[Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture] The biggest festival in Aizu! Aizu Festival 2023 holding information

Aizuwakamatsu City is a city where history, culture, and tradition, including the symbol Tsuruga Castle, are still alive and well, and where the scenery of a castle town can still be seen.
The Aizu Festival is Aizu's largest festival, held over three days in Aizuwakamatsu City, where you can feel the history.
It has also been decided that Haruka Ayase will be participating as a special guest! The Aizu Festival is being prepared as a regular event just like before the coronavirus pandemic. Introducing information on the 2023 event.

Aizu Festival 2023 schedule

The 2023 Aizu Festival is currently being prepared as a regular event before the coronavirus pandemic.

  • September 22nd (Friday) Lantern Procession/Aizu Bandai Mountain Dance
  • September 23rd (Sat/Holiday) Ancestor Thanksgiving, Aizu Clan Public Procession, Aizu Bandai Mountain Dance
  • September 24th (Sunday) Nisshinkan Doji Parade and Drum and Flute Parade

It has been decided that actor Haruka Ayase will be participating as a special guest in the Aizu Domain public procession on September 23rd.

History of Aizu Festival

The annual Aizu Festival,Going back in history, in 1938, a lantern procession was held at the Aizu Festival to celebrate the marriage of Imperial Prince Chichibunomiya Akihito and Setsuko Matsudaira, the granddaughter of Katamori Matsudaira. rootsIt has been with.

Afterwards, the festival is held to express gratitude to the ancestors of Aizu, and to commemorate and repose the souls of the Aizu feudal warriors who died in the Boshin War and those caught up in the war. September 22nd in the lunar calendar (around November in the current calendar) is also the day when Aizu surrendered to the new government army during the Boshin War.

Aizu Bandai Mountain Dance

Mt. Aizu Bandai “Enya Mt. Aizu Bandai is a mountain of treasure”

Have you ever heard of it? Very famous in Fukushima Shosuke OharaIt is a folk song in which the character "san" appears, and is considered one of the three major folk dances in Japan.
On Shinmei Street next to the castle, groups and individuals gather around the turret in an old-fashioned ring dance to the lyrics of the folk song ``Aizu Bandaiyama.''
Walk-ins and costumes are welcome! You can win awards such as the best individual award, group award, and costume award.

  • Event period: September 22nd (Friday) and 23rd (Saturday/Holiday), 2020
  • Event time: 19:00-20:30 on both days
  • Venue name: Shinmei Street

Ancestor Thanksgiving

In addition to expressing our gratitude to our ancestors in Aizu, we will hold a ceremony to commemorate and repose the spirits of the Aizu samurai who died in the Boshin War and those caught up in the war.

  • Event period: September 23, 2020 (Saturday/Holiday)
  • Holding time: 8:30-9:10 *Scheduled
  • Venue name: Tsurugajo Honmaru special stage

The biggest event! Aizu clan official procession

The Aizu Festival's biggest event, the Aizu Domain Public Parade, is made up of over 500 people who parade through the town in samurai costumes. The highlight is the procession that resembles a historical picture scroll in which the successive feudal lords of Aizu appear in modern times.

The launch ceremony held at Tsuruga Castle's main enclosure features a variety of events, including the parade of feudal clan officials lined up before departure, firing by artillery and gun corps, and a sword fight inspired by the Boshin War.

After that, the procession departs into the city.
In addition to the past lords of Aizu, Yae Yamamoto, who was active during the Shinsengumi, Byakkotai, and the Aizu War, will also appear. The most eye-catching group at the Aizu clan public procession is the Yakkotai (Yakkotai) with their distinctive red faces. This nu-tai is a formation that actually existed during the Edo period, and is said to have been a nu-tai that carried out samurai's miscellaneous tasks, such as carrying luggage during sankin kotai.

Guys with distinctive red faces

Haruka Ayase will be participating as a special guest!

At the Aizu clan official procession,Haruka Ayase participated as a special guest.Mayor Shohei Muroi has announced that!

Haruka Ayase will be participating for the 8th time in a row, following 2022. She commented, ``I will do my best to make you all feel better even if just a little bit.''

I have participated in the festival seven times since I played the main character Yae, who is from Aizu, in the 2013 NHK Taiga drama ``Yae no Sakura.'' In last year's greeting, he said in Aizu dialect, ``This is the first Aizu Festival in three years. It's the 70th Aizu Festival, so I'd like to thank you for inviting me again in this commemorative year. Let's enjoy it until the end and go home.'' He delighted the audience. I was there.

The Aizu clan official procession departed from the main enclosure of Tsuruga Castle at 10:30 a.m. on the 23rd. After traveling from Kitademaru Odori Street to Shinmei Street and Bakurocho Street, we arrived at Wakamatsu First Junior High School around noon. In the afternoon, the parade will take place along Chuo-dori, Guilinjimachi-dori, and Honmachi-dori, and will continue for about 7.5 kilometers before returning to the castle. Approximately 600 people are expected to participate, 100 more than last year.

  • Event period: September 23, 2020 (Saturday/Holiday)
  • Holding time: Departure ceremony 9:30, Departure 10:30 *Both are scheduled
  • Venue name: Tsurugajo Honmaru special stage

Nisshinkan doji procession

In honor of the children who studied at the Aizu clan school, Nisshinkan, in the spirit of the law of tithe, ``What does not happen must not happen,'' the 6th graders from the elementary school in charge will dress up as warriors and march.

  • Event period: Sunday, September 24, 2020
  • Event times: Departure ceremony 9:30 (Daiichi Junior High School grounds), Departure 10:00 (Chuo-dori), Return ceremony 11:00 (Tsurugajo Honmaru) *All scheduled

Drum and Flute Parade

This is a drum and whistle corps parade made up of children from all of the city's elementary schools. The enthusiastic performances of the participating children echo loudly in the autumn sky.

  • Event period: Sunday, September 24, 2020
  • Event time: Departure ceremony 9:30 (Daiichi Junior High School grounds), departure 10:10 (Chuo-dori) *Schedule

Aizu Festival 2023 Summary

The Aizu Festival is a festival to express gratitude to our ancestors who fought for Aizu and to convey the history of Aizu to the future.
Last year, the Aizuhan Public Parade was scaled back in scale, but this year it will be held even if it returns to its traditional route!
Please come to the Aizu Festival to experience Aizu's past and present.

Aizu Festival＜Information＞

  • Name: Aizu Festival
  • Venue: Tsurugajo Honmaru special stage, etc.
  • Address: [Tsurugajo] 1-1 Otemachi, Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture 965-0873
  • Access: [Tsurugajo] Ban-etsu Expressway: Approximately 15 minutes from Aizuwakamatsu IC
    Get off at Haikara-san/Akabee "Tsurugajo Iriguchi" and walk 7 minutes
  • Parking: (Paid) Tsuruga Castle Nishidemaru Parking Lot, Tsuruga Castle South Exit Parking Lot, Tsuruga Castle East Exit Parking Lot
  • Contact: Aizu Festival Association TEL. 0242-23-4141

Google Map

List of related articles