calligraphy to be very moving, especially the piece which is shown in the photograph below. The calligraphy says 福は内　鬼も内 (fuku wa uchi, oni mo uchi). This phrase relates to the Japanese tradition of Setsubun, which takes place in early February every year.

During Setsubun, family members throw beans out the doors of their house – or throw them at a member of the family wearing a devil / demon mask – as a symbol of purifying their homes. During Setsubun, the phrase ‘fuku wa uchi, oni wa soto‘ (Luck stays inside, demons stay outside).

In Shoko’s piece, she changes this well known phrase to mean “Luck stays inside, demons also stay inside”. When asked about the creation of this piece, Shoko said that she felt sad for the demons, and felt like they would be lonely if kept outside alone! I think this message is really moving, and also that this pieces demonstrates Shoko’s personality very clearly.

As well as viewing Shoko’s art, visitors can also experience holding tools that Shoko uses to create her compositions. A number of the brushes she uses are on display, a long with an example of the size and type of paper she uses.

When I tried out her tools, I realised just how much you have to use your whole body to smoothly bring the brush over the page – creating work this big must be a really good workout! I can imagine myself making so many mistakes…

Shoko regularly does calligraphy demonstrations at public events throughout the year, and is always accompanied by her mother.

Shoko, now in her thirties, lives by herself, and is an amazing role-model, as her status as a public figure allows her to communicate and share with her home country, and the world, about her experience as a person with a disability.

READ MORE ABOUT SHOKO KANAZAWA

VISITING THE SHOKO KANAZAWA ART MUSEUM

  • Opening Hours: 10:00 to 16:00 (last entry at 15:30)
    Closed on Tues / Weds unless on a National Holiday (in which case, the following day the museum will be closed). Closed at the end of the year / new year
  • Price: 800 yen per adult. 400 yen for those with a disability. (Free for elementary school kids)

REACHING THE MUSEUM

See here for travel information about getting to Iwaki Yumoto Station.

  • By Public Transport: Take the train to Yumoto Station. From there the museum is a 20 minute taxi ride.
    There is also the option of renting a car near Iwaki Station and driving there using a Rental Car company such as Times Rentacar, Nippon Rentacar, JR Rent-a-Car etc.
  • By Car: Get off the Joban Expressway from Yumoto IC (from there it’s a 15 minute drive).

OTHER PLACES TO VISIT NEAR SHOKO KANAZAWA ART MUSEUM

SHOKUJI TOKORO OKAME

Want somewhere close by to Iwaki Yumoto Station to eat traditional Japanese food? I recommend Shokuji Tokoro Okame (食事処おかめ) . I don’t have a photo, but it’s a really cute, cosy izakaya-style restaurant which serves cheap lunches with very generous portions. I had a really delicious meal there which was served with lots of tofu and tomato. See its location here.

IWAKI YUMOTO ONSEN’S HOT SPRINGS

Various onsen hot springs in Iwaki Yumoto Onsen Town. Read here for more.

IWAKI FC PARK

Enjoy some great food at Red & Blue Café, located inside Iwaki FC Park, or pop over to the bar next door which sells pizza and a big range of craft beers on tap!

SPA RESORT HAWAIIANS

See a Polynesian-inspired dance show & enjoy the water parks at Spa Resort Hawaiians. See here for more info.

CHINAN SHOKUDO

Eat some really good ramen at Chinan Shokudo (チナン食堂).

HORURU

Get up close & personal with some dinosaurs at Horuru (Iwaki City’s Coal & Fossil Museum). See here for more info.

AQUAMARINE FUKUSHIMA

Lose yourself among the amazing exhibitions at Aquamarine Fukushima (See here for more info.)

