Learn about the spirit of the samurai in Aizu, the city of samurai

Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture is famous for Samurai City.

"Kendo" for example, is one of the most famous martial arts in Japan and is Japanese martial art derived from swordplay (Japanese swordplay). Kendo literally means "the way of sword" and is not just the art of fight. The Samurai in Aizu in particular cultivated mercy, consideration to others, faith and voluntary loyalty to the persons they love from childhood and acquired the attitude for a man to live beautifully as a human being.

This Samurai spirit of Aizu is still succeeded in ”man buildup” in Aizu today. In this tour, you learn the history, manners and basic technique of Japanese martial arts and you can also learn the value of martial arts from a professional.

Feel Samurai spirit those days through the experience of Samurai martial arts here in the land of Aizu, where Samurai spirit is still alive in people's heart.

Let's experience Japanese "hot spring cure"

In the past, small bathing huts were built in the source area of the Nakanosawa/Numajiri Hot Spring, and these facilities provided the experience of the distinctive sulfurous water of one of Japan's prominent therapeutic hot spring resorts to number visitors. As a result of this water quality, Nakanosawa/Numajiri Hot Spring also prospered as one of Japan's leading areas for mining sulfur ore, and there was a train line running through the area (Numajiri Railway) for this reason.

Even now, there are traces of mining operations in the hot spring source area.

The "Numajiri Kogen Lodge", adjacent to the "café & activity nowhere", the base of the Extreme Onsen Guided Tour, is owned by late-Junko Tabei, a world-famous mountaineer from Fukushima Prefecture (the first woman to reach the summit of Mt. Everest and the highest peaks on seven continents) and has been loved by many mountaineers. Following the will of Mrs. Tabei, who passed away in 2016, it made a new start three years later in 2019 under the same name, "Numajiri Kogen Lodge”.

Like Mrs. Tabei, who loved the mountains all her life, let's experience the nature of Nakanosawa and Numajiri, as well as the atmosphere of the Japanese "hot spring cure" that was once loved by all.

A spectacular view of the 1-star Michelin Green Guide from above

Mt. Bandai and its surroundings have been certified as a Japanese Geopark, and we are working to protect and preserve the heritage of the earth as a Mt. Bandai Geopark.

Hundreds of lakes and marshes were formed by avalanches caused by the collapse of the mountain triggered by the steam explosion of Mt. Bandai. Among them, dozens of lakes called "Goshikinuma" are "mysterious swamps" with different colors for each swamp, such as emerald green, cobalt blue and turquoise blue, and were awarded one star on Michelin Green Guide in 2016. In addition, you can enjoy a large community of broad dwarf day lily in early summer and autumn grass in autumn at "Oguni-numa" in Ura-bandai. Bandai, which means "rock ladder hanging to the heavens," is also called Aizu Fuji because you can see the beautiful triangular peak from the front side like Mt. Fuji.

Lake Inawashiro, located almost in the center of Fukushima, is the fourth largest lake in Japan and has the highest water quality in Japan in the past. In winter, it is also known as a landing place for swans, and it is famous for the splash ice that is formed by the spray of water blown up and frozen by the strong monsoon on trees.

A landscape that looks like a gateway to another world

Around three hundred years ago, a settlement called Mifuke was relocated to the other side of the wide river, Tadamigawa River. Each household of this settlement owned a boat as it was the sole transportation to cross the river, and everyone, even preschool kids, could navigate on his/her own.

The settlement thrived on the sulfur mining in the 1950s, but the mine was closed only after seven years. Then, the abandoned pit caused the landslide and Mifuke Settlement was officially abolished in 1964.

In 2010, 46 years later, those who grew up in the settlement and rowed the boats themselves took the lead in reviving the boat service to revitalize the area by tourism. The remains of the settlement including the old sulfur mine still sit quietly in the abandoned land as they stood back then.

Why don’t you go back in time on the boat the locals brought back to life after 50 years and visit the unspoiled landscape of Japan?