This site is an online media that delivers all sorts of trivia about the six Tohoku prefectures, from sightseeing and gourmet spots to local customs, history, and more
Since April 2025, the TV anime "Zatsu Tabi -That's Journey-" has been airing. It tells the story of a protagonist who aspires to be a manga artist and deepens his knowledge and experiences through a haphazard (roughly worded) journey.
The memorable first episode, "The First 1,225 Steps," takes place in Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture. In this article, we'll introduce how to get to Aizuwakamatsu City, touching on the locations depicted in the story
What is "That's Journey"?
The protagonist of "That's Journey" is Chika Suzugamori, a female college student aspiring to be a manga artist who is struggling to get her story accepted by a publisher. After catching a glimpse of a travel program on TV where destinations are decided by rolling dice, she comes up with the idea of going on a trip where she can collect destinations through a survey on social media
The survey generated a great response, so Chika decided to travel "upwards (north)" based on the results. The specific destination of her first trip was decided to be Aizuwakamatsu in Fukushima Prefecture, based on a flyer she picked out blindfolded at the station. This marks the beginning of a spontaneous journey without any prior research
#ZatsuTabi Episode 第1旅は starts airing and streaming on Monday, April 7th! 📺
hasn't been able to secure a serialization and Chika Suzugamori, a rookie manga artist who is feeling stuck, suddenly decides she wants to go on a trip. She conducts a survey on social media about travel destinations and receives an unexpected response! Her spontaneous "ZatsuTabi" begins with a first destination... Aizuwakamatsu, Fukushima Prefecture!!https://t.co/LWiFfdB33Lpic.twitter.com/ELBM8O5x7J
— "That's Journey" TV anime official @Now streaming on various streaming sites! (@zatsutabi_anime) March 29, 2025
Furthermore,real-life railways frequently appear, and JR East, in particular, has collaborated with the anime. For people like me who love travel, railways, and anime, this is the perfect anime.
The anime is broadcast on AT-X, BS11, TOKYO MX, Yomiuri TV, and other networks, and is also available for streaming on numerous sites. I watch it on BS11 and as a Prime member on Amazon Video
Aizuwakamatsu City is the central city of the Aizu region in western Fukushima Prefecture, with a population of approximately 110,000, making it the third most populous city in Fukushima Prefecture after Koriyama City, Iwaki City, and Fukushima City
It is located several tens of kilometers away from major arteries of the Tohoku region, such as the Tohoku Shinkansen and the Tohoku Expressway. However, itrelatively easy to access from various areas.
A Tohoku Shinkansen train stopped at Tokyo Station
In the anime, she is shown boarding JR East's Tohoku Shinkansen from Tokyo Station (as seen in an image posted by Chika on social media) and getting off at Koriyama Station (however, the original manga depicts the boarding station differently, and is thought to be Omiya Station in Saitama Prefecture)
The name of the train appears to be written as "Yamabiko 207."
According to the timetable as of March 2025, Yamabiko 207 will depart Tokyo Station at 10:11, arrive at Koriyama Station at 11:48, and stop at every station on the way to Fukushima Station. After departing Fukushima Station at 12:05, the next train will arrive at its final destination, Sendai Station, at 12:26
Please note that the Hayabusa, which is the type of Tohoku Shinkansen that stops at the fewest stations, does not stop at Koriyama Station
Therefore,to get off at Koriyama,(or the Yamagata Shinkansen "Tsubasa," which operates in conjunction with it)you will need to take." Some "Yamabiko" trains do not stop at Koriyama Station, and some "Nasuno" trains do not go all the way to Koriyama Station, so be careful if you are using unreserved seats (there are no unreserved seats on the "Hayabusa," but it basically uses the same cars as the "Yamabiko," etc., so be careful not to board it by mistake).
The Yamabiko runs as far as Morioka Station, so you can get to Koriyama Station from stations in the Tohoku region such as Morioka, Sendai, and Fukushima on a single train. Also, if you're traveling from Shin-Aomori Station or Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station in Hokkaido, you can get to Koriyama Station with just one transfer by first boarding the Hayabusa and then transferring to the Yamabiko at Sendai Station
From Yamagata Station and other stations, the Yamagata Shinkansen "Tsubasa" train goes directly to Koriyama Station (although some trains pass through without stopping). From Akita Station and other stations, you can take the Akita Shinkansen "Komachi" and transfer to the "Yamabiko" at Sendai Station.Koriyama is easily accessible not only from the Tokyo metropolitan area but also from various parts of the Tohoku region.
