Aizu (会津, Aizu?) is an area comprising the westernmost third of Fukushima Prefecture in Japan. The principal city of the area is Aizuwakamatsu.During the Edo period, Aizu was a feudal domain known as Aizu Domain (会津藩, Aizu-han?) and part of Mutsu Province.
The daimyo over much of the Edo period was from the Hoshina family. They had been senior retainers of the Takeda family, and in the early 17th century the head of the family, Hoshina Masamitsu, adopted the illegitimate son of the second Tokugawa shogun Hidetada. As a result, the Hoshina family's fortunes rose, with larger and larger fiefs being given to them, until finally they were moved to Aizu, then rated at 240,000 koku, in the mid-17th century. Hoshina Masayuki, the adopted head of the family, rose in prominence while his half-brother Tokugawa Iemitsu was shogun, and later acted as a regent for his successor, the underage fourth shogun Tokugawa Ietsuna. By the end of the 17th century, the Hoshina family was allowed the use of the Tokugawa hollyhock crest and the Matsudaira surname, and from then on was known as the Aizu-Matsudaira clan, with the name Hoshina being used mainly for internal documents. In the house code set down by Masayuki, there was a specific injunction to serve the shogun with single-minded devotion, and it was this injunction which the family took great pains to show its adherence to, even if its true objectives were those of improving status and prestige.
Aizu was known for its martial skill, and maintained a standing army of over 5000. It was often deployed to security operations on the northern fringes of the country, as far north as southern Sakhalin. Also, around the time of Commodore Perry's arrival, Aizu had a presence in security operations around Edo Bay.
The domain's two sets of formal rules for its army, the Rules for Commanders (将長禁令 shōchō kinrei) and Rules for Soldiers (士卒禁令 shisotsu kinrei), written in the 1790s, laid down a professional, modern standard for military conduct and operations, including the following two items in the Rules for Soldiers which codified the human rights and protection of enemy noncombatants, over 70 years before the first Geneva Convention of 1864.
Aizu, located in western Fukushima Prefecture, is a region with a long samurai tradition that is proudly put on display for visitors. A story well known throughout Japan, a group of young soldiers from Aizu committed ritual suicide upon thinking that their castle, Tsuruga Castle, had been taken by the enemy in a battle accompanying the end of Japan's feudal age in 1868.
Though the soldiers had been mistaken and their castle was still standing, the Aizu forces did indeed eventually lose the battle. The imperial forces, who they had been fighting, abolished the Aizu domain and tore down Tsuruga Castle. The castle has since been restored and is now open to the public.
References to Noguchi Hideo, perhaps the area's most famous citizen, can be seen around town. Born and raised in Aizu, Noguchi was a famous Japanese doctor in the early 1900s who made significant advances in the study of syphilis. Tourists may find his face familiar, as Noguchi's portrait adorns the 1000 yen bill.
If your interested in the histroy of the Japanese samurai this is a place that can`t be missed.
The castle of Aizu
The 5-story castle serves as a local history museum. The first floor contains materials pertaining to the Buddhist culture in the Aizu area and Aizu rulers'. The second floor holds famous antique lacquer ware and pottery. The third floor holds items connected with the Boshin War are located on the next two floors. The forth floor focuses on the famous Byakkotai pictures, the White Tiger Band, a group of loyal youths who met a tragic end during the war. The fifth floor functions as an observation platform. There is an interesting display of antiques in the long one-story wing Hashiri Nagaya, which extends from the southern end of the castle. In the back of the castle tawor ,visitors are welcome to use the rest area and information center. Although each season has its own special charm, the castle grounds are particularly lovely in the end of April, when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom, and autumn, when the leaves are turning color. History comes to life in multi-colored splendor during the Aizu Autumn Festival. The highlight of the Aizu Autumn Festival is the samurai parade on September 23rd. The procession, which begins at the castle and a passes through the main streets of the city, suggests a large-scale filming location for an old Japanese movie. Every former owner of the castle (from the Ashina to the Matsudaira lords) is represented in the procession, dressed in their armor and helmets, accompanied by their retainers (more than 500 people), a prince and princess, and members of the Byakkotai. It is like a colorful historical picture scroll unfolding before the viewers' eyes.
I am sure everyone will love this site and feel alive standing on this ancient battle feild.
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