Where would you go on day two of three days in Fukushima?
Choose Ouchi-juku on day two for a thatched village, or Kitakata for a ramen meal. Ouchi-juku needs a bus change at Yunokami Onsen; Kitakata uses return JR. For both village walks and ramen, visit on different days.
Choose a 2 nights, 3 days itinerary
Castle, Ouchi-juku and garden
See Tsuruga’s history exhibitions and Oyakuen’s garden, with a middle day for Ouchi-juku’s thatched street. Return to the same Aizu hotel; the outing needs coordinated return trains and Saruyu-go buses.
Castle, Ouchi-juku and garden →2 nights, 3 days BCastle and ramen outing, then a final-day samurai residence
Learn Aizu history at Tsuruga, eat ramen in Kitakata and explore the residence’s living spaces on the last day. Leave time after visiting to return to the station and catch your departure train.
Castle and ramen outing, then a final-day samurai residence →Castle, Ouchi-juku and garden
See Tsuruga’s history exhibitions and Oyakuen’s garden, with a middle day for Ouchi-juku’s thatched street. Return to the same Aizu hotel; the outing needs coordinated return trains and Saruyu-go buses.
Day 1 — Tsuruga Castle and Aizu-Wakamatsu stay
See the red-tiled castle up close and learn Aizu history in the keep’s exhibitions. On arrival day, check time available for the keep first. Entry ends at 16:30 and there are interior stairs. For about 90 minutes inside, enter by 15:30 before the 17:00 closing; last-entry arrival does not allow 90 minutes. Shorten outdoor walks in snow/heavy rain. Keep admission JPY 410 and two buses JPY 500 give this day’s JPY 910 partial cost. Rinkaku Tea House is excluded.
- Aizu-Wakamatsu Station → Tsurugajo-Iriguchi
Take Haikara-san from the station to Tsurugajo-Iriguchi. Choose a weekday/holiday service arriving before keep admission ends. For a 90-minute visit, add the five-minute stop-to-castle walk and choose a service allowing entry by 15:30.
Fukushima Kotsu: 1 October 2026 Haikara-san weekday/holiday times and winter suspensions
- Tsurugajo-Iriguchi → Tsuruga Castle → return bus stop
Walk about five minutes to the castle and spend about 90 minutes on keep exhibitions and surroundings. Check last admission, stairs and snow/rain conditions.
Official Aizu tourism: castle fees, hours, stairs and five-minute bus-stop walk
- Tsurugajo-Iriguchi Akabe stop → Aizu-Wakamatsu Station
Board at the Aizu-Wakamatsu-bound Akabe stop; Akabe loops in the opposite direction. Return to the station and eat dinner near the station or hotel.
Fukushima Kotsu: 1 October 2026 Akabe weekday/holiday times and winter suspensionsAizu Bus: loop directions, current JPY 250 rides/JPY 700 day pass; revised PDFs for dated times
Return on opposite-direction Akabe. If delayed, adjust visiting time and the next bus together.
Day 2 — Change at Yunokami Onsen for an Ouchi-juku return trip
Walk Ouchi-juku’s street lined with thatched houses. Alight from the train at Yunokami Onsen and change to station-front Saruyu-go. Passengers booked by the previous day have priority; enquire about desired services beforehand. Choose outward/return trains and buses together for your date.
The JPY 2,200 combined discount ticket includes one Nishi-Wakamatsu–Yunokami Onsen rail return and two days’ unlimited Saruyu-go use. Starting at Aizu-Wakamatsu adds JPY 200 outside-area fare each way, totalling JPY 2,600. Ordinary trains apply; special sightseeing-train seat tickets are extra. Buy beforehand at Aizu-Wakamatsu’s travel desk or Yunokami Onsen’s counter. The staffed Yunokami counter opens 08:30–17:00; allow ticketing and platform access time. Check temporary counter changes before departing.
- Aizu-Wakamatsu Station → Yunokami Onsen Station
Take an ordinary train to Yunokami Onsen on the Aizu Railway route. Leave the gates for the Saruyu-go stop in front of the station. Distinguish arrival and departure times in your date’s rail timetable and choose a train that allows time to change to the bus.
Aizu Railway: revised 14 March 2026 ordinary-train arrival/departure timetable
- Yunokami Onsen Station forecourt → Ouchi-juku entrance
Take Ouchi-juku-bound Saruyu-go from the station to the village entrance. Passengers booked by the previous day have priority; enquire about desired return services beforehand.
Aizu Railway 2026 brochure: Saruyu-go times, booking priority and combined-ticket conditions
- Ouchi-juku entrance → Thatched street and lunch → Ouchi-juku entrance stop
Explore the village, eat at an open shop and return to the bus stop. Check chosen shops’ opening dates; add meals and individual exhibition charges separately.
