48 hour experience in Fukushima, Japan

Fukushima has everything that visitors to Japan hope to experience such as hot springs, castles, old townscapes, beautiful scenery, and great cuisine. Then, if you have 48 hours in Fukushima, what will you do?

Ouchi-juku in Shimogo

This old post town was once located on the road that connected parts of Tohoku with the shogunal mausoleums of Nikko in Tochigi Prefecture. Even today, the village is remarkably preserved, making visitors feel as if they have stepped back into the Edo Period. The few dozen houses double as craft shops and small eateries, many of which serve miso-slathered rice dumplings or handmade soba noodles. The best view of the town comes from the viewpoint near the hillside shrine.

TEPCO Decommissioning Archive Center

You may be worried about the current Fukushima’s condition after the disaster in 2011 and get to know what happened at that time. Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) opened the museum related to the decommissioning TEPCO Decommissioning Archive Center in Tomioka Town, which was designated as a No-Go zone, in 2018. The museum introduces what happened with the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in 2011 and the process leading to the present status of the plant.

Tonohetsuri Bridge

Tonohetsuri, a name from the old Aizu dialect that means “cliff overlooking a river”, certainly lives up to its name. The natural landmark is comprised of a 200-meter long series of cliffs that have been weathered into unique shapes over the centuries. The forest along the cliffs is a popular spot to catch the autumn foliage. A bridge leads from across the river to the cliffs themselves, though recent flood activity has made much of the old walking route impassable.

Sky Walk at Fudosawa Bridge

Another exciting adventure to do in Fukushima is to witness the heaven walk on Fudosawa Bridge. Being located on the way to Azuma-Kofuji, the bridges give you a great opportunity to have an enchanting view of Fukushima. You can experience the ample nature’s beauty in this prefecture through this amazing view. This adventure will be a great therapy for your mind as well to get an ultimate relaxation.

Noguchi Museum

Even if you do not recognize Hideyo Noguchi’s name, you have surely seen his face,  on the ¥1000 bill. In Fukushima, you can visit the Noguchi Memorial Hall to learn about what earned this man his place on Japan’s currency. Among other accomplishments, Noguchi worked to develop the first vaccine to guard against yellow fever and discovered the agent responsible for causing syphilis. Noguchi’s work earned him a Nobel nomination. The memorial hall also encompasses part of Noguchi’s Meija-era home.

Tsurugajo Castle

Arguably Tohoku’s most impressive castle, Tsuruga is often remembered for its role in Japan’s Boshin Civil War, when it was one of the last remaining samurai strongholds. It was destroyed in the conflict, but rebuilt in the 1960s and now houses an interesting history museum. The castle roof is the only one of its kind to use red tiles. The grounds of Tsuruga-jo are an excellent place to catch Tohoku’s cherry blossoms in mid-April; the view from atop the outer walls is particularly impressive.

Goshikinuma Lake

Goshikinuma, or the “five-colored marshes”, are a series of ponds and lakes located in the highlands of Bandai-Asahi National Park. The multi-colored lakes were formed after an eruption in 1887 caused aluminum and silicone to leach into the newly-created bodies of water. Algae and iron oxide later lent even more distinctive hues. A hike leads from the Urabandai Visitors’ Center around a dozen of the lakes, fit individuals can easily walk the route in an hour.

See more: Lost in the dreamy beauty of Fukushima, Japan

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The best destinations for snow hunters in Japan

Winter in Japan is also a wonderful opportunity to venture out beyond the urban sprawl and experience the country, its customs, and cuisine like a local. Below are the best destinations for who want to explore Japan in winter, especially, for the snow hunters.

Abashiri Drift Ice, Hokkaido

Head right up north to the Sea of Okhotsk along the coast of Hokkaido, and you would be forgiven for thinking that you are in fact in the middle of the Antarctic. Here massive plates of drift ice known as ryuhyo float atop the ocean surface.

Drift ice season may not be Japan’s most well-known winter vacation opportunity, but it is definitely one of the country’s more unique experiences. Emerging in around mid-January and gone by March, there is a little time to check it out if you do want to see it in action. Occasionally from land you can spot drift ice floating along the coast, but to really explore the area at its peak, it is recommended you hop aboard one of the Aurora Sightseeing Boats. The tour boats depart from Abashiri Port in Hokkaido’s northeastern corner a couple of times daily, and a tour costs around 3,000 yen (£20) per person.

Otaru, Hokkaido

When it comes to winter in Japan, the heaviest snow falls in Hokkaido, where you can enjoy the annual Sapporo Snow Festival. But, take a 45 minute train ride, and you will be whisked away to the port city of Otaru, a city pivotal to the development of Japan’s northernmost island. Brick warehouses and Victorian style street lamps line Otaru Canal, giving it a distinctly European feel. Visit at night and be charmed by Otaru’s Snow Light Path, an event held in February where the streets of Otaru are decorated with snowmen and candlelight.

