A Summer Trip to Aizuwakamatsu

October 3, 2025

Last month, I took some summer vacation and went to Aizuwakamatsu.

Why there?

Well, because it’s hot—I thought I should head as far north as possible.

That was the idea, at least. But after I made the payment to the travel agency, I casually asked one of my kyudo friends about Aizuwakamatsu.

She said, “It’s hot there. Maybe even hotter than Tokyo.”

My heart sank. And yes, it really was hot.

On top of that, the restaurant I had been looking forward to was hard to find. I ended up wandering around in the blazing midday sun for more than 30 minutes. I was so close to giving up, muttering, “Fine, let’s just eat at the nearest convenience store!”

But just when I was about to lose hope, I finally found it. And it was absolutely delicious! The flavor was slightly on the sweet side—just the way I like it. Since I was starving, it tasted twice as good.

I hadn’t done much research about Aizuwakamatsu before going, so I asked ChatGPT for some suggestions. It gave me plenty of ideas, and I followed the plan it proposed. I visited a lake, took a sightseeing bus, and more.

One thing that really stood out in the city was the number of old storehouses still preserved. I love traditional townscapes, so I was genuinely excited to see them.

The building in the photo above is Fukunishi Honten. You can even tour the inside, and they sell stylish little goods.

Maybe this year was unusually hot, but honestly, sightseeing there would probably be better once the weather cools down. Seriously.