Muslim Friendly Japan
Aizu Sazaedo

Aizu Sazaedo

会津さざえ堂(円通三匝堂)

Sazaedo is a six-sided, three-storey wooden hall on Mt. Iimori in Aizuwakamatsu, built in 1796. Inside, a double spiral slope takes you up and back down, and the way up and the way down never meet. In the Edo period, people came here to visit 33 Kannon statues in one place instead of making a long pilgrimage. Today visitors enjoy walking the creaking wooden slope, which is fun for all ages.

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Visitor information

Opening hours

April–November: 8:15 until sunset. December–March: 9:00–16:00.

Closed

Open every day of the year.

Admission

Adults 400 yen; university and high school students 300 yen; elementary and junior high students 200 yen.

Getting there

Take the city loop bus "Haikara-san" or "Akabe" to the Iimoriyama-shita stop, then walk about 7 minutes.

By car, about 15 minutes from Aizu-Wakamatsu IC on the Ban-etsu Expressway.

Hours and fees can change. Please check the official website before you go.

Good to know

  • The route inside is one-way. Please do not write on the walls.

Tips for Muslim visitors

  • Two spiral stairways inside are arranged so that people going up never meet people coming down, which keeps the flow one way.
  • The hall once housed 33 Kannon images, but the original statues were removed after the Meiji Restoration. Visitors may simply walk through.
  • Plan your visit around prayer times, and carry a travel prayer mat and a qibla app.
  • Plan your visit around prayer times. Below are today's prayer times for Fukushima and the verified places to pray nearby.
  • Food stalls and shops near popular sights usually do not have halal certification. Check the ingredients, or choose from the verified places on this site.

Prayer times in Fukushima

Today (5 Nov 2026)

  1. Fajr04:28
  2. Sunrise06:07
  3. Dhuhr11:24
  4. Asr14:13
  5. Maghrib16:36
  6. Isha18:05

Times are calculated for Fukushima City. Times may differ elsewhere in Fukushima.

Next 7 days →

Places to pray near Aizu Sazaedo

We have not verified a place to pray near here yet. Many large stations, airports and department stores in Japan have prayer rooms.

How to find a place to pray in Japan →

Halal food near Aizu Sazaedo

We have not verified a halal restaurant near here yet. Until then, these guides can help you choose food safely:

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Map

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Photo: くろふね, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Sources (Checked 5 Nov 2026): aizukanko.com, fukushima.travel, japan.travel