Aizu Wakamatsu, Fukushima Picks Five Autumn Foliage Spots for Late Oct to Early Nov
Aizu Wakamatsu in Fukushima recommends five autumn foliage spots for Japan tour packages from late October to early November.
Aizu Wakamatsu in Fukushima Prefecture, in Japan's Tohoku region, recommends five autumn foliage spots in the city for Thai travellers planning Japan tour packages for late October to early November. The selection covers an ancient castle, a historic herb garden, a railway station with a cat as station master, a ryokan onsen said to have inspired a scene in a popular anime, and the world's only double-helix wooden temple. The city is about 1 hour 30 minutes from Tokyo Station by Shinkansen.
A castle and a historic garden in the city centre
Tsuruga Castle is the only castle in Japan to keep its traditional red roof tiles and was once an important stronghold of the Aizu samurai clan. In the autumn foliage season, the area around the castle is painted in shades of red, orange and yellow by maple leaves. The grounds also include Rinkaku, a historic tea house where visitors can stop for matcha green tea with Japanese sweets.
Oyakuen Garden was built in the Muromachi period as a retreat for the lord of Aizu. The Matsudaira clan later restored it and planted medicinal herbs throughout the garden to treat the townspeople. In season, the maple leaves around the pond shift from green to golden yellow with touches of orange, making it well suited to a relaxed walk in nature.
A cat station master, an anime-inspired ryokan and a spiral wooden temple
Ashinomakionsen Station has been in operation since 1927 and is known for appointing cats as station master. The current, third-generation station master is Sakura, on duty on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays, while the assistants Sora and Riku are on duty on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. At this time of year, both sides of the railway turn orange-red, contrasting with the local train and the mountains.
Ookawaso is a ryokan onsen on the bank of the Ogawa River. It has a shamisen performance stage in the central hall, said to be one of the inspirations for the Infinity Castle scene in the anime Demon Slayer. Performances are held every evening, and guests can soak in an open-air onsen while enjoying the autumn foliage views.
Sazaedo Temple is a hexagonal wooden temple more than 200 years old on Mount Iimoriyama. It is known for its double-helix spiral staircase, the only one of its kind in the world, where the routes up and down never cross. It is recognised as an important cultural property of Japan and offers a beautiful panoramic view of Aizu Wakamatsu during the autumn foliage season.
| Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Tsuruga Castle | Foliage can be seen from late October to early November. Take the Haikara-san bus from JR Aizu Wakamatsu Station for about 20 minutes and get off at Tsuruga-jou Iriguchi. |
| Ashinomakionsen Station | Foliage can be seen from late October to early November. Take the Aizu Railway line from Aizu Wakamatsu Station. The station master cat is on duty. |
| Oyakuen Garden | Foliage can be seen from late October to early November. Take the Haikara-san bus from JR Aizu Wakamatsu Station for about 20 minutes and get off at Oyakuen Iriguchi. |
| Ookawaso | Foliage can be seen from late October to early November. Take the Koriyama-Aizuwakamatsu-Ashinomaki Onsen bus from Aizu Wakamatsu Station for about 20 minutes and get off at Ashinomaki Marumine Mae. |
| Sazaedo Temple | Foliage can be seen from late October to early November. Take the Haikara-san bus from JR Aizu Wakamatsu Station for about 15 minutes, get off at Iimoriyama, then walk for about 5 minutes. |
This information is of interest to travellers looking for new places to visit on a year-end trip to Japan, as well as tour operators and hotel professionals who want to use Aizu Wakamatsu routes when planning tour packages or advising customers during the autumn foliage season.