A Village of Farmhouses Preserving 400 Years of Traditions
Those wishing to travel the off the beaten path and discover a picturesque centuries-old farming village in a remote mountainous region, should journey north to Minamiaizu in the southwest Fukushima Prefecture. Escape the hectic, stressful urban life and enjoy the tranquility of the Maezawa village and its old magariya (L-shaped thatched farmhouses), fields of buckwheat and beautiful flowers.
Minamiaizu is also referred to as “Okuaizu”, meaning the back-country of the Aizu area. This area is located about 200 kilometers from Tokyo. Surrounded by tall mountains, Minamiaizu was an almost inaccessible mountain region and until recently remained relatively secluded. As a result, Minamiaizu’s scenery of untouched forests and rivers is still preserved. Traveling the about the area is a delightful and relaxing experience. You can soak in one of the rustic mountain onsen (hot springs) found throughout the area, try skiing or mountaineering at one of the most famous mountains of Japan, Mt. Aizukomagadake (2,132 meters high).
One of the highlights of the Minamiaizu area has to be the charming, little village of Maezawa consisting of magariya, old L-shaped thatched farmhouses, still owned by successive generations of farmers. Maezawa has been designated as an “Important Preservation District for Traditional Buildings” by the Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs. It is still a working farming village, unlike the extremely popular tourist destination Ouchijuku village located to the northeast of Maezawa. The L-shaped thatched farmhouses developed out of the need to protect horses from the harsh, long cold winters. Horses were a crucial part of Maezawa farming not only to transport goods and crops but also for plowing the fields. The unfloored stable for the horses was at a right angle to the main farmhouse that contained the living quarters as well as a working area.
Maezawa’s current population consists of only about 30 people. Out of the twenty-three buildings, ten are magariya. Most of them are privately owned but one serves as the Maezawa Shuraku Museum. The museum is an original magariya preserved to provide visitors the experience and feeling of what it was like living centuries ago in Maezawa. It displays is a variety of old farming implements, common items used in daily life of farming families.
Minamiaizu is also referred to as “Okuaizu”, meaning the back-country of the Aizu area. This area is located about 200 kilometers from Tokyo. Surrounded by tall mountains, Minamiaizu was an almost inaccessible mountain region and until recently remained relatively secluded. As a result, Minamiaizu’s scenery of untouched forests and rivers is still preserved. Traveling the about the area is a delightful and relaxing experience. You can soak in one of the rustic mountain onsen (hot springs) found throughout the area, try skiing or mountaineering at one of the most famous mountains of Japan, Mt. Aizukomagadake (2,132 meters high).
One of the highlights of the Minamiaizu area has to be the charming, little village of Maezawa consisting of magariya, old L-shaped thatched farmhouses, still owned by successive generations of farmers. Maezawa has been designated as an “Important Preservation District for Traditional Buildings” by the Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs. It is still a working farming village, unlike the extremely popular tourist destination Ouchijuku village located to the northeast of Maezawa. The L-shaped thatched farmhouses developed out of the need to protect horses from the harsh, long cold winters. Horses were a crucial part of Maezawa farming not only to transport goods and crops but also for plowing the fields. The unfloored stable for the horses was at a right angle to the main farmhouse that contained the living quarters as well as a working area.
Maezawa’s current population consists of only about 30 people. Out of the twenty-three buildings, ten are magariya. Most of them are privately owned but one serves as the Maezawa Shuraku Museum. The museum is an original magariya preserved to provide visitors the experience and feeling of what it was like living centuries ago in Maezawa. It displays is a variety of old farming implements, common items used in daily life of farming families.
