Follow in the footsteps of Hideyo Noguchi! 4 recommended spots scattered throughout Fukushima Prefecture!

Hiroyuki Oka
2022.09.04
Last updated: 2024.06.28

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

Within the prefecture, there are buildings and museums from when Hideyo Noguchi actually lived. In this article, we will introduce four spots in Fukushima where you can feel the footprints of Hideyo Noguchi. Please use this as reference for your Fukushima sightseeing

What kind of person was Hideyo Noguchi?

Hideyo Noguchi was born in Sanjogata, Miwa Village, Fukushima Prefecture, and graduated from Inawashiro Elementary School with excellent grades. Even today, there are facilities and statues related to him around Inawashiro

When Hideyo Noguchi was one and a half years old, he fell into a hearth and suffered severe burns to his left hand. At the age of 15, he underwent surgery performed by Dr. Kanae Watanabe at the Kaiyo Hospital in Aizuwakamatsu, which inspired him to pursue a career in medicine

After obtaining his medical license, he emigrated to the United States in 1900. In 1904, he joined the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research, where he studied spirochetes, the pathogens that cause syphilis. In 1928, while researching yellow fever in Accra, West Africa (present-day Ghana), he himself contracted the disease and died at the age of 51

Four spots to follow in the footsteps of Hideyo Noguchi

From here, we will introduce four spots where you can learn more about the man known as Hideyo Noguchi

Hideyo Noguchi Memorial Hall

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

Stone monument at the birthplace of Hideyo Noguchi

The materials, compiled by period, from his childhood in Inawashiro and Aizuwakamatsu to his time in the United States and Denmark, and his time conducting research in Central and South America and Africa, show that he was an extremely hard worker

There is also an experience booth where you can get up close and personal with the world that he researched as a bacteriologist, and enjoy playing games with invisible bacteria

Outside the memorial hall, the house where Noguchi Hideyo was born and raised remains, with highlights including the hearth where he was burned and the pillar on which his determination to become a doctor is engraved

Hideyo Noguchi Memorial Hall <Information>

Name: Hideyo Noguchi Memorial Hall
Address: 81 Maeda, Mitsuwa, Inawashiro-machi, Yama-gun, Fukushima Prefecture
Opening hours: April to October 9:00 to 17:30 (last entry 17:00) / November to March 9:00 to 16:30 (last entry 16:00)
Closed: December 29th - January 3rd
Phone number: 0242-65-2319 (for inquiries regarding admission)
Official URL:Hideyo Noguchi Memorial Museum

Hideyo Noguchi Museum of Infectious Diseases

The Hideyo Noguchi Memorial Museum of Infectious Diseases is a museum specializing in infectious diseases that opened to the public on July 2, 2022. Located next to the Hideyo Noguchi Memorial Museum, it showcases fundamental knowledge about infectious diseases and how humanity has dealt with them throughout history

The section on learning basic knowledge explains the types of pathogens that cause infectious diseases and the mechanisms from infection to the onset of symptoms. The section introducing history covers syphilis, tuberculosis, malaria, influenza, and other diseases, tracing the progress of research and countermeasures

The museum is open from March 16th to November 30th. A ticket that allows entry to both the museum and the Hideyo Noguchi Memorial Museum costs 1,200 yen for adults, 550 yen for elementary and junior high school students, and is free for preschool children. There are no tickets for entry to the museum alone. From December 1st to March 15th, the museum is closed for the winter season, and only the Hideyo Noguchi Memorial Museum is open to visitors

Hideyo Noguchi Museum of Infectious Diseases <Information>

Name: Hideyo Noguchi Memorial Museum of Infectious Diseases
Address: 81 Maeda, Mitsuwa, Inawashiro-machi, Yama-gun, Fukushima Prefecture 969-3284 (Sanjogata)
Opening hours: April to October 9:00 to 17:30 (last entry 17:00) / November and March 16th to 31st 9:00 to 16:30 (last entry 16:00)
Closed: December 1st to March 15th (Winter closure)
Phone number: 0242-65-2319
Official URL:Hideyo Noguchi Infectious Disease Museum

Noguchi Hideyo Youth Center

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The Hideyo Noguchi Youth Museum is a facility that utilizes the former Kaiyo Hospital, where Hideyo Noguchi underwent surgery on his left hand and later studied as an apprentice. The building is a Western-style storehouse built in 1884, with the first floor housing the "Aizu Ichibankan" coffee shop and the second floor serving as a museum exhibiting materials related to Hideyo Noguchi

Admission to the museum on the second floor is 200 yen for adults and 100 yen for children. After viewing the exhibits, you can also take a break at the cafe on the first floor

Noguchi Hideyo Youth Center <Information>

Name: Noguchi Hideyo Youth Hall
Address: 4-18 Nakamachi, Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture
Opening hours: 8:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Closed on: January 1st
Admission fee: Adults 200 yen, Children 100 yen
Phone number: 0242-27-3750 (Aizu Ichibankan)
Official URL:Hideyo Noguchi Youth Museum | Fukushima Travel

Hideyo Noguchi Youth Street

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The street where the Noguchi Hideyo Youth Hall is located is named "Youth Street" as it is the place where he spent his youth

The brick-paved street is lined with historic buildings, including Fukunishi Main Store, which utilizes a Taisho-era storehouse, and is recommended for those who enjoy walking around town

There is also a bronze statue of Noguchi Hideyo at Noguchi Hideyo Youth Square along the street, so it's worth stopping by

Hideyo Noguchi Youth Street <Information>

Name: Hideyo Noguchi Youth Street
Address: Nishieicho, Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture
Official URL:Hideyo Noguchi Youth Street

Experience the life of Fukushima's great man, Hideyo Noguchi

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

Learning about his life and achievements based on these documents may help you understand the greatness of his achievements and his hardworking personality, and you may feel closer to him. Also, Aizuwakamatsu City, the place associated with him, is home to many historical buildings that still remain, so it's a great place to take a stroll

Why not take a trip themed around Hideyo Noguchi?

Hiroyuki Oka

A freelance writer from Miyagi Prefecture. She loves words and letters and is an avid reader who reads more than 15 books every month. Her recent hobby is finding cafes where she can enjoy reading and sweets that go well with books