Okuaizu Shoten is born where you can "know, buy, and experience" Okuaizu! [Fukushima Prefecture]

There are many famous tourist destinations in western Fukushima Prefecture, such as the ramen town of Kitakata, the historic town of Aizuwakamatsu, and Shimogo, famous for Ouchijuku. But did you know that even further west there is an area called Oku-Aizu

Oku-Aizu Shoten, a web platform that was launched on July 1, 2024 to promote the charm of the Oku-Aizu region .

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Where is the Oku-Aizu region?

The Oku-Aizu region is a collective term for seven towns and villages in western Fukushima Prefecture: Yanaizu Town, Mishima Town, Kanayama Town, Showa Village, Tadami Town, Minamiaizu Town, and Hinoemata Village

There seems to be a view that Shimogo Town, where Ouchijuku is located, is also included in Oku-Aizu, but in " A Journey to Oku-Aizu, Oku-Aizu Museum which is run by the same council , the Oku-Aizu region is considered to consist of the seven towns and villages mentioned above.

Yanaizu Town, said to be the birthplace of Fukushima's traditional craft Hinoemata Village, and Niigata.

the Tadami Line, a local train line that runs through this area and connects Aizuwakamatsu Station in Aizuwakamatsu City to Koide Station in Uonuma City, Niigata Prefecture , is also famous for the beautiful scenery along the line and the presence of several remote stations.

It is known as one of the snowiest areas in Japan, and in the Tadami River basin you can see avalanche chutes, a rare snow-cut landform in Japan

Although the area retains its traditional culture, it is currently facing challenges such as depopulation, an aging population, and a declining population

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Oku-Aizu Shoten is a website that connects the Oku-Aizu region with everything

Oku-Aizu Shoten is a website based on the concept of "Taking Oku-Aizu 100 Years Into the Future," and is comprised of five main categories: "Oku-Aizu Message Board," "See," "Read," "Do," and "Buy." It features articles introducing local information and tourist spots for each town and village in Oku-Aizu, introduces and makes reservations for activities that can be experienced in Oku-Aizu, and even allows you to purchase local products. It is truly an Oku-Aizu portal site packed with things to see, read, do, and buy

It is run by Tsuguto LLC, a local trading company that provides intermediary support in Oku-Aizu

Tsuguto LLC, which was established in Showa Village, Fukushima Prefecture in April 2023, was established with the aim of utilizing the local resources present in the Oku-Aizu region and revitalizing the area

Utilizing the newly opened web platform "Oku-Aizu Shoten," the company acts as a "regional trading company" that acts as an intermediary in all sorts of areas, providing intermediate support, such as mediating between "locations" across the seven towns and villages of Oku-Aizu, between "offline and digital," between "generations," between the private sector and government, and between "inside Oku-Aizu and outside Oku-Aizu."

lastly

I believe that the problems that the Oku-Aizu region faces, such as depopulation, aging, and population decline, are now issues that all regions across Japan are facing

In that sense, this kind of regional revitalization movement is something we want to support. If you're interested, please take a look at their website

Okuaizu store＜Information＞

• Official URL: Okuaizu Shoten (https://okuaizu.store/)
• Operating company: tsuguto LLC (https://tsuguto.co.jp/)

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