From late July to late September, a magical world of illumination is created at the Adatara Kogen Ski Area using 2 billion light bulbs. Numerous romantic locations amidst the light display are created through ingenious creativity, such as the "Tunnel of Light" surrounding the ropeway, and the "Blanket of Shining Flowers" found at the mountain summit.
| Website | http://www.adatara-resort.com/ |
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| Contact | Fujikyu Adatara Tourism (+81) 243-24-2141 |
| Best Season |
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| Parking | Free parking available. |
| Entrance Fee | Ropeway costs 1,300 yen for adults; 800 yen for children |
| Access | Nagata Nagasaka, Nihonmatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture View directions |
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| Getting there | By Car: 30 min by car from the Nihonmatsu I.C. exit off the Tohoku Expressway By Train: 50 min by bus from Nihonmatsu Station on the JR Tohoku Main Line |
The only Japan Racing Association racecourse in the Tohoku region. Enjoy the excitement of the seasonal races held during Spring, Summer and Winter, as well as the traditional Tanabata Prize in July. The racecourse also has other areas for enjoying yourself, including a children's play area and athletic facilities, making it a great place to come with the family.
A rural landing field located 10 km Northwest of central Fukushima City. Starting with the Azuma Mountain range, the beautiful mountain vistas surrounding this massive location will leave you mesmerized. In addition to aircraft take-off and landing practice, it is possible to use the Fukushima Sky Park for various events. It is widely used for music events, automobile and motorcycle test drives, and a test venue for public organizations.
There are records of Shirakawa Daruma (Japanese traditional dolls) being sold as far back as the feudal reign of the Niwa Domain in 1627. Current Shirakawa Daruma are known as “Shirakawa Tsurugame Shochikubai Daruma.” The faces of these dolls are painted to incorporate various animals and plants, with the eyebrows representing cranes, the mustache representing a turtle, the ears representing pines and plum trees, and the beard representing bamboo or pine trees. All of these images are thought to bring good luck. The daruma is known to be a very classical, lucky talisman, started by Matsudaira Sadanobu, the lord of Shirakawa, when he hired the renowned painter Tani Buncho to paint the now famous face on the daruma doll. Once every year a large Shirakawa Daruma Market is held to celebrate and sell the beloved daruma dolls. You can paint your own daruma at the two daruma workshops in town!
The Bandai-Azuma Skyline is one of the top cycling routes of Japan! The route brings cyclists through dense green forests to volcanic terrain and sweeping views of Fukushima city and the volcanic peak of Mt. Kofuji, or “Little Fuji”. In autumn this course is warmed by vibrant autumn leaves, that make for a magical ride! Fukushima has routes for cyclists of all levels! Click here for more information about Cycling Courses and Events in Fukushima! (Click here to read our blog about cycling the scenic Bandai-Azuma Skyline!)
This is one of the three major fighting festivals in Japan and has a tradition three hundred years in the making. This festival is so vibrant that throughout the town you can hear the beat of Japanese drums like an earthquake as huge floats crash together in battle. Hachiman Shrine becomes the main stage for the festival, after the floats are paraded around the streets.
At Usokae Festival, held in Iizaka Onsen Town, visitors buy lucky, hand-carved, wooden birds called ‘Usokae’. ‘Usokae’ translates as ‘changing lies’. Visitors who buy an Usokae bird must think of a ‘lie’ – i.e. something they don’t want to happen – which will in turn be changed to good luck to make sure that thing doesn’t occur by the birds by the end of the year. For example, you could think “I won’t pass my school exam” when you buy the bird, and by the end of the year, the bird will help you pass it! This is a unique local festival, and the hand-carved Usokae birds make very charming gifts too!
With a history stretching back over 400 years, the Taimatsu Akashi is one of the three major fire festivals in Japan. As the night grows darker and the bonfires flare brightly here and there around the venue, groups of local junior high and senior high school students march through the town carrying 30 8-meter-long wooden torches called Hon-taimatsu, which they created by themselves, followed by a group of young men carrying the huge wooden torch called the Dai-taimatsu (10 meters long and weighing about 3 tons), and a group of women carrying a smaller wooden torch called the Hime-taimatsu (6 meters long and weighing 1 ton). These torches are carried to the top of Mt. Gorozan.There is also a wooden frame depicting Sukagawa Castle and a group of samurai warriors. As the drummers from Oushu Sukagawa Taimatsu-Daiko Hozonkai powerfully beat their Taimatsu-Daiko drums, the torches and the wooden frame are lit with a sacred fire carried up by a group of runners from Nikaido Shrine. The whole mountain looks as if it is on fire. The combination of fire and the beating of the drums is reminiscent of the days in the Warring States period.In recent years, this traditional event has become well known as a participatory festival, allowing neighborhood associations, local elementary school pupils, and tourists to join the parade to Mt. Gorozan, each carrying a thin torchwood called a Sho-taimatsu (10 cm in diameter).
The Fukushima Fireworks Festival is something of a local pride in Fukushima City. Around 8,000 fireworks of a huge variety of explode against the night sky. The firework line-up even includes fireworks that are specifically designed for things such as warding away evil, and granting wishes!