Aizu painted candles (e-rousoku) are one of Aizu’s most well-loved traditional crafts. The Aizu Painted Candle Festival was started in order to let people all over Japan (and all over the world) know about this traditional art form, and to give people an appreciation for the work that is needed to make every single candle.
Take in the picturesque snowy scenery in Aizu-Wakamatsu City by candlelight this winter - the Aizu Painted Candle Festival takes place at Tsurugajo Castle (main venue) and Oyakuen Garden (sub venue) on the second Friday and Saturday of February. The castle grounds are lit up with artisanal candles and lanterns, while the garden at Oyaku-en has colourful illuminations that reflect in the clear waters of the ponds. Visitors to the castle can enjoy food stalls, while the garden offers a rare opportunity to drink green tea from the teahouse overlooking the ponds, which typically is only open during the day.
The 2026 festival took place on Friday 13th and Saturday 14th February, 2026.
| Website | http://www.aizu.com/erousoku/(Japanese) |
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| Contact | Secretariat of the Aizu Candle Festival Executive Committee |
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| Parking | Usually about 300 yen to park at Tsurugajo Castle; parking at Oyaku-en (or the nearby Aizu Chamber of Commerce) is free of charge |
| Access | Tsurugajo Castle: 1-1 Otemachi, Aizuwakamatsu, Fukushima 965-0873 View directions |
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| Getting there | Tsurugajo Castle: By Train: 30min walk from Nishi-Wakamatsu Station (Aizu Railway / Tadami Line) By Car: 20mins from Aizu-Wakamatsu IC By Bus: 20min bus from Aizu-Wakamatsu Station to Tsurugajo Kita-guchi (鶴ヶ城北口) |
You can try out the Mugenkyo no Watashi River Crossing on the Tadami River for a unique Japanese experience! Sit back, and enjoy the beautiful views as you make your way from one side of the Tadami River to the other. The boat trips are around 15 minutes per way, and run between Hayato Onsen pier and the Mifuke area.Booking & More Information
Suzuzen was established in 1832 as a lacquerware wholesale shop. Not only can visitors see process of lacquerware being finished using gold and silver dusted designs called 'Makie', but visitors can also have the opportunity to design their own lacquered product using Makie design techniques, which is perfect to take home as a souvenir. Booking & More InformationSuzuzen is made up of 6 kura (Japanese-style warehouses), which have been renovated. The Suzuzen warehouses include a gallery featuring pieces by contemporary artists who use lacquer in their work, and a cafe which is open for lunch. English-language signs also make the history of lacquer in Aizu accessible for overseas visitors.
Tsukimigaoka Chomin Center (a town hall-turned-hotel which is only a 20-minute walk from Aizu Yanaizu Station) is known for their famous sauce katsudon lunch. This dish contains fried pork cutlet and a simple egg omelet on rice which is covered with a savory sauce that simply melts in your mouth. There are other places in Yanaizu that serve the katsudon dish as well, but according to local opinion, the katsudon at Yanaizu Chomin Center is hard to beat. Why not stop by and fill your stomach before taking in the other local sights? There are even some great shared hot spring baths, which can be enjoyed as day visit onsen. There are plenty of nearby attractions. Enjoy your time hiking or fishing or at the nearby Kiyoshi Saito Museum of Art or the beautiful and serene Enzoji Temple. Kiyoshi Saito Museum of Art houses works by esteemed woodblock artist Kiyoshi Saito and the beautiful works he created throughout his lifetime. At the Enzoji Temple experience tranquility and nature, also learn about the origin legend of the akabeko, the nodding red cow famous in the area. And only a 15-minute drive away you can look at the No. 1 Tadami River Bridge View Spot; this bridge offers a spectacular sight of the Tadami River and the surrounding nature.