By the way, there is a scene in the story where Chika buys a bento box at the train station, butas of 2025, it is impossible to buy a bento box from the in-train sales service. This is because in-train sales on the "Yamabiko" train ended in March 2019.
Even on trains like the Hayabusa, where onboard sales are available,the items for sale are limited to snacks, appetizers, and beverages; you cannot purchase ekiben (station bento boxes). If you want to eat an ekiben on board,you should buy it before boarding.
The first episode of the manga was released in early 2019, just before the in-train sales were discontinued, so the depiction is not inconsistent with reality at the time. Also, neither the manga nor the anime clearly describes how Chika obtains the bento
So, if the ticket was purchased while the train was stopped at a station where it only stopped for a few minutes, it would still be possible as of 2025 (although the depiction seems to suggest that it was purchased from an on-board sales service)
How to board the Tohoku Shinkansen?
To use the Shinkansen (bullet train), you generally need both a basic fare ticket and a limited express ticket. These ticketscan be purchased at JR station ticket offices (Midori no Madoguchi) or designated ticket vending machinesservice"Ekinet".
When purchasing your own ticket, please note that you only need to purchase the express ticket for the section you will be riding on the Shinkansen (to Koriyama Station), but you will need to purchase the ticket to your destination, Aizuwakamatsu Station
Ticketscan be purchased at travel agencies and other locations. Also, since Aizuwakamatsu City is a popular tourist destination, there are many tour packages that combine train travel and hotel accommodations.
Although Chika travels without securing accommodation,recommended to book your accommodation before traveling, as it provides peace of mind while traveling.
Ban'etsu West Line connecting Koriyama, Aizu, and Niigata
Trains running on the Ban'etsu West Line
The Ban'etsu West Line train that Chika transferred to at Koriyama Station was the 12:15pm rapid train bound for Aizuwakamatsu. It only stopped at five stations along the way, including Bandai-Atami Station. It passed through a total of nine stations before arriving at Aizuwakamatsu Station at 1:20pm
Akabee installed at Aizuwakamatsu Station
When you arrive at Aizu-Wakamatsu Station, "Akabee" will be waiting for you.
As Chikamo mentioned, there is only about one train per hour on the Ban'etsu West Line (although from my own travel experiences, I think even one train per hour is a lot...)
you can find using a timetable or a transfer search appWe recommend choosing a Tohoku Shinkansen train that matches the train schedule for the Ban'etsu West Line, which.
The Ban'etsu West Line is a JR East line that runs from Koriyama Station to Niitsu Station in Niigata City, Niigata Prefecture, via Aizu-Wakamatsu Station. It handles transportation within Fukushima Prefecture and Niigata Prefecture, as well as tourist transportation connecting the Aizu region with other regions (this is exactly what Chika rode on)
Popular tourist trains include the "Aizu Satono" that runs between Koriyama Station and Kitakata Station, and the "SL Banetsu Monogatari" that runs between Aizu-Wakamatsu Station and Niitsu Station
We will also introduce ways to access Aizuwakamatsu City other than the Tohoku Shinkansen and Ban'etsu West Line
Railway
Trains running on the Tadami Line
Aizuwakamatsu Station is served by the Ban'etsu West Line as well as JR East's Tadami Line
The Tadami Line runs from Aizu-Wakamatsu Station to Koide Station in Uonuma City, Niigata Prefecture. The number of trains is even less than on the Ban'etsu West Line, with only seven round trips per day between Aizu-Wakamatsu Station and Aizubange Station (only the number of trains that run daily), and only three round trips per day that run the entire distance to Koide Station
However,called "Japan's most scenic local railway line."so magnificent that it's sometimes
Aizu-Wakamatsu Station is also served by the Aizu Line, operated by the Aizu Railway Company. Aizu Line trains run from Aizu-Wakamatsu Station to Aizu-Tajima Station in Minamiaizu Town and Aizu-Kogen-Ozeguchi Station (the official starting point of the Aizu Line is Nishi-Wakamatsu Station)
Because another railway company's tracks continue beyond Aizu-Kogen-Ozeguchi Station, trains that run directly between the Aizu Line and other companies' lines also operate. These include the "AIZU Mount Expressa limited express train connecting Asakusa Station in Tokyo to Aizu-Tajima StationLiberty Aizu,.
