Travel Fukushima Japan

28/02/2025

As Japan’s third-largest prefecture, Fukushima is huge, which means heading from the east coast to the western mountains almost feels like travelling to a different country entirely. Fortunately, that also means an abundance of beautiful natural scenery, whether you’re looking to see the towering cliffs in Naraha Town or the striking snowy views at the Kaneyama Fureai Hiroba viewpoint.

Meanwhile, Fukushima has nearly twenty ski resorts spread throughout the prefecture, with several resorts nestled in the scenic Inawashiro region, and more in the Minami-Aizu and Oku-Aizu areas. These shots were taken at Grandeco, a resort where you can ski on to the slopes direct from the hotel!

❄️ For more information on the top three ski resorts in Fukushima:
https://fukushima.travel/blogs/fukushimas-big-three-ski-resorts--and-how-to-get-there/165

⛷️ Every Fukushima ski resort on one list:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/KPnwQWSaxrUq8dTc9

19/02/2025

Incredible festivals, heavy snowfall, powdery ski runs and hearty local dishes to warm the soul - winter is a great time to visit Fukushima! But uhh bring several coats

Some of the sights of winter 2025:
🥶 The 7th Jan Naked Shrine Visit in Yanaizu
⬅️➡️ Aizu-Bange’s Bale-Pulling Festival
❄️ Ouchi-juku Snow Festival
⛷️ Ski resorts: Grandeco, Inawashiro & Nekoma Mountain
🦢 Shidahama shoreline of Lake Inawashiro
🚂 Yunokami Onsen & To-no-hetsuri Stations
🎨 Takashiba Deko Yashiki Artisan Village
🐟 Hamayaki (grilled seafood) at Isamiya Ryokan
🍜 Yamajio ‘mountain salt ramen’ at Gold House Meguro

Roads are regularly cleared during snow season, but given Fukushima’s massive size, some rural areas can become unsafe, so check roads before you travel and drive carefully! I’ve used the Y!カーナビ app in the past but Google Maps is usually pretty sound

More details in our full winter guide:
https://fukushima.travel/blogs/a-complete-guide-to-visiting-fukushima-during-winter/132

Fukushima’s Big Three Ski Resorts
https://fukushima.travel/blogs/fukushimas-big-three-ski-resorts--and-how-to-get-there/165

#大内宿 #祭り

10/02/2025

The Ouchi-juku Snow Festival takes place in early February every year, when the thatched roofs of the former samurai post town are inundated with snow.

It’s a community-focused event that encourages visitors to join in, from yosakoi (dancing) and taiko (drumming) performances to soba-eating contests and snacks thrown from rooftops. The festival concludes with a flaming torch parade carried by men in loincloths and a fireworks display. There’s also a variety of food stalls and shops selling folk art or snacks.

This year the event was hit by heavy snowfall across the Aizu region, causing personnel issues for the taiko and yosakoi groups, but there was still a strong turnout to watch the performances.

Looking to go next year? Here’s some tips I picked up this weekend:
🚗 The closest parking areas can get crowded, so it’s best to get there early for a shorter walk.
🚂 Trains and buses were heavily disrupted and even cancelled due to snow.
🍙 Stock up before you hit the Yunokami Onsen area! The conbinis got pretty busy and there’s only a few.
🕛 The festival gets started at 12pm noon with an event putting lil mochi balls on a tree (good for kids!)
📷 The best photo spot, at the shrine overlook, was inaccessible due to snow, so the next-best spot was by the Asanuma Shokudo (restaurant) at the end of the street.
​⛄ Bring snow boots! I left mine on the east coast like an idiot and had to glue together my old ones with duct tape from the conbini

#大内宿

More details for this winter’s festivals:
https://fukushima.travel/blogs/fukushimas-winter-festivals-details-and-dates-for-2025/164

04/02/2025

Sights from along the Aizu Line this winter ❄️

We ventured out into a classic Minami-Aizu mid-January blizzard to get our eyes on some of the prettiest winter scenery in Fukushima Prefecture. The Aizu Line runs from Aizu-Wakamatsu City down into the wooded mountains in the south of the prefecture, stopping at Yunokami Onsen (closest stop for Ouchi-juku) and To-no-hetsuri (home of the cliffs in the fourth picture).

The train also stops at Aizu-Tajima Station, where travellers can take the Aizu Revaty express service straight to Asakusa Station in Tokyo.

