Local Guide
会津若松エリアで楽しめるフルーツ狩り&クラフト体験

Aizuwakamatsu is rich in nature and has a thriving manufacturing culture, and has a wide range of Experience Property can be enjoyed by both active and indoor types.
Fukushima Prefecture boasts one of the highest peach and apple harvests in the country, and fruit growing is thriving in the Kitaaizu area of Aizuwakamatsu City. Fruit picking, which can be Experience all year round, is a popular spot. We will also introduce spots where you can Experience crafts unique to Aizuwakamatsu, such as traditional crafts such as akabeko and painted candles.

Enjoy picking seasonal fruits at a vast farm

Fruit picking is all-you-can-eat for 30 minutes. The price and fruits vary depending on the season.
Fruit picking is all-you-can-eat for 30 minutes. The price and fruits vary depending on the season.

This is a fruit garden where you can pick fruit all year round. There are five farms around Aizu-Hongo Station, and seven types of fruit are available depending on the season: strawberries from winter to late spring, cherries in early summer, melons and peaches from summer to early fall, prunes and grapes in fall, and apples from fall to early winter. There are popular fruits in every season, and you can enjoy as many high-quality varieties as you like, such as melons, within the time limit, so it's a great deal. In addition, with many varieties of grapes and apples, you can eat as much as you like of all the varieties that are ripe at that time, which is a great pleasure as you can compare them.

Fruit picking and more to enjoy

Fruit platter for 800 yen. You can enjoy seasonal fruits.
Fruit platter for 800 yen. You can enjoy seasonal fruits.

In the garden, seasonal fruits are sold and you can enjoy a "fruit platter" under the fruit trees. In addition, from late August to late October, a special course (for 5 people or more) that combines fruit picking and a potato stew party is available. You can enjoy potato stew and mushroom rice cooked in a huge pot, which is popular with families and groups. There is also a confectionery workshop called "Gabuuri" at the entrance to Higashiyama hot spring, where you can Experience making sweets such as fruit pies and daifuku. After Experience, we recommend sightseeing in Higashiyama hot spring, known as the inner sanctum of Aizu, or relaxing in hot spring at a day spa.

Gaburi Garden
  • URLhttps://gaburigarden.com/
  • 住所Fukushima Prefecture Aizuwakamatsu City Kitaaizu Town Kamiyonezuka 1251 MAP
  • アクセスApproximately 7 minutes walk from JR Aizuhongo Station
  • バスアクセスTake the bus from JR Aizuwakamatsu Station, get off at "Kamiyonezuka" and walk for about 4 minutes
  • 営業時間9:00～16:00
  • 定休日No holidays (during the season)
  • 入場料Fruit picking: Adults from 550 yen, elementary school students from 330 yen, infants from 220 yen *Varies depending on the fruit
  • TEL0242-56-3188、「いちご狩り」0242-58-2313(坂内いちご園)
  • 駐車場free
  • 年齢制限Children and older
  • メモFruit picking must be booked at least 7 days before your visit. The orchard location varies depending on the season.

Try your hand at painting Aizuwakamatsu's traditional painted candles

Painting Experience requires reservations made at least one day in advance
Painting Experience requires reservations made at least one day in advance

This is a long-established Aizu-e candle shop that has been in business since the Edo period. It is located in Aizuwakamatsu's downtown, Noguchi Hideyo Seishun Street, and its quaint building, built in the Meiji period, is eye-catching. Aizu-e candles were a favorite item of upper class society during the Edo period, but over time they have become widely loved as a craft representative of the Aizu region. Traditionally, painted candles have floral patterns, but in the painting Experience, you can freely choose the pattern and color. First, you make a rough sketch, create colors on a palette, and then paint the candle. It takes 40 to 60 minutes, and you can create a one-of-a-kind painted candle.

Buy colorfully designed candles as souvenirs

A wide selection of colorful painted candles and incense is available.
A wide selection of colorful painted candles and incense is available.

