This site is a web media that delivers all kinds of trivia, from sightseeing and gourmet spots in the six Tohoku prefectures to local, customs, and history.
Zatsu Tabi - That's Journey " has been airing since April 2025 This story tells the story of the protagonist, who is an aspiring manga artist, deepens his sights while taking a random journey (a sloppy journey). The destination for the memorable first episode, "The First 1225 Dan," is in Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture. In this article, we will introduce how to get to Aizuwakamatsu City, touching on the depictions in the story.
What is "Zatsu Journey - That's Journey"?
The main character of "Zatsu Tabi - That's Journey," Suzugamori Chika, is a female college student who is aspiring to have a manga artist and is unable to be hired by publishers. After seeing a trip program on TV where she decides where to go with dice, she comes up with the idea of going on a trip to search for destinations through a social media survey. The survey received a lot of attention, so Chika decides to travel "to the top (north)" based on the survey results. The specific destination for that first trip will be decided to Aizuwakamatsu in Fukushima Prefecture, following the "Flyer I chose blindfolded at the station." A haphazard journey begins without doing any research.
real railways often appear in the story , and JR East in particular collaborates with anime. This is the perfect anime for people like me who love travel, railways, and anime. The anime is broadcast on AT-X, BS11, TOKYO MX, Yomiuri TV, and other sites, and is also streamed on many sites. I watch it with BS11 and Amazon Video Prime membership benefits.
Aizuwakamatsu City is the central city of the Aizu region, which is in the western part of Fukushima Prefecture, and its population is around 110,000. In Fukushima Prefecture, it has the second largest population after Koriyama City, Iwaki City and Fukushima City.
It is located about tens of km away from the Tohoku region's aorta, such as the Tohoku Shinkansen and the Tohoku Expressway. However, since the railways run on the Banetsu Nishi Line and the roads run on the Banetsu Expressway and National Route 49, it relatively easy to access from various regions .
Tohoku Shinkansen train stops at Tokyo Station
The anime depicts people taking the JR East Tohoku Shinkansen from Tokyo Station (from images posted by Chika on social media) and getting off at Koriyama Station (however, the original manga depicts the stations they board differently, and it is thought to be Omiya Station in Saitama Prefecture).
The train name appears to have been written as "Yamabiko 207". As of March 2025, Yamabiko No. 207 will stop at every station to Fukushima Station, departing from Tokyo Station at 10:11am and arriving at Koriyama Station at 11:48am. After departing from Fukushima Station at 12:05, the next train will arrive at its final stop, Sendai Station at 12:26.
In addition, Hayabusa, the type of train with the least stops on the Tohoku Shinkansen, does not stop at Koriyama Station. Therefore, in order to get off at Koriyama, you will need to use Yamabiko (also available as Tsubasa, the Yamagata Shinkansen that runs in conjunction with each other) or Nasuno . Yamabiko also has trains that do not stop at Koriyama Station, and Nasuno trains that do not go to Koriyama Station, so be careful when using unreserved seats (Hayabusa does not have unreserved seats, but basically the same cars as Yamabiko are used, so be careful not to board by mistake).
Yamabiko operates to Morioka Station for the longest time, so you can reach Koriyama Station by one train from stations in the Tohoku region, such as Morioka, Sendai and Fukushima. Also, if you are going from a station such as Shin-Aomori Station or Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station in Hokkaido, you can first take the Hayabusa and then transfer to Yamabiko at Sendai Station, and you will be able to reach Koriyama Station in just one transfer. From Yamagata Station and other locations, the Yamagata Shinkansen "Tsubasa" will be direct to Koriyama Station (some trains pass through). From Akita Station, you can take the Akita Shinkansen "Komachi" and transfer to Yamabiko at Sendai Station. Koriyama is easily accessible not only from the metropolitan area but .
By the way, in the story, there is a scene where Chika buys an ekiben, but as of 2025, it is impossible to purchase an ekiben for sale in-cars . This is because in-car sales at Yamabiko ended in March 2019. Even on trains such as Hayabusa, which are sold in-cars, items sold are limited to sweets, snacks and drinks, and ekiben cannot be purchased . If you want to eat an Ekiben on the train, buy it before boarding .
The first episode of the original manga was announced in early 2019, just before the car sales ended, so it is not a depiction that contradicts reality at the time. Furthermore, it is not clearly depicted in both the manga and anime how Chika procured the Ekiben. So, if you purchased the vehicle while it was stopped at a station that would stop for a few minutes, it is still possible as of 2025 (although this depiction can only be suggestive of the vehicle being sold in-car).
How to board the Tohoku Shinkansen?
To use the Shinkansen, you generally need a ticket and a express train ticket. Tickets and express tickets can be purchased at the JR station Midori counter or at the reserved seat ticket machine . Reservations can also be made through the internet service "Ekinet .
To secure your own ticket, you can only purchase the express train ticket for the section you will be taking the Shinkansen (to Koriyama Station), but please note that you will need to purchase the ticket to your destination, Aizuwakamatsu Station.
purchase tickets at a travel agency . In addition, many people visit Aizuwakamatsu City for sightseeing, so tours that come with a train and a hotel are also popular.
Although Chika does not secure accommodation, she travels without securing accommodation, it is recommended that you book a place to stay before heading out as it will give you a sense of security when traveling .
Banetsu Nishi Line connecting Koriyama, Aizu and Niigata
Trains running on the Banetsu West Line
The Banetsu Nishi Line train that Chika transferred to at Koriyama Station was a rapid train bound for Aizuwakamatsu, departing at 12:15. There are only five stations along the way, including Bandai Atami Station. After passing through nine stations, you will arrive at Aizuwakamatsu Station at 1:20pm.