This weekend is the Ouchi-juku Snow Festival (8th and 9th), so keep in mind the trains may be crowded! For more details, see the Fukushima Travel website for bus and train schedules.
https://fukushima.travel/destination/ouchi-juku-snow-festival/204

31/01/2025

The beautiful post town of Ouchi-juku is the most visited spot in the Aizu region, especially in winter when its thatched roofs are covered in a thick blanket of snow. This was once a rest stop for samurai commuting between Tokyo (then Edo) and the northern fortress of Tsurugajo Castle, and it looks almost the same as it did back then.

There are several traditional restaurants in town where visitors can try the famous negi-soba (eaten with a long onion instead of chopsticks!) and stalls selling snacks and souvenirs.

Despite its tranquil atmosphere, Ouchi-juku will be thriving next weekend, February 8 & 9, for the yearly Ouchi-juku Snow Festival. The festival is famous throughout the region for its wide gamut of events, among them soba-eating contests, taiko drumming, yosakoi dancing and a fireworks display.

Looking for more information about the schedule and access? Check out our dedicated page:
https://fukushima.travel/destination/ouchi-juku-snow-festival/204

📍 Ouchi-juku, Shimogo, Minamiaizu District, Fukushima 969-5207
🚗 40 min drive from Aizu-Wakamatsu City
🚂 Nearest train station: Yunokami Onsen (Aizu Railways)

#大内宿

23/01/2025

The Goshikinuma ponds are one of Fukushima Prefecture’s most popular areas year-round for their beautiful foliage and crystal-clear waters. In winter, it’s possible to traverse the area by snowshoe with the help of an experienced local guide, meaning even beginners can learn about Urabandai's abundant nature, culture, and history.

The beautiful ponds of this area were forged thousands of years ago by a volcanic eruption, and it’s said the waters could be anything from cerulean blue to emerald green depending on the day you go. Your English-speaking guide will show you areas that only locals know, promising a unique experience unlike anywhere else in this part of Japan.

Want to explore deep into the Urabandai woodland this winter? Reservations can be made for February or March, from solo travellers up to groups of 12. You can learn more here:
https://book.fukushima.travel/products/5a5c2a43-94bd-57ad-b2a0-9abe115f4538?lng=en-US

Access:
📍 Yudairayama Hibara, Kitashiobara, Yama District, Fukushima 969-2701
🚗 20min drive from Inawashiro Bandaikogen I.C. (approx. 1hr from Fukushima City)
(Perfect for those staying in the Urabandai area for skiing!)

16/01/2025

In the town of Aizu-Bange, the first market of the year is celebrated with the so-called ‘Strange Festival’, centring around a huge tug-of-war over a 5-tonne straw bale. This Otawara Hiki (Bale-Pulling Contest) is held every year on January 14, with participants braving the cold in only a loincloth.

On this day, the town is split into east and west, with men and women from across western Aizu donning red and white headbands to take part and determine the town’s fortune for the year:

🔴 Red wins: Price of rice rises → prosperous business year ahead
⚪ White wins: Bumper rice harvest incoming

The festival started in the Warring States period, before being abolished by the Japanese government following the Aizu Domain’s defeat in the Boshin War. It was restarted in the 1950s and has continued to this day!

This was the 400th anniversary, and was marked by a special tug-of-war bout where members of the public joined in (uh, wearing clothes). There is also a children’s match shortly before the main event, which the kids from the east side won this year.

Wanna try the naked tug-of-war for yourself? Anyone can join! A little advance notice is required so send us a DM later in the year!

Access:
📍 Aizu-Bange Town Hall, 969-6547, Kawanuma District, Aizubange, 市中三番甲3662
🚂 7min walk from Aizu-Bange Station (Tadami Line, 34mins from Aizu-Wakamatsu Station)
🚗 7min drive from Niitsuru I.C.

Learn more here:
https://fukushima.travel/destination/otawara-hiki-bale-pulling-festival/410



If I had a nickel for every naked winter festival in Fukushima, I’d have two nickels, which isn’t a lot, but it’s weird that it happens twice, right.

03/01/2025

Happy New Year from Fukushima Prefecture!

The historic ryokan of Ookawaso is one of Tohoku’s most stunning traditional hotels, combining first-rate dining and hot springs with an otherworldly serene atmosphere. It’s perhaps most famous for its striking resemblance to the Infinity Castle of the Demon Slayer manga and anime, which helped the hotel rebound in the aftermath of the pandemic.

The hotel is based in Ashinomaki Onsen, a hot spring resort along the Ookawa river in the mountains south of Aizu-Wakamatsu City. Like many hotels in the area, it draws its water piping hot directly from mountain springs. Shamisen performances are held from 4pm to 6pm daily, around the time for check-in.

