If I start by saying that the only reason we planned to come to Aizu Wakamatsu was to ride a train, it sounds (and is) very unfair. But that’s the heart of it. We came here to ride one of Japan’s scenic trains and found a glorious small friendly city perfect for a couple of days of exploration. Aizu Wakamatsu is at the heart of samurai country, is famous for a certain type of water, sashimi (again of a certain type), and has both a fabulous castle and a glorious garden to visit. Here’s our guide to the best things to do in Aizu Wakamatsu.
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We got here in a somewhat convoluted manner, we had after all traveled down from the far north of Japan, Wakkanai, via Sapporo and Hakodate to get here. That’s not a normal route, it’s just the way of things when you have a JR Pass and you’re making the most of it. And we definitely were. Most people come to Aizu for one of two reasons. The first is the samurai history here (and it is fabulous) and the second is the Tadami Line train and yes that is glorious too. And I’ll explain about both of them.
TOP THING TO DO
Visit the Castle in Aizuwakamatsu
This glorious castle is unique, in its tile color, and as the stronghold of the samurai. Come visit and learn about the history of Samurai City.
The 9 Best Things to Do in Aizu Wakamatsu
Aizu Wakamatsu is the primary city in the Aizu region of Fukushima Prefecture, we spent several days here exploring, sometimes on foot, and other times using the tourist office buses that will take you on set routes around the city. We explored the castle, because, you know we just LOVE Japanese castles, we found out a whole lot more about Japanese samurai history, ate some of the food specialties of the region, and then took the train as part of our route back to Tokyo.
1. Take the Tadami Line Train
This was our number one reason for visiting Aizu Wakamatsu. It’s one of the top scenic train journeys in Japan. It was closed for 11 years as repairs to the line were made following rainstorm damage but reopened in October 2022. The Tadami Train Line goes from Aizu Wakamatsu to Koide – from Fukushima Prefecture to Niigata Prefecture on single, narrow gauge track and it’s a truly glorious 135 kilometer (84 miles) route that takes about 4.5 hours as it curves around the mountainous route through 36 different station stops. My guide to the Tadami Train Line is here.
There are glorious views on this route, whatever time of year you take the train (and it’s covered on the Japan Rail Pass, or you can buy tickets specifically for it). The most famous view of the Tadami Line is actually of a train crossing the Tadami River, but you’ll have to get off the train to see that.
There are no reserved seats, so you’ll want to get there early to guarantee a seat. This is a popular route with domestic tourists. You can make a day of it, use it as your onward transport, or go there and back in one (long) day. This is a fabulous scenic train journey in Japan and it is worth coming to Aizu Wakamatsu for this trip alone
2. Visit Tsugara Castle in Aizu Wakamatsu
I’ll be upfront and tell you that this Japanese Castle is a reproduction, but that doesn’t take anything away from it. It’s a glorious castle. The current floor plan dates from 1593, but there has been a castle here since 1384. The castle was integral to the Boshin War of 1868 and was home to the Byakkotai, often known as the last samurai or the White Tiger Brigade. You can easily get to the castle from the train station, but it is also covered on the tourist office circular bus routes. While the castle is now concrete, the moats and some of the walls are original. The official name of the castle is Tsugara, although it is also known as Wakamatsu Castle. You can skip the line and buy your tickets for the castle here.
The castle is centered in the Tsugara Castle Park, and in spring, this is a lovely time to check out the Cherry Blossoms. We were just a little too late, and although there were some blossoms left, the peak had passed. Inside the castle, there’s a teahouse, the Rinkaku Teahouse, where you can take tea, and explore this historic place where feudal lords took tea ceremonies.
What’s unique about Tsugara Castle is the red tile roof. Red is an unusual color for Japanese castles, they tend to be black and white. Here the original tile color dates from 1603-1867, the Edo Period in Japan. While for many years the tiles were black, they reverted to the Edo colors in 2011. And that’s what’s behind the name of the castle “Tsuru” – it means crane.
The views from the top of the castle are also glorious.
The castle grounds are pleasant to walk around and it’s a peaceful place to explore. You’ll also find an exhibition inside the castle on the castle itself as well as the samurai lifestyle and several artifacts.
