Onsen & Sightseeing in Aizu by Train

  • 6 destinations
  • Multi day

Jump start your vacation in Fukushima’s Aizu region with this multi-day tour, which can be enjoyed at any time of year. These ideas make for great additions to already existing plans, or as a tour of their own. No matter how you decide to use this itinerary, you won’t be disappointed. Travel by train and local bus, or taxi, to enjoy Aizu to the fullest.

Begin your adventure at Aizu-Wakamatsu Station (don’t forget to snap some pics of its bowing red akabeko cow out front) and use the local bus or taxi to make your way for Tsurugajo Castle. Walk through the gardens and grounds of this magnificent castle and marvel at the red-tile roof—the only one of its kind in all of Japan. Inside you can tour the castle keep and see the artifacts of Aizu, let history come to life before your eyes. From the castle, travel to Nanokamachi-dori Street; this quaint area has preserved its early-20th century architecture and is now home to souvenir boutiques and many diners and hidden gems. With that being enough for one day’s excitement, head over to Higashiyama Onsen and soak your travel aches away in the hot springs of Harataki ryokan, which even has its own hot spring source. You’ll love taking a dip in these hot, refreshing, and soothing waters—the outside open-air bath is especially recommended. The next day, why not head over to Ouchi-juku, here you can tour an authentic preserved Aizu village and try local cuisine. The whole area gets really busy in winter and, if you’re brave enough to face the cold, the snow festival is a popular event.
 

Start

Aizu-Wakamatsu Station

From Aizu-Wakamatsu Sta., it takes 30 min to reach Tsurugajo Castle by sightseeing loop bus, or around 12 min by taxi.

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Tsurugajo Castle

  • Aizu Area
  • 80

Tsurugajo Castle, also known as Aizu-Wakamatsu Castle, is arguably Tohoku’s most impressive castle. It's remembered for its role in Japan’s civil war, when it was one of the last remaining samurai strongholds. The castle was fully rebuilt in the 1960s and houses an interesting history museum within the keep. The grounds of Tsurugajo Castle are an excellent place to catch Tohoku’s cherry blossoms in mid-April, and the view from atop the outer walls is particularly impressive.

Tsurugajo Castle to Nanokamachi-dori Street takes 20 min by sightseeing loop bus, or 10 min by taxi.

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Nanokamachi-dori Street

  • Aizu Area
  • 60

This historic street in Aizu-Wakamatsu City is known for its traditional buildings, local crafts, and Japanese antique goods. This is a highly recommended location for souvenir shopping (yukata, kimono, etc.) and for those looking to get involved, you can paint your own candles or lacquerware, both popular crafts in the region.

From Nanokamachi-dori Street, reach Higashiyama Onsen in 40 min by sightseeing loop bus, or around 15 min by taxi.

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Higashiyama Onsen

  • Aizu Area

Harataki sits along the main road of the Higashiyama Onsen area.

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Harataki

  • Aizu Area

Take a bus from Higashiyama Onsen back to Aizu-Wakamatsu Sta. and travel to Yunokami Onsen Sta.; from there take the sightseeing bus to Ouchi-juku. The trips takes 2 hours.

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Ouchi-juku

  • Aizu Area
  • 90

Ouchi-juku’s rows of thatched-roof houses make up a rural backdrops that has been preserved since the Edo Period. Ouchi-juku Snow Festival 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.

Get back to Yunokami Onsen town from Ouchi-juku by bus (takes around 20 min).

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Yunokami Onsen

  • Aizu Area
  • 30

Yunokami Onsen is famous for having one of the only thatched roof station buildings in Japan. The hot spring area is fed from 8 source springs. Each ryokan (traditional Japanese inn) in the town draws its hot water directly from the source. The clear, transparent water is beloved for being soft and gentle on the skin.

It takes around 60 min to reach Aizu-Wakamatsu Sta. from Yunokami Onsen by train.

