Natsuigawa Valley continues 15 km along JR Ban-etsu East Line. In autumn, the train passes the valley at a slow speed so that passengers can enjoy the awesome views from its windows. The beautiful view of the waterfalls and clear streams meandering through rocks is definitely worth seeing.
Shioyazaki Lighthouse (塩屋崎灯台) stands on the Usuiso Coast of Iwaki City in eastern Fukushima. Now a historical landmark, the lighthouse was first erected in 1899. Despite having sustained considerable damage from natural disasters over the years, including the 2011 tsunami, the lighthouse has been rebuilt and restored and now enjoys great popularity. Many visitors climb to the top to enjoy its stunning views of the ocean.It was counted among the 50 best lighthouses in Japan. Consider visiting during sunset: seeing the ocean bathed in the beautiful afternoon light is the perfect way to end the day.
Standing 95 feet tall and nearly 100 feet wide, the Great Gingko Tree of Akai looms above a small neighbourhood to the west of the great lake at Inawashiro. At over 650 years old, this is one of Japan's oldest gingko trees and an iconic symbol of the area for many local people.In particular, the tree is most impressive in autumn, when its changing leaves become a vibrant yellow that can be seen for miles around.The best time to see the great tree is early to mid-November, which is also when the tree is illuminated in the evening. Although there is no official car park, there is plenty of open space in which to park.
In a crescent shaped cove separated from the mainland on the small island known as Bentenjima Island, you will find the mysterious Bentenjima Shrine. The vermillion painted tori gate stands out against the jagged stone and the powerful waves. It is believed that the shrine was land based until an earthquake that occurred in 1410 resulted in the formation of this jagged rock island. The construction date of the original shrine is unknown. The island is also known as Wanigafuchi because, according to legend, a creature known as a “wanizame” (crocodile shark) lived on the island. Half crocodile, half shark, this creature can be seen in many old Japanese paintings. The creature may have been believed to cause the swirling water and violent waves that crashed against the rocks, sometimes resulting in people getting swept into the water. Another legend suggests that the wanizame once kidnapped a young woman from Iwaki who had wandered out to explore the island.This coast is lined with small round pebbles that shine when the water hits them. However, do not take any of these pebbles home, as legend says that anyone who takes pebbles home from this coast will suffer from eye disease. This area was once a very popular destination for tourists and the Iwaki city website linked below features many photos. Although the page is in Japanese, it's viewable using the translation function on web browsers.Hattachi-Yakushi Temple is located near the shrine and is worth visiting, but please do not park there while accessing Bentenjima as it is disrespectful to the temple monks and patrons.