Karamushi Ori-no-Sato Snow Festival

Karamushi Ori-no-Sato Snow Festival

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.

Venue Details

Venue Details
Websitehttp://showavill.info/events/(Japanese)
Best Season
  • Winter
Access Details
AccessMichi-no-Eki Karamushiori-no-sato Showa (Roadside Station), 1 Uenohara, Sakuara, Showa Village, Onuma-gun, Fukushima Pref. 968-0215
View directions
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)

Nearby

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Tsukimigaoka Chomin Center

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.

The World Glassware Hall
Cultural Experiences

Mitsutaya

Mitsutaya is a speciality restaurant with roots dating back to the end of the Edo Period (around 1835). The restaurant is situated in a renovated miso storehouse. It is therefore fitting that the restaurant is famous for a local Aizu meal called 'miso dengaku'. Miso dengaku refers to skewered vegetables and meat which are topped with a miso paste before being cooked over an open flame. The skewers are cooked one by one. Skewer ingredients include konjac, deep-fried tofu, sticky, savory rice balls called 'shingoro mochi', and more. Each small dish is coated in miso for an unforgettable and savory flavor.  

The World Glassware Hall
Cultural Experiences

Mitsuishi Shrine (Three Stones Shrine)

The Mitsuishi Shrine (Three Stones Shrine) is located a short 10-minute walk from Tadami Station in Tadami Town. Ichinoiwa, Ninoiwa and Saniwa are the three large stones that have spritual significance.  Ichinoiwa (the first stone) is thought to improve intelligence, Ninoiwa (the second stone) is thought to improve eyesight, and Saniwa (the third stone) is thought to improve connections with others, particularly romantic love. The Saniwa is a popular place to visit for those who are hoping to get married someday. To reach the shrine there is a short hike through dense forest, so it is recommended that visitors wear shoes that are easy to walk in.

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