Ouchi-juku Tourism Association: shop calendars and approximate 09:00–16:00 visiting period
- Ouchi-juku entrance → Yunokami Onsen Station
Return from the same village-entrance stop on Yunokami-bound Saruyu-go. If full or delayed by traffic, check the next bus and return-train connection first.
Aizu Railway 2026 brochure: Saruyu-go times, booking priority and combined-ticket conditions
- Yunokami Onsen Station → Aizu-Wakamatsu Station
Change at the station to an ordinary Aizu-Wakamatsu-bound train. Allow time between bus arrival and reaching the gates and platform. The JPY 2,200 combined ticket plus JPY 200 outside-area fare each way gives a transport subtotal of JPY 2,600.
Aizu Railway: revised 14 March 2026 ordinary-train arrival/departure timetableAizu Railway: Ouchi-juku JPY 2,200 ticket from Nishi-Wakamatsu and separate JPY 200 fare
If Saruyu-go is full or traffic causes delays, check the next bus and return-train connection first, and shorten your village visit.
Day 3 — Oyakuen → Aizu-Wakamatsu Station → depart
Walk around the pond and see medicinal plants. Oyakuen opens 08:30–17:00, last entry 16:30. Allow 45–60 minutes; visit in daylight in winter because there is no lighting. Admission JPY 330 and two buses JPY 500 give this day’s JPY 830 partial cost. Omit the garden for a morning departure. In snow/heavy rain, omit the walk and recalculate for tickets actually used.
- Aizu-Wakamatsu Station → Oyakuen bus stop
Take Haikara-san from the station to Oyakuen. Another bus changes the alighting stop and entrance walk.
Fukushima Kotsu: 1 October 2026 Haikara-san weekday/holiday times and winter suspensions
- Oyakuen bus stop → Oyakuen → same bus stop
Enter directly from the stop and spend 45–60 minutes in the garden. Visiting and preparing to board are separate from bus ride time.
Official Oyakuen: JPY 330, hours, year-round opening and stop access
- Oyakuen bus stop → Aizu-Wakamatsu Station
Take Haikara-san from Oyakuen and continue in the same loop direction to Aizu-Wakamatsu Station. Finish sightseeing in time for departure, allowing luggage collection too.
Fukushima Kotsu: 1 October 2026 Haikara-san weekday/holiday times and winter suspensions
Haikara-san and Akabe use different alighting stops and entrance walks. If choosing another bus, check its access route too.
Included: Day one Tsuruga keep JPY 410 + loop buses JPY 250 × 2. Day two Ouchi-juku combined ticket JPY 2,200 + outside-area Aizu-Wakamatsu–Nishi-Wakamatsu JPY 200 × 2. Day three Oyakuen JPY 330 + loop buses JPY 250 × 2. Ordinary adult city-bus rides cost JPY 250. The combined ticket covers one Nishi-Wakamatsu–Yunokami rail return and two days’ unlimited Saruyu-go use. Village meals/individual exhibitions are excluded.
Excluded from the subtotal: The subtotal excludes hotels, meals, shopping, luggage storage, hotel access, long-distance rail, airports, extra exhibitions and experiences, and sightseeing-train seat fees.
The confirmed admission/transport partial subtotal for one adult paying ordinary rates is JPY 4,340. Hotels, meals, luggage storage, hotel access, long-distance rail and airports are extra. If changing or omitting sights, recalculate for tickets actually used.
Official Aizu tourism: castle fees, hours, stairs and five-minute bus-stop walkAizu Bus: loop directions, current JPY 250 rides/JPY 700 day pass; revised PDFs for dated timesAizu Railway: Ouchi-juku JPY 2,200 ticket from Nishi-Wakamatsu and separate JPY 200 fareOfficial Oyakuen: JPY 330, hours, year-round opening and stop access
Castle and ramen outing, then a final-day samurai residence
Learn Aizu history at Tsuruga, eat ramen in Kitakata and explore the residence’s living spaces on the last day. Leave time after visiting to return to the station and catch your departure train.
Day 1 — Tsuruga Castle → Aizu-Wakamatsu accommodation
See the red-tiled castle up close and learn Aizu history in the keep’s exhibitions. On arrival day, check time available for the keep first. Entry ends at 16:30 and there are interior stairs. For about 90 minutes inside, enter by 15:30 before the 17:00 closing; last-entry arrival does not allow 90 minutes. Shorten outdoor walks in snow/heavy rain. Keep admission JPY 410 and two buses JPY 500 give this day’s JPY 910 partial cost. Rinkaku Tea House is excluded.
