[Fukushima Prefecture] 4 recommended spots to follow in the footsteps of Hideyo Noguchi!

Hideyo Noguchi is famous for the 1,000 yen bill, but did you know that he was born in Fukushima Prefecture?

There are buildings and museums left in the prefecture from the time when Hideyo Noguchi actually lived. In this article, we will introduce four spots in Fukushima Prefecture where you can feel the footsteps of Hideyo Noguchi. Please use this as a reference when sightseeing in Fukushima.

What kind of person is Hideyo Noguchi?

Hideyo Noguchi was born in Mikigata, Miwa Village, Fukushima Prefecture, and graduated from Inawashiro High School with excellent results.There are still facilities and statues related to him around Inawashiro.

When he was one and a half years old, he suffered a severe burn on his left hand and underwent surgery at the age of 15, which led him to pursue a career as a doctor.

After obtaining his doctor's license, he pursued research as a bacteriologist, and in 1900, at the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research, he succeeded in culturing the syphilis pathogen spirochete. He died in 1928 when he contracted an infection while researching yellow fever in West Africa.

4 spots to follow in the footsteps of Hideyo Noguchi

From here, we will introduce four spots where you can get to know Hideyo Noguchi deeply.

Hideyo Noguchi Memorial Museum

The memorial museum in Inawashiro Town, where Hideyo Noguchi was born and raised, provides easy-to-understand explanations of his achievements and life.

Documents compiled by period, from his childhood in Inawashiro and Aizuwakamatsu, to his time in the United States and Denmark, and his time spent researching in Central and South America and Africa, show that he was a very hard worker. Masu.

There will also be an experience booth where you can get a closer look at the world that the bacteriologist studied, and you can enjoy invisible bacteria in a game-like way.

Additionally, outside the memorial hall, the house where Hideyo Noguchi was born and raised remains, with highlights such as the hearth where he was burned and the pillar inscribed with his determination to become a doctor.

Hideyo Noguchi Memorial Museum＜Information＞

  • Name: Hideyo Noguchi Memorial Museum
  • Address: 81 Maeda, Mitsuwa, Inawashiro-cho, Yama-gun, Fukushima Prefecture
  • Business hours: April-October 9:00-17:30/November-March 9:00-16:30
  • Phone number: 0242-85-7867
  • Official URL: Hideyo Noguchi Memorial Museum

Hideyo Noguchi Infectious Disease Museum

The Infectious Disease Museum, which opened on July 2, 2022, is the first private museum dedicated to infectious diseases. It explains the basic knowledge of infectious diseases and the history of humanity's fight against infectious diseases.

At the booth where you can learn basic knowledge, we will introduce pathogens that cause infectious diseases and the mechanism from the time they enter the human body to the time they develop symptoms. The history booth exhibits how we have faced and solved infectious diseases such as syphilis, tuberculosis, malaria, and influenza.

To enter, we recommend using a shared ticket with the Hideyo Noguchi Memorial Museum, which can be purchased for 1,300 yen for adults and 600 yen for children.

Hideyo Noguchi Infectious Disease Museum <Information>

  • Name: Hideyo Noguchi Memorial Museum
  • Address: 89 Mitsuwamaeda, Inawashiro-cho, Yama-gun, Fukushima Prefecture
  • Business hours: April-October 9:00-17:30/November-March 9:00-16:30
  • Phone number: 0242-65-2319
  • Official URL: Hideyo Noguchi Infectious Disease Museum

Hideyo Noguchi Seishunkan

Hideyo Noguchi Seishunkan is a repurposed building that used to be the former Kaiyo Hospital where Hideyo Noguchi underwent hand surgery.Currently, the first floor is a coffee shop and the second floor is a museum.

The interior of the building, which was built in 1884, retains its retro atmosphere and is a relaxing space.

At the coffee shop, you can enjoy freshly ground coffee and four types of handmade sweets, and the recommended one is the sake lees pudding. You can enter the museum on the second floor for 100 yen, so it might be a good idea to use it in conjunction with the coffee shop.

Hideyo Noguchi Seishunkan <Information>

  • Name: Hideyo Noguchi Seishunkan
  • Address: 4-18 Nakamachi, Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture
  • Business hours: 9:00-18:00
  • Phone number: 0242-27-3750
  • Official URL: Hideyo Noguchi Seishunkan

Hideyo Noguchi Youth Street

The street where Hideyo Noguchi Seishunkan is located is named ``Seishun Dori'' as it is the place where he spent his youth.

The brick-paved streets are lined with buildings that give you a sense of history, including the Fukunishi Main Store, which was built in a warehouse from the Taisho era, and is recommended for those who like walking around town.

There is also a bronze statue of Hideyo Noguchi at Hideyo Noguchi Youth Plaza along the street, so it's a good idea to stop by.

Hideyo Noguchi Seishun Street <Information>

Let's get a feel for the life of Hideyo Noguchi, a great figure from Fukushima Prefecture.

This time, we introduced four spots that follow in the footsteps of Hideyo Noguchi, who was born and raised in Inawashiro Town.

If you learn about his life and achievements based on materials, you will understand the greatness of his achievements and his hard-working personality, and you may feel closer to him. In addition, Aizuwakamatsu City, which is the place of connection, has many buildings that give you a sense of history, so it would be a good idea to take a walk.

Why not take a trip themed around Hideyo Noguchi?

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