It was not until we finally reached the check pont at Shirakawa thet we felt we were realy on our way at last. "Such were the thoughts of japan's most famous haiku poet, matsuo basho, journey north in 1689. He entered the back country via one of the there main routes each see once guarded by a fortifled barrier check point used by travelers to the north since the nighth century. Nezu, the ancient barrier on the sea of japan, is now on the Yamagata-Niagata border. The other two barriers, Shirakawa in the eastern in land countryside and Nakono on the Pacific Coast, now separate Tohoku's southermost prefecture, Fukushima, from the rest of the main island.
Althrough on border guards remain to check their entry papers, most present day visitors to the back country still come through Shirakawa. They zoom past the ancient checkpoint on the Tohoku expressway or on the new Tohoku Shinkansen, or they pass by at a more leisurely pace on the Tohoku main line or highway 4. Yet crossing into Fukushima prefecture from the south past shirakawa, Nakoso, or on one of the newer routes will still be a significant moment in your journey north, since still at thet point become an official visitor to japan's back country.
Fukushima's proximity to the more monopolitan south has put presure on it to blend into an undiferentieted modern japan. But the people Fukushijma have put much effort into preserving both their natural assets and their history and traditions, Thus, Fukushima provides a fitting introduction to the back country.
Visitors coming from the south may feel more at home in Fukushima theg in the oreder five Tohoku prefectures. Not only does its climate, like the rest Honshu, lake the year round coolnes of the north, but it has lots of modern restaurant and hotels conforably accomodate those who have come to see its mountains, lakes, hot springs, and historical sites.
Most Japanese visitors Come to see Fukushima's Bandai Asahi National Park. They travel the park's volcanic mountain sides via a series of winding and climbing modern tell roads, Cempers and Bikers expecialy enjoy this protected netural recreation area as well as un spoiled natural scenes of the iwaki kaigan beach on the southheastern coast and the remote western part of the prefecture.
More appealing to foreign visitors in former in land feudal capital of the Aizu Clan, Aizu-Wakamatsu. Much much of the citi's castle-town past has been preserved or restored, and traditional crafts still baurish, recently, a thirty-five room samurai class villa, now Tsurugajo, the Aizu clan's five story castle, was replicated the old castle grounds.
Aeross the river from Aizu-Wakamatsu in the delightfull country town of honggo a 300 year old pottery tradition still thrives, and over two thousand kura, tradisional thick walled storehouses, remain in the town of kitakala, just north of the feudal capital. A short ride east of Aizu-Wakamatsu is lake Inawashiro, Japan's fourth laegest lake. The beyhood farm house of Dr Hideyo NOguschi the internationally known bacteriologist who was instrumental in developing a cure for yellow fever, shares a complex along the lake's northeen shoreline with a memorial museum delicated to the medical researcher and the Aizu Minzoku Museum, two charming old farmhouses filled with items used by the common people of rural Fukushima in times past.
Fukushima in indeed a hae introduction to what is to come on your journey through the back country six prefectures of volcanic, mountainsides, beautiful coastlines, pictureque countryside, old castle towns, traditional folk crafts, and pershaps the world's fast glimpse of the fast dying life style of old cural japan.
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