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Finish

Aizu-Wakamatsu Station

Other Trips

Inawashiro's Nature and Spirituality
Inawashiro's Nature and Spirituality
Nature

Inawashiro's Nature and Spirituality

Feeling a little tired of high-pace tours that are taking you this way and that? Why not slow down and enjoy the nature of Inawashiro and get in a side of spiritual cleansing while you’re at it? That’s exactly what this one-day side trip is for. Experience Inawashiro at a pace that suits you, during spring, summer, or autumn. You can travel minimally by train and bus to take away the stress of having to drive. Start out at Inawashiro Station and make your way to Lake Inawashiro. This lake is the 4th largest in Japan and its pristine, sparkling surface will definitely ease your worries away. Let yourself be transported into the heart of beautiful nature. Take advantage of everything that the lake has to offer; water sports, camping, and fishing are among the popular things to do here. So just relax and breathe in that fresh, crisp air. From Lake Inawashiro, gain even more solitude and clarity at Hanitsu Shrine. This beautiful shrine is especially lovely in autumn when the crimson leaves blanket the grounds. You’ll have an experience of introspection all to yourself as you walk the quiet shrine grounds.

A Day of Cherry Blossoms
A Day of Cherry Blossoms
Nature

A Day of Cherry Blossoms

Enjoy this day-long magical romp through springtime while you travel by train. Leave from the charming Fukushima Station and experience what the prefecture has to offer to lovers of nature and history. Bring your camera and your walking shoes and get ready for a day amongst the flowers of Fukushima. After leaving Fukushima Station, you’ll visit Hanamiyama. This springtime park paradise of flowers will leave you breathless from its beauty. You will fall in love with the hillsides colored in shades of pink, purple, and yellow. See the cherry trees in blossom, along with plum trees and forsythia trees with snow-capped mountains in the background. After Hanamiyama, travel to Nihonmatsu Castle for a time-traveling trip to the past. See the castle grounds and learn about the history of the area all while you enjoy the splendor of spring with the almost two thousand cherry trees in bloom. When you’ve had your fill of nature and history, use the train and head back to Nihonmatsu Station.  

Fun Hanami and Aquarium Day Trip With Kids in Iwaki City
Fun Hanami and Aquarium Day Trip With Kids in Iwaki City
Fun Hanami and Aquarium Day Trip With Kids in Iwaki City
Nature

Fun Hanami and Aquarium Day Trip With Kids in Iwaki City

Get the entire family on board for a fun one-day road trip!  Although this itinerary can be followed any time of the year, only if you do it sometime in early April you’ll get to enjoy the spectacular sight of the cherry blossoms against the pristine blue sea at Misaki Park.  Misaki Park, which you’ll visit in the morning, has a long slide and a playground area, as well as wide green hills for children to run and play. From there, it’s time for lunch at Iwaki Lalamew. This shopping complex has a food court where you can indulge in local seafood. There are play areas for children of different ages. Everyone in the family will find something to look forward to! The last stop will be Aquamarine Fukushima, a research aquarium where the little ones will get to meet their favorite marine animals. Apart from being a fun visit, they’ll definitely learn a lot!  Aquamarine Fukushima hosts many fun events. Be sure to check their website before your visit if you’d be interested in participating! The three locations are easily accessible by car and have parking areas available.

One-Day Sakura Hunting in Central Fukushima on the Tohoku JR Pass
One-Day Sakura Hunting in Central Fukushima on the Tohoku JR Pass
Nature

One-Day Sakura Hunting in Central Fukushima on the Tohoku JR Pass

This one-day cherry blossom hunting route will take you to two beautiful cherry blossom spots in the central area of Fukushima.  We recommend following this route around mid-April to see the blossoms at their fullest. You will start your trip from Fukushima Station, from where you’ll visit Hanamiyama park first thing in the morning. The great variety of flowers at the park (plum blossoms, cherry blossoms, magnolias, azaleas, etc.) means that the park can be enjoyed throughout the year, although it sees most of its visitors between end of March to early April, when the landscape of the delicate blossoms against the snow capped Mt. Azuma signals the beginning of the spring. This is a wide park and will possibly entail an hour-long hike, if not longer. Bearing this in mind, be sure to wear comfortable shoes and clothes. You’ll then go south to Shirakawa City, where you’ll be able to enjoy seeing delicate flowers against the elegant black-and-white Komine Castle. This itinerary is designed for holders of the Tohoku JR Pass, who will travel between destinations on ‘shinkansen’ bullet trains and local buses (the bullet train fare is covered by the Tohoku JR Pass; the fare for the local buses amounts to an additional fee of approx. 500 yen per person).

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