Aizu momen (Aizu cotton) products are still greatly valued for their high quality and their traditional manufacturing techniques. The Yamada Momen Orimoto Company dates back to the start of the Edo Period (1603-1868). Aizu momen (cotton) has been produced here for over 400 years.
Everything produced at Yamada Momen is made using the same techniques that have been practiced here for over 100 years, and the machinery is also old. Visitors are free to take a look around the cotton mill floor. The establishment also includes a small shop in the main office building.
| Website | http://aizu.com/org/aizu/yamada/index.html |
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| Contact | Yamada Momen Orimoto (+81) 242-22-1632 |
| Best Season | All Year |
| Opening Hours | 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM Closed on Sat. and Sun. between December and March |
| Parking | Available (Space for 3 cars) |
| Entrance Fee | Free to visit |
| Related info | There are no English signs inside the cotton mill. |
| Access | Nanokamachi 11-5, Aizu-Wakamatsu City, Fukushima Pref. 965-0044 View directions |
|---|---|
| Getting there | By Car: 10 min from the Aizu-Wakamatsu I.C. exit off the Ban-etsu Expressway By Train: 15 min walk from Aizu-Wakamatsu Sta. |
This museum is dedicated to the works of the world-renowned woodblock print artist Kiyoshi Saito. Housing a collection of 850 of his works, including his well-known series 'Aizu no Fuyu (Winter in Aizu)', the museum also holds four special exhibitions a year with about 90 works displayed on each occasion.
Among the simple color palette of Ouchi-juku, Honke Kanouya will draw your eyes with their brightly-colored collection of goods. Lining the store front is a wide assortment of items like vegetable-shaped beanbags to ornaments to decorations to fabric accessories. All these crafts are handmade. The eye-catching goods make great souvenirs for family and friends alike! Recommended items include the Aizu-made fabric accessories and selected seasonal vegetables beanbags.
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.
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.
Be transported back to the elegant Taisho Period at Kitakata’s Mitsuya District. Kitakata is famous as being a town of charming red brick kura (Japanese warehouses). The rich texture and distinctive color of the warehouse bricks are an integral part of Kitakata’s townscape. In the year Meiji 23 (1890), the connecting kilns of Mitsuya District were opened. As well as roof tiles, bricks made here were also painted a deep red color, giving the area a unique atmosphere and classic scenery. The area was registered as an Industrial Modernization Heritage Site by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. The large red brick climbing kiln, located inside the Wakana Family's home, is truly a sight to behold. This district has even been written about on the Michelin Travel website.
Established in 1993, Kitakata Kura no Sato is a base for passing down the cultural tradition of building kura (traditional warehouses) and magariya (L-shaped houses), which are valuable parts of the lifestyle heritage of the Kitakata area.Ten traditional-style buildings stand within this 4,500 square-meter area. These include a mise-gura (a kura used as a shop), a miso-gura (kura for preserving miso paste), a kokumotsu-gura (a kura for storing grain), and a kura-zashiki (a kura used as a residence), as well as the residences of local officials (Go-gashira and Kimoiri) constructed around a courtyard.The landscape with its old warehouses and residences induces a sense of nostalgia in the minds of Japanese people. Each of the warehouses also serves as an exhibition space for various resources on different themes: stencils for Aizu dyeing; a photo gallery exhibiting the works of Minoru Kaneda, who introduced Kitakata to outsiders as the town of kura; Iwako Uryu, a social worker during the Meiji Period; Monzo Hasunuma, the leader of a youth movement group called Shuyodan; and the Kitakata Incident, which took place in the midst of the democratic movement during the Meiji Period. Visitors can also acquire background knowledge here before going on a tour to see the many kura that are dotted around the city of Kitakata.
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.
The Showa Nostalgia Museum (or 'Natsukashi-kan') is a museum in Aizu-Wakamatsu dedicated to the Showa period of Japanese history, 1926-1989. The museum features goods spanning the period and includes several rooms perfectly recreating the style that would have been common generations ago.The walls are plastered with classic movie posters and the shelves are heaving with old toys and model figurines. There is also a small shop at the front desk selling snacks and small ornaments.