Oze Hinoemata Onsen has hot springs fed to every household, as well as bathing facilities run by the village for day visits. Aruza Oze no Sato, Hiuchi no Yu, Koma no Yu are all names of hot spring establishments in the town.
Hinoemata area is also famous for Kabuki, a form of traditional performing art in Japan. Traditional Kabuki performances with a rich history dating from the Edo Period are still performed to this day on Hinoemata's kabuki stage, which is over 250 years old. There are three performances per year (May 12, August 18, and the first Saturday of September).
Explore historical and cultural treasures such as the kabuki stage, the unique shrine featuring a stone statue of Hashiba-no-Banba, itakura (wooden storehouses), the six jizo statues, and the Hinoemata Folk Village by foot. Make sure to try Hinoemata area's 'Yamodo Cuisine': a characteristic cuisine centered on 100% buckwheat noodles, which features dishes such as 'Hatto soba' and rice cakes.
Visitors can also enjoy walking and fishing at Hinoemata Mini Oze Park, a spacious park which comes to life with bright colours throughout the year as various flowers take turns to bloom.
Oze Hinoemata Onsen is at the gateway to Oze National Park, making it as a base for hiking around Ozegahara Marsh, and for climbing mountains such as Mt. Hiuchigatake, Aizu Komagatake, Teishakuzen, and Tashiroyama.
| Website | http://www.oze-info.jp.e.ts.hp.transer.com/spa/ |
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| Contact | Oze Hinoemata Onsen Tourism Association (+81) 241-75-2432 (no foreign language support) info@oze-info.jp |
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| Parking | Available |
| Accommodation details | Pets: Not allowed |
| Access | 887-1 Shimonohara, Hinoemata, Minamiaizu District, Fukushima Pref. 967-0525 View directions |
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| Getting there | By Car: 2 hours from Nishinasuno-Shiobara I.C. exit off the Tohoku Expressway By Train: 70 min bus ride from Aizukogen-Ozeguchi Station on the Aizu Railway Line and Aizu Kinugawa Line |
Visitors can taste and purchase sake made at Aizu Homare, one of Tohoku's most popular sake breweries. After learning about how sake is made on a brewery tour, visitors can discover their new favorite drink by sampling over 10 kinds of fresh refined sake, liqueur, and shochu. The brewery grounds also contain a vast Japanese garden, which can be explored by visitors. A video of the sake-making process is available to watch on request.
The breeze from the nearby Lake Inawashiro, seasonal flowers, and art displays of the Inawashiro Herb Garden await your visit!The outdoor garden area is around 100,000 square meters and is filled with various herbs, flowers, and plants that bloom at different times on the year, creating a unique visitor experience that changes with the seasons. The park has around 500 varieties or herbs, flowers, and plants including lavender, mint, chamomile, nanohana blossoms, poppies, sunflowers, cosmos, and kochia! There is an indoor greenhouse area, so, even on rainy days, visitors have plenty of greenery and flowers to see! In addition to the herbs, flowers, and plants you will also find seasonal decorations and original art displays that are created and updated for guests to enjoy.The outdoor garden area of the Inawashiro Herb Garden also features 5 m-tall wooden statues carved by a Canadian artist, Glen Greenside. The 12 statues, one for each zodiac sign, were carved over the course of twelve years as part of a now-discontinued annual chainsaw festival that took place at the garden.Inside, at the shop, visitors can find products and snacks that are made from various herbs and flowers.
The World Glassware Hall is located at the foot of Mt. Bandai, by the side of Lake Inawashiro.About 25,000 handmade glassware items, imported directly from countries all over the world, are exhibited and sold at the World Glassware Hall. You can even try your hand at glass etching, or glass blowing.Next to the Glassware Hall is the Inawashiro Original Beer Brewery and a sweets shop. Local Inawashiro beer has received the gold prize in an international beer competition, and can be purchased on site. In the sweets shop, you can try a line up of famous local delicacies.
