Aizu Painted Candle Festival

Aizu Painted Candle Festival

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.

Venue Details

Venue Details
Websitehttp://www.aizu.com/erousoku/(Japanese)
Contact

Secretariat of the Aizu Candle Festival Executive Committee

Best Season
  • Winter
ParkingUsually about 300 yen to park at Tsurugajo Castle; parking at Oyaku-en (or the nearby Aizu Chamber of Commerce) is free of charge
Access Details
AccessTsurugajo Castle: 1-1 Otemachi, Aizuwakamatsu, Fukushima 965-0873
View directions
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)

Fukushima Festival Guide

Nearby

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Mori no Bunko Fuzawa

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"]

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Watersports at S.A.Y (Lake Inawashiro)

A wakeboard shop located on the northwest shore of Lake Inawashiro in Fukushima Prefecture. It offers easy access from the Kanto region, bypassing major traffic congestion. Individuals and beginners are welcome. A specialized beginner's course is available, allowing even first-timers to enjoy their time on the water, and all necessary equipment can be rented. Bookings can be made even for 1 person. Why not spend a day enjoying the beautiful, clear waters of Lake Inawashiro, one of the most breathtaking lakes in Japan?

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Mitsutaya

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Ride the Oza-Toro-Tembo Train

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