You may have landed here after receiving your Akabeko box!
The map is very colorful with all the illustrations, but to help you to better discover Fukushima, here are detailed explanations of the map’s illustrations.
I gathered all this information (spring 2020), so it is possible that some details are not up to date or that there are certain inaccuracies despite all my researches.
The prefecture of Fukushima and me, it’s a beautiful love story and I hope to make you discover it better.
Have a nice visit !
* I’m not a native English speaker (Bonjour !) so my English may be not perfect… Thank you for your understanding ! If you see a mistake, you can mail me. Merci 🙂
To make it easier to understand, the map has been divided into three parts.
Click on the links below to access to each part:
How to get to Fukushima ?
► From Tokyo to Koriyama city (center part) or Fukushima city (northern part), use the Tohoku Expressway (東北自動車道). It is signed E4.
► Use the Ban-etsu Expressway (磐越自動車道) from Koriyama to get to Aizu-Wakamatsu city (western part). It is signed E49. (Use E4 until Koriyama, then E49 until Aizu-Wakamatsu)
► To Iwaki city (south eastern part) use the Joban Expressway (常磐自動車道). It is signed E6.
Wish you a good trip!
By Shinkansen (you arrive at the south/north of Fukushima) :
Use the Tohoku Shinkansen line (東北新幹線) to reach Fukushima Prefecture from Tokyo (東京). The Shinkansen stops at 3 cities in Fukushima :
Shin-Shirakawa (新白河)
Koriyama (郡山)
Fukushima (福島)
By local trains (you arrive at the West of Fukushima : Aizu-Wakamatsu city) :
If you prefer to take your time and enjoy the Japanese countryside, I would recommend you using the local trains!
From Tokyo’s Asakusa station (浅草), use the Tobu Nikko line (東武日光線) and get off at Shimo-Imaichi station (下今市) which is one of the Nikko city station. The ride takes about 2 hours, 1 hour if you use a limited express train.
Next, change trains to the Tobu Kinugawa line (東武鬼怒川線) and ride for about 40 minutes until you reach the terminus station Shin-Fujiwara (新藤原).
Then, change to the Aizu Kinugawa line (会津鬼怒川線). You are leaving Tochigi Prefecture and getting in Fukushima Prefecture. After a 30 minutes ride, get off at the Aizukogen-Ozeguchi terminus (会津高原尾瀬口).
You’re almost there! Change trains to the Aizu Railway Aizu line (会津鉄道会津線). The ride takes about 1 and a half hours during which you get to enjoy amazing views! Get off at Nishi-Wakamatsu station (西若松). Welcome to Aizu-Wakamatsu city!
Visit the Tsuruga Castle (2 kilometers from Nishi-Wakamatsu station) and much more (please take a look at the Map Part 3)!
By bus :
Traveling by bus is comfortable and there are several bus companies in Japan. “Aizu Bus” is able to get you from Tokyo to Aizu-Wakamatsu in about four and a half hours.
If you have a JR Pass, you can use Shinkansen to save yourself some money.