3. Visit the Oyakuen Garden in Aizu Wakamatsu
There are nearly 400 herbs still grown here in this traditional Japanese garden, the name Oyakuen translates as Medicinal Herb Garden, and it’s possible to walk down the rows of herbs (some are noted in English, some not).
There’s also a delightful pond and tea house here, as well as pathways amongst the trees. The garden has been here since the 18th century. Originally this garden was a villa for the feudal lords of the time, and the medicinal herb garden started as his way of trying to protect the citizens from the plagues of the day. Oyakuen is now a preserved important national asset.
There’s a tea house here, and a small shop, but the delight of this garden is simply being able to walk around and explore the hidden corners within it. There’s a restored tea house on the small island within the gardens.
Oyakuen is open from 08:30 until 17:30 and while there is parking here, it’s also a stop on the tourist bus that runs from the Aizu Wakamatsu station. Entrance fees to Oyakuen are 330 JPY for adults.
4. Explore Aizu Bukeyashiki – aka Samurai Residence
Also on the route of the sightseeing bus is Aizu Bukeyashiki – and you really shouldn’t miss this stop. It’s a traditional samurai residence and it’s enormous. It was empty of other visitors when we visited and just glorious. Bukeyashiki was home to some of Aizu’s most important samurai during the Edo period and the layout has been faithfully represented and dressed to show how life would have been here.
There are 38 rooms to explore, and while the original building was destroyed during the Boshin War it was rebuilt as a replica. It’s a fascinating place to visit. There’s a self-guided walking tour with an English language leaflet available, with points of interest marked.
If you’re lucky enough to visit during Cherry Blossom season there are glorious blooms in the gardens here.
Entrance fees are 850 JPY per adult and opening times are 08:30 to 17:00 (April to November) and 09:00 to 16:30 (December to March).
5. Walk up Limori Hill and Pay Respects to Aizu’s last Samurai
You’ll be able to get close to the base of Limori Hill in Aizu using the tourist shuttle, but then you’ll have to walk up. During the summer season there is an elevator for part of the way (it costs 250 JPY).
The hill, also known as Mt. Iimoriyama (飯盛山) is associated with the Samura group called the White Tiger Battalion, or the White Tiger Force, or Byakkotai. The story has it that, during the Boshin War, a group of 19 teenage samurai had retreated here to Limori Hill. They saw Tsuraga Castle burning in the distance and thought it had fallen. All 19 committed ritual suicide.
Their graves are on Limori Hill and there are several museums in the area about them.
6. Visit the Sazaedo Temple in Aizu Wakamatsu
While you’re on Limori Hill, also take a visit to Sazaedo Temple. Made completely of wood, it has two spiral staircases, they go in opposite directions, so you’ll never cross paths with someone going the other way, meaning that you won’t be disturbed during your prayers by people returning. It’s often described as the “Double Helix Temple and it’s also known as the sea snail temple. The temple was constructed in 1796 and is three stories high, it is a designated National Important Cultural Property.
This temple has 33 statues said to represent the temples of the Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage. You can pray at each in place of visiting the actual temples and receiving blessings. Praying at each earns pilgrims good fortune and merit (and of course saves time by not going on an actual pilgrimage!)
The temple is open year-round from April to December from 08:15 to sunset and January to March from 09:00 to 16:00. Entry fees are 400 JPY.
Other places to visit on Limori Hill
If you have more time there are several other places to explore on Limori Hill, they include
The Byakkotai Museum: It’s privately owned and includes exhibits related to the Byakkotai and the Boshin War. Entry fee 400 JPY.
The Byakkotai Legendary Museum: Another privately owned museum on the Byokktotai containing more than 5000 artifacts. Entry fee 300 JPY.
The Tonoguchi Weir Cave: This looks more like a small spring or waterfall, it’s where the Byakkotai escaped to, it was here that they emerged and saw Aizu Castle in flames.
The Byakkotai Graves: There’s a grave for each of the teenagers who committed suicide believing that Aizu Castle had fallen. While the date on the graves reads 23 August 1868, it was based on the lunar calendar that was used at the time, in today’s calendar it equates to 8 October 1868. Other Byokkotai who perished are also buried here.
