FUKUSHIMA: Tsuruga Castle & RINKAKU Tea House
Tsuruga Castle
Tsuruga Castleis one of the Japan’s most famous 100 castles. It is the only castle with red tiled roof in Japan. The castle we get to see nowadays is the reconstructed of the original castle as the original one was destroyed during the war in olden days.
For full itinerary, check out JAPAN TRIP 2024: 11D10N in Yamagata, Sendai, Aizu Wakamatsu & Tokyo
From Iimoriyama Shita Station, we took the Aizu Loop Bus and got off at Tsurugajo Kitaguchi. The Castle area is about 5 minutes’ walk from the bus stop.
Here is a snap I took when overlooking the castle’s moat.
The path walking towards Tsuruga-jo was extremely scenic, covered with fluffy soft snow. That’s very serene and peaceful. Even when walking towards the castle.
Ice cream in winter is always a great idea. The ice cream never gets a chance to melt.
The entrance fee is priced at ¥ 520 for both entrance into Tsuruga-jo and RINKAKU Tea House; additional ¥ 600 is required for a set of Matcha and wagashi inside the Tea House.
The castle is now opened as a museum. There is exhibition inside the castle, and also the history of castle and the samurai lifestyle. You can learn about Aizu Wakamatsu in detail and it is really interesting. Do not miss out the top of the castle tower too as you can enjoy the picturesque panoramic view from the top!
Striking white wall with multi-tiered roof, very elegant.
赤べこ Akabeko, red cow mascot character in Aizu Wakamatsu. You will find the souvenir of this mascot everywhere in this area and they are pretty cute!
The Basement level of the castle, showcasing the strong stone wall and how they built the stone wall.
We spent some time to take a stroll at the Tsuruga Castle Park. If you are here at the right season, you will get to see the cherry blossom at the castle park.
The weather at time of our visit was kind of … sudden sunny and sudden snow. We got the bright sunny view weather and sudden snow showering view. Beautiful and very beautiful but cold. LOL
On the side trip, we climbed up to the Tsuruga-jo Inari Shrine
Lastly, we headed to the Rinkaku Teahouse, strolled along the designated path and finally settled ourselves with a matcha and wagashi.
Just zen-ing here and savouring the wagashi pairing with matcha, while mesmerizing the snowy view outside.