Ozawa Candle Shop is managed by the oldest owner in Aizuwakamatsu who is an illustrated candle craftsman. Originally created as a replacement for Buddhist flowers, chrysanthemums and peonies have been preserved as traditional patterns, and now colorful flowers are painted according to the season. The illustrated candles have a wick made from washi paper and the wax from hazel nuts, making them environmentally and body friendly. They are also popular as interior decoration as they are soothing to look at. The illustrated candles come in nine different sizes, with the smallest one, 3 momme (approximately 15cm), recommended as a souvenir.

Ozawa Candle Shop
  • URLhttps://www.aizukanko.com/spot/58
  • 住所6-27 Nishieicho, Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture MAP
  • アクセスApproximately 15 minutes walk from JR Nanukamachi Station
  • バスアクセスTake the bus from JR Aizuwakamatsu Station, get off at "Shinmei-dori" and walk for about 2 minutes
  • 営業時間9:00-19:00, Candle painting Experience 10:00-16:00
  • 定休日January 1st
  • 入場料Experience a picture candle (2 candles) from 1,980 yen
  • TEL0242-27-0652
  • 駐車場無料（1台）
  • 年齢制限Elementary school and above

Cute paper mache folk crafts that represent Aizu

"Beko" means cow in the Tohoku dialect.
"Beko" means cow in the Tohoku dialect.

Akabeko can be seen all over the Aizu region. It is an adorable folk craft with its swaying head, and has become established as both a toy and a lucky charm. Akabeko are made from paper by pasting washi paper onto a handmade wooden mold, then cutting out the mold, and the neck is made to sway by hanging it from its body by a string. There are only two shops in the city that make akabeko using the paper-mache method. Bansho is one of them, and you can observe the process as they work in their workshop inside the shop. Akabeko are hand-painted, so no two have the same expression.

Draw any face or pattern you like on the bright red "Beko"

Don't hesitate, just move your brush with all your might.
Don't hesitate, just move your brush with all your might.

In the painting Experience, you will use the provided white and black paint, brushes, and cloth to draw expressions and patterns on the red-painted Beko. The key is to wet the brush with water and then wipe off any excess water with a cloth. Painting the areas you want to paint white first, then moving on to black will keep the brush clean and give you a beautiful finish. The paint dries in about 10 minutes, so you can paint multiple layers. The time required will vary depending on the person, but the general guideline is 40 to 50 minutes. Samples are provided, but you can imagine your favorite design and try to make your own original design.

Folk Crafts Shop Bansho
  • URLhttp://www8.plala.or.jp/akabeco/
  • 住所1-6-3 Wada, Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture MAP
  • アクセスApproximately 10 minutes by car from JR Aizuwakamatsu Station
  • バスアクセスTake the city tour bus "Akabee" from JR Aizu-Wakamatsu Station, get off at "Wada" and walk for about 1 minute
  • 営業時間9:00-17:00 (entry by 16:00 for Experience), 9:30-16:00 on winter Sundays and holidays (entry by 15:00 for Experience)
  • 定休日Open daily
  • 入場料Experience fee: Akabeko painting Experience 900 yen
  • TEL0242-27-4358
  • 駐車場free
  • 年齢制限Ages 3 and up (preschool children must be accompanied by a guardian)

The oldest folk craft in Aizu, also known as a lucky charm

Small ones, about 2cm tall, are available from 120 yen, making them perfect souvenirs.
Small ones, about 2cm tall, are available from 120 yen, making them perfect souvenirs.

"Aizu Koboshi" is one of the oldest folk crafts in Aizu. It is known as a lucky charm for perseverance and health because it keeps getting up no matter how many times it falls. It began about 400 years ago when the feudal lord at the time, Gamo Ujisato, had unemployed samurai make them and sold them during the New Year. Even today, every New Year in the Aizu region, locals buy one more than the number of people in their family, and display them on their Shinto altars, with the hope that their family and fortunes will increase. They are then burned at the end of the year, and are like a talisman.

Experience painting at a long-established manufacturer that has been in business for over 100 years

You can also use a pen for areas that are difficult to draw with a fine brush, such as the eyes and mouth.
You can also use a pen for areas that are difficult to draw with a fine brush, such as the eyes and mouth.

