Aizuwakamatsu, a city located near Lake Inawashiro in Fukushima Prefecture, is an underrated city in Japan that no one talks about. Aizuwakamatsu has a rich samurai culture and history that is sure to peak the interest of any visitor. Aizuwakamatsu offers plenty of attractions to include the stunning Tsuruga Castle, beautiful Oyakuen Garden, and unique Sazaedo Temple. A day in Aizuwakamatsu offers enough time to see these magnificent sites, grab lunch, and discover more of the surrounding area.
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Aizuwakamatsu is in the Japanese Prefecture of Fukushima. Not far from Lake Inawashiro, Aizuwakamatsu is one of the biggest cities in the area with a population of 120,000.
Aizuwakamatsu is a little over an hours drive from the city of Fukushima and about 2.5 hours from Sendai in Miyagi Prefecture.
How We Spent a Day in Aizuwakamatsu
We took a road trip in Japan from the city of Niigata to Sendai and the route went just north of Aizuwakamatsu. We first stopped in the town of Kitakata to try the famous style of Ramen from the region before making our way to Aizuwakamatsu. In case you are wondering what is Aizuwakamatsu known for? Or Things to do in Aizuwakamatsu? I have you covered, with just enough attractions starred on my map, we decided to spend a day in Aizuwakamatsu to explore some of the more famous sites. We first visited Sazae Temple before making our way to Oyakuen Garden and finishing the day at Tsuruga Castle.
Explored One of Japan's Most Unique Temples: Sazaedo Temple
Sazaedo Temple is a unique hexagonal shaped temple that was built in 1796. According to an information sign at the temple, the structure is 16.5 meters tall and is three stories.
Visitors can enter the shrine for a fee of ¥400. The helix shaped stairwell make it so that you will not cross paths with other visitors going up or down.
There are 33 Kannon (Goddess of Mercy) statues that line the stairwell.
Admission and Hours
Admission
Adults – ¥400
High School Students – ¥300
Junior High & Elementary School Students – ¥200
Hours
April – December – 8:15 – 16:00
January – March – 9:00 – 16:00
Took a Relaxing Walk Around Oyakuen Garden
Oyakuen Botanical Gardens in Aizuwakamatsu is a picturesque Japanese garden in the heart of the city and a short distance from Tsuruga Castle.
Oyakuen Botanical Gardens was first built in 1670 as a garden and tea house for the Lord of the Aizu Domain. Oyakuen Garden is known as the “Medicinal Garden” because the lord of the Aizu Domain grew herbs here that were used for medicinal purposes. Herbs are still grown here today.
Besides walking through the herb garden, visitors can take the path around the garden, visit the traditional tea house, and finish off in the cute souvenir shop.
Admission and Hours
Admission
¥330
Hours
8:30 – 17:00
Walked Around Tsuruga Castle
We finished our day in Aizuwakamatsu at Tsuruga Castle. 1.6 Km or a four minute drive from Oyakuen, we parked at one of the main parking areas just west of Tsuruga Castle. Upon entering the castle grounds, I couldn’t help but notice how large the grounds actually were to include the moats and walls.
Tsuruga Castle was originally constructed in 1384. In 1591 new additions were added on to the castle. In 1639, the tower was built close to what the replica looks like today. Unfortunately, like so many other beautiful castles in Japan, Tsuruga Castle was dismantled during the Meiji Restoration in 1874. The main keep was rebuilt in 1965 on the original site.
Today, visitors can freely walk the castle grounds and enter the castle museum to learn more about the history of Tsuruga Castle.
Admission and Hours
*Grounds are free but there is an admission fee to enter the tower keep.
Admission for Castle Entrance
Adults – ¥400
Children – ¥150
Hours
8:30 – 17:00
Kitakata Ramen for Lunch or Dinner
Technically not in Aizuwakamatsu, but a 30 minute drive north is the town of Kitakata. If you love Japanese Ramen, then Kitakata is worth driving out of your way. Kitakata is known for its ramen.
Kitakata Ramen is one of the three most famous styles of ramen in Japan after Sapporo and Hakata Ramen in Fukuoka.
What makes Kitakata Ramen unique is their noodles. The noodles are called Hirauchi Jukusei Takasuimen which is a flatter noodle. The broth s soy-sauce, then you have your other traditional ramen ingredients like chashu, bamboo shoots, and negi (green onion).
With over 100 ramen shops in Kitakata, how do you choose which ramen shop to go to? I researched online, all the big name ones were closed to include Bannai Shokudo, even though Google said they were open. Instead we found a very local Ramen restaurant just up the street called, けいこのぎょうざや, according to Google (37.6518482,139.8739174). There was a sweet lady who cooked and served the massive portions of ramen. I got a set meal for under ¥1000.
Conclusion
For a town of its size, Aizuwakamatsu has many things to do and is known for many of its attractions. I would say a half day to a full day in Aizuwakamatsu is plenty of time to see the main sites which include Sazaedo Temple, Oyakuen Garden, and Tsuruga Castle. Aizuwakamatsu is an overlooked destination especially given its rich history, beautiful location, and many attractions.
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