Japan (Lonely Planet, 11th Edition) - Chris Rowthorn [395]
If you’re driving, the Tōhoku Expressway () runs between Tokyo and Kōriyama, while the Banetsu Expressway () connects Kōriyama and Aizu-Wakamatsu.
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KITAKATA
0241 / pop 55,000
An old Kitakata saying reflects this town’s view towards commerce: ‘A man is not a man unless he has built at least one kura (a mud-walled storehouse)’. These days, the town’s 2500-plus colourful kura – now functioning as living quarters, sake breweries and workshops – are a perennial tourist attraction, as are Kitakata’s 120-plus rāmen shops.
The tourist information kiosk (24-2633; 8.30am-5.15pm), left of the station exit, provides colourful English-language maps. These are essential in finding the listings below, which are hidden in the mazes of Kitakata’s back streets.
Sample the excellent local sake at Yamatogawa Sake Brewing Museum (; 22-2233; Teramachi; admission free; 9am-4.30pm, closed irregularly), five minutes’ walk north of the station behind the post office.
While the kura-lined streets are certainly atmospheric, Kitakata is really all about the rāmen. The most famous spot in town is Genraiken (; 22-0091; 7745 Ippongiue Kitakata City; sets from ¥550; 10am-8pm Wed-Mon, last orders 7.30pm), which boasts a 75-year history, and a detailed picture menu outlining its original creations. Find it one block north and one block east of the station – look for the red façade as well as the crowds of people queuing outside.
Of course, if you want to buck tradition, just follow your nose to any one of Kitakata’s competing rāmen joints. Kitakata’s signature noodles are thick and curly, and served up in a hearty pork and fish broth that makes use of local spring water, soy sauce and sake. Delicious.
Most visitors to Kitakata head back to Aizu for the night, but you can extend your visit by sleeping at Sasaya Ryokan (; 22-0008; Chūō-dōri; r per person with/without 2 meals from ¥8800/5500; ), a traditional two-storey Japanese house offering a handful of private tatami rooms. It’s only about a 10-minute walk northeast of the station, though it’s best to have the staff at the tourist information centre mark it for you on the map.
Kitakata is a relatively easy trip from Aizu-Wakamatsu, accessible by frequent trains along the JR Banetsu-saisen line (¥320, 25 minutes). For drivers, Rte 121 runs between Aizu and Kitakata.
Bicycle rental (per two hours/day ¥500/1500) is available outside Kitakata station, while a horse-drawn carriage (24-4111; tours on demand ¥1300) shaped like a kura departs from the train station for an 80-minute tour of the more interesting storehouses.
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BANDAI PLATEAU
0241 / pop 4000
On 15 July 1888 Bandai-san (; 1819m), a once-dormant volcano, suddenly erupted, spewing forth a tremendous amount of debris that’s said to have lowered the mountain’s height by 600m. The force of the eruption destroyed dozens of villages, claimed more than 400 lives and completely rearranged the landscape, resulting in the vast lake-dotted plateau now known as Bandai-kōgen. Today, this massive wilderness area, which is hemmed in by the Fukushima, Niigata and Yamagata prefectural boundaries, attracts hikers, climbers, fishing enthusiasts, skiers and snowboarders with its spectacular scenery and vast potential for independent exploration.
Orientation & Information
Bandai-kōgen comprises the southern part of Bandai-Asahi National Park (), which is the second-largest protected area in Japan.
There are trailheads located at the Goshiki-numa Iriguchi and Bandai-kōgen bus stops, the main transport hubs on the edge of Hibara-ko. This route is serviced by buses that depart from the town of Inawashiro.
There’s a visitors centre (32-2850; 9am-4pm Wed-Mon Dec-Mar, to 5pm Wed-Mon Apr-Nov) not far from the Goshiki-numa Iriguchi trailhead, and a tourist information office (0242-62-2048; 8.30am-5pm)