The Byakkotai Harakiri Memorial: You’ll find this at the location where the White Tiger Battalion committed suicide. Legend has it that only 16 succeeded, 3 others survived but died in later fighting and finally, one was left to tell the tale of what happened.
There are various other monuments on the hill including:
A Monument from the City of Rome – this came from a temple at the Pompei ruins and was dedicated by Mussolini in 1928.
A German Monument gifted by a German Diplomat
7. Take a Sake Brewery Tour (and taste) at Suehiro Sake Brewery
Aizu Wakamatsu is known for its sake, rather like Saijo, the sake brewery town that we visited near Hiroshima, the combination of pure water, and great rice production has led to centuries of sake production here.
The most famous of the Aizu sake breweries is Suehiro, its accessible easily on the Aizu tourist and sightseeing bus loop. When they’re giving tours (check with the tourist information) you can get a free tour and tastings, they’re only at specific scheduled times and may not be in English. Sake has been brewed here at Suehiro by the same family for 8 generations, since 1850. They use a traditional method of brewing, called Yamahai, which delivers a complex, full flavor using slow-open fermentation.
There’s also a café, store, small museum, and Japan’s biggest private collection of film cameras here.
8. Understand Samurai at the Samurai School in Aizu Wakamatsu
Aizu Wakamatsu is the heart of samurai country in Japan. Its location, surrounded by mountain ranges, helped it to be one of the last samurai strongholds during the Edo Period (1603-1868). The area was particularly active during the Boshin War of 1868-1869. The Boshin War is also known as the Japanese Civil War or the Japanese Revolution was fought between the Tokugawa shogunate and a coalition seeking power. It had been the opening of Japan to foreigners in the previous decade that led to increased dissatisfaction with nobles and samurai.
You can learn much about the samurai, the Boshin War, and the fall of Aizu Castle here in Aizu, and the best place to start is the Nisshinkan or Samurai School. The school was built in 1803 and was where boys of the Aizu Clan learned martial arts, culture, and had academic classes to become samurai.
There are self-guided tours around the school, with some explanatory detail – but for detail, you’ll want to take a guided tour in English. The school is now a museum, and it’s huge. You can take lessons in archery here, zen meditation, and tea ceremonies – all things that the boys who were taught here would have learnt. Entrance is 850 JPY. The sightseeing bus doesn’t go out this far so you’ll need to take a taxi or drive to reach the school.
9. Relax at the Higashiyama Onsen
There are a bunch of hot spring resorts around this valley, and the best known is Higashiyama Onsen, it’s at the end of the line of the tourist sightseeing bus, but it feels like you’re miles and miles away from the city up here, even though it’s just 10 minutes by car from Aizu Wakamatsu. The bathhouses here are traditional Japanese style.
If you’re looking for a traditional ryokan and onsen experience in Aizu, then this is the place to come. My guide to ryokan etiquette is here. There are several ryokan here, the highest rated of which is the Onyado Toyo, which comes with traditional Japanese rooms with the most magnificent of views, glorious onsens, and seasonal food options. These rates include breakfast, dinner, and private bathrooms (which have sinks and toilets), bathing is in the shared onsen facilities. Come during snow crab season for a fabulous dining experience! There’s a shared shuttle available from the train station in Aizu, or you can also leave your bags for a free bag transfer, and catch the tourist shuttle at the end of a day sightseeing. Book a Room here.
How to get around Aizu Wakamatsu
The easiest way to get around the main attractions of Aizu Wakamatsu is to take the tourist bus that sets off from the train station. There are two routes – the Haikara-san and the Akabe town bus.
The bus tickets cost 600 JPY per adult and last one day. If you show your bus tickets at various Aizu Wakamatsu’s attractions you’ll also get discounted entry. The timetable is great, it allows you enough time to explore each of the attractions and then simply get the next bus.
You can also choose to buy combo tickets that includes the cost of entry. So it’s best to check which locations you’ll want to visit and pick the best combo ticket for you. If you’re here in the very early spring or late fall season then there are likely to be a lower number of buses each day and the timetable might not be full. Check at the tourist office, which is found opposite the train station. That’s also where you can buy the tickets for the sightseeing buses. (Walk out of the station, go straight ahead, and cross the road. Turn left as though heading towards the Toyoku Inn and the tourist information office is just there.)
