Destinations
Fukushima: Beyond Tourist Attractions — Into Japan’s Everyday Life and Spiritual Traditions
Just a few hours from Tokyo lies Aizu, Fukushima. From the moment you step off the Shinkansen, a private journey begins—one designed just for you. In Aizu, you’ll encounter traditional crafts shaped by generations, architecture that bears witness to a tragic history, and the quiet atmosphere of post towns unchanged since the Edo period. With the freedom of a private hire car as your wings, you travel between the scattered “souls” of Aizu, returning—again and again—to the warmth of the people who call this land home. A two-day journey that feels less like sightseeing, and more like coming back.
| Destinations | Fukushima: Aizu-Wakamatsu / Iimoriyama / Ouchi-juku |
| Duration | 2 Days Day 1 – Koriyama / Aizu-Wakamatsu / Ouchi-juku Day 2 – Ouchi-juku |
| Recommended for | ・Travelers interested in Japan’s history and spirituality ・Those drawn to traditional craftsmanship ・Those seeking a “live-like-a-local” journey |
・Tokyo → Koriyama → Aizuwakamatsu About 2hours 27 minutes (Train)
・Kyoto → Aizuwakamatsu About 5hours (Train)
・Hokkaido → Koriyama → Aizuwakamatsu About 7hours 32minutes (Airplane)
Experience Themes
Travel with excitement
Enjoy comfortable, door-to-door travel starting from Koriyama Station. Free from snowy road driving and the hassle of luggage, you can relax and spend private time together while watching Aizu’s winter scenery drift by outside the window.
Castle-town traditions
At Human Hub Tenneriji Warehouse, you can experience the craftsmanship of Aizu lacquerware firsthand. By trying the lacquer polishing process yourself, you gain a clear sense of the care, precision, and values behind traditional Japanese craftsmanship.
Stay in a thatched-roof inn.
You stay in Ouchi-juku not as a tourist destination, but as a place of everyday life. Gather around the irori hearth, talk with the welcoming innkeeper, and enjoy local home-style dishes—an experience that feels warm and familiar, as if returning to your hometown.
Journey Outline
Day 1: Craftsmanship and the Story of the Byakkotai
Experiences: Travel by private hire car from Koriyama Station to Aizu-Wakamatsu. At Human Hub Tenneriji Warehouse, experience the depth of Aizu lacquer craftsmanship, then visit Iimoriyama Sazaedo to admire its unique architecture and history. In the evening, continue to the snow-covered Ouchi-juku, where the warmth of the irori hearth offers a moment of calm.
Accommodation: Honke Ogiya
Day 2: Morning Mist and the Warmth of Human Connection
Experiences: Before the crowds arrive, enjoy the quiet, misty morning of Ouchi-juku all to yourself.
As you bid farewell to the innkeeper, you carry with you the lasting warmth of Aizu’s magokoro—a heartfelt sincerity that stays with you on the journey home.
Curated Cultural Journey
Day 1: Craftsmanship and the Story of the Byakkotai
Human Hub Tenneriji Warehouse: A former warehouse turned cultural hub, filled with the sound of artisans shaping wood and the scent of lacquer. As you polish your own chopsticks and watch their shine emerge, the experience quietly sharpens your senses.
Iimoriyama Sazaedo: Enter this rare double-spiral hall, where visitors going up and down never meet. Walk through the cave once used by the Byakkotai and see the castle town from their viewpoint, gaining a clear sense of the weight of Aizu’s history.
Night in Ouchi-juku: After the daytime crowds fade away, the post town falls into deep quiet. With only the soft sound of falling snow, there is a special sense of peace in returning to a thatched-roof house glowing with warm, orange light.
Day 2: The Warmth of the Irori Hearth and the Innkeeper’s Smile
Stay at Honke Ogiya: As you open the door, you’re welcomed by the famous innkeeper, Kiiko Obaya, with her warm smile and gentle Aizu dialect.
Things to know
| About Reservation | The hire car is available by advance reservation only. For this plan, transportation is arranged by a chartered sightseeing hire car, rented by the hour—rather than a standard metered taxi. |
| Best Season | January–February for snowy scenery and irori warmth, or May–June for fresh greenery and comfortable weather. |
| What to wear | Please wear comfortable walking shoes, as there is a lot of walking in the castle town and post town. Even in summer, evenings in Aizu can be cool, so bringing a light jacket is recommended. |
![[Aizu] A Relaxed Journey Through Aizuwakamatsu’s History and Ouchi-juku — A 1-Night, 2-Day Trip by Private Car | Vol. 1](https://ryokan-book.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/【会津】会津若松の歴史と大内宿をゆるやかにつなぐ旅-_-ハイヤーで楽しむ1泊2日-Vol.1-1-1024x576.webp)
