Every autumn, the castle town of Aizuwakamatsu in western Fukushima turns back the clock a century and a half. For three days its streets fill with armored samurai, matchlock gunners, ladies in silk kimono and drum-and-fife bands of local schoolchildren, all marching in memory of one of the most dramatic chapters in Japanese history. Aizu Matsuri is the biggest event of the year in this proud mountain city, and in 2026 it falls on Saturday, September 19 through Monday, September 21 — lining up with the Respect for the Aged Day holiday weekend, which makes it an ideal two- or three-day trip from Tokyo.
A festival born of loyalty and tragedy
To understand why Aizu Matsuri feels different from other samurai parades, you need a little history. In 1868, at the end of the Boshin War, the Aizu domain stood by the Tokugawa shogunate to the bitter end. Imperial forces besieged the town for a full month, and Tsuruga Castle absorbed relentless cannon fire without falling. The war produced the region's most famous and heartbreaking story: the Byakkotai, a reserve corps of teenage samurai who, seeing smoke rising around the castle from a hilltop and believing it had fallen, took their own lives on Mt. Iimori. Aizu Matsuri began as a way to honor these ancestors, and that spirit of remembrance — pride without triumphalism — still runs through every event.
The three days at a glance
Saturday, September 19 — Aizu Bandaisan Odori. The festival opens with an evening of folk dancing in front of the castle. "Aizu Bandaisan" is one of Japan's best-known folk songs, and locals of all ages dance in a great circle to live song and taiko. Visitors are welcome to jump in — just copy the person in front of you. The lantern-lit castle keep as a backdrop makes this one of the most atmospheric bon-style dances in Tohoku.
Sunday, September 20 — Aizu Han-ko Gyoretsu (Lords' Procession). This is the main event. After a solemn departure ceremony inside the castle grounds, a procession of roughly 500 participants — daimyo lords on horseback, spear and matchlock corps, the Byakkotai, the naginata-wielding Joshitai women's corps and figures from a thousand years of Aizu history — winds its way through the city center for most of the day. Stake out a spot near the castle in the morning for the ceremony, or along the main streets around Shinmei-dori in the early afternoon. Volley-fire demonstrations by matchlock gun troops are a highlight; cover your ears.
Monday, September 21 — Shinsengumi memorial (Saito Hajime Memorial). Aizu has deep ties to the Shinsengumi, the famous shogunate police force of Kyoto. Saito Hajime, captain of its third unit, fought for Aizu during the Boshin War and chose to be buried here. On the final day, fans and history lovers gather for a memorial service and Shinsengumi-themed events, with sword-drill demonstrations and costumed appearances. Schoolchildren's drum-and-fife parades also fill the streets on the last day, giving the festival a joyful, communal send-off.
Tsuruga Castle: the red-tiled survivor
All three days revolve around Tsuruga Castle, and it deserves several hours of your time on its own. The current keep is a faithful 1965 reconstruction, but since 2011 it has worn distinctive red roof tiles (akagawara) — the only castle keep in Japan restored with them, recreating its late-Edo appearance. Inside is an excellent museum on the Aizu clan and the Boshin War, and the top floor offers views over the city to Mt. Bandai. The surrounding park is free to enter; the tea house Rinkaku in the garden, associated with the son of tea master Sen no Rikyu, serves matcha with local sweets.
Beyond the festival: Sazaedo and Mt. Iimori
Save half a day for Mt. Iimori, the hill where the Byakkotai story ended. Near the boys' graves stands one of Japan's strangest and most wonderful buildings: Aizu Sazaedo, a hexagonal temple hall built in 1796 with a double-helix ramp — you walk up one spiral and down another without ever meeting oncoming visitors. It is an Important Cultural Property and utterly unique. In the city center, the retro Nanukamachi street is lined with Meiji- and Taisho-era shopfronts, cafes and craft shops selling Aizu lacquerware and hand-painted akabeko red cows, the beloved local talisman.
What to eat
Aizu is one of Tohoku's great food and sake regions. Try sauce katsudon (a crisp pork cutlet dipped in tangy sauce over rice — the local soul food), wappa-meshi (steamed rice with mountain vegetables or salmon in a bent-cedar box) and kozuyu, the delicate scallop-stock soup served at Aizu celebrations. The area's soft rice and clean water support dozens of sake breweries, and Aizu labels regularly dominate national competitions; many shops around Nanukamachi offer tastings. In cooler late-September evenings, a cup of local junmai after the dancing is hard to beat.
Getting there and practical tips
From Tokyo, take the Tohoku Shinkansen to Koriyama (about 80 minutes), then the JR Ban'etsu West Line to Aizuwakamatsu (about 60–75 minutes). The retro Haikara-san / Akabe loop buses connect the station, Tsuruga Castle and Mt. Iimori; a one-day pass is the easiest way to get around. Book accommodation early — the holiday weekend fills up fast. Consider staying at Higashiyama Onsen, a hot-spring village in a wooded gorge just 10 minutes from the castle, so you can soak after a day of parades. Bring sun protection and a light jacket: late September in Aizu is warm by day and crisp after dark. If you have an extra day, the sake-and-ramen town of Kitakata is a short train ride north.
Aizu Matsuri is not the flashiest festival in Japan, but few events anywhere connect a place, its people and its history so movingly. Stand by the moat as the lords' procession passes under the red-tiled keep, and you will understand why the people of Aizu still call themselves samurai.
Image: Tsuruga Castle, Aizuwakamatsu, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
