Ouchi-juku was a small post office in the Edo period and part of the Aizu Nishi Kaido trade route. Merchants who were passing through could get food and accommodation here. It is located in Shimogo City, Minamiaizu District, Fukushima Prefecture is famous for the traditional thatched roof buildings that line its main street.
Ouchi-juku has been recognized as an important cultural heritage and much is being done to keep the small town in its original form. For example, there are no overhead power cables here and the buildings are kept in their original form. Nowadays, the buildings along the wide main street in Ouchi-juku are mainly used for restaurants and small souvenir shops where you can find local and traditional products. The area is best known for its soba noodles and roasted char.
Ouchi-juku is a popular travel destination all year round, but especially in winter, when the thatched roofs are covered in snow, the scenery turns into a winter wonderland.
Located 20 km south of Aizu, the nearest station is Yunokami Onsen. It takes about 35 minutes from Aizu-Wakamatsu and costs 1030 yen. A bus runs up and down around every hour form April to November and costs 1000 yen round trip.
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