Six colors of paint are provided for coloring, so you can paint the pure white koboshi doll, which is about 7cm tall, however you like. After painting one color, you can dry it with a hair dryer and then paint multiple colors. Instead of painting the belt with a brush, you can turn the koboshi doll to draw it in a straight line. Originally, only red belts were available as a talisman, but now there are also blue belts, and the number of types has increased, including the all-blue "God of Water" and all-red "God of Fire". A traditional koboshi doll is provided as a sample, but feel free to create the design you imagine.

Yamada Folk Crafts Studio
Yamada Folk Crafts Studio
Yamada Folk Crafts Studio
  • URLhttps://www.aizukanko.com/spot/8
  • 住所12-35 Nanukamachi, Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture MAP
  • アクセスApproximately 5 minutes by car from JR Aizuwakamatsu Station
  • バスアクセスTake the sightseeing bus from JR Aizu-Wakamatsu Station, get off at "Machikata Denshokan Ame" and walk for about 3 minutes
  • 営業時間8:00～17:30
  • 定休日Irregular holidays
  • TEL0242-23-1465
  • 駐車場free

Experience pottery at an Aizu Hongo ware kiln

You can make teacups, mugs, and rice bowls with the potter's wheel Experience.
You can make teacups, mugs, and rice bowls with the potter's wheel Experience.

This is a pottery factory that produces Aizu Hongo ware, a type of pottery made in the area around Aizu Misato Town, next to Aizuwakamatsu City. A husband and wife team of potters propose tableware that will make your daily meals more enjoyable. You can Experience pottery at the studio and make Aizu Hongo ware using porcelain clay. Bowls and cups can be made on a potter's wheel, while hand-building is recommended for those who want to make uniquely shaped dishes such as plates. The workshop is taught in a clear and thorough manner, so even beginners can participate with confidence. Even small children Experience Experience on unglazed pottery, and they can easily make their own original dishes.

Simple and timeless handmade tableware

An example of a vessel made during the pottery Experience. You can choose the color.
An example of a vessel made during the pottery Experience. You can choose the color.

Once you've finished shaping the clay, choose your favorite color from the samples to end Experience. After that, it's fired in a kiln, and the finished product will arrive in about a month (shipping is available for an additional fee). The couple's works are also sold in the studio. They have a selection of gentle, warm-feeling vessels, including a series of vessels decorated with "Akabeko," a traditional Aizu toy, as well as turquoise cups and rice bowls. Since they are all handmade and each one is slightly different, it's fun to check the feel and find a vessel that you can use for a long time and love.

Pottery Studio Irori
  • URLhttps://www.irori-aizu.jp/
  • 住所Fukushima Prefecture, Onuma District, Aizu Misato Town, Kawaramachi 1868-1 MAP
  • アクセスApproximately 16 minutes walk from JR Aizuhongo Station
  • バスアクセスTake the bus from JR Aizuwakamatsu Station, get off at Shinmachi (Aizumisatomachi) and walk for about 7 minutes
  • 営業時間9:00～18:00
  • 定休日Irregular holidays
  • 入場料Wheel-throwing Experience 1,600 yen, hand-building Experience 1,100 yen, painting Experience: from 900 yen
  • TEL0242-56-5707
  • 駐車場free
  • 年齢制限Ages 3-4 and up

After enjoying sightseeing, why not relax at a resort hotel located at the foot of Mount Bandai? You can experience the history and culture of Aizu during your stay at the hotel.

A lodging where you can fully enjoy Aizu culture and stay active all year round

A guest room based on the concept of "Aizu Modern"
A guest room based on the concept of "Aizu Modern"

Hoshino Resorts Bandaisan Onsen Hotel by Hoshino Resorts is located in a place where Mount Bandai, one of Japan's 100 famous mountains, towers before your eyes and overlooks the mirror-like sparkling Lake Inawashiro. The hotel offers a heated pool, spa, and hot spring, and you can enjoy a stay that will allow you to experience the unknown Aizu culture. You can stay active from the season of fresh greenery to the burning autumn leaves and deep snow. Enjoy a stay at a highland resort surrounded by magnificent nature and the changing seasons.

Hoshino Resorts　Bandaisan Onsen Hotel by Hoshino Resorts
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