Ookawaso is a great base for visiting popular spots in the Aizu region like Tsurugajo Castle and the traditional thatched-roof village of Ouchi-juku.

📍 Ashinomaki Onsen Ookawaso, 969-5147, Aizuwakamatsu, Otomachi Oaza Ashinomaki, 字下平９８４
🚗 30min drive south from Aizu-Wakamatsu City

Learn more here:
https://fukushima.travel/destination/ookawaso/138

23/12/2024

Snowfall has arrived in Fukushima! ❄️❄️ Here are five suggestions for scenic photo spots if you’re visiting this winter:

1. Ouchi-juku

A former post town from the samurai era, Ouchi-juku is a picturesque old village where snow piles high on traditional thatched-roof houses. It’s also a popular spot in winter for the Ouchi-juku Snow Festival, a weekend-long celebration with a variety of activities including traditional dancing and fireworks.
More details: https://tinyurl.com/y4bwcy7b

2. Lake Inawashiro

Great bevies of swans in mid-migration grace the shores of Japan’s fourth-largest lake, Inawashiro, every winter. Two of the most common bird-watching spots are Aomatsuhama on the south bank of the lake, or Shidahama on the north-east side. There are also flocks of other wild birds including ducks that frequent the banks of the lake.
More details: https://tinyurl.com/55a4vdap

3. Tsurugajo Castle

Visually stunning in any season, the former fortress of the Aizu Domain samurai clan is very popular in winter, when its famous reddish roof tiles are smothered in great piles of snow. A perfect time to visit is around February, when the castle grounds and nearby Oyaku-en are filled with beautiful lanterns for the Aizu Painted Candle Festival. (The 2025 festival will be held on 7th and 8th February.)
More details: https://tinyurl.com/uz352zjh

4. Tadami River Bridge No.1 Viewpoint

Accessible from the Mishima roadside station, there are three different spots on the climb with great views over Fukushima’s most famous bridge. Timetables for passing Tadami Line trains are well signposted, and are available online, guaranteeing you’ll be able to get the perfect shot during the bridge crossing. (You can get two chances by doubling up at 7:23am and 7:41am, or alternatively at 9:01am and 9:20am.)
More details: https://tinyurl.com/mvt9prth

5. Mt. Bandai

The imposing Mt. Bandai is one of Fukushima’s best vistas, and especially in winter when capped with snow. Although the mountain is closed to hikers in winter, the looming sight of its dual peaks can be enjoyed throughout the Inawashiro area. It pairs well with a trip to Lake Inawashiro – where it’s visible from the lake sightseeing boat – or travelling to nearby ski resorts such as Grandeco or Nekoma Mountain.
More details: https://tinyurl.com/y7b7bxcx

#猪苗代 #只見線 #大内宿 #鶴ヶ城

Looking for more details about Fukushima’s winter festivals? Check out our guide with all the times and dates:
https://fukushima.travel/blogs/fukushimas-winter-festivals-details-and-dates-for-2025/164

Photos of Tsurugajo Castle and Mt Bandai courtesy of Gokujo no Aizu:
https://gokujo-aizu.com/
Photos of Ouchi-juku, Lake Inawashiro and Tadami Line Viewpoint courtesy of Tohoku Tourism

18/12/2024

NEKOMA Mountain is one of Japan’s biggest ski resorts, spanning both sides of Mt. Nekomadake in the Bandai region of central Fukushima. When combining the north and south areas, which used to be separate resorts but are now connected by a single lift, there are 13 lifts and 33 courses to try (ranging in difficulty from Olympian-level black runs to lil baby courses like the ones I stuck to.)

The south side has great views over Lake Inawashiro (when the snow stops!), whereas the north side is more well-known for its quality of snow and long ski season, sometimes lasting into May. This footage was mostly taken on the south side.

It was my first time going so early in the season but it was excellent ⛷️
Great snow ✅
No lines for the lifts ✅
Empty runs ✅

📍 Hoshino Resorts NEKOMA Mountain, Bandai, Yama District, Fukushima 969-3301
🚗 1 hour 10 minutes drive west from Fukushima City
🚌 Shuttle buses: 85mins from Koriyama Station, 45mins from Aizu-Wakamatsu Station (both 1000 yen adult, 500 yen children), 15mins from Bandai-machi Station (free)

Ski season is open! Visit our dedicated page for more details about lift passes and access:
https://fukushima.travel/destination/hoshino-resorts-nekoma-mountain/105

#ネコママウンテン #スキー

17/12/2024

If you saw our video about the akabeko character and want one of these lucky red cows as a souvenir, why not paint your own? 🐮

The Aizu region is full of places where you can paint one of these good luck charms, and it’s a popular activity for groups and families. You can choose between a pre-painted red cow where you add the details, or start from scratch with a base colour of your choice!

