#Accessible by public transport

Shibukawa Donya

A Historic Restaurant Showcasing Seasonal Aizu Cuisine

Nearby Ryokans

What is Shibukawa Donya?

Shibukawa Donya is a Japanese restaurant and café located in the heart of Nanukamachi, Aizuwakamatsu. The building was originally established in 1882 (Meiji 15) by Shibukawa Zentaro as a wholesale store dealing in seafood brought from Hokkaido.

In its heyday, the shop handled herring, cod, and other products, becoming so influential that people said, “The price of herring is decided at Shibukawa Donya.” During the Taisho to early Showa periods, around 50 employees lived on-site, and the business functioned almost like a general trading company, selling fertilizers, sake, seasonings, and more.

The wholesale business closed in 1975 with the opening of a new market. However, in 1982, the fourth-generation owner restored the historic buildings and reopened them as a restaurant serving local Aizu cuisine. Today, Shibukawa Donya is recognized as a group of historic buildings from the Meiji to early Showa eras. It is officially designated by Aizuwakamatsu City as a Historic Scenic Building and has also won the Fukushima Architecture Culture Award.

Within the grounds, you can also find “The Patriot’s Room,” preserved as it was used by Shibukawa Zensuke, who was executed during the 1936 “February 26 Incident”—a significant political event in early Showa Japan. The site is said to have been visited by renowned authors such as Seicho Matsumoto and Yukio Mishima, making it a place where history lives on.

Step into this nostalgic Taisho-era atmosphere and enjoy hearty mountain-and-sea dishes that reflect the food culture passed down through generations in Aizu.

Highlight of Shibukawa Donya

Dining inside this former seafood wholesaler—now over 140 years old—feels like stepping back into the Taisho era. Once you enter, you’ll find nostalgic touches such as an old-fashioned sunken hearth, wooden ledgers, thick beams, carved transoms, and lattice windows that create a warm, historic atmosphere.

Shibukawa Donya specializes in traditional dishes from the Aizu region. Highlights include kozuyu, a celebratory soup filled with vegetables and dried ingredients; nishin no kobumaki, herring wrapped in kelp and simmered in a sweet-savory broth; and bo-dara-ni, dried cod slowly cooked until tender. You can also enjoy a variety of seasonal Aizu dishes, beautifully served in traditional Aizu lacquerware—offering both visual and culinary delight.

The restaurant features eight uniquely designed rooms, all furnished with chairs rather than floor seating, making it comfortable for guests with mobility concerns. It’s also family-friendly, offering rental baby items such as bouncers and a kids’ menu (available with reservation at least two days in advance).

After your meal, be sure to stop by Kissa Kaika, the café located on the same property. Designed like a small Western-style mansion, it features colorful stained glass and elegant Taisho-modern décor. In June, the roses in the courtyard reach full bloom, creating a lovely setting for a relaxing tea time surrounded by their fragrance.

How to Enjoy / Recommended Activities

Shibukawa Donya is located along Nanukamachi Street, a charming retro avenue that once served as the western gateway to the castle town where the Nikko, Echigo, and Yonezawa roads converged. Today, it remains lined with Taisho-era Western-style buildings and nostalgic shops.

From Aizuwakamatsu Station, take the city loop bus or JR train and get off at Nanukamachi Station. From there, enjoy a leisurely walk through the district—try miso dengaku, tour the historic Suehiro Sake Brewery, or shop for Aizu cotton and hand-painted Aizu candles.

For lunch, savor traditional Aizu cuisine at Shibukawa Donya. Reservations are not required, but recommended, as closing time may vary depending on the day. For a special experience, you can also enjoy lunch while watching a dance performance by the Higashiyama Geigi—traditional entertainers from Aizu’s historic hot spring district—featuring a piece themed on the Byakkotai (45 minutes, ¥15,000 per person).

After lunch, take a break at Kissa Kaika, the on-site café. Their monthly specialty coffee, Japanese black tea, and Aizu’s signature deep-fried sweet “Age Manju” are especially popular. The café set (¥880), which includes your choice of drink and a bite-sized Age Manju, is perfect for relaxing in a space that feels like stepping back in time.

Shibukawa Donya is also open for dinner (17:00–21:00). The lunch and dinner menus are the same, but the most recommended dish is the Festival Gozen “Kame”, a generous 12-item course. It includes classic Aizu dishes such as herring kelp rolls, herring tempura, and kozuyu, along with Aizu beef steak and hand-shaped salmon sushi made with premium Hokkaido salmon.

While you’re in the area, consider visiting Tsuruga Castle, Iimoriyama (where the Byakkotai graves are located), and the iconic wooden Sazae-do temple—some of Aizu’s most important historical sites.

Basic Information

Open hours・Closed days:：Open year-round

・Dinner: 17:00–21:00 (last entry 19:00)

・Lunch: 11:00–15:00 (last entry 14:30)

Reservation: Reservations are recommended.
Kids’ meals require a reservation at least 2 days in advance.

Access

Address: 3-28 Nanukamachi, Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukushima 965-0044, Japan

Access：

By car: From the Tohoku Expressway (Koriyama JCT), take the Ban-etsu Expressway and exit at Aizuwakamatsu IC. The restaurant is about a 10-minute drive from the exit.
By train/bus: From Tokyo, take the Tohoku Shinkansen and transfer to the JR Ban-etsu West Line to Aizuwakamatsu Station. From there, take the city loop bus or JR train to Nanukamachi Station, then walk 3 minutes. It’s also a 20-minute walk directly from Aizuwakamatsu Station.

The Irori lodge -Ashina-

Highly praised by international travelers for providing a genuine Japanese experience, the inn offers an authentic taste of traditional Japan. It is conveniently located about 15 minutes by car (20 minutes by bus) from JR Aizu-Wakamatsu Station, making it a perfect base for exploring the Aizu region.