Former Takizawa Honjin

Former Takizawa Honjin

This honjin served as a rest house used by daimyo lords when they traveled to Edo (Tokyo) as part of the Sankin-kōtai system of alternate attendance, or when they conducted inspection tours. During the Boshin War, Domain Lord Matsudaira Katamori took command and the Byakkotai defended their city. The building still has sword marks and bullet holes from the war. The Former Takizawa Honjin is recognized as a nationally-designated Important Cultural Property.

Venue Details

Venue Details
Websitehttps://aizuwakamatsu.mylocal.jp/en/trip/spot-list/-/spotdetail/spotinfo/1000000011/3999496
Contact

Former Takizawa Honjin

(+81) 242-22-8525

Best SeasonAll Year
Opening Hours

8:00 am - 5:00 pm (Winter: 9:00 am - 4:00 pm). Reservations are needed to visit in winter.

ParkingNone
Entrance FeeAdults: 300 yen / Children: 100 yen - 250 yen depending on age
Access Details
Access122 Takizawa, Ikki-machi, Aizu-Wakamatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture.
View directions
Getting there

By Car: 15 min drive from the Aizuwakamatsu I.C. exit off the Ban-etsu Expressway.

By Bus: Take the Haikara-san or Akabe city loop bus from Aizuwakamatsu Station (JR Ban-etsu West Line) to Iimoriyama-shita bus stop, then walk for 5 min.

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Museums & Galleries

Morohashi Museum of Modern Art

This museum, which opened in June 1999, is located a short walk from the Goshiki-numa Ponds, which is one of the most scenic spots in Fukushima Prefecture.Morohashi Museum of Modert Art houses a collection of about 350 of the works of Salvador Dali, the master Spanish surrealist artist, including paintings, prints, and sculptures, as well as about 40 works by such impressionist and post-impressionist artists as Cézanne, Renoir, Chagall, Picasso, and Van Gogh. About 100 works out of this collection are on permanent exhibition, including 37 works of sculpture by Dali. The scale of this collection is unparalleled in the world and really is worth seeing.

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History & Culture

Shingu Kumano Shrine Nagatoko

Built in 1055, the Nagatoko is Shingu Kumano Shrine's worship hall and translates to “long floor”. It is designated as a Nationally Important Cultural Asset. Its thatched roof main structure was built between the Heian period and the Kamakura period and is supported by 44 massive pillars, each one 45 cm in diameter. It is a large, open stage with no walls, said to have been used for ascetic training by priests, as well as kagura dance festivals. Housed inside a nearby large wooden frame is the shrine bell, which visitors to the shrine are welcome to hit with a wooden rod. There is also a famous copper pot in which, allegedly, rice was rinsed before being offered to the gods; the pot was designated as an Important Cultural Property in 1959. This treasure is housed at the shrine along with many others and is on display for visitors along with national and prefectural designated cultural assets. Also not to be missed is the lion statue in the center of the treasure hall. It is known as a guardian of wisdom: a local legend says that if you can pass under the belly of the lion, your wisdom will blossom. It is a popular place for students to visit before the exam season and even politicians before election season. Come autumn, the magnificent 800-year-old ginkgo tree at the site is bathed in yellow, contrasting beautifully with the Nagatoko. This ancient tree has also been designated as a Natural Monument of Kitakata City. In November each year, you can even see a special illumination of the ginkgo tree for a limited time.

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