- Aizu-Wakamatsu Station → Tsurugajo-Iriguchi
Take Haikara-san from the station to Tsurugajo-Iriguchi. Choose a weekday/holiday service arriving before keep admission ends. For a 90-minute visit, add the five-minute stop-to-castle walk and choose a service allowing entry by 15:30.
Fukushima Kotsu: 1 October 2026 Haikara-san weekday/holiday times and winter suspensions
- Tsurugajo-Iriguchi → Tsuruga Castle → return bus stop
Walk about five minutes to the castle and spend about 90 minutes on keep exhibitions and surroundings. Check last admission, stairs and snow/rain conditions.
Official Aizu tourism: castle fees, hours, stairs and five-minute bus-stop walk
- Tsurugajo-Iriguchi Akabe stop → Aizu-Wakamatsu Station
Board at the Aizu-Wakamatsu-bound Akabe stop; Akabe loops in the opposite direction. Return to the station and eat dinner near the station or hotel.
Fukushima Kotsu: 1 October 2026 Akabe weekday/holiday times and winter suspensionsAizu Bus: loop directions, current JPY 250 rides/JPY 700 day pass; revised PDFs for dated times
Return on opposite-direction Akabe. If delayed, adjust visiting time and the next bus together.
Day 2 — Kitakata JR return trip → lunch at Raimu’s main branch
Eat a ramen meal in Kitakata and return to the same Aizu hotel. Search both JR directions for your date and choose a return after lunch first. Ordinary return trains JPY 700 are included in the subtotal; meals are extra.
Raimu’s main branch lists 11:00–21:00, last orders 20:45. Check menus, prices and temporary closures on the day. If queues make the return train difficult, eat after returning to Aizu.
- Aizu-Wakamatsu Station → Kitakata Station
Take an ordinary JR Ban-etsu West Line train towards Kitakata or Niitsu from Aizu-Wakamatsu to Kitakata. Check operation for your date and platforms in official station timetables.
JR Aizu-Wakamatsu: weekday/holiday Ban-etsu West Line towards Kitakata/Niitsu
- Kitakata Station → Raimu Kitakata main branch
Find Raimu’s main branch at number 19 on the tourism association’s ramen map: 7 Inarimiya, northeast of the station and west of the Nigori River. Check the station walk before leaving and allow meal queues and return walking. Opens from 11:00; check queues and menu prices on the day.
Kitakata Tourism Association: ramen map and restaurantsOfficial Raimu: main-branch address, 11:00–21:00 and 20:45 last orders
- Raimu main branch → Kitakata Station
Retrace your route to Kitakata Station and reach the gates/platform. Decide when to finish lunch so you do not miss the return train.
Kitakata Tourism Association: ramen map and restaurantsOfficial Raimu: main-branch address, 11:00–21:00 and 20:45 last ordersJR Kitakata: weekday/holiday Aizu-Wakamatsu-bound timetable
- Kitakata Station → Aizu-Wakamatsu Station
Return from Kitakata on an ordinary Aizu-Wakamatsu-bound JR train. Check weekday and holiday timetables and operation for your date. Follow train and platform guidance on the day.
If restaurant queues grow, postpone lunch and prioritise the return train. Leave time to return to the station and reach the platform.
Day 3 — Samurai residence → Aizu-Wakamatsu Station → depart
Explore living spaces in the reconstructed samurai residence. Facility guidance allows about an hour; there is outdoor movement between exhibitions. April–November hours are 08:30–17:00, final exit 17:30; December–March 09:00–16:30, final exit 17:00. Admission JPY 1,000 and two buses JPY 500 give this day’s JPY 1,500 partial cost. Alighting from the return bus does not mean an immediate long-distance train connection.
- Aizu-Wakamatsu Station → Aizu Bukeyashiki-mae
Take Akabe from the station to Aizu Bukeyashiki-mae. Choose a service from your date’s timetable that allows finishing during facility hours.
Fukushima Kotsu: 1 October 2026 Akabe weekday/holiday times and winter suspensions
- Aizu Bukeyashiki-mae → Aizu Bukeyashiki
Go to the entrance and allow the facility’s roughly one-hour visiting time. Leave extra time for outdoor movement between exhibitions and returning to the stop.
Official Aizu Bukeyashiki: fees, seasonal hours and one-hour visit
- Aizu Bukeyashiki-mae return-direction stop → Aizu-Wakamatsu Station
Return on Akabe from the Aizu-Wakamatsu-bound stop. The name appears twice on route listings; distinguish the stop for getting off and the stop for boarding back using the on-site map. Finish visiting with time to collect luggage and reach your departure.
