Aizu Wakamatsu City, Fukushima Pref., Tohoku

They call Aizu Wakamatsu "Samurai City". The city started to develop in A.D.1384 when Naomori Ashina, the feudal lord ruling the area, built a castle. In the 16th century, a feudal lord, built a new castle "Tsuru-ga Jo" ( or Aizu Wakamatsu Castle ), around which the city has developed further.

In this city, the culture and traditions of Samurai Age remain stronger than in the other areas of Japan. So they are proud of calling this place "Samurai City". Visitors could see some of what they have handed over generations after generations in Aizu Wakamatsu.

In A.D.1593 the main keep ( above ) of the new castle was completed by Ujisato Gamo, a warlord, who named the castle "Tsuru-ga Jo". In the following decades, some families succeeded to the feudal domain and the castle.

In A.D.1643 Masayuki Hoshina, a grandson of Ieyasu Tokugawa ( the founder of Tokugawa shogunate ) became the feudal lord of Aizu Domain, which had been ruled by Hoshina family for a few hundred years. The castle keep was demolished in A.D.1874 in Meiji Period and new one was reconstructed in A.D.1965 in concrete. So Tsuru-ga jo is not one of the twelve original castles remaining in Japan but is one of castles popular among tourists.

In A.D.1868, when the Hoshina ( called "Matsudaira" at the time ) family had ruled Aizu Domain for longer than 200 years, Tokugawa Shogunate lost the administration power and Meiji Government was established in Edo ( now Tokyo ), which sent the large army to Aizu Domain, who sided with Tokugawa. From the castle the samurai warriors of Aizu saw they were besieged ( above photo shows the landscape from the main keep ).

After fighting for a month, Katamori Matsudaira, a descendant of Masayuki Hoshina and the lord of Aizu Domain, surrendered. The buildings of the castle were badly damaged by the besiegers' fire. So they were demolished in A.D.1874 by Meiji Government.

In the site of Tsuru-ga Jo Castle, there is a Japanese Tea House called "Rinkaku" ( above ), which was built by Ujisato Gamo, who built the castle in A.D.1593.

Ujisato Gamo, a warlord and Christian, learned Japanese Tea Ceremony from Rikyu Sen, who committed Harakiri suicide in A.D.1591 by the order of Hideyoshi Toyotomi, the ruler of Japan at the time. So Ujisato Gamo protected Shoan Sen, the son-in-law and leading disciple of Rikyu Sen in Aizu and built the Rinkaku in his castle. Visitors could be served Japanese green tea in Rinkaku which offers a fine view of the garden.

There are Oyakuen Gardens in the city. "Yaku" in Japanese means "medicinal herbs" and "en" does "garden". Oyakuen has some gardens where herbs are grown as well as the Japanese traditional circuit style garden, in the center of which there is a pond ( above ).

The origin of Oyakuen was built in the 15th century as a villa by the Ashina family, who ruled the area at the time. In Tokugawa Period, the Hoshina ( Matsudaira ) family, feudal lords of Aizu, renovated the gardens and buildings.

There is a building named "Ochaya goten" on the shore of the pond. Also there is a tea ceremony house named "Rakuju tei" on an island in the pond. Visitors could be served cups of herbal tea at Rakuju tei.

There is a mountain called "Iimori Yama" in the suburb of Aizu Wakamatsu. On the mountainside of Iimori Yama, there is a gravesite ( above ) of young samurai soldiers who committed suicide.

In A.D.1868 when Meiji Govenment sent a large army to Aizu, samurai warriors of Aizu Domain fought as well as Byakkotai, a unit of their young sons, did. From Iimori Yama, Tsuru-ga Jo castle looked on fire and 19 members of young samurai soldiers committed Harakiri suicide. At the time they were 16-17 years old.

Aizu Wakamatsu is famous for Aizu Nuri ( Lacquerware ). It is fun to walk around Aizu Nuri shops to look at various Lacquerware ( above ). In the 16th century, Ujisato Gamo, a feudal lord, invited craftsmen who had skills of lacquerware. Since then on, Aizu Nuri had developed and lots of products had been exported to overseas countries.

There are some workshops where tourists could paint by themselves. Their original Aizu Nuri could be nice for their own or as souvenirs.

Also this city is famous for E-Rousoku ( painted candles - above ). "E" in Japanese means "painting" and "Rousoku" does "candles". The skill of E-Rousoku have been handed over for several hundreds years in Aizu. Traditional E-Rousoku candles would be good souvenirs as well as visitors could enperience painting by themselves.

The city has some Sakagura ( Sake brewery ) which shows how sake is brewed. This area has fine sources of water as well as delicious rice grown in proper climate and rich soil. Such combination produces great sake.

Aizu produces fine Miso ( soybean paste ), which makes Miso Dengaku ( above ) so tasty. Miso Dengaku, one of local specialty dishes, is food skewered with Miso and chargrilled as above. Ingredients are taro, shiitake mushrooms, tofu, konjac and seasonal vegetables. Mitsuta-ya, a miso shop, offers traditional Miso Dengaku ( above ). Open through 10:00 am - 05:00 pm. Closed on Wednesday.