Tsurugajo Kaikan is a shopping complex next to Tsurugajo Castle.
Here you can try local cuisine, from Wappa Meshi and Sauce Katsudon, to soba noodles and Kitakata Ramen.
The French restaurant "Racines" is also on the premises, so that both Japanese and western-style cuisines can be enjoyed in one location. The restaurants have seating for approximately 1,000 guests.
The first floor contains a tax-free shop that sells local Aizu goods and souvenirs, from ready-to-cook Kitakata Ramen, soba noodles, Japanese pickles, and sweet treats, to traditional crafts like Akabeko lucky red cow.
You can even try painting your own Akabeko cow (a traditional folk toy which is said to bring luck), and take it home as a souvenir of your trip. Painting an Akabeko takes about 30 minutes, and a reservation is required for groups.
The parking area accommodates full-size buses as well as personal vehicles.
| Website | http://tsurukan.com/(Japanese) |
|---|---|
| Contact | Tsurugajo Kaikan (+81) 242-28-2288 turugajoukaikan@aizu-edoya.co.jp |
| Best Season | All Year |
| Opening Hours | 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (In Winter, Tsurugajo Kaikan closes at 4:00 PM) Open daily year-round Open daily year-round |
| Parking | Parking is available for up to 200 cars and 50 full-size buses (free for restaurant and store customers). |
| Access | 4-47 Oite-machi, Aizu-Wakamatsu City, Fukushima Pref. 965-0873 View directions |
|---|---|
| Getting there | By Car: 15 min drive from the Aizuwakamatsu I.C. exit off the Ban-etsu Expressway By Bus: Easily accessible from Aizu-Wakamatsu Station (JR Ban-etsu West Line) via the sightseeing loop bus. The bus takes around 15 min. The nearest stops on the "Haikara-san" loop bus route are Tsurugajo Kita-guchi (鶴ヶ城北口) and San-no-Maru (三ノ丸) . |
Ozegahara Marsh is a high-altitude marshland located in Oze National Park. This 8 square kilometer marshland is a popular hiking destination and is home to some rare plants, including white skunk cabbage, Nikko Kisuge, and Watasuge (a variant of cottongrass). Hiking trails at Ozegahara are well-maintained and used almost year-round for hikers, except in winter when the park is often closed due to snow. Being just 150 kilometers from Tokyo makes Ozegahara and the rest of Oze National Park a popular getaway from city life. Some people will even drive up early in the morning, hike the day away, and then return to Tokyo the same day. It’s admittedly a tough trip if you choose to do it all in one day. Instead, why not stay the night in one of the overnight lodgings and huts within the park grounds? There's also the option of staying at a minshuku (private homes that provide meals and lodging for tourists) in Hinoemata Onsen town. However you choose to travel to Ozegahara, you won’t be disappointed. The marshland has hundreds of small pools that are a beauty to admire. Two mountains, Shibutsusan and Mt. Hiuchigatake, almost seem to stand guard over those who admire the lovely marshland scenery. The most popular trail to hike is the Hatomachitoge, as it is only a one-hour walk from the western end of the marshland. Visit in late May to early June to enjoy the famous white skunk cabbages as they bloom across Ozegahara. In July and August, the marshlands are painted a gentle yellow by the Nikko Kisuge flowers. And in September and October, the autumn colors bathe the marshland in bright gold and crimson.
This shrine is dedicated to Masayuki Hoshina, who founded the Aizu Domain during the first half of the Edo Period. During the early Edo Period, Hoshima Masanobu – an ancestor of feudal lords from the Aizu Domain – was enshrined at Hanitsu Shrine. The grounds exude a holy atmosphere that can be felt throughout the shrine precincts. The 400 years of history held by this shrine, starting from the Edo Period, will surely be of interest to history enthusiasts and fans of the Aizu Domain alike. During the autumn, the grounds are covered with a gorgeous carpet of bright red leaves. Many tourists and photographers come to visit Hanitsu Shrine in Autumn to capture this scene in their photos.
