Nakayama Setsugekka Snow Festival is held every year on the third Saturday of February. The contrast between the snow, moon and candlelight, which becomes greater as the dark of the night deepens, creates a radiant and magical atmosphere. The views to be enjoyed at Nakayama during festival time are so special that Nakayama has been designated as one of Japan's Night View Heritage Sites.
| Website | https://www.town.shimogo.fukushima.jp/ibentorisuto/760.html(Japanese) |
|---|---|
| Contact | Shimogo Town Tourism Association (+81) 241-69-1144 |
| Best Season |
|
| Access | Nakayama Flower Park, Shimota 3, Nakayama, Shimogo Town, Minamiaizu District, Fukushima Pref. 969-5325 View directions |
|---|---|
| Getting there | By Car: 1 hour drive from central Aizu-Wakamatsu City. Please use the parking lot at Ouchi-juku, and take a shuttle bus to the festival venue from there. By Train: 30 min by shuttle bus from Yunokami Onsen Station (Aizu Railway 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
When visiting Tsurugajo Castle, remember to check out the Rinkaku Tea Ceremony Room, which is situated inside the castle grounds. The beautiful Japanese garden surrounding the tea room is well worth a visit. What's more, you can enjoy traditional Japanese matcha tea together with a seasonal treat, all while looking out at the fantastic foliage of the garden.
You can now try on yukata or kimono at Tsuruga Kimono Rental Shop, which opened in April 2019. Tsuruga Kimono Rental Shop is located on the second floor of Tsurugajo Kaikan, which is right next to Tsurugajo Castle in Aizu-Wakamatsu City. Rent a kimono or yukata and take photos with friends and family in front of the castle, or venture a bit further to the historical Nanokamachi-dori Street to feel like you have stepped back in time. Come and make some great memories in Aizu-Wakamatsu City!
Experience canoeing at Lake Hibara, one of Urabandai’s largest lakes! Outdoor Sports Club Bacss offers a range of fun tours and activities centred around Lake Hibara that you can join with family and friends, including trekking, canoeing and fishing.
The festival was held on Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th February, 2026.Snow sculptures big and small take center stage at this exciting, local snow festival. Try out local cuisine and browse traditional locally-made crafts at the Tadami Furusato Snow Festival. As night closes in, the snow sculptures are dramatically lit up. They look even more fantastic when surrounded with the light of the fireworks display that is held on Saturday and Sunday evening.On the Saturday evening, there is a cleansing ritual held for people in their 'unlucky' years, such as 25 and 42 for men, or 19, 33 or 37 for women. Men in loincloths run around being slapped on the back for good luck by visitors, before lighting great bonfires that guests use to roast mochi. With stage shows, snow sculptures, projection mapping and fireworks, this is a great event for families in the heart of a beautiful region of rural Japan.
Mishima no Sainokami, which takes place annually on January 15, is held in order to bring prosperity to local people, and to give locals the opportunity to pray for a good harvest and the safety of their family. This festival has been designated as a nationally-recognised Important Cultural Property.
The miko dance at Bandai Shrine is a traditional sacred performance passed down through generations in Bandai Town. It's performed as part of the wider Funahiki Festival, held on the spring equinox in March, which is a ritual to divine the year’s harvest. The dance itself is deeply connected to local beliefs and has long been preserved as a ceremonial offering to the gods.The dance is performed primarily by young girls, ranging from kindergarten age to junior high school students. They carry out the ritual movements in front of the shrine, to a musical accompaniment of drums and flutes. This intergenerational participation plays an important role in preserving the tradition and passing it down within the community.The performance consists of three distinct dances: the Sakaki Dance, the Bow Dance, and the Sword Dance. Each uses different ritual objects and has its own meaning and choreography. For example, dancers hold sacred sakaki branches, bows and arrows, or swords depending on the piece, reflecting ancient ceremonial practices that have been maintained over time. The dances are usually divided by age group.Typically performed by a group of four dancers, the choreography incorporates circular formations and flowing movements. Its style is considered somewhat unique, bearing closer resemblance to older forms of court or ritual dance than to more commonly seen shrine dances. Although its precise origins are unclear, it remains an important and protected element of the area’s intangible cultural heritage.The 'funahiki' tug-of-war event is open to anyone - please apply by 1pm before the contest starts at 2pm - and takes place shortly after the dancing is complete.The shrine is just down the road from the beautiful Enichiji Temple, although entry to the deepest part of the temple is typically restricted until the start of April.
Held every year on July 2, the Ouchi-juku Hange Matsuri (‘mid-summer festival’) is a charming festival with hundreds of years of tradition behind it. The festival takes place at the traditional Edo period post town of Ouchi-juku, about 40 minutes south of Aizu-Wakamatsu City. It features a vivid parade featuring men in black eboshi caps carrying around the mikoshi (portable shrine), as well as the famous red-faced Tengu, supernatural creatures seen as spiritual guardians.Originally held to venerate the spirit of Prince Mochihito, an emperor’s son said to have taken refuge here after the Genpei War, the festival is now a broader community event that prays for household safety and strong harvests.Blessings are invoked at 12:00pm at Takakura Shrine, with the parade starting from 12.30pm and winding its way slowly through the village until about 3pm. They take breaks at several points, so it’s even possible to duck into a nearby soba restaurant for lunch. (A great time to try negi-soba, the Ouchi-juku speciality of soba eaten with a long onion!)