Winter in Showa Village wouldn’t be complete without heavy snowfall – every year around 2 meters of snow piles in the village! Showa Village’s local people has adapted their way of working around the harsh conditions of winter over the generations by utilizing the long winter months to create crafts from weaving thread made of ramie (made from nettles). This photo shows an important part of this process – the bleaching of the fabric. Visitors can even experience making coasters made from ramie using traditional methods at Orihime Koryukan Building, located at Michi-no-Eki Karamushi Ori-no-Sato (Roadside Station)!
The date of the 2021 Karamushi Ori-no-Sato Festival will be at the end of February 2021, and is currently being decided.
| Website | http://showavill.info/events/(Japanese) |
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| Access | Michi-no-Eki Karamushiori-no-sato Showa (Roadside Station), 1 Uenohara, Sakuara, Showa Village, Onuma-gun, Fukushima Pref. 968-0215 View directions |
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| Getting there | By Car: 35 min by taxi or rental car from Aizu-Tajima Station (Aizu Railway) By Bus: 35 min by bus from JR Aizu Kawaguchi Station (JR Tadami Line) |
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.
Suzutake workshop tours began in the 1950s as a way of providing families with a chance to learn about the history and artistry of lacquerware. Even today, visitors are able to actually see artisans at work at three key stages of the Aizu lacquerware making process: 1) applying a base layer of unrefined lacquer or astringent liquid to wood; 2) adding additional layers of lacquer in a desired style, and 3) adding hand-drawn delicate designs ('makie') using either colored lacquer or gold and silver power (a technique called 'Sunken gold makie'). Visitors can also take part in a makie-painting experience.
Local farmers and agricultural associations offer a variety of authentic agricultural experiences, and are all waiting to provide you an unforgettable experience with a range of activities tailored for families, friends, schools, and company outings. Visitors can join farmers for a one-day farm experience, while taking in the beautiful nature of the Aizu region.
Every year on January 7, the Naked Man Festival (Nanokado Hadaka Mairi) is held at Enzoji Temple, Yanaizu Town. During this traditional event - which draws many tourists every year - local men clad in loincloths make the challenging climb of 113 steps to Enzoji Temple, where they climb to the top of the temple via a long rope. Members of the public can participate, although registration in advance 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 illness, 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.
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.
Urabandai Night Fantasy Snow Festival is held in the mid-February every year at the very scenic Renge Pond. Come to Urabandai next February to enjoy firework displays and picturesque sights of this beautiful area lit up with candles.
Ouchi-juku’s rows of thatched-roof houses (which date back to the Edo Period) are transformed into a winter wonderland during Ouchi-juku Snow Festival, which takes place every February. Bright white snow falls and slowly builds up, as candles burn bright in snow lanterns, bathing the old post town in warm light. Various events are held during the two-day festival, the highlight being the flaming torch parade and fireworks on the first evening.The 2026 festival will be held Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th February, 2026.The schedule for last year can be found on the Ouchi-juku Tourism Association website in Japanese, or as below in English. Although this is last year's schedule, the 2026 schedule is identical -- only the dates are different.Getting to Ouchi-juku BY LOCAL TRAIN & BUS 2025:Full-size PDFs of the bus scheduleFull-size PDFs of the bus schedule