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 |
| Best Season | All Year |
| Opening Hours | 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (In Winter, Tsurugajo Kaikan closes at 4:00 PM)<br>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) . |
This museum introduces the eruption of Mt. Bandai, and uses large sized models and "body sonic" facilities to give a simulated experience of the eruption in 1888 of Mt. Bandai. The plants and animals that live around Mt. Bandai are introduced using a diorama, and nature observation meetings are held several times a year. This museum has wheelchair access and bathroom facilities.The museum is across the road from Mt. Bandai 3D World, and a combined entrance ticket is available for the two facilities.
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.
Over the course of the year, Kaneyama Fureai Hiroba Viewpoint greets visitors with views of atmospheric fog rising above the Tadami River, mountains frosted with snow or painted with autumn leaves, all surrounding the Oshi Shuraku district of traditional houses.
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.
Close to Kitakata station is Yamatogawa Brewery. This brewery was built in 1790 in the Edo Era, and has been producing sake ever since. The famous sake cultivated at this brewery is made using the clear, mountain water from Mt Iide.Another important component of Yamatogawa Brewery’s sake is the use of high-quality, carefully cultivated rice. This rice is grown in Yamatogawa Brewery’s own rice fields, and from the fields of selected local farming families. Next door to the brewery is the Northern Museum – where old earthen storehouses built during the Edo Era have been opened up to the public. Here you can learn about how the sake-making process has changed since the Edo period. Tours and sake tasting available for free.
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.
Fruit Land Kita-Aizu is the name of the JA Aizu West Agriculture Center. Fruit Land Kita-Aizu serves as a local hub giving information on a number of nearby orchards in Kita-Aizu Town, Aizu-Wakamatsu City. The orchards that make up Fruit Land Kita-Aizu provide visitors with delicious fruit-picking experiences, which can be tried throughout the year. Please enjoy the delicious fruit that Aizu has to offer, and take in the beauty of its nature at the same time.
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.
