Aizu -Part Two

The second stop on our trip was Kitakata which is renowned for it's Ramen. The very popular Japansese Ramen noodles are nothing like the cheap ramen you buy in the plastic wrappers at the store in the states. I truly wondered for a while because I kept hearing about the wonderful Ramen, this or that great Ramen shop or how great it was to go out for Ramen. I for one am not a fan of the ramen packets from the states so I was confused! As I mentioned before Ramen here is nothing like what I am used to - go figure. It was orginially introduced to Japan from China right here at Kitakata where we stopped for lunch. There are over 120 Ramen shops in Kitakata (population: 54,684) which feature thick curly noodles, and a hearty soup based of clear water, soy sauce and sake produced locally.



Our tour guide provided us with a map and guide of the Ramen shops in the area that we parked. Rory was checking out the guide as Dylan was trying to find the shop on he map. It was too cute. Dylan was very serious about his mission to find the shop on the really grainy photocopy of a Japanese map!



Rory and I both got pork ramen. You are seeing udon ramen noodles in a soy sauce broth with scallions, two rolls of pork on the right side of the bowl, a small pile of greens, a couple slices of bamboo (the beige strips) and in the center a gelatin disc made of fish. Rory and I both enjoyed our nationally renown Kitakata Ramen.

Ramen enthusiasts come from all over Japan to eat noodles in Kitakata. We actually weren't the only people taking pictures of our food either:) We saw a group of Japanese guys do the same before noisily slurping up the noodles. Remember slurping is polite here!

Our next stop was Aizu-Wakamatsu and the Tsuruga Castle

Dylan and I at the entrance to the castle

The next few pictures are from the observation deck on the 5th floor

Rory and Dylan in the bonsai garden at the back of the castle

The Tsuruga Castle was originally built by ASHINA Naomori in 1384 when Aizu-Wakamatsu was flourishing as a center of Samurai warrior culture. It was rebuilt by GAMO Moriuji who made the prototype of the castle you see in our pictures.

In 1591 a 7-story castle was constructed by GAMO Ujisatoand and named Tsurug-jo. After being damaged by an earthquake in 1611, KATO Akinari repaired it and constructed a 5-story castle like the present one in 1639.

In 1868, during the Boshin Civil War, when the imperial army fought the Tokugawa Shogunate regime the castle was attacked. The Imperial Army won the war resulting in the suicide of many teenage Samurai and the destruction of the castle.

In 1934 the castle ruins were declared a national historical site as Wakamatsu-jo Castle and the current castle was rebuilt in 1965.

As I was writing out the castle history above did you notice the men's proper names being all capitals? This is the "sir" name of the Samurai Lord that was from the Aizu clan. 8 Lords ruled over the castle from 1384 to 1868