Yanaizu Town is best known as the birthplace of the legend of the lucky red cow Akabeko, but it is also known for its famous manju (sweet steamed buns). Hot in Yanaizu is a center with a bit of everything; it sells local products, has sightseeing information, rest areas, and an eatery. They even have an "experience area".
It goes without saying that, at Hot in Yanaizu, you can paint your own Akabeko, but you can also make manju with the help of the facilities' kind staff (Read more here). Hot in Yanaizu have staff that can speak English, but please make sure to contact them in advance, as you might not be able to do the experience without placing a booking.
Please take your time & enjoy the slow pace of Japanese countryside life in Yanaizu Town.
| Website | http://www.okuaizu.net/spot/985/(Japanese) |
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| Best Season | All Year |
| Related info | <b><u>Opening Hours</b></u> Shops: Apr. to Nov.: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM / Dec. to Mar.: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM Restaurant: 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM Foot Bath: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM Closed on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month. |
| Access | 151-1 Yanaizu Shimodaira, Yanaizu Town, Konuma-gun, Fukushima Pref. 969-7201 View directions |
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| Getting there | By Train: 20 min walk from JR Aizu-Yanaizu Station. By Car: 30 min drive from central Aizu-Wakamatsu City via the Aizu-Bange I.C. exit off the Ban-etsu Expressway. |
This one-day trip in Oku-Aizu departs from Aizu-Wakamatsu Station, and features a visit to the No.1 Tadami River Bridge View Point and Enzoji Temple, so you can enjoy a full day out in Oku-Aizu! Please note, the times below are correct as of the December 2022 Tadami Line timetable. See here for more information about visiting the No. 1 Tadami River Bridge View Point.
Ozegahara Marsh is a high-altitude marshland located in Oze National Park. This 8 square kilometer marshland is a popular hiking destination and is home to some rare plants, including white skunk cabbage, Nikko Kisuge, and Watasuge (a variant of cottongrass). Hiking trails at Ozegahara are well-maintained and used almost year-round for hikers, except in winter when the park is often closed due to snow. Being just 150 kilometers from Tokyo makes Ozegahara and the rest of Oze National Park a popular getaway from city life. Some people will even drive up early in the morning, hike the day away, and then return to Tokyo the same day. It’s admittedly a tough trip if you choose to do it all in one day. Instead, why not stay the night in one of the overnight lodgings and huts within the park grounds? There's also the option of staying at a minshuku (private homes that provide meals and lodging for tourists) in Hinoemata Onsen town. However you choose to travel to Ozegahara, you won’t be disappointed. The marshland has hundreds of small pools that are a beauty to admire. Two mountains, Shibutsusan and Mt. Hiuchigatake, almost seem to stand guard over those who admire the lovely marshland scenery. The most popular trail to hike is the Hatomachitoge, as it is only a one-hour walk from the western end of the marshland. Visit in late May to early June to enjoy the famous white skunk cabbages as they bloom across Ozegahara. In July and August, the marshlands are painted a gentle yellow by the Nikko Kisuge flowers. And in September and October, the autumn colors bathe the marshland in bright gold and crimson.
Sazaedo is a Buddhist temple built in 1796. Its architecture is similar in shape to the shell of a horned turban (‘sazae’ in Japanese), hence its name "Sazaedo". The inside of the temple consists of a double-helix slope, meaning that visitors who come to pray will not meet anybody coming from the opposite direction. This one-way system makes Sazaedo extremely unique.In 1995, it was appointed as a National Important Cultural Property, and in 2018 it was showcased in Michelin Green Guide (1 star, interesting place to visit).
Kuimaru Elementary School is a historic Japanese school that was built during the Showa era of Japan, making it over 80 years old.In the 1980s, a modern elementary school was built nearby, leaving this old school house abandoned. Fortunately, this building was preserved and converted into a museum. It happens to be one of only a handful of old fashioned schools left standing in Japan.Here you can explore the old school grounds including a large ginkgo tree that is over 100 years old. A long standing symbol of the school, in Autumn (early to mid-November) the leaves turn a beautiful golden yellow, and when they fall, the school yard is carpeted in these golden leaves.The school building has undergone some light renovations, but the charm of this old building has been beautifully preserved. Inside the building, you can wander through the halls and explore the classrooms, sit at the little wooden desks, page through some old textbooks and imagine what it would have been like to be a student here around 80 years ago.After you explore the school, there is a café next door called “Soba Café SCHOLA” that serves 100% buckwheat noodles (soba noodles) as well as other dishes created with 100% buckwheat (soba) flour. These dishes are naturally gluten-free and delicious.
The rock slides caused by the steam eruption of Mt. Bandai in 1888 blocked countless rivers, and lead to the creation of over 300 lakes and ponds spread throughout the area. Lake Hibara is the largest of these lakes, and with a length of 10 km running along the ravine of the Hibara River, and a shoreline of 37 km, it is Japan's largest lake to be created by natural dams caused by a volcano eruption.Lake Hibara is now the focal point of tourism in the Urabandai region, and from rambling along sightseeing trails in summer to Japanese pond smelt fishing in the winter, there are countless ways for visitors to refresh and invigorate themselves. Guides are available with a reservation.
A lovely café deep located in Ouchi-juku, decorated with adorable items like okiagari-koboshi (traditional monk dolls) and Aizu-made decorated candles. In addition to yukimuro coffee (snow-cured coffee), they’ve put together an original menu full of locally produced drinks and sweets. Feel free to leisurely enjoy a coffee in Ouchi-juku.
This shop uses Aizu-grown peanuts in their delicious confectionery sweets. There’s a sampling corner for you to try their creations. Our top recommendation is the peanut soft-serve ice cream!
Although Fukushima is most famous for its sake distilleries, the Inawashiro Original Beer Brewery has a growing reputation among expats for its rich taste. The large beer hall here is well-located in central Inawashiro, close to the lake, allowing travellers a chance to sample the beer and German sausages. Views of Mt. Bandai from the second-floor restaurant hall are spectacular and unobstructed, making this an excellent stopping place on a longer journey.The beer at Inawashiro is made using the famously pure mountain spring waters of Mt. Bandai, combined with German wheat and hops for a unique taste you won't find anywhere else in Japan. A 5-drink sample set is available for new guests to try the range of the brewery's most popular five beers.There's also a shop downstairs selling Fukushima specialties and beers from the brewery, as well as souvenir stand where you can buy ice cream (including a beer-flavoured one!)The brewery shares parking with the World Glassware Hall, where visitors can try their hand at glass-blowing and etching. The Hideyo Noguchi Memorial Hall is also a short walk away.
The tradition of weaving ‘karamushi' (plant fiber from nettles, known as 'Ramie") has been handed down in Showa Village for generations. Learn more about this tradition at this facility, which house a shop selling locally-produced goods, and an area where you can try ramie weaving for yourself.