[Fukushima] Take a trip back in time. On a nice day, head to Fukushima Minkaen!

Fukushima City Folk House Garden is located within the Fukushima Prefecture Azuma General Sports Park.
The name "Folk House Garden" might be a little unclear, but it's a park where folk houses and buildings from the mid-Edo period to the mid-Meiji period have been relocated and restored. It covers an impressive area of ​​approximately 110,000 square meters. The park has forests, a river, and even rice paddies. And best of all, admission is free!
Why not enjoy a leisurely stroll while experiencing the original landscape of Japan?

Buildings reminiscent of period dramas are everywhere

The first thing you'll find upon entering the park is a simple wooden storehouse. Further on, you'll find a traveler's inn that once stood at a fork in the road.
Beyond the trees, you can see other unique buildings such as a theater, a restaurant, and private houses.
It's a good idea to start by looking at whichever building catches your eye.

(The former Kakei Inn is a building from the late 1800s, with the first floor used as a store and the second floor as lodging.)

(Former Hiroseza Theater: A playhouse built around 1887. Kabuki performances and other events are still held there today.)

One of the enjoyable aspects of visiting a folk village is being able to enter the buildings.
You can look around while imagining life in ancient times, gazing at the audience seats of a theater or observing silkworm farming.

There are many other points of interest besides the building!

There are other things to see at the folk village besides the buildings.
For example, the gardens attached to the houses. They are well-maintained, and you can imagine that people in the past might have sat on these verandas and admired these flowers.

Also, the object on the left in the photo below is a "house god," a shrine to the guardian deity of a house, which was originally placed in a corner of the property. The object
on the right is a decoration that can be seen in several places within the park, but it was originally hung at the entrance to the mountain to express gratitude to the mountain god and to pray for safety during work in the mountain. You
can learn about these kinds of folk customs as well.

They also have original merchandise from the folk village.
Clear files and notepads like these are sold at the entrance.

Don't miss out on seasonal events and special events!

Within the park, decorations are set up according to the seasons, and events such as rice planting, Tanabata (Star Festival), and moon viewing are held.
In addition, there are events such as weaving demonstrations and ancient martial arts demonstrations, sweets service and tea ceremonies according to the event, and straw craft and traditional games experiences, so it is recommended to check the event schedule on the website before you go.

Fukushima Minkaen is a place that can be enjoyed by people of all ages and genders, whether you're interested in history, children looking for a unique experience, or just wanting to take a pleasant stroll. Why not add it to your list of places to visit on your next trip to Fukushima?

INFORMATION

Hazuki

A writer specializing in food and travel. He loves the Tohoku region, and often visits Fukushima in particular. He even once drove his own car from Kyoto to Fukushima and back