As I wrote about in my blog last week, the fascinating Aizu Tajima Gion Festival 2018 was held over the weekend, finishing up yesterday. This festival has so much history and really gives visitors a chance to feel like they are participating in a local Japanese festival, as opposed to just observing it. When IContinue reading Oku-Aizu Museum & Sannojaya Tea Room
One of the questions I am asked the most frequently is how to reach Ouchi-juku, especially during the annual snow festival held in this historic post-town. The information about accessing this festival is predominantly written in Japanese, so I thought I would post this blog article about how to access the festival. Next year’s SnowContinue reading Getting to Ouchi-juku Snow Festival 2018
Although I have lived in Fukushima for 1.5 years now, I am constantly finding new places that I want to visit or festivals I want to go to. So I decided to write a bucket list of things to try out in Fukushima during the winter months! (This list includes a couple of places IContinue reading Ideas for Winter Trips in Fukushima
The historical post-town Ouchi-juku lies on the old Nikko-Aizu Road, which was taken by travellers passing between Nikko and Aizu Wakamatsu from the Edo period. Ouchi-juku was a key location where travellers could stop and rest for the night. Out of the many notable figures who have stayed in Ouchi-juku over the hundreds of years,Continue reading 19th Century British Explorer Isabella Bird’s time in Ouchi-juku
When it comes to the Japanese traditional of autumn leaf viewing, Fukushima Prefecture has so many fantastic spots to choose from. Whether the leaves of dark red maples, or bright yellow ginkgos, there are countless places worth visiting. In this post, I’ll introduce some of the famous and lesser-known ginkgo tree spots to visit thisContinue reading 5 Ginkgo Tree Spots To Visit in Fukushima this Autumn
This Friday a kabuki performance will be held at the magnificent open-air Hinoemata Kabuki Stage! What is Kabuki? Kabuki is a form of Japanese theatre born in the Edo period. It is different from Noh and Bungaku – the other 2 traditional forms of theater – through its use of vibrant costumes and make up,Continue reading Historic Kabuki Performances Held in Hinoemata Village
Last week, I went to see Aizu-Tajima Gion festival! I was really lucky to be shown around by a number of local residents, so I could ask as many questions about the customs of the festival as I wanted. All About the Gion Festival Why is there a Gion Festival in Aizu-Tajima? The most famousContinue reading Going to See Aizu-Tajima Gion Festival
Tomorrow I get to go to one of the 3 most spectacular Gion Festivals in Japan. (The other 2 take place in Kyoto, and Fukuoka, if you were wondering!) Aizu-Tajima Gion Festival is an annual shinto celebration which takes place on July 22nd, 23rd and 24th. For 800 years, gion festivals have been an importantContinue reading Aizu-Tajima Gion Festival – Planning My Trip
The Tadami Line is an incredibly scenic railway that runs across Aizu. Connecting the bustling samurai city of Aizu Wakamatsu with the serene, gorgeous countryside of Oku Aizu, this route is definitely one to try out if you want a chance to see rural Japan at its best. Although I have visited this area ofContinue reading Tadami Line: 5 Sights You Shouldn’t Miss
Constructed at the end of the 16th century, the thatched roof farmhouses of Tateiwa Village are a hidden gem, buried deep in the heart of Minamiaizu, Fukushima Prefecture. L-Shaped Farmhouses One of the first things I noticed upon arriving at Maezawa Village was the huge size and odd shape of its buildings. 13 ofContinue reading Historic Maezawa Farmhouses in Rural Japan