Although it takes longer than the route via the Tohoku Shinkansen, taking the Aizu Line route is another way to enjoy your trip
Express bus
There are also several highway bus routes that stop in front of Aizuwakamatsu Station. Express buses to Aizuwakamatsu depart from Koriyama, Iwaki, Fukushima, Nozawa (Nishiaizu Town, Fukushima Prefecture), Niigata, Sendai, Shinjuku (Tokyo), and other locations
possible to access the area by express bus from within Fukushima Prefecture, neighboring prefectures, and the Tokyo metropolitan area. The bus from Shinjuku is a long journey of about 4.5 hours one way, but overnight buses that allow you to travel while you sleep only operate on certain days such as during Golden Week.
There used to be an airport shuttle bus connecting Sendai Airport and Aizuwakamatsu City, but it has been suspended since 2020
Private car, etc
If you are driving your own car or a rental car, you can access Aizuwakamatsu City via expressways and various national highways.The Ban-etsu Expressway, and National Route 49 run east-west through the city. In addition, National Route 121, which connects Yonezawa City in Yamagata Prefecture and Nikko City in Tochigi Prefecture, runs north-south through the city.
National Route 252, which starts in Kashiwazaki City, Niigata Prefecture, ends in Aizuwakamatsu City, so you won't have any trouble accessing the area by road from various locations
Aizuwakamatsu City Tour Pass for sightseeing around the city
If you come to a regional city for sightseeing, you may be worried about transportation
However, in Aizuwakamatsu, there is a circular bus called the "Town Loop Bus" that takes you around major spots such as Tsuruga Castle,running approximately every 30 minutes.
The left-hand bus is named "High-Colored-San" and the right-hand bus is named "Akabee." Chika travels by foot (even though she's an indoor person, she's still 18 years old), but there is a scene where she passes by High-Colored-San
City tour bus "Haikara-san"
Iimoriyama and Higashiyama Onsen, places that Chika visits in the story,using the town's sightseeing bus. It will also be easy to go on a pilgrimage to the locations that appeared in the anime.
The entrance to Hagurosan Yugami Shrine, the final shrine visited in the story, is located in Higashiyama Onsen. If you want to complete your pilgrimage, you'll need to brave the climb up the 1,225 steps
Mount Haguro Yugami Shrine
Please note that this article is merely an introduction to transportation, so for information on the spots that appear in the story, please refer to the official website
A digital stamp rally called the "Stage Exploration Station Tag Stamp Rally," a collaboration between the anime "Zatsu Tabi -That's Journey-" and JR East, is currently being heldfrom March 23rd to June 30th, 2025.
As you collect stamps, you can earn commemorative digital stamps of characters that appear in Zatsu Tabi. If you're interested in traveling to the Tohoku region, why not try the stamp rally?
Conclusion
Travel inevitably costs money, buttaking a train and going on a trip isn't all that difficult, as depicted in the story.
I would be happy if this article makes you want to travel and visit Aizuwakamatsu, even just a little
![Matsushima](data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAJYAAACWAQAAAAAUekxPAAAAAnRSTlMAAHaTzTgAAAAaSURBVEjH7cExAQAAAMKg9U9tDQ+gAACAdwMLuAABXZHjmQAAAABJRU5ErkJggg== "Appearing in Episode 2 of the anime "That's Journey"! How do you get to Matsushima, one of Japan's Three Most Viewed Places? [Miyagi Prefecture]")
![Matsushima](https://jp.neft.asia/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/27869135_s-150x150.jpg.webp "Appearing in Episode 2 of the anime "That's Journey"! How do you get to Matsushima, one of Japan's Three Most Viewed Places? [Miyagi Prefecture]")
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![Night on the Galactic Railroad](https://jp.neft.asia/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/27594807_s-150x150.jpg.webp "The 10th journey of the anime "That's Journey" is a trip to Iwate Prefecture, a place associated with Kenji Miyazawa [Iwate Prefecture]")
![30422261_m](https://jp.neft.asia/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/30422261_m-150x150.jpg "A trip to Doroyu Onsen in Akita Prefecture, depicted in the 31st trip of the manga "That's Journey" [Akita Prefecture]")
![Dewa Shrine, Sanjin Gosaiden (Three Gods Combined Shrine)](https://jp.neft.asia/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/34081745_s-150x150.jpg.webp "The road to Hagurosan Dewa Shrine depicted in the 38th episode of the manga "Zatsu Tabi -That's Journey-" [Yamagata Prefecture]")
![955_co](https://jp.neft.asia/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/955_co-150x150.jpg.webp "[Iwate Prefecture] Make a pilgrimage to the spots featured in the anime "Haikyu!!"")