Take a Day Trip from Aizu Wakamatsu to Ouchijuku
Our first experience of Japan’s old post towns was the hike from Magome to Tsumago and it was glorious. Japan’s post towns date mainly from the Edo Period, when traders, tax collectors, and travelers journeyed on one of the main Edo routes. The towns developed and served as places where the government of the day could control the highway system, they were places where travelers could rest, stay the night, and obtain food. Ouchijuku is on the old Aizu Nishi Kaido Route. This route was a 130-kilometer (81-mile) route that connected Imaichi, in modern-day Tochigi Prefecture with Aizu Wakamatsu Castle in Fukushima Prefecture.
The town has been preserved and is a delight to visit. To get to Ouchijuku take the train from Aizu Wakamatsu to Yunokami Onsen Station. From there you’ll need to take a taxi or a bus to Ouchijuku. Don’t miss their famous soba noodles. Don’t worry if you can’t handle chopsticks, here they give you a leek which you use to eat them (!).
The Saruyu-go bus runs from April until late November and a 1 day pass that’ll take you to and from the station to Ouchijuku costs 1,000 JPY. There are 8 buses a day in each direction, the last bus is at around 16:00.
What to eat in Aizu Wakamatsu
There are some specific dishes that the Aizu area is famous for and Aizu Wakamatsu is one of the best places to try them. Here’s what you should look for
Yanaizu Sauce Katsudon
Katsudon is a breadcrumbed fried pork fillet served on a bowl of rice that also has shredded cabbage. A special sauce is drizzled over the top of it. It’s slightly sweeter than you’d normally expect from a katsu sauce, but delicious all the same. The best place to get Katsudon in Aizu is the tiny but fabulous Katsuichi (here’s a map link for you).
If you eat nothing else from the local area you should try this.
Dengaku
The next thing that you should try in Aizu Wakamatsu is Dengaku. Here in Aizu, these are skewers basted with a miso paste and roasted over an open flame. And you’ll want to head to Mitsutaya for these, you sit right up at the bar, and choose your skewers, which are basted for you and then stuck into the charcoals, right in front of you.
Don’t worry the staff will come back and rescue you when they’re done and get them out of the flames and onto your plate. They’re great for sharing.
Drink Suehiro Sake
Founded in 1850, Suehiro Sake Brewery is the most famous of Aizus sake breweries. This family-owned for 8 generations brewery does do tours and tastings, but you’ll have to ask locally about when they are (use the tourist information office for this), as they depend on the season.
If you’re not able to get on a tasting, then head to one of the small supermarkets in Aizu – they sell Suehiro sake, and it is well worth tasting it while you’re here, you’re unlikely to find it outside of the area unless you go to a specialist liquor store.
Where to Stay in Aizu Wakamatsu
For me, there are two options of where to stay in Aizu. If you want somewhere close to the train station, you can’t beat the Toyoko Inn. It’s about a 5-minute walk (you can see the hotel sign when you get off the train), they provide an included Japanese breakfast buffet and while the rooms are Western style, they also provide yukata and all the toiletries that you’ll need. The staff is great here and they also provide a luggage store service if you arrive before check-in, or want to explore the city after you’ve checked out. Check room rates and book here.
If you prefer to make more of an experience to your visit to Aizu, then head to the Higashiyama Onsen area of Aizu. Up here, just 10 minutes in a taxi from the station you’ll feel like you’re a million miles away. Book a traditional Japanese-style room at the Onyado Toyo, where rates include breakfast, dinner, and private bathrooms. Book a Room here.
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Final Words on the 9 Best Things to Do in Aizu Wakamatsu
Aizu Wakamatsu is a delightful city in Fukushima Prefecture. Don’t let the term city put you off, this is a small local place with some great things to see and do. The samurai history is incredible, the castle a glorious rebuild and you’ll definitely feel as though you’ve fallen well off the tourist trail. Come here on the Tadami Line train and have another great experience too.
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