Koseki Yuji Seishun Hall in Fukushima, July 11, 2020. (福島市の古関裕而青春館 2020年7月11日)

Today, I had a meeting in Fukushima City in the morning. On the way back to JR Fukushima Station, I stopped at Koseki Yuji Seishun (=Youth) Hall located in the city center. It is located 15-minute walk from the station. Or you can take a special wrapped bus featured “Yells” as shown in a picture above. “Yells” is a name of NHK’s morning TV drama series currently on air in which Koseki Yuji is a main character.
本日は、福島市で午前中会合に出て福島駅に戻る途中、街中にある古関裕而青春館に寄りました。駅から徒歩15分にあり、また駅前から写真のラッピングバス「ふくしま「エール」号」で行くこともできます。「エール」は、古関裕而を主人公にしたNHKの朝ドラです。

The great composer Koseki Yuji was born in Fukushima City right in this neighborhood and lived his youth age. His parents ran a long-established kimono silk fabric store. The traditional wooden sign board of the shop which was more than 5 meters long was on display as shown above.
作曲家古関裕而は、福島市のこの近くに生まれ若い時を過ごしました。家は「喜多三呉服店」で、当時の店の木製看板が展示されています(写真)。長さ5m以上あります。


Antique record player and cash register which were used in the house were also on display. These machines were of state of the art at the time.
当時家に有った蓄音機や金銭登録器も、展示されていました。当時は、最新式でした。
Lastly, here are one of my favorite songs of him which depicted an old mountain train connected between Numajiri and Kawageta in Inawashiro. Both video footages are short sections of a video which were on screen at the hall.
最後に、当時猪苗代町の沼尻と川桁間を走った沼尻軽便鉄道の歌です。館内のビデオで流れていたものの一部で、雰囲気が伝わります。

Right next north to the hall, I found a silk item shop called Oriwori and they had silk face masks on sale made from world quality Kawamata silk. I purchased one for trial as shown above and let’s see how it works.
館の北隣りに、「絹工房おりをり」という店を見付け、絹のマスクを売っていました。高級川俣シルク製です(写真)。1つ買い、試してみます。
The exact route and locations are shown in the map below. The map can be scaled up and down with a click and scroll.
ルートと場所は、下の地図を参照ください。地図は、クリックとスクロールで、拡大・縮小が可能です。
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To date, I’ve been rather focused on cycling and mountain hiking in Fukushima Prefecture. But I accidentally had an injury riding my bike this May and because of my age in late 60’s, from now on I want to shift to walking tour using public transportation. With this new style, I want to further find hidden treasures in Fukushima.
これまでは、福島県内をサイクリングや登山を中心に廻りましたが、5月に怪我をし年も取ったので、今後は公共交通と歩きで県内や県境の宝を探しに行きたいと思います。
【2013年6月12日】 只見川 沿いに、JR 只見線 と、そして 玉梨温泉 へ(June 12, 2013: Pedaled along Tadami River, JR Tadami Line and finally to Tamanashi Onsen at Kaneyama Town, Fukushima Pref.)
Today I left Nishiyama Onsen and pedaled along National Route 252 which also went along Tadami River and JR Tadami Line. I stopped at Mishima Town and finally arrived at Tamanashi Onsen at Kaneyama Town.
経路は、下の地図を参照。(経路と標高は、GPSログデータによる。地図は、クリックで拡大できます。)
The actual route was shown in the map below. (The route and altitude data were from GPS log data. The details of the map can be seen by clicking the map.)
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三島町、金山町 は、冬季は雪深く、奥会津と呼ばれる。西山温泉 を出て、国道252号 に入ると、三島町 の写真の道の駅「 尾瀬街道みしま宿 」がある。ここでは、写真の桐箪笥など 三島町 の特産を中心に販売している。
Mishima Town and Kaneyama Town were called Okuaizu country which was covered deep in snow in winter. After I left Nishiyama Onsen and merged into the National Route 252, I soon found the Road Station called "Ozekaidou-Mishimajuku" which was located in Mishima Town. Many products of Mishima Town were in sale such as wooden cabinets made fully of paulownia as shown in the pictures above.




このあと、道は 只見川 沿いに進み、上の写真のように景色が大変良い。
My bike went along Tadami River and I fully enjoyed beautiful scenery as shown in the pictures above.
なお、JR 只見線 もほぼ平行して走り、その光景を紹介します。
JR Tadami Line also went along Tadami River. Some views were shown below.


JR 早戸駅 で、写真のようにホームのすぐ下を 只見川 が流れる光景です。
At JR Hayato Station Tadami River flowed along just beneath the station platform as shown in the pictures.


また、上の写真は、只見川 を渡る 鉄橋 に、3両編成の会津若松行の 只見線 の車両が走る光景。
I was also lucky to find three passenger cars of JR Tadami Line bound for Aizuwakamatsu came crossing the railroad bridge as shown in the pictures above.