There are many places throughout Aizu where you can paint one, including here at Akabeko Land, or pair it with a trip to the nearby fortress at Tsurugajo Castle for a great combination of the region’s history and how it connects to the modern day.

You’re sure to see akabeko all over Fukushima, but especially in the Aizu region, where the akabeko legend first originated in the town of Yanaizu.

Learn more and book a workshop here (Tsurugajo Castle):
https://book.fukushima.travel/products/72cc0dbc-ac27-512f-a818-b9514d82217c?lng=en-US

#赤べこ #会津若松

17/12/2024

This year there is a Christmas market at Tsurugajo Castle in Aizu-Wakamatsu!

Directions and access to the castle here:
https://fukushima.travel/destination/tsurugajo-castle/9

13/12/2024

Soma Nakamura Shrine has stood since 1643, and enshrines the patron deity of the Soma clan that ruled from nearby Nakamura castle. In 1984 the shrine was designated as a significant national cultural property of Japan for its striking architecture, representing the Gongen style that was popular at the time (in which the main hall and worship hall share one roof).

With 630 trees, nearby Baryo Park is a popular spot especially in cherry blossom season, but we were able to see some beautiful fall foliage both inside the shrine grounds and out. The Soma region bears a strong connection with horses, which were vital for military strength and logistics, and there are several impressive horse statues around both the park and shrine.

📍 Somanakamura Shrine, Kitamachi-140 Nakamura, Soma, Fukushima 976-0042
🚗 1 hour drive east from Fukushima City
🚂 20min walk from Soma Station (Joban Line)

More details here:
https://fukushima.travel/destination/soma-nakamura-shrine/245

#相馬 #相馬中村神社

12/12/2024

2025 WINTER FESTIVALS ❄️

From fireworks and candle displays to snow sculptures and music performances, there's something for everyone in Fukushima this winter. The biggest festivals - including the stunning Ouchi-juku Snow Festival - take place in February, but you're never short of beautiful snowy scenery and fiery local events.

Here are all the details you'll need for every major festival this year:

#祭り #雪まつり

Winter is an excellent time to visit Fukushima -- great skiing, stunning snow scenery, and of course, traditional winter festivals. If you're looking to find out which winter events are right for you, see below for all the details for the 2025 editions.

10/12/2024

A great option for seeing more of the region!

Visit Tohoku Tourism for more details about the unlimited highway bus ticket 🚌

09/12/2024

The striking sight of the red torii gate at the foot of Shirahata Gingko Tree brings photographers and sightseers from up and down the eastern coast of Tohoku.

A prefectural natural monument, it's also known as the 'upside-down gingko', owing to a legend that warlord Date Masamune planted it as a gingko whip upside down in the ground during an attack on Shinchi in the late 1500s.

The best time to see the vibrant yellow leaves is usually the last week of November or first week of December. (This footage was shot on December 6th.)

📍 Hakubo Komagamine, Shinchi, Soma District, Fukushima 979-2611
🚗 1 hour drive east from Fukushima City
🚂 25min walk from Komagamine Station (Joban Line)

More details here:
https://fukushima.travel/destination/shirahata-gingko-tree/385

#紅葉 #イチョウ

05/12/2024

The Kohata Flag Festival is held over two days every year in Kohata, Nihonmatsu at the beginning of December. This is the parade on the main Sunday, a robust several-hour hike taking these giant flags to the secluded Okitsushima Shrine atop Mt. Kohata.

It’s a great blend of a festival atmosphere with the feeling of a tight-knit community event, and I felt very welcome – about 15 different people struck up conversation with me about what brought me to the festival and, when it was over, asked me to come back next year. Apparently the Saturday involves purifying yourself with buckets of cold water, elaborate dancing and something called a ‘flag race’... so prepare for a post on THAT in December 2025

Have you been to a lesser-known community festival and had a similar experience? Let me know! And save the date for the first Sunday of December next year if you’re interested in going…

And learn more about the festival here:
https://fukushima.travel/destination/kohata-hata-matsuri-kohata-flag-festival/213

📍 Kohata Community Center, Kamasuuchi-65 Kohata, Nihommatsu, Fukushima 964-0203
🚗 30mins from Fukushima City