Aizu-Wakamatsu’s castle, the thatched post town of Ouchi-juku and the lakes and trails of Urabandai.
Fukushima is wide, with three distinct regions. Aizu in the west is the main sightseeing area; Koriyama on the Tohoku Shinkansen is the usual gateway.
JapaLens editorial guide · Read in about 5 minutesTsuruga-jo Castle has a red-tiled keep with a museum inside. Iimoriyama hill tells the story of the young Byakkotai samurai, and sake breweries offer tastings.
The Haikara-san and Akabe loop buses connect the station with the main sights.
Read this area guide →A former post town on an old trade road, with thatched-roof houses lining the main street. Many now serve soba eaten with a leek instead of chopsticks.
Reached from Yunokami-Onsen Station on the Aizu Railway by bus or taxi; check seasonal bus timetables.
Read this area guide →The Goshikinuma ponds shine in shades of blue and green along a flat trail of about 3.6 km. Lake Hibara and Lake Inawashiro are nearby.
Buses run from Inawashiro Station; autumn colours peak in mid to late October.
Read this area guide →An editorial route idea, not a timed tour. Adjust it for weather, opening days and your walking pace.
Visit Tsuruga-jo Castle in Aizu-Wakamatsu.
Lunch of wappa-meshi steamed rice.
Iimoriyama and a sake brewery tasting.
Overnight at Higashiyama Onsen near the city.
Try kozuyu soup, wappa-meshi, leek soba in Ouchi-juku, peaches in summer and Aizu sake.
Aizu-Wakamatsu has hotels near the station and hot-spring inns in Higashiyama Onsen. Urabandai has lakeside lodges.
Take the Tohoku Shinkansen to Koriyama, then the JR Ban-etsu West Line to Aizu-Wakamatsu. Ouchi-juku is on the Aizu Railway side.