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  1. Useful Information

    Fukushima’s Winter Festivals: Details and Dates for 2025

    Winter is an excellent time to visit Fukushima -- great skiing, stunning snow scenery, and of course, traditional winter festivals. If you're looking to find out which winter events are right for you, see below for all the details for the 2025 editions.Visit the individual destination pages for more information.21 December – 28 February: Higashiyama Onsen Candle FestivalThe earliest of the winter attractions to open, the Candle Festival at Higashiyama Onsen runs for three months from mid-December through to the end of February. 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. To this day the festival is a rowdy display of hope and community.If you’re in Yanaizu for the festival, this is a great chance to see one of the prefecture’s most underrated towns: the Chansey Lucky Park is a winner, and since Enzoji is the birthplace of the akabeko legend, you’ll find merchandise of the red cows wherever you look.Address: Enzoji Temple, Jikemachi-ko 176, Yanaizu Town, Kawanuma District, Fukushima Pref. 969-72011 February – 9 February: Iwaki Tsurushi-bina MatsuriHeld in the Nakanosaku district of Iwaki in the south-east of the prefecture, this is the best time to visit this port town thanks to its colourful displays of handmade dolls and folk arts made with chirimen fabric (which is used in kimonos). 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. For many people in Fukushima, this is the festival to prioritise every winter.Address: Ouchi-juku (Yamamoto, Ouchi, Shimogo Town, Minamiaizu District, Fukushima Pref. 969-5207)11 February: Shirakawa Daruma MarketDaruma, traditional good luck talismans, are a symbol of Shirakawa City, with two major workshops where visitors can watch craftsmen at work. Shirakawa daruma vary slightly in design from the Tohoku-style daruma sold further north in Fukushima City or the art village at Miharu.At this event, held yearly on 11th February, there is a festival-esque atmosphere with hundreds and thousands of visitors turning up to peruse over 700 stalls. 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. There are multiple good places for taking photos – it quickly becomes obvious where they are, since a flock of local photography enthusiasts follow the procession wherever it goes! I’d recommend the road bridge shortly after leaving the main street of town.When I stopped in someone’s driveway to get a good photo of the marchers heading through the torii gate, the home owner came and spoke with me for a while about what brought me to the festival. She said in her childhood, the flags numbered nearly two hundred, whereas nowadays the number is closer to seventy or eighty. When I thanked her and went to follow the parade, she handed me a wrapped sweet and told me to have a great day – this is exactly the kind of wholesome experience that makes it worthwhile going to lesser-known festivals.In fact, this happened multiple times over the course of the day. Both the members of the procession and regular attendees struck up conversations with me about my hometown, my experiences in Fukushima, and my thoughts on the festival. Some offered suggestions for places I should visit in the area, while several local school-age children spoke to me in English they’d been practising in class.I got chatting to one group of flag-bearers about the festival and the area, and one of them asked if I’d like to try carrying his flag, which I did for about five minutes! (His friends bantered him relentlessly about getting the visitors to do his work for him). Although the flags are as heavy as they look, the most strenuous part is simply how large they are – the village is beset with power lines and overhanging tree branches, and making sure the flags don’t catch on anything requires constant vigilance.Making that task more difficult, of course, is the fact that the flag-bearers are drinking robustly from the moment they assemble at the community center at 7:30 in the morning. Every so often, when the procession slowed and took a break, members of the group carrying hefty bottles would pour a sweet sake into small bamboo cups that each man carried on his hip.It meant that wherever we walked, there was always the fragrant smell of the sake in the air, and more than one member of the procession arrived at the shrine a little worse for wear. One younger flag-bearer drank a little too much and was bundled into a fire engine to go home about halfway through the route...And so we headed to Okitsushima Shrine. 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. Destination Spotlight

