Ouchi-juku Post Town

Ouchi-juku is one of Fukushima’s representative tourist destinations, where a former post town that thrived in the Edo period along the important route connecting Aizuwakamatsu and Nikko Imaichi still retains the atmosphere of that time. Thatched-roof houses line the old highway, preserving the historic townscape. Rather than being built as a theme park, it was originally a collection of private homes; residents established the "Ouchi-juku Preservation Society," began preservation activities, and enacted the "Residents’ Charter to Protect Ouchi-juku" to safeguard the streetscape together. The former Ouchi-juku Honjin (main inn) site is open as the Shimogo Town Streetscape Museum, and along the road you’ll find minshuku (guesthouses), souvenir shops, and soba restaurants bustling with visitors. A famous local specialty is "Takato soba," traditionally eaten using a green onion as a utensil instead of chopsticks. Access: Because it’s far from stations and bus service is not very convenient, traveling by car is generally the norm; as a result, traffic congestion during peak tourism seasons is a common concern.