Shirakawa

Intro

History
Shirakawa is the largest city in Kennan, the southern central area of Fukushima prefecture. The Shirakawa area is home to around 60,000 people, and has lots of good transport links.

Geography and Climate
Situated in the south of central Fukushima, Shirakawa has a milder climate than the Aizu area, but is still cooler than the coast. Snow usually falls between late December and March, though the odd surprise fall in April does happen. Overnight temperatures don't usually drop below -5C in winter, and are slightly warmer during the day.

In summer, it can be pretty humid, like the rest of Fukushima. Autumn leaves start changing in late September/early October, and cherry blossoms usually bloom at the end of April, though it can be earlier or later, depending on the weather earlier in the year.

Transportation
Shirakawa has both a JR train station and a shinkansen station (known as Shin-Shirakawa). The shinkansen from Shin-Shirakawa to Tokyo takes a little over and hour. Alternatively, take the local JR train line north-south, which runs around once an hour, until after 10pm.

Buses also run both locally in the Shirakawa area and to Tokyo.

Schools
Shirakawa has three High Schools, and several Junior High and Elementary schools. Most schools have ALTs working for them, some private but most working for the JET programme.

To Do
Shirakawa is home to the oldest manmade park in Japan, Nanko Park, which has a shrine, tea ceremony house, rowing boats, and shops and restaurants.

Shirakawanoseki is also another tourist attraction, being park of the poet Basho's trip north.

You can also paint your very own Daruma at several shops in Shirakawa.

The old town has lots of cute little shops and cafes and a very pretty river area, which is a lovely area to walk or cycle through.

Festivals and Events
Shirakawa has two big festivals: The Lantern Festival (Chochin Matsuri), held every second September, and the Daruma-ichi, held every 11th February.

The Lantern Festival involves masses of portable shrines and lanterns being carried throughout the old city centre, culminating on the evening of day two with them being carried around the river. It's a fantastic festival with food stalls and a great atmosphere, held at the end of the summer.

The Daruma-ichi festival celebrates Shirakawa's mascot, the Daruma. The Daruma doll is famous Shirakawa, and comes in a variety of colours (although red is the most popular), and each colour symbolises a different type of luck. Paint one eye when you make a wish, and the other when the wish comes true. The Daruma festival is the best time to buy your Daruma! Wander through the streets of the old town eating and drinking whilst perusing the Daruma collections. Wrap up warm and enjoy the day!