Celebrate history and soul at the Aizu Festival in Japan

The Aizu Festival is the biggest festival in Aizu, Japan that is held every year in late September. It is held over 3 days and includes many events like the lantern parade, special dances, and other parades. Enjoy fall in Aizu, Japan by coming to this event. Aizuwakamatsu Washington Hotel provides easy access to the venue, Tsuruga Castle.

Tsuruga Castle is elegant and beautiful. Enjoy the Aizu Festival with this castle in the background.

The Aizu Festival is held for 3 days around September 23rd every year. It was originally a festival of appreciation for those who lost their lives in war and the ancestors of the local families. During the Bakumastu period (1853-1863), many Aizu people fought courageously and lost their lives. Their stories have been passed down for generations. In this festival, you can feel the history and the passion of the people here. At the center of the festival is Tsuruga Castle, a symbolic establishment in Fukushima Prefecture. It was once destroyed, but it has since been rebuilt. It is the only place you can see red brick tiles from the Bakumatsu period. There are special historical exhibits inside, and you can climb up to the top as well.

Hours	September 21st (Saturday): Lantern parade, special dance performance 22nd (Sunday): Ancestral festival, Parade, special dance performance 23rd (Monday): Children’s parade, Drum and flute parade
Address	1-1 Otemachi, Aizuwakamatsu-shi, Fukushima Prefecture
Access	10-min. car ride from Aizuwakamatsu Washington Hotel Aizuwakamatsu Washington Hotel: From Wakamatsu Station, take the bus called Haikara-san/Akabe (ハイカラさん・あかべぇ) and get off at the Tsuruga Castle bus stop
URL	（Tsuruga Castle）https://www.tsurugajo.com/language/eng/ （Aizu Festival）https://www.aizukanko.com/kk/festival/autumn

The Lantern Parade kicks off the Aizu Festival. Watch the swaying lanterns in the night!

The Lantern Parade signals the start of the Aizu Festival. It happens on September 21st, 2024 at night. Originally, it was an event to celebrate an important, royal marriage at the time. The army from Aizu had a bad reputation at the time, but this marriage relieved that image and the local residents were ecstatic. The children carry the lanterns in celebration. Only children from specific local groups get to hold the lanterns, but you can watch them. The lanterns swaying in the night is a magical sight.

Hours	September 21st (Saturday) Start: 6:00PM (Starting ceremony: 5:45PM at Tsuruga Castle)
Address	From Tsuruga Castle through Shinmei Street
Access	10-min. car ride from Aizuwakamatsu Washington Hotel Aizuwakamatsu Washington Hotel: From Wakamatsu Station, take the bus called Haikara-san/Akabe (ハイカラさん・あかべぇ) and get off at the Tsuruga Castle bus stop
URL	https://www.aizukanko.com/kk/festival/aizu-matsuri/chouchin-gyoretsu

Feel the heat at the Aizu Parade. 2024 will have special guests!

The Aizu Parade is held on the 2nd day of the Aizu Festival and is one of the main events. Around 500 people participate and walk the streets in this parade that starts at Tsuruga Castle. After a ceremony, the parade hits the streets. This event garners over 200,000 visitors. This year, a famous Japanese actress, Haruka Ayase, will participate. She played a character who was born in this area in a famous Japanese drama, Yae no Sakura. Come watch the brave people of Aizu, Japan and cheer them on.

Hours	September 22nd (Sunday) Ceremony: 9:30AM, Parade start: 10:30AM ※Subject to change
Address	Tsuruga Castle (Special Stage)
Access	10-min. car ride from Aizuwakamatsu Washington Hotel Aizuwakamatsu Washington Hotel: From Wakamatsu Station, take the bus called Haikara-san/Akabe (ハイカラさん・あかべぇ) and get off at the Tsuruga Castle bus stop
URL	https://www.aizukanko.com/kk/festival/aizu-matsuri/hanko-gyoretsu