Aizuwakamatsu’s Great Winter Festival is Coming for The First Time in Two Years! Witness The Fantastic Snowy Scenery with 10,000 Aizu Painted Candles

Aizu Painted Candles, a traditional Aizu handicraft, are depicted with colorful seasonal plants such as chrysanthemums, wisteria, and peonies. The colorful candles were given to court nobles and utilized as souvenirs by other feudal clans in the Edo period (1603-1868). Those traditional ten thousand candles are lit and displayed in the “Aizu Painted Candle Festival,” which is an apparent winter attraction in Aizu. Unfortunately, due to the spread of covid-19, the annual festival was canceled in 2021 and 2022. However, it will be revived in 2023! We hope you’ll enjoy the candle festival with the spectacular snowy night view at Tsurugajo Castle, Oyakuen Garden, and other famous tourist spots in Aizuwakamatsu City.

What is Aizu Painted Candle Festival?

During the Edo period, 70 to 80 Aizu-painted candle crafters’ stores existed in the Aizu-Wakamatsu area. However, the candle industry was declining due to the spread of gas lighting and electricity crossover of modernization in the late 19th century. Moreover, the subsequent defeat in World War II threatened the continuation of candle production. Since then, Aizu Painted Candle Festival was started to let people all over Japan (and all over the world) know about this traditional craft and to give people an appreciation for the work needed to make every single candle. Finally, the festival has been held every year because it was done well in attracting so many visitors since the first time. Pleasantly, it will mark the 24th year in 2023. This year’s theme is “Lights for the Future.” You can enjoy the candle festivals in several venues, in addition to the Tsurugajo Castle and Oyakuen Garden. Each site will be lit with many candles to the characteristics of the place, and you can enjoy various attractiveness of the candle arts.

Period	The 10th and 11th of February, 2023 Opening Hours: Around 5:30PM – 8:30PM
Venue	Tsurugajo Castle, Oyakuen Garden, Aizuwakamatsu Station, the residence site attributed to Saigo Tanomo, Nanokamachi Street, Noguchi Hideyo Youth Street, Omachi Street, and Inishie Yume Kaido Street
URL	https://aizu.com/erousoku/program.html

“Tsurugajo Castle”, offering a delightful view from the castle tower, is illuminated by colorful candles

“Tsurugajo Castle”, one of the main venues for the candlelight festival, is a symbol of Aizu Wakamatsu City. The castle was built in 1384, and it is known that historically famous people such as Date Masamune and Uesugi Kagekatsu owned it. At the venue, candles are displayed on “Aizu Lacquerware” candlesticks with beautiful patterns and “Aizu Hongo-Yaki Ware” lanterns to express the art of the dynamic “motion” world. You can come up to the castle tower and enjoy overlooking the fantastic and sparkling scenery created by the countless soft lights.

Address	1-1 Otemachi, Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture
Access	An 8-minute drive from Aizuwakamatsu Washington Hotel
URL	https://www.tsurugajo.com/tsurugajo/

“Oyakuen”, a Japanese-style garden with illuminated hills and waters, creates a mysterious atmosphere

“Oyakuen Garden” is also one of the main venues like Tsurugajo Castle. This Japanese-style garden is designated as a National Place of Scenic Beauty. The garden was used as a villa by the Aizu domain lords from the 14th century, and some herb plots were added for cultivating ginseng and other medicinal herbs. Therefore, it was known as the “Oyakuen Garden (Garden of medicines).” During the candlelight festival, visitors can enjoy the mystical and graceful scenery by the pond surrounded by many candles in bamboo tubes. Tsurugajo Castle represents a world of “motion,” while Oyakuen Garden expresses a world of “stillness.” In short, two fascinating different universes are presented by the numerous candlelights.

Address	8-1 Hanaharumachi, Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture
Access	A 6-minute drive from Aizuwakamatsu Washington Hotel
URL	https://www.tsurugajo.com/oyakuen/