37.5° N
Fukushima, Japan
A castle town in the Aizu basin of Fukushima, around the red-tiled Tsurugajo. Lacquerware, painted candles, striped cotton and sake from the old merchant streets, then miso dengaku, soba and coffee: Rin's picks.
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Where Rin would go
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Made in Aizuwakamatsu
Aizu lacquerware is a craft of the castle town's merchant houses. Suzuzen, a lacquerware wholesaler founded in 1832, keeps its storehouses open to visitors, with exhibits, a shop and a workshop where you paint a maki-e design yourself.
Omachi & Nakamachi
A lacquerware wholesaler founded in 1832. Its storehouses are open as a hall of Aizu lacquer, with a shop and a maki-e workshop.
RinThe maki-e workshop needs a booking, for two or more.
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Made in Aizuwakamatsu
Aizu painted candles are Japanese candles whose shafts are painted by hand with chrysanthemums, peonies, plum blossoms and lucky patterns. They are named among the exhibits at the 1873 Vienna World Exposition. Ozawa, founded in 1785, still paints them and runs a painting workshop.
Omachi & Nakamachi
A Japanese candle shop founded in 1785, in a townhouse built in 1887. It makes Aizu painted candles by hand and runs a painting workshop.
RinBook the painting workshop. On weekends there is also a scent session.
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Made in Aizuwakamatsu
Aizu cotton is a striped plain weave made with warp threads of two or more colours. Aizu lies at the northern limit of cotton growing in Japan, so the cloth is thick and warm. Yamada Momen still runs a Toyoda power loom from the early Showa era.
Nanukamachi
A weaver of Aizu cotton on Nanukamachi. Its factory still runs a Toyoda loom from the early Showa era, and it has its own cloth shop.
RinThe looms run on weekdays, and stop from noon to one.
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Made in Aizuwakamatsu
Tsurunoe, founded in 1794 on Nanukamachi-dori, is a sake brewery in the castle town. It makes Aizu Chujo and Yuri, and the shop pours tastings and sells from nine in the morning to six.
Nanukamachi
A sake brewery founded in 1794, on Nanukamachi-dori. The shop pours tastings and sells Aizu Chujo and Yuri, from nine to six, closed on New Year’s Day.
RinTastings start at nine in the morning. Begin with the Aizu Chujo.
Iimoriyama & Higashiyama
A kiln for Aizu Keizanyaki, a traditional craft of Fukushima. It makes everyday tableware and runs pottery classes and painting sessions. Open nine to six, every day except New Year’s Day.
RinOpen every day. Pick up the everyday pieces and choose by hand.
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Iimoriyama & Higashiyama
A bakery that uses its own wild yeast and a house blend of flour. The milk French bread is the signature. Closed Monday to Wednesday.
RinStart with the milk French bread. Closed Monday to Wednesday.
Tsurugajo
A wagashi shop founded in 1848. Its Yokan Fantasia, made with champagne, oni-walnuts and raisins, won a Good Design Award in 2017. Closed on Sundays.
RinHave the Yokan Fantasia with tea or wine.
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Omachi & Nakamachi
A miso maker founded in 1834. In a converted miso storehouse it serves miso dengaku, an Aizu dish grilled skewer by skewer over charcoal at the hearth.
RinDengaku starts at 10:30. Each skewer is grilled one by one, so you wait.
Omachi & Nakamachi
A hand-cut soba and Aizu cooking restaurant that began in 1971 as Kiriya Soba. Closed on Wednesdays.
RinOn weekdays it closes at three. Go at lunch.
Tsurugajo
A kappo inn in Johokumachi that began as a travellers’ inn on Nanukamachi; the resting stone where travellers sat still stands at the door. It serves Aizu dishes such as steamed meppa-meshi.
RinLunch starts at 11:30. Days off vary, so call first.
Nanukamachi
The building of a seafood wholesaler founded in 1882, serving Aizu dishes made with dried herring, cod, kelp and scallops. It also has a café, Kaika.
RinLunch runs every day. Dinner has days off.
Nanukamachi
A café in a storehouse hall built in 1892, inside the Kaeigura of Suehiro Sake Brewery. It serves coffee made with the brewing water, amazake from sake lees, and sweets made with sake.
RinCoffee made with the brewing water. Closed Wednesday and Thursday.
Rin is a fictional traveller. Every place here was checked by the editors to exist and be open (checked 2026-11-11). Please confirm hours on the official site before you go. Paid listings are always marked.
To see — art and sights (landmarks)
Sights · Tsurugajo
Tsurugajo Castle
The symbol of Aizuwakamatsu, officially Wakamatsu Castle, which withstood the Boshin War of 1868. The red-tiled five-storey keep is a museum, open every day, 8:30 to 17:00 (last entry 16:30).
Sights · Tsurugajo
Oyakuen Garden
The garden of the Aizu Matsudaira clan, a national place of scenic beauty. A stroll garden of about 1.7 hectares around a heart-shaped pond, with a medicinal herb garden. Open every day, 8:30 to 17:00 (last entry 16:30).
Sights · Iimoriyama & Higashiyama
Aizu Buke Yashiki
A museum of samurai life centred on the Saigo Tanomo residence, with listed buildings such as the chief retainer’s house and the Nakahata outpost. Open 8:30 to 17:00 from April to November, 9:00 to 16:30 from December to March.
Sights · Iimoriyama & Higashiyama
Aizu Sazaedo
A hexagonal three-storey hall, 16.5 metres high, built on Mount Iimori in 1796; its formal name is Entsu Sanso-do. A wooden building with a double-spiral ramp, one way up and a separate way down, and a national Important Cultural Property.
Repair work on the entrance roof after snow damage in March 2026 was completed on 10 April. Open 9:00 to 16:00 from December to March, and 8:15 to sunset from April to November.
These are landmarks, not Rin's picks. Each was checked to be open on its official site (checked 2026-11-11). Please confirm hours before you go.