    A Guide to the Aizu Festival – And How to Join Yourself

    If, like me, you’ve been watching Shogun on Disney+ and been blown away by its dramatic depiction of Japan’s Sengoku (warring states) era, you might be interested in learning more about samurai history during your trip to Japan.Fortunately, there are plenty of options for someone looking to get involved with samurai culture.Tsurugajo Castle severely damaged after the Siege of Aizu in 1868.The Shogun’s Last StandOne of the best places for this is the historic city of Aizu-Wakamatsu on the west side of Fukushima Prefecture. Before the advent of prefectures in the Meiji Restoration, this region was ruled by the Aizu Domain, a powerful clan of samurai who remained loyal to the shogun even after ruling authority was returned to the Emperor in the 1860s.This culminated in the Boshin War of 1868, when imperial forces moved north and besieged Tsurugajo Castle at the heart of the Aizu Domain’s sphere of influence. Though the defenders were ultimately defeated by the Emperor’s modernised troops, the fortress remained standing, and this would be remembered as one of the final battlefields of Japan’s shogunate history, before it became what we recognise as ‘modern’ Japan.The Aizu FestivalAlthough Aizu is now incorporated into the wider Fukushima Prefecture, the roots to its powerful ancestor run deep in this part of the country. Local people come together every September to hold the Aizu Festival, honouring the warriors who walked these roads centuries ago with a series of events, processions and performances.Most notable is the parade on the Sunday of the festival. Schools, organisations and local residents of all ages dress in the traditional garb of every strata of Aizu clan society, and walk through the city streets waving to hundreds of attendees. Possibly most striking are the samurai lords, who proceed on horseback.Popular actress Ayase Haruka, who played the ‘Japanese Joan-of-Arc’ Nijima Yae in an NHK drama in 2013, reprises her role every year in the procession and gives a speech before the main parade.The procession starts with a short walk through the grounds of Tsurugajo Castle itself, leading to an opening ceremony held on the lawn under the shadow of the fortress.The samurai lords sit together on the dais, while an announcer heralds each samurai troop that enters the field. This also includes Western historical figures of import and significant noblewomen of the time in traditional dress.Once all the participants have entered and taken their seats, the opening ceremony takes place, with speeches from the city mayor and visiting dignitaries, samurai performances, and gunnery displays.This ceremony is also viewable to the general public, although it’s best to get to the castle early as the spectators’ area typically gets busy.How to Join the ProcessionThe 2024 rendition of the Aizu Festival was beset by heavy rain, but visitors still turned out in huge numbers to watch the procession. This also included an international troop comprised of local residents from a variety of countries: England, Scotland, Canada, the US, Australia, Taiwan and Japan.This experience, organised by a local tour company, is aimed at making Japanese culture more accessible to residents and visitors from overseas. It also included an English-speaking guide, who explained to us not only about the history of the area, but helped with logistical elements – how to dress in the traditional gear, where to go, and how to put our swords away properly...Our troop dressed in the dark navy armour of foot soldiers of the Aizu gunnery units, who were trained both in muskets for ranged combat and katana-style samurai swords for melee. As such, each soldier of the troop was given one of each, as well as a banner of the Aizu Domain (which, for the record, is very easy to bump against door frames and street signs).With the onset of the bad weather, the festival organisers made the difficult decision to protect the traditional armour from water damage with protective rain gear. Although it took away some of the mystique of the samurai atmosphere, it was better than the parade being cancelled altogether, and the rain made for some dramatic photos.Despite the weather, we were cheered on relentlessly by local people throughout the parade route. The main street of Aizu has covered sidewalks, so it was along this route that saw the most spectators, and where the samurai troops performed their main war cries.Overall, we walked for a little over two hours, but including the time to get changed and the opening ceremony, we were in Aizu from about 8:00 in the morning to around 13:00 at lunchtime.The international troop will be recruiting in 2025, too, so if you’re looking to join, feel free to send us an email to i-info@tif.ne.jp and we’ll keep you posted when bookings open.Visiting AizuFor more information about the festival, see our page here.Looking for more samurai experiences in Japan? Try the monthly kengido experience, learning samurai sword techniques in a historic dojo in the mountains.

    A Guide to the Aizu Festival – And How to Join Yourself
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