What is an Onakama? An "Onakama" is a folk shaman (fugeki) who performs spiritual mediumship, incantations, and divination, primarily in the Mogami and Murayama regions of Yamagata Prefecture. They are similar to Itako and Mikosama in other parts of the Tohoku region...
Aoiwa
Located in the mountainous area of Ayaori-cho, Tono City, Iwate Prefecture, the "Gohyaku Rakan" (Five Hundred Arhats) is a group of stone Buddha statues erected in the late Edo period. While now a well-known tourist spot in Tono City, its background...
In the southwestern part of Fukushima Prefecture, in a region known as "Oku-Aizu," bordering Niigata Prefecture across the Echigo Mountains, lies Kaneyama Town, home to a rare spring that produces naturally carbonated water. This spring, known as the Oshio Natural Carbonated Water Spring...
Aoiwa
The Pacific coastal region of Fukushima Prefecture, known as "Hamadori," suffered devastating damage from the tsunami, but 15 years later, considerable progress has been made in its recovery. National Route 6, which runs north-south through Hamadori, now has new...
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The Itoen Hotel Iizaka Kanouya in Iizaka Onsen offers a package that includes one night's accommodation with two meals, and unlimited alcoholic beverages during dinner, although the price varies depending on the time of year and plan.
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When I visit a city known as a castle town, in addition to the castle itself, I'm always drawn to visiting the burial grounds and family temples of the castle lord's family. While you might imagine that these family burial grounds are all concentrated in one place, there are actually several...
Aoiwa
Aomori Prefecture has only a little over 30 Paleolithic sites, which is extremely few compared to other municipalities. The reasons for this are detailed in "[Paleolithic Sites in Aomori Prefecture: Part 2]". Among those, I'd like to highlight...
I was surprised by the news report that "there were lions in Japan too" (announced by the Graduate University for Advanced Studies in January 2026). Originally, Paleolithic artifacts (approximately 125,000) have been unearthed in Aomori Prefecture...
Aomori Prefecture suffered extensive damage from heavy snowfall in the winter of 2026. The average winter temperature is around 2°C even during the day, making it extremely cold. Even 6,000 years ago, during the Jomon period, the average temperature during the coldest winters was around 2°C...
Rest Pal, a business hotel located in Haramachi, Minamisoma City, in the Hamadori region of Fukushima Prefecture, offers accommodations with two meals included for 3,300 to 4,950 yen per person per night (tax included, as of the end of March 2026)...
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