Maezawa Magariya Village

A community of L-shaped houses that evokes a nostalgia anywhere even for first-time visitors

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Designated as an Important Preservation District of Historic Buildings, a unified landscape has been preserved. At the museum which makes use of one of the houses, you can experience the farming lifestyle of those days.
Business Hours
Weekdays ( 9:0 AM ~ 6:0 AM )

Museum 8:30am-4:30pm [close] April to early November
Price
Adult: 300 YEN
Children: 150 YEN

The museum is closed in winter
Address
前沢曲家集落, Fukushima
Phone
(0241) 64-5611

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About

A style of building that has helped to pass down the lifestyle of those days as they were

Around 1592, Maezawa Magariya Village was said to have been established by Aizu samurai. The village is a community of thatched-roof residences located in the Minami-Aizu area. Overcoming destruction by such things as fire, the community has settled down into a unified landscape. To protect this view even now, various ways of preservation have been passed down over the years. Surrounded by Mother Nature, this is a place where you feel a spirit that seems to represent the Japanese hometown. Even in this area which focused on dry land farming, there was a close connection between agriculture and livestock. Magariya (bent houses), by the way, refers to the L-shape that the houses have. The people from that time lived together with the cows and horses that were also used for transportation under one roof, and the part of the house that protruded out in front was used for the livestock. Currently, now that livestock no longer exists in the community, half of the village residences are maintained as magariya. As you take a leisurely stroll through the village of nostalgia and sorrow, you will feel the hometown of Japan.

The houses of that time which used various tactics for farming are recreated

At the Magariya museum which actually uses a magariya house, you can find out how the old farmers of those days lived. Utilizing a central-gate style, houses that used various devices to smoothly perform farming tasks and maintain a close relationship with the indispensable cows and horses have been recreated. Items such as the agricultural tools used at the time are also on display.

Enjoying the four seasons at a Japanese farm

The four seasons of Maezawa provide completely different charms depending on the season. First off, there are the cherry trees that pack both sides of the river with their colorful blossoms. In summer, irises and peonies bloom and there are also bellflowers that can only be seen in the beautiful water. The autumn has its colorful foliage and in winter, the area is wrapped in snow. From the observation point in Maezawa, you can get that panoramic view of the entire village.

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