Tsushima (津島)

Map

Getting There

• train
• bus
• car

Best Times to Visit

• spring: Cherry blossoms and the April-to-early-May wisteria season make spring ideal for Tenno River Park and scenic flower viewing.
• summer: Water lilies appear in early summer, while the spectacular Owari Tsushima Tenno Festival takes place in late July.
• autumn: Red spider lilies and autumn foliage add seasonal color to Tenno River Park, while historic districts remain enjoyable to explore.

What's There

• architecture: Historic townhouses, the Hotta Residence, and a registered 1929 bank building showcase Tsushima’s preserved architectural heritage.
• cherry blossoms: Tenno River Park is surrounded by cherry trees that bloom prominently in spring.
• culture: Shrine traditions, historic merchant districts, local foods, and longstanding festivals express Tsushima’s distinctive cultural identity.
• festival: The Owari Tsushima Tenno Festival is a major river festival held annually in late July.
• flowers: Tenno River Park is known for wisteria, water lilies, red spider lilies, cherry blossoms, and autumn foliage.
• food: Local specialties include Akada, Kutsuwa, moroko pressed sushi, Tsushima fu, and Koshizu green onions.
• history: Tsushima’s shrine, merchant routes, historic residences, and festival traditions reflect more than a millennium of regional history.
• nature: The park combines water, greenery, seasonal flowers, and changing landscapes around a preserved former river channel.
• park: Tenno River Park is Tsushima’s principal scenic green space and hosts seasonal flower viewing and the Tenno Festival.
• river: The preserved Tenno River landscape and illuminated festival boats make waterways central to Tsushima’s scenery and traditions.
• shrine: Tsushima Shrine is the city’s principal religious landmark and the center of important historical worship and festivals.
• spiritual: Tsushima Shrine’s longstanding worship, ritual traditions, and festival heritage give the city strong spiritual significance.
• shopping: Visitors can explore traditional confectionery shops, historic commercial streets, and the tourism exchange center.

Specialties

• Akada (あかだ): Akada is a traditional, very hard fried rice-dumpling confection associated with Tsushima Shrine. It has been made and sold around the shrine for centuries.
• Kutsuwa (くつわ): Kutsuwa is a ring-shaped fried confection made from rice and glutinous rice, with sugar and sesame. Its form is traditionally linked to the bridle used in Tsushima Shrine’s ritual imagery.
• Moroko pressed sushi (もろこの押し寿司): Moroko pressed sushi is a local dish made with small freshwater fish marinated in soy sauce, sake, and mirin. The fish is pressed onto vinegared rice.
• Tsushima fu (津島麩): Tsushima fu is a traditional local wheat-gluten food whose production was revived after disappearing for a period. Tsushima City identifies it alongside Akada, Kutsuwa, and Moroko sushi as a local specialty.
• Koshizu negi (越津ねぎ): Koshizu negi is a traditional green onion associated with Koshizu in Tsushima. It is valued because both its green leaves and white stalk are tender and edible.