Iimoriyama Byakkotai

【The True Fire, Burning Across Time】 Encounter the Souls of the Byakkotai at 'Iimoriyama'

Located to the east of Aizuwakamatsu City, 'Iimoriyama' stands. As you climb the stone steps and reach the plaza enveloped in silence, there lie the nineteen young boys of the Byakkotai, aged from sixteen to seventeen, who upheld 'honor' until the end, even as they were swallowed by the turbulent waves of the Restoration. Their tragedy, having misjudged the black smoke rising from Tsurugajo as a sign of its fall and choosing to take their own lives, is still recounted as one of the most poignant scenes in Aizu's history.

■ The 'Smoke of Tsurugajo' that the Boys Gazed Upon

Turning your gaze from the observation deck, the current Tsurugajo stands dignified far beyond the streets of Aizu.

• A Single Thread of Loyalty: Reflecting on the scene that the boys once gazed upon in despair, the surrounding greenery feels deeper, and the sound of the wind feels quieter.
• The Resonance of Bushido Worldwide: In the mountains, there stands a 'Monument Honoring the Byakkotai' gifted from Italy and Germany, filling this place with the 'aesthetics of self-sacrifice and loyalty' that stirs the hearts of people across borders.

■ The Mysterious 'Sazae-do' and the Corridor of Prayer

The highlights of Iimoriyama are not just the weight of history.

• A Miracle of Architecture: Near the Tonokuchi Seki Cave, through which the soldiers passed, stands the unparalleled 'Sazae-do' with a double-helix structure. This mysterious wooden structure, where ascending and descending worshippers never cross paths, is a crystallization of the wisdom of Aizu's craftsmen.

The lives that were lost at a young age now support the quiet peace of present-day Aizu. When you touch upon that solemn fact, the scenery of the journey takes on even more color. At dusk, standing before the graves of the boys overlooking the town, you quietly join your hands in prayer. Would you like to experience such a 'journey seen with the heart' at Iimoriyama?