上の写真は、会津川口駅の手前で、只見川と並行に走る、JR 只見線 の線路です。なお、JR 只見線 は、2年前の豪雨被害の復旧中であり、現在会津川口駅と只見駅の間は、バス代行運転です。
The picture above shows railroad of Tadami Line went just beside the Tadami River at a little before Aizukawaguchi Station. Between Aizukawaguchi and Tadami Stations shuttle bus service was temporarily being operated because of heavy rain disaster two years ago.




この近くに、今年4月にオープンした新しい道の駅「 奥会津かねやま 」があります。写真は、案内板、国道252号沿いの外観と、裏側の外観、および手打ちのざるそばです。トイレや食堂など最新の設備で気持ちが良い。
In this neighborhood I found brand new Road Station called "Okuaizu-Kaneyama" which opened in this April. Pictures above show the guide sign, view from National Route 252, view from behind, and handmade zaru soba served. I felt comfortable with new and sophisticated Men's and Women's rooms and restaurant.


このあと自転車は、会津川口で国道400号へ左折し、今夜は、玉梨温泉 の写真の 恵比寿屋 に泊まる。この宿も、日本秘湯の会 会員宿である。温泉は、写真のように、日中温泉に似た色と匂いを持ち、但し源泉温度は熱めである。特殊な湯であるが、良い湯です。
Then, I turned left and pedaled along National Route 400 and finally arrived at Tamanashi Onsen. Tonight I stayed at Ebisuya Inn shown in the pictures above. This inn was a member of Japan Association of Segregated Hot Spring Inns. This hot spring had special color and smells similar to that of Nitchu Onsen but this was comfortably hot. Although the hot spring seemed somewhat special as you can see in the second picture the bath was very good.
【2012年11月24日】 飯舘村 、 そして 川俣町 へ( Nov. 24, 2012: To Iitate Village and Kawamata Town )
Today, I left Minamisoma City and pedaled west on Pref. Route 12 to Kawamata Town via Iitate Village. This route was also recommended as bypass route by the Government. As shown in the GPS altitude graph below, it was a hard hill climb of 694m elevation gain and average slope of 3.9% during Minamisoma City area. Iitate Village belongs to the upper line of the trapezoid of the graph. After entering Kawamata Town long downhill of 561m elevation fall and average fall slope of 4.2% followed.


写真は、上りの最後、 八木沢峠 で 飯舘村 に入るところです。
The picture above shows entering to Iitate Village at Yagisawa Pass which was the last point after the long hill climb.


最初の写真は、 飯舘村 の入口付近の光景。そのしばらく後に、2枚目の写真の 石ポロ坂トンネル があり、路側帯がせまく自転車は少し通りにくかったです。
The first picture shows a view just after entering Iitate Village. Soon after that, there was Ishiporozaka Tunnel in which the side lane was so narrow that I struggled to ride my bike safe.


飯舘村 は、村の南部分が居住制限区域であるが、県道12号沿いは大丈夫です。しかし、まだ住民の復帰は進行中であり、店は床屋などごく一部のみ開店。除染作業が活発で、写真の「 もりの駅まごころ 」も、本来道の駅的な機能であるが、2枚目の写真のように、除染事務所になっていました。
Southern part of Iitate Village had been designated as Restricted Area for Living; however the area along the Route 12 was safe now. But, still people of this area were preparing to return thus only few stores such as Babar were open. Decontamination works were very active and the Wood Station Magokoro the sign of which was shown in the first picture and which had been operated similar to road station before, was now been used exclusively as decontamination office.

写真は、 川俣町 にはいるところです。ここから長い下りが始まります。
The picture above shows entering to Kawamata Town. A long downhill ride followed hereafter.



川俣町 の中心に来ると、 川俣シャモ の 親子丼 の看板が目立ちました。 国道349号 沿いの写真の店に入ってみました。中は、待ちができるほどの繁盛であり、2枚目の写真の親子丼はおいしかった。後で紹介する道の駅で知ったのであるが、 川俣シャモ は、3枚目の写真のように 福島県ブランド認証 品 でした。
I found many sign boards which displayed Chicken and egg on rice made of Kawamata Gamecock. I entered a restaurant of the kind along the Route 349 shown in the picture above. It was clouded with people waiting, and the rice bowl shown in the second picture tasted good. The road station I referred to later told me that Kamamata Gamecock had been designated as special bland of Fukushima Pref. as shown in the last picture.


近くの国道114号沿いに、 道の駅 「 川俣 」があります。写真は、案内標識と外観です。特産の川俣シャモや、 川俣シルク の製品などを販売していました。
There was Road Station "Kawamata" along the Route 114. The pictures show the guide sign and the outside view. Many original products made of Kawamata Gamecock and Kawamata Silk were on sale.

今夜の宿は、川俣町 の写真の ホテル一期一会 。このホテルは、2011年3月の震災被害で、玄関・食堂部分を復旧工事中。今回は、素泊まりのみ可能でした。
Today I stayed at Ichigo-Ichie Hotel as shown in the picture above which may be the only hotel in Kawamata Town. This hotel had been damaged by the earthquake of March 2011, and the front entrance and its restaurant were still under repair. They only had stay overnight without meal plan now.