Only a one-minute walk north of Kawageta Station (JR Ban-etsu West Line) is this beautiful 1 km-path along the banks of the Kannonji-gawa River. In the spring the path transforms into a spectacular tunnel of Yoshino cherry trees and weeping cherry trees. Kannonji-gawa River is perhaps the most fantastic place to see cherry blossoms in Fukushima Prefecture; the calming river and the lovely petals falling like snow are a sight that can’t be beat. The lush green bank contrasting with the pale pink blossoms creates an unforgettable scene. Altogether there are about 200 trees growing along the Kannonji-gawa River on both banks. Additionally, the river maintains its natural curves and bends as it hasn’t undergone any work to adapt its shape to the city surrounding it. It’s one of Fukushima’s most splendid and respected natural landscapes. Currently, the Kannonji-gawa River cherry trees rank number 11 of the best places to see cherry blossoms in the entire Tohoku region! While enjoying the delicate blossoms and the sweet, fresh air, visitors to Kannonji-gawa River can also enjoy some of the tasty food from street vendors available only during the cherry blossom season. We’d really recommend a springtime picnic right on the river bank with various yatai (food stand) delicacies. Be sure to come back during the evening when the trees are illuminated, and the river transforms into a magical dreamscape.
A mysterious caldera lake formed by a volcanic eruption around 5600 years ago. There are many tales about the history of Lake Numazawa that tell of the existence of a dragon in the lake. On the first Saturday and Sunday of August, Lake Numazawa Festival is held to celebrate as a way of renacting the legend of this dragon. The surrounding area also offers facilities such as the Kaneyama Fairy Art Museum and automobile camping sites.
A lovely restaurant where you can savor the flavors of handmade soba and coffee. This restaurant is commited to serving delicious, seasonal food. In summer, the noodles are made thinner. In winter, they’re made a bit thicker. You’ll be able to relish the stone-ground, handmade noodles. Their most popular topping for soba is their large umeboshi (sour pickled plums) from the Kishu Domain, which can be enjoyed as part of Ishiharaya's Grated Plum Soba dish.
This ramen shop has the characteristically simple flavors of Kitakata Ramen with their curly noodles. The Shokudo Hasegawa is one of the oldest ramen shops in Kitakata City. They use an original plump curly noodle with a satisfactory broth with flavors including soy sauce, salt, miso, and spicy miso.
In keeping with the architecture of Ouchi-juku, Misawaya soba restaurant was constructed with traditional thatched roofs. The Misawaya premises include three stores: a soba restaurant, a Japanese sake shop, and a teahouse. Misawaya soba restaurant is famous is their grated daikon soba, called Takato Soba, otherwise known as Negi-Soba (or "green onion soba"). Your chopsticks are replaced with a chopsticks!
Wakaki (若喜商店) is a shop specializing in soy sauce brewing and a historical warehouse in Kitakata City. Both the shop and the warehouse buildings have been recognized for their unique architectural value, and were both designated Tangible Cultural Properties. The original brick warehouse was built in 1904, and was used both as a residence (second floor) and as a warehouse, as well as a place to entertain guests. An interesting feature of the building is its fusion of styles: from the outside it has a strikingly Western appearance with a brick facade, but the interior is built in Japanese-style with tatami floors. The wood used for the pillars and the main table was sourced from a very rare persimmon tree. The building uses a unique construction method to make it resistant to earthquakes.Founded in 1755, Wakaki brews both soy sauce and dashi sauce using traditional methods and locally sourced ingredients. You can get your hands on these unique artisanal products at the gift shop.The shop building, built in 1931, is also made from the same wood as the warehouse. From spring to autumn (usually from April to November), a gift store called “Showa Kan” inside the building complex sells rare vintage relics from Japan, like toys, collectable items and postcards. The shop is closed during winter.The shop also offers ‘akabeko’ painting experiences, in which you can paint your own akabeko (Fukushima’s lucky red cow) by reservation only (please contact the store directly for more information regarding this experience).Read more information about Kitakata’s kura warehouses here.
