09：The pride of Aizu, Tsuruga Castle

　I have visited Aizuwakamastsu City about five or six times since the Great East Japan Earthquake. Whenever I come here I feel the number of tourists has increased even more. Aizu has regained its popularity as a tourist spot, thanks to this year’s NHK Taiga drama, ‘Yae no Sakura’, which is set in the city of Aizuwakamastu. It is of my opinion that the endless streams of tourists have breathed new life into the local tourism industry, leading to an economic growth which has helped move Fukushima Prefecture closer to recovery. 　

　Thinking back, whenever I visit Tsuruga Castle I’m always welcomed by strange weather. A cherry blossom festival with no cherry blossoms in sight… A golden week where snow fell even though the cherry blossoms were in full bloom… A sweltering day where the temperature rose above 30 degrees in the middle of October…. As if someone didn’t want to break this trend, this time too, we were welcomed by an unexpected deluge of rain.
 
　Even so, Tsuruga Castle, which is the only castle in Japan to use red roof tiles, managed to win us over easily with its famous charms. Among participants those who were visiting the castle for the first time were particularly excited. As if lured by their enjoyment, I threw aside my umbrella desperately trying to capture the wonderful view in front of me with my camera.
 
 

　Should I call the different scenes I’ve enjoyed every time I visit the castle a ‘trick of fate’, or a ‘present from mother nature’.
　Whatever you call it, it doesn’t change the fact that the beautiful Tsuruga Castle is the pride of Aizu.

　I sincerely hope that its wonderful scenery stays the same for many generations to come.

（Posted by：Xu）