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) |
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| Contact | Shimogo Town Tourism Association (+81) 241-69-1144 |
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| Access | Nakayama Flower Park, Shimota 3, Nakayama, Shimogo Town, Minamiaizu District, Fukushima Pref. 969-5325 View directions |
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| 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) |
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.
Bookings for the akabeko painting can be made on the official reservation page.What is 'Akabeko'?The akabeko legend started at Enzoji Temple in Yanaizu Town, in the Aizu region. The construction of this temple began in the year 807, but due to a huge earthquake at the end of the seventeenth century, it had to be repaired in 1617. It was during the reconstruction of the temple that the akabeko became a folk legend.It is said that moving the wood and other supplies necessary for the reconstruction work was incredibly difficult because materials had to be transported from various villages upstream of the Tadami River. The materials were heavy and the journey to the temple was long. Cattle were used to transport materials, but many struggled to bear their loads.Then, out of nowhere, appeared a cow with a red coat. (It should be noted that, in the past, the word ‘red’ was used to describe the color ‘brown’, so it is likely that it was a brown cow.) The red cow supported the other cows and helped the priests who were constructing the temple until it was completed. Then, it suddenly vanished.'Akabeko' means 'red cow' in the local dialect.A number of statues of the cow were built inside the temple grounds so that the people of Yanaizu could express their gratitude to the akabeko.In the years following, there was a range of legends about the akabeko, with stories such as families who owned akabeko being rid of sickness upon stroking the cows. They continued to hold their status of bringers of good luck and strength. Families bought or made akabeko toys for their young children to play with.Akabeko Painting ExperiencesIn recent history, the Aizu tradition of painting akabeko began. It is said that this tradition started as something to do for children visiting Aizu-Wakamatsu City as part of school trips. This was when the story of the Akabeko evolved once more, into its newest papier-mâché form. The stripes on the face and back of the papier-mâché Akabeko are said to represent strength and perseverance.There are a number of workshops in Aizu-Wakamatsu City where you can paint your own Akabeko. Most workshops offer the standard red, white, and black paint. These talismans for good health make very cute and lightweight souvenirs to take home for family and friends – or keep for yourself! Those who prefer to buy a ready-painted Akabeko will be able to find it at most souvenir shops.BookingIf you would like to book an akabeko painting experience at the Tsurugajo Kaikan (a shopping complex located next to Tsurugajo Castle), please access this page.
The Tradition of Aizu lacquerware in Fukushima Prefecture has continued for 400 years. Try out creating a design on Aizu Lacquerware with a technique called Chinkin ("Sunken-gold") at Tsunoda Lacquer Art Studio. Sketch your design on tracing paper, and then mark it onto the lacqerware with a needle. Tsunoda san will help you fill the grooves created by your needle with gold and silver powder to create your design. Alternatively, try painting your own design on Aizu lacquerware at the studio. Either experience will create a great souvenir of your trip in Japan. These experiences take about an hour.
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
Lake Numazawa Festival is held on the first Saturday and Sunday of August every year at Lake Numazawa in Kaneyama Town. It is said that over 800 years ago, a man killed a giant snake (dragon) that lived at the bottom of Lake Numazawa in order to protect Kaneyama Town. Over the course of the 2 days, local people act out this folktale at the lakeside. Come and visit to enjoy some local shows, watch firework displays on the Saturday night, and swim in the lake!As a rough framework, fireworks typically launch around 8pm on the Saturday night, coinciding with the arrival of the great snake, and the samurai warriors arrive to perform around 12pm (noon) on the Sunday.Visitors arriving by car should park according to instructions from staff in the large auxiliary car park - this is close enough to the lake to be a short walk, but shuttle buses also run regularly between the two locations, the journey taking about 2-3mins.
This festival - recognised as a Significant Intangible Folk Cultural Asset - has a history of over 800 years and is held over three days (22-24 July) every year. The highlight of the festival is watching a procession of women dressed in beautiful traditional Japanese wedding apparel, making their way to the shrine at the heart of the town. This takes place on the morning of 23 July.In the afternoons and evenings, floats are marched through the streets bearing local schoolchildren performing traditional kabuki theatre.
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:Getting to Ouchi-juku BY LOCAL TRAIN & BUS 2025:Full-size PDFs of the bus scheduleFull-size PDFs of the bus schedule
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!)