Fukushima Kotsu: 1 October 2026 Akabe weekday/holiday times and winter suspensions
Even with the same stop name, distinguish outward and return directions on the on-site route map.
Included: Day one Tsuruga keep JPY 410 + loop buses JPY 250 × 2. Day two Kitakata ordinary JR paper tickets JPY 350 × 2. Day three Aizu Bukeyashiki JPY 1,000 + loop buses JPY 250 × 2. Ordinary adult city-bus rides cost JPY 250.
Excluded from the subtotal: The subtotal excludes hotels, meals, shopping, luggage storage, hotel access, long-distance rail, airports, extra exhibitions and experiences, and sightseeing-train seat fees.
One adult’s admission and sightseeing transport subtotal is JPY 3,110. It includes two ordinary adult Aizu-Wakamatsu–Kitakata paper tickets at JPY 350 each, JPY 700 return. Hotels, meals, luggage storage, hotel access, long-distance rail and airports are extra. If changing or omitting sights, recalculate for tickets actually used.
Official Aizu tourism: castle fees, hours, stairs and five-minute bus-stop walkAizu Bus: loop directions, current JPY 250 rides/JPY 700 day pass; revised PDFs for dated timesOfficial Aizu Bukeyashiki: fees, seasonal hours and one-hour visitJR East adult ordinary-fare calculation rule Article 77-3JR East Ban-etsu West Line Aizu-Wakamatsu–Kitakata operating distance 16.6kmJR East main-line distance fare bands, Article 77
Frequently asked questions
Does the Ouchi-juku combined ticket cover the whole journey from the station?
Rail coverage begins at Nishi-Wakamatsu. Starting at Aizu-Wakamatsu adds adult JPY 200 outside-area fare each way; with JPY 2,200 ticket, transport totals JPY 2,600. Check one rail return and Saruyu-go conditions together. Passengers booked by the previous day have priority for desired buses.
Aizu Railway: Ouchi-juku JPY 2,200 ticket from Nishi-Wakamatsu and separate JPY 200 fareAizu Railway 2026 brochure: Saruyu-go times, booking priority and combined-ticket conditions
Does the three-day Kitakata route include ramen?
Ramen costs extra. Keep admission of JPY 410, residence admission of JPY 1,000, four city buses costing JPY 1,000 and ordinary return Kitakata JR fares of JPY 700 total JPY 3,110 for one adult. JR costs use two JPY 350 paper tickets. Hotels, luggage storage, hotel access and long-distance travel are also excluded.
Official Aizu tourism: castle fees, hours, stairs and five-minute bus-stop walkOfficial Aizu Bukeyashiki: fees, seasonal hours and one-hour visitAizu Bus: loop directions, current JPY 250 rides/JPY 700 day pass; revised PDFs for dated timesOfficial JR train search: origin, destination and travel dateJR East adult ordinary-fare calculation rule Article 77-3JR East Ban-etsu West Line Aizu-Wakamatsu–Kitakata operating distance 16.6kmJR East main-line distance fare bands, Article 77
Official sources and dates checked
- Official Aizu tourism: castle fees, hours, stairs and five-minute bus-stop walk ·
- Aizu Bus: loop directions, current JPY 250 rides/JPY 700 day pass; revised PDFs for dated times ·
- Official Oyakuen: JPY 330, hours, year-round opening and stop access ·
- Official Aizu Bukeyashiki: fees, seasonal hours and one-hour visit ·
- Aizu Railway 2026 brochure: Saruyu-go times, booking priority and combined-ticket conditions ·
- Aizu Railway: revised 14 March 2026 ordinary-train arrival/departure timetable ·
- Aizu Railway: Ouchi-juku JPY 2,200 ticket from Nishi-Wakamatsu and separate JPY 200 fare ·
- Ouchi-juku Tourism Association: shop calendars and approximate 09:00–16:00 visiting period ·
- Official Raimu: main-branch address, 11:00–21:00 and 20:45 last orders ·
- Kitakata Tourism Association: ramen map and restaurants ·
- Official JR train search: origin, destination and travel date ·
- Fukushima Kotsu: 1 October 2026 Akabe weekday/holiday times and winter suspensions ·
- Fukushima Kotsu: 1 October 2026 Haikara-san weekday/holiday times and winter suspensions ·
- JR Aizu-Wakamatsu: weekday/holiday Ban-etsu West Line towards Kitakata/Niitsu ·
- JR Kitakata: weekday/holiday Aizu-Wakamatsu-bound timetable ·
- JR East adult ordinary-fare calculation rule Article 77-3 ·
- JR East Ban-etsu West Line Aizu-Wakamatsu–Kitakata operating distance 16.6km ·
- JR East main-line distance fare bands, Article 77 ·