TRAVEL BLOG - New Destination in the Northeast

AIZUWAKAMATSU TRAVEL BLOG

Hello from humid Japan! This is Minami from Hankyu Travel DMC Japan.
I really like traveling, but sadly due to this pandemic, it is difficult to travel freely as before. This time I would like to share my recommended destination “Aizuwakamatsu” with my own travel story.

I went to Aizuwakamatsu in 2019 with my friend. The city is located in Fukushima Prefecture, Northeast region of Japan. It takes approx. 1.5 hours by bullet train and 1 hour by local train. Aizu is known for a castle town where the influences of samurai society remain strong today. We stayed there for 2 days though it was not enough to fully enjoy Aizuwakamatsu because there are too many beautiful natures and wonderful places. Here are the 2 things I found the most interesting.

Akabeko Doll:
Akabeko Doll is a traditional toy in Aizuwakamatsu. “Aka” means red and “beko” means cow. Originally it was made as a lucky charm for good health. When the plague had broken out in Japan in the 16th century, there was a belief Akabeko got the plague instead of children and protected them from any disease. 
We had painting experiences to Akabeko. Right one in the picture is what I painted its face and body. It is cute, isn’t it? Now I believe my Akabeko protected me and my family from Corona Virus…

Ouchijuku:
This is an old post town along trade route. The town developed to provide food and accommodation for travelers who move between big cities on foot for many days. The houses and atmosphere in those days still remain until now. That made us feel like we were traveling in the past. There we had Soba noodle called “Takato Soba”, but how to eat is very unique. We ate the noodles by long hard green onion instead of chopsticks! (I think it is a little difficult to imagine the situation…) This way to eat Takato Soba is tradition in Ouchijuku. There are various theories about the reason why people have started to use green onion as chopsticks. Of course, that was my first time to use vegetables for eating food! It was very hard to eat but it was extraordinary experience.

If you are looking for new destination in Japan after pandemic, Aizuwakamatsu will be providing you unique and memorable experiences!