Tsuruga Castle was built here about 600 years ago. Aizu was a location central in importance to the control of Eastern Japan, and many famous generals from all over the country came and ruled the area. A castle tower, like the one presently standing, was finished about 400 years ago. Usually, the lord of the area did not live there, but came and gave orders from there only during times of battle. Also, about 140 years ago there was a terrible war between the samurai of Aizu and the Meiji government. The age of the samurai drew to a close here as those who fought to the end as samurai were defeated by the Meiji government, and the castle was destroyed. The present tower was rebuilt in 1965. The picture which was used in consultation for the restoration is of the castle in the latter half of the 19th century and is said to have been taken by a Frenchman.

GAMO Ujisato was famous as not only a great feudal lord and Chr istian daimyo but a tea master, who was a head of 7 disciples of SEN Rikyu. When TOYOTOMI Hideyoshi the shogun ordered the death of Rikyu for treason in 1591,GAMOU Ujisato invited his 2nd son,SEN Sshoan to Aizu in order to protect him and to continue the SEN family and Rikyu`style of tea-ceremony. Then SENshoan build Rinkaku for GAMOU Ujisato in the castle grounds. The defeated Aizu clan in the Boshin Civil War moved to Tonami, the northern-most point of Japan proper. In 1872, the Morikawas moved Rinkaku down to their land fearing its demolition with the castle and k ept it in good condition for 120years. In1990,Aizu-Wakamatsu City moved it back to its original place to commemorate the 90th Anniversary of Aizu-Wakamatsu Municipal System and handed it down to posterity.

The fourth and fifth floors make up an observation platform, from which one can look out at the city, see Mt. Bandai?the symbol of the region?and also see Aizu’s nationally renown rice fields. Top quality brands of sake are made using the rice from this area. Even though the castle stands in the middle of the Aizu Plains, because it is quite high, the view is excellent.

Oyakuen was built as a villa for the lord of the region on a site reputed to be a place where one could get natural spring water which would cure the ailments of those who drank it. In 1696, following large-scale renovation undertaken by the lord’s initiative, it became a garden representative of the typical Japanese style gardens in the Tohoku region. Though it was in a state of ruin after the Boshin War in 1868, it was designated by the State as a Nationally Renown Garden in 1932. The necessary repairs were made , and it is still cherished today as a beautiful Japanese garden.

The view from the “Ochaya Goten” building is said to be the most beautiful. The area lord used it as a place of rest. You can also see the mountains in the distance and the balance between the positions of the pond and the centrally located Rakujutei. The second Chinese character used to write “Yaken” means medicine, and it refers to the medicinal herbs grown here. This tradition was begun by the area Lord, who planted the herbs in order to spare people from disease and sickness. In the latter half of the 17th century, ginseng cultivation began, and was exported as one of the Aizu region’s specialties.