Tsuruga Castle in Aizu-Wakamatsu, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan
Photo: SQUAREZERO via FIND/47 · CC BY 4.0
福島TŌHOKU
TŌHOKU · 福島県 · Japan

Fukushima

Samurai history, hot springs, and fruit orchards in a large, scenic prefecture.

Tohoku's largest prefecture by area, Fukushima pairs the samurai history and lacquerware of the Aizu highlands with Pacific coastline, and is split into three distinct regions: mountainous Aizu, central Nakadori, and coastal Hamadori. It is known for hilltop castles, hot-spring resorts, and dramatic scenic rail like the Tadami Line.

Fukushima's (福島) Aizu (会津) region was a loyal samurai stronghold; the Byakkotai (白虎隊) young warriors and Tsuruga Castle (鶴ヶ城) are central to its Boshin War history.

Aizuwakamatsu 会津若松Iwaki いわきBentenjima 弁天島
Where it isFukushima, TŌHOKU
Tsurugajo Castle, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan
Tsurugajo Castle
Ouchi-juku, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan
Ouchi-juku
Goshiki-numa Ponds, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan
Goshiki-numa Ponds
To-no-Hetsuri, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan
To-no-Hetsuri

Photos: Tsurugajo Castle — jamesfischer via Flickr, CC BY 2.0 · Ouchi-juku — SQUAREZERO via FIND/47, CC BY 4.0 · Goshiki-numa Ponds — 663highland via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 · To-no-Hetsuri — Kohei Fujii via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0

01

Getting there

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Kōriyama/Fukushima are ~1h20m–1h40m from Tokyo by Tōhoku Shinkansen.

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02

What to see

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Tsurugajo Castle, Fukushima Prefecture, JapanTop pick

Tsurugajo Castle (鶴ヶ城 / Aizu-Wakamatsu Castle)

The symbol of the Aizu samurai clan, famous for withstanding a month-long siege during the 1868 Boshin War. Has Japan's only red-tiled castle keep; surrounded…

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Ouchi-juku, Fukushima Prefecture, JapanTop pick

Ouchi-juku (大内宿)

Beautifully preserved Edo-period post town of thatched-roof houses in the southwestern mountains; a nationally designated Important Preservation District.…

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Goshiki-numa Ponds, Fukushima Prefecture, JapanTop pick

Goshiki-numa Ponds (五色沼)

A cluster of volcanic lakes near Mt. Bandai (formed in the 1888 eruption) glowing in shifting shades of emerald, cobalt and turquoise from mineral content. An…

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03

What to eat

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Kitakata Ramen, Fukushima Prefecture, JapanMust-eat

Kitakata Ramen (喜多方ラーメン)

One of Japan's 'Three Great Ramen' alongside Sapporo and Hakata. From Kitakata City in the Aizu region: thick, curly, high-water-content aged flat noodles in…

Kozuyu, Fukushima Prefecture, JapanMust-eat

Kozuyu (こづゆ)

Traditional Aizu celebratory soup made with dried-scallop broth and ingredients like wood-ear and shiitake mushrooms, konjac, taro and bracken, seasoned with…

Negi Soba, Fukushima Prefecture, JapanMust-eat

Negi Soba (ねぎそば)

Ouchi-juku's signature dish: buckwheat soba eaten using a single long green onion (negi) instead of chopsticks, which doubles as a condiment. A playful local…

04

Fukushima at a glance

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05

Say it in Fukushima

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Ask a local
Osusume wa nan desu ka?
What do you recommend?
Test yourself
Local word
Aizu
the historic samurai region of western Fukushima
Test yourself
One more
Koko no mizu wa oishii desu ne.
The water here is delicious, isn't it? (polite observation about local spring water or sake quality)
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Tsurugajo Castle, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan

Sleep in Fukushima

Compare ryokan, business hotels and local inns.

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07

Next door

MiyagiHome to lively Sendai and one of Japan's 'three great views' at Matsushima Bay.YamagataMountain temples, cherries, and snow monsters on Mount Zaō.Play the 47-prefecture mapUnlock Fukushima in the RPG-style explorer.

Links marked PR are affiliate links: if you book through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Photos: Tsuruga Castle in Aizu-Wakamatsu — SQUAREZERO via FIND/47, CC BY 4.0 · Tsurugajo Castle — jamesfischer via Flickr, CC BY 2.0 · Ouchi-juku — SQUAREZERO via FIND/47, CC BY 4.0 · Goshiki-numa Ponds — 663highland via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 · To-no-Hetsuri — Kohei Fujii via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Tsurugajo Castle — L'oeil étranger via Flickr, CC BY 2.0 · Ouchi-juku — This-is-Fukushima via Flickr, CC BY 2.0 · Goshiki-numa Ponds — 663highland via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Kitakata Ramen — skyseeker via Flickr, CC BY 2.0 · Kozuyu — Opqr via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Negi Soba — Schellack at English Wikipedia via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain. Map: Geolonia (MIT).