The Fukushima Prefectural Museum (Fukushima Museum) [福島県立博物館] is in Aizu-Wakamatsu City, about a ten-minute walk (750 m) from Tsurugajo Castle. The museum covers the history of Fukushima prefecture from the primitive age through modern times with exhibitions of historical items, relics, scale models, and replicas of objects of historical significance.Its general exhibition is divided into six parts and explains the history of the area in chronological order. Starting with archaeological findings from the Glacial Age, the formation of the Japanese islands, and the first settlements (all covered in the Primitive Age section), the exhibits show the cultural developments and the evolving way of life through to modern times. The last exhibit, ‘Fukushima and its Nature’, details the prefecture’s ecosystems and how they have been impacted by natural disasters through the years.The museum also has departmental exhibition rooms that focus on Fukushima’s geological features and folk culture.Visitors can ask for an English guidebook at the entrance, which contains explanations of most items on exhibit. Information in English, Chinese, and Korean is displayed on some screen panels at the museum.The museum also houses a tea room, the Prefectural Museum Tea Room ‘Tsukinai’, that serves lunch and a variety of drinks. To the right of the main entrance is a recreational room for children. The room has a tatami area, children’s books, wooden toys, and decorations in traditional Aizu momen (cotton) textiles, which give it a unique, warm feel. Throughout the year, several special events and activities for children are hosted in this space.
Established over 1,300 years ago, Higashiyama Onsen is a well-known retreat area in Aizu-Wakamatsu City. The recognized historical onsen town is said to have been founded by the Buddhist priest Gyōki. According to legend, he found the area by following a bird with three legs, an auspicious and mystical omen. The area was popular with people from all over Aizu during the Edo Period and was developed as a retreat area. Today it is listed among the top three onsen towns of old Tohoku. Being only 10 minutes by car from the heart of Aizu-Wakamatsu City, visitors are sure to enjoy their time at Higashiyama Onsen.The traditional Japanese ryokan (inns) of Higashiyama Onsen line both sides of the Yukawa River, giving the area a picturesque air. Let your mind and body relax in the warm sodium-sulphate waters and clean, crisp air. A visit in autumn treats ryokan and hotel guests to the fantastic experience of bathing in a hot springs while viewing autumn leaves.The ryokan in the area are a mix of modern and traditional, perfect to suit any taste. For sightseeing, there are plenty of shops and restaurants in the area for you to enjoy local goods and cuisine. Moreover, staying in Higashiyama Onsen is a great option for those who would like to sightsee in Aizu-Wakamatsu. Higashiyama Onsen is also home to geigi (geisha), whose traditions have been passed down through the generations. If you make a reservation, you can watch them perform. These classically trained entertainers are skilled in song, dance, and music. Their breathtaking performances reflect historical ballads and stories—the tale of the Byakkotai is especially popular. It is the tragic story of teenage samurai who committed ritual suicide at Mt. Iimoriyama.
Tokusa Onsen derives its name from the tokusa (common horsetail plant) which is abundant in the region. It was discovered as a hot spring source approximately 1000 years ago, and has long been known as "Aizu's hidden hot spring". In the public stone outdoor bath, where the hot spring rises directly from the riverbed, you can heal your heart and body while listening to the soft murmuring of the clear stream, which has been unchanged for ages. There are more than 16 ryokan inns and pensions dispersed throughout the Tokusa Onsen region, and it is widely known as the "hamlet of the hidden hot spring". You can take a tip in the stone public bath 24 hours a day, but please be mindful that onsen use is not segregated by gender, nor is it shut off from public view! Not for the faint of heart.
Yanaizu is a rural temple town that has flourished thanks to the renowned Enzoji Temple.Many lodges were built in Yanaizu Town for travelers taking part in temple pilgrims. Many of these lodges have been repurposed as onsen ryokan inns.Yanaizu Town is now the largest onsen town on the Tadami River. Visitors come from far and wide to be enchanted by the fine river mists found on the Tadami River in the early summer, and the brilliantly-colored leaves in the autumn.See here for a English information pamphlets provided by Yanaizu Town.
A hot spring region in the Urabandai area where you can intimately feel the changing of the four seasons. There are many outdoor baths and onsens with spectacular views, allowing you to wash away the fatigue of daily life and be healed amidst abundant nature. From the outdoor bath at the Grandeco Resort, you can enjoy a garden of verdant green in the summer, and a pristine landscape of snow in the winter, along with a clear, star-filled night sky.