Shirakawa-go, Gifu

Looking like an idyllic painting come to life, Shirakawa-go is a small traditional village in the heart of Gifu that is stunning year-round. Nonetheless, winter is when it is at its most beautiful. The area is best known for being the home of Japan’s unique ‘gasshou’ houses, a style of old-world traditional Japanese architecture.

Some of the houses here are over 250 years old. The name ‘gasshou’ translates to ‘praying hands’ in English. It was so named because their sharply steep roofs clasped together resemble the two hands of the Buddha in prayer.

See more: 10 best places to go skiing in Japan

Zao Snow Monsters

The best place to see snow monsters is at Zao Onsen, a well-known hot spring and ski resort in the mountains of Yamagata Prefecture. These "monsters" are formed by heavy snow deposited on trees and frozen into shape by chilling winds. The Snow Monsters form around the peak of the Zao Ski Resort and are usually most spectacular around mid-February.

Ouchi Juku, Fukushima

Walk in the footsteps of samurai in the village of Ouchi Juku, a former post town on Aizu-Nishi Kaido that which connected Aizu, Fukushima with Nikko, Tochigi during the Edo Period. Ouchi-juku feels like a living museum, as the town has been restored to its former glory. Traditional thatched buildings, a trademark of post towns, line the unpaved main street, where you will find plenty of quaint shops, restaurants, and Japanese inns.

Warm up with a local specialty - fish grilled at an iriori, or sunken hearth - then head to Ouchi-juku Town Pavilion to explore more of this historic village.

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Where to see cherry blossom in Asia

Spring is nearly coming, that means time to enjoy the cherry blossom in the air. In Asia, you can easily catch the scent of cherry blossom falling in the land. Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea are the best places to enjoy the beautiful cherry blossom in the upcoming springtime.

TAIWAN

Alishan National Scenic Area 

Alishan is popular throughout the year as people take a trip up the mountain railway to witness the sunrise over the sea of clouds. However, cherry blossom season from January to April is the absolute best time to visit. The area is awash with color, and it’s simply breathtaking. If you’re heading to the scenic area, make sure to take the old train up part of the mountain. The scenery is spectacular, and it’s quite the experience.

Wuling Farm

Home to several fruit farms and set in the spectacular mountainous countryside of Taichung, it really is the perfect setting to unwind. And during the early months of the year, the area is transformed into a veritable sea of pink flowers.

See more: A quick guide to see cherry blossom in Taiwan

SOUTH KOREA

Jinhae

Jinhae, located near Busan, hosts the oldest and biggest cherry blossom festival in Korea. The city has one of the biggest concentration of cherry blossom trees in the world and the blooming flowers on hundreds of thousands of cherry trees turn the scenery into a pastel dream. Jinhae Gunhangjae Festival is definitely worth visiting even from Seoul.

Yeouido Park

Check out the Yeouido Flower Festival which is famous for its celebration of 1,886 Korean cherry trees. Get ready to feast your eyes at all the delicate sakura blooms during the cherry blossom season. Yeouido Park, located alongside the Han River, is one of the best and most popular spots to celebrate the beginning of spring! The Spring Flower Festival is the biggest spring festival in Seoul and the Yunjunro Street is lined up with blooming cherry trees for up to 6 km, so there are plenty of spots for admiring the scenery.

JAPAN

Hanamiyama Park (Fukushima)

Hanamiyama Park was opened to the public in 1959 to give the local community the opportunity to see the mountain’s beautiful array of flowers. In spring, the mountain comes to life with plum, cherry, and forsythia blossoms, as well as a wide range of other flowers. In full bloom the flowers paint the mountain in a gentle shade of pink, creating a surreal, fantastic atmosphere.

Mount Fuji

The only thing better than one Japanese national icon is two Japanese national icons – and for a couple of months each year you can get two for the price of one as Mount Fuji is surrounded by cherry blossom. There are numerous places from which to view Mount Fuji, but our favorites are Hakone and the Fuji Five Lakes region. Fuji Five Lakes is perhaps better than Hakone when it comes to Sakura, and two of the best spots are the northern shores of Lake Kawaguchiko and the Chureito Pagdo, built in the hills of Fujiyoshida City.

Shinjuku Gyoen (Tokyo)

Tokyo is famous the world over as a hyper-modern metropolis packed with high-rise buildings and flashing neon lights, and whilst this is true – there is also a surprising wealth of green spaces where you can take time out from the hustle and bustle of the city to relax. One of the best places to see cherry blossom in Tokyo is undoubtedly Shinjuku Gyoen, which is home to over one thousand cherry trees of both early- and late-blooming varieties, meaning that the sakura season here lasts longer than elsewhere in the city.

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