Akabee is located at Aizuwakamatsu Station
When you arrive at Aizuwakamatsu Station, Akabee is waiting for you. Furthermore, my daughters a previous trip to Fukushima Prefecture , so they responded well to the scene where they arrived at Aizu-wakamatsu Station.
As mentioned in Chikamo, there is only about one train per hour (although based on my experience on my travels so far, I think that at least one train per hour is the most common train per hour...). We recommend that you choose a Tohoku Shinkansen train based on the time of the Banetsu Nishi Line train you have searched on timetables and transfer search apps .
The Banetsu Nishi Line is a JR East line that runs from Koriyama Station to Aizuwakamatsu Station and then to Niitsu Station in Niigata City, Niigata Prefecture. He is responsible for transporting within the regions of Fukushima and Niigata prefectures, as well as tourist transport connecting other regions with the Aizu region (this is exactly what Chika boarded). Tourist trains such as "Aizu SATONO" run between Koriyama Station and Kitakata Station, and "SL Banetsu Monogatari" run between Aizuwakamatsu Station and Niitsu Station, making them popular.
We will also introduce ways to access Aizuwakamatsu City other than the Tohoku Shinkansen and Banetsu Nishi Line.
railway
Trains running along the Tadami Line
In addition to the Banetsu West Line, JR East's Tadami Line also serves Aizuwakamatsu Station. The Tadami Line is a line that connects Aizuwakamatsu Station to Koide Station in Uonuma City, Niigata Prefecture. The number of trains is even smaller than the Banetsu Nishi Line, with only seven round trips per day between Aizuwakamatsu Station and Aizusakashita Station (the number of trains operated every day) and only three round trips per day for trains that run across the entire section to Koide Station.
However, the scenery along the line is so stunning that it is also known as the "large local line in Japan. It would be a good idea to take the Tadami Line as a single scene from your trip to Aizu.
Aizuwakamatsu Station is also served by trains on the Aizu Line, a railway company called Aizu Railway. The Aizu Line trains mainly connect Aizu-wakamatsu Station to Aizu-Tajima Station and Aizu Kogen Ozeguchi Station in Minami-Aizu Town (※The official starting point of the Aizu Line is Nishiwakamatsu Station).
There are also trains that run directly from Aizu Kogen Ozeguchi Station, as trains that connect the Aizu Line and other companies' lines are also operating. The AIZU Mount Express a rapid train that connects Kinugawa Onsen Station in Tochigi Prefecture to Aizuwakamatsu the Liberty Aizu , a limited express train that connects Asakusa Station in Tokyo to Aizutajima Station . The journey takes longer than the route via the Tohoku Shinkansen, but following the route via the Aizu Line is another way to enjoy your trip.
Express bus
There are also several express bus routes that stop in front of Aizuwakamatsu Station. The express buses to Aizuwakamatsu start from Koriyama, Iwaki, Fukushima, Nozawa (Nishiaizu Town, Fukushima Prefecture), Niigata, Sendai, Shinjuku (Tokyo). This means that it can be accessed by express buses from within Fukushima Prefecture, nearby prefectures, and the metropolitan area The bus from Shinjuku is a long trip of about 4.5 hours each way, but night flights that can be travelled while you sleep only run on certain days such as Golden Week.
In addition, an airport bus connecting Sendai Airport and Aizuwakamatsu City used to operate, but has been suspended since 2020.
Private car etc.
If you are driving your own car or rental car yourself, you can access Aizuwakamatsu city on highways and various national highways. The Banetsu Expressway which connect Iwaki City and Niigata City, cross the city east and west. In addition, National Route 121, which connects Yonezawa City, Yamagata Prefecture, with Nikko City, Tochigi Prefecture, runs through the city north and south. National Route 252, which starts in Kashiwazaki City, Niigata Prefecture, has its terminal in Aizuwakamatsu City. There are probably not many problems with accessing roads from various locations.
Town tour pass that can be used to tour tourist spots in Aizuwakamatsu
When you come to a local city for sightseeing, you may be worried about your footing on the spot. However, in Aizuwakamatsu, a circular bus called the "Machinaka Tour Bus" that tours major spots such as Tsuruga Castle, runs roughly every 30 minutes .
The counterclockwise bus is called "Haikara-san" and the clockwise bus is called "Akabee". Chika travels on foot (although she's an indoor person, she's just 18 years old), but there are depictions of her passing by Haikara.
Machinaka tour bus "Hikara-san"
You can also visit Iimoriyama and Higashiyama Onsen, which Chika visits in the story, as you can rest assured by visiting by city tour bus . It would be easy to do a pilgrimage to the sacred sites where you actually visit the places that appeared in the anime. The entrance to Hagurosan Yugami Shrine, the last time you visit in the story, is located in Higashiyama Onsen. If you want to complete the pilgrimage of the holy land, try your best to climb the 1,225 steps.
Haguroyama Yugami Shrine
Please note that this article is merely an introduction to transportation, so please visit the official website for information on the spots that appear in the story.
Digital stamp rally is being held until June 30th, 2025
Aizuwakamatsu Station exterior
A digital stamp rally (a stamp rally run on a smartphone app) called "Stage Tour Station Tag Stamp Rally", a collaboration between "Zatsu Tabi - That's Journey-" and JR East, is currently being held from March 23rd to June 30th, 2025 .
By earning stamps, you will receive commemorative digital stamps for characters that appear in the Zatsu Journey. If you're interested in traveling to the Tohoku region, why not try the stamp rally?
in conclusion
Traveling is inevitable for money, but taking a train on a trip is not that difficult, as depicted in the story . I would be very happy if you read this article and have been thinking that even a little bit of a trip or that you would like to go to Aizu-wakamatsu.
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