Mori no Bunko Fuzawa is a mountain village life workshop facility where guests can experience the lifestyle, nature, and charms of living in a Japanese rural mountain village. [photo id="wedA3wsHghGka5MbrORGYjRkj8BGAinlLCOG5O0L.jpg"] This building was a working school up to 40 years ago, the black board in one classroom where all of the students wrote their goodbye messages on the last day of school has been preserved as is. (If you visit, please be sure to avoid touching, erasing, or writing on the black board.) [photo id="fNNbYszCkKk3qvw1ozp5lY5yn8UDJPkrsrHf05Jf.jpg"] All three classrooms are available to stay the night in! Guests are charged per person, not per room, so if your group are the only ones staying the night then you are free to spread out into all three of the rooms. This is the kind of lodging that Japanese students would stay in on overnight school trips, so there is a sense of nostalgia when staying here. There are also many different activities that you can experience when staying here, such as local and traditional craft making and even river trekking with local guides! Read more about river trekking experiences here. [photo id="YrRrT5cHuDe3wK75RWrxgat8d8JPQP9P7bQgJwuY.jpg"]
Hinoemata Kabuki (a form of traditional Japanese theatre) has been used as a ceremonial practice in Hinoemata Village since the Edo Period. Hinoemata Kabuki, performed at an outdoor theatre, is an extremely important tradition for the village, and is passed down from generation to generation.For more information, read our related blog.
The 2026 festival will be held 19-21 September 2026, with the main event of the parade and performances held on Sunday 20th.The Aizu Festival is the biggest event of the year for the historic Aizu region. The main feature of the festival is the Aizu Hanko Gyoretsu, a procession of Aizu Domain lords and samurai.Headed by flag-bearers holding the standards of the feudal lords of the Aizu Domain, the procession is attended by participants representing well-known feudal lords such as Lord Uesugi, Lord Hoshina, and Lord Matsudaira, and by groups of festival participants wearing garments and carrying tools associated with each of these lords.Each year, some 500 people parade through downtown Aizu-Wakamatsu in an event that magnificently recreates the world of samurai. Before the procession starts off, there is a kick-off ceremony at Tsurugajo Castle.Visitors can enjoy watching the sword dancing of the Byakkotai warriors and sword fight performances given by professional actors, with the castle keep of Tsurugajo in the background.Overseas visitors or Japan residents can also join the parade in samurai armour: for more information, see the reservation page.2026 Schedule:Full details of the 2026 schedule here (in Japanese).19 September 2026 (Saturday)18:00 - 19:00 Lantern parade: Local schoolchildren will walk from Tsurugajo Castle to Shinmei Street carrying lanterns.19:00 - 20:30 Aizu-Bandaisan Mountain Dance: Held around a tower set up on Shinmei Street. Anyone is free to join in.Main day: 20 September 2026 (Sunday)10:00 Samurai Procession: The procession leaves from Tsurugajo Castle and carries on through the city, ending at roughly 1pm or 2pm. More events are held at the castle and around the city; please check the above English pamphlet for more details.19:00 - 20:30 Aizu-Bandaisan Mountain Dance: Held around the tower on Shinmei Street. Anyone is free to join in.21 September 2026 (Monday, public holiday)10:00 Nisshinkan Children's Parade: Children march through the streets (starting from 中央通り, Chuo Street, heading towards the castle) dressed as members of the legendary Byakkotai (White Tiger Corps) or Swords Corps.Same time: Drum and Flute Corps Parade: Students from around 20 elementary schools in the city perform with traditional drum and flute.
Nakayama Setsugekka Snow Festival is held every year on the third Saturday of February. The contrast between the snow, moon and candlelight, which becomes greater as the dark of the night deepens, creates a radiant and magical atmosphere. The views to be enjoyed at Nakayama during festival time are so special that Nakayama has been designated as one of Japan's Night View Heritage Sites.
Lake Numazawa Festival is held on the first Saturday and Sunday of August every year at Lake Numazawa in Kaneyama Town. It is said that over 800 years ago, a man killed a giant snake (dragon) that lived at the bottom of Lake Numazawa in order to protect Kaneyama Town. Over the course of the 2 days, local people act out this folktale at the lakeside. Come and visit to enjoy some local shows, watch firework displays on the Saturday night, and swim in the lake!As a rough framework, fireworks typically launch around 8pm on the Saturday night, coinciding with the arrival of the great snake, and the samurai warriors arrive to perform around 12pm (noon) on the Sunday.Visitors arriving by car should park according to instructions from staff in the large auxiliary car park - this is close enough to the lake to be a short walk, but shuttle buses also run regularly between the two locations, the journey taking about 2-3mins.