Iwaki City Coal & Fossil Museum (Horuru)

Iwaki City Coal & Fossil Museum (Horuru)

*Please note that the Iwaki City Coal & Fossil Museum (Horuru) remains temporarily closed until 2024.

 

Lovingly referred to as 'Horuru' by locals, Iwaki City Coal & Fossil Museum is home to exhibitions on the city's history of coal mining. Horuru also exhibits a range of fossils, including the locally-excavated Plesiosaur Futabasaurus, which was discovered by a high school student. There are also some hands-on experiences to try out, such as making your own amber accessories. Horuru is accessible on foot from Iwaki Yumoto Onsen town, and is a great addition to any trip to the Iwaki area.

Venue Details

Venue Details
Websitehttp://kankou-iwaki.com/fun/931.html
Contact

Iwaki Tourism and City Planning Bureau

Best SeasonAll Year
Estimated Visit Time1h
Opening Hours

9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (Last entry at 4:30 PM)

Closed the 3rd Tuesday of the month (or the following day if the 3rd Tuesday falls on a national holiday). Closed on January 1.

ParkingAvailable
Entrance FeeAdults 660 yen; Junior High, High School, University Students 440 yen; Elementary School Students 330 yen
Access Details
Access3-1 Mukaida, Joban-Yumoto-machi, Iwaki City, Fukushima Pref. 972-8321
View directions
Getting there

By Car: 10 min drive from the Iwaki Yumoto I.C. exit off the Joban Expressway.

By Train: 10 min walk from JR Yumoto Sta. (JR Joban Line).

Nearby

The World Glassware Hall
Nature & Scenery

Nijuisseiki-no-Mori Park (21st Century Forest Park)

Stretching over more than 80 hectares, Nijuisseiki-no-Mori Park (二十一世紀の森公園) is a true haven for recreation; complete with a tennis court, a baseball stadium, a skateboard park, and a family sports garden, as well as a variety of flower fields, trees and shrubs.21st Century Forest Park is also a popular cherry blossom spot: it has both early-blooming Kawazu-sakura (which mostly bloom mid-February to mid-March) as well as Somei Yoshino cherry blossom trees (which typically bloom sometime between early to mid-April).During winter each year illumination events are held in the park, and, during autumn, the bright colored leaves attract plenty of visitors. During the summer, sunflowers and rapeseed flowers bloom, so the park truly offers ways to enjoy nature all year round.
The World Glassware Hall
History & Culture

Hattachi-Yakushi Temple

In the year 806, the holy priest Tokuichi constructed Hattachi-Yakushi Temple as a place of worship for the Buddhist deity who has the ability to ensure the safe voyage of seafarers. The temple grounds are extremely beautiful in spring when the hydrangeas bloom, earning the temple the local nickname ‘Hydrangea Temple’. In front of Hattachi-Yakushi Temple is Bentenjima Island and Shrine, and the Hattachi Coastline, which connects the mainland with the island. The Hattachi Coast is covered in unique gravel, which has traditionally been thought to have healing properties. However, removing a stone and bringing it home can have the opposite effect.

The World Glassware Hall
History & Culture

Daihisan Stone Buddhas (Daihisan no Sekibutsu)

Estimated to have been carved over 1,000 years ago, the Daihisan Stone Buddhas (大悲山の石仏) are a group of stone-carved Buddhas in Odaka, Minamisoma City, in the coastal area of Fukushima prefecture.The Daihisan Stone Buddhas are made up of three groups of statues: the Yakushido Buddhas (薬師堂石仏), the Amidado Buddha (阿弥陀堂石仏), and the Kannondo Buddha (観音堂石仏). The statues are enshrined in a forest area with many smaller Buddha statues.They are the biggest and oldest stone Buddha statues in the Tohoku area of Japan, and have been designated as a National Historical Site. Their origins, and much of their history, however, remain unknown, although they are presumed to have been built sometime during the Heian period of Japanese history, which goes from 794 to 1185.In front of the entrance to the Yakushido Buddhas is a 45 meter high cedar tree known as Daihisan’s Giant Japanese Cedar Tree. The tree has a circumference of 8.4 meters at eye level, and is one of the largest trees in Fukushima prefecture, also estimated to be over 1,000 years old. It is designated as a Natural Monument of Fukushima Prefecture.
Discover Coastal Area

You might also like

Shoko Kanazawa Art Museum
Museums & Galleries

Shoko Kanazawa Art Museum

This museum, located in sunny Iwaki City, exhibits the moving calligraphy of Shoko Kanazawa. The whole museum has been constructed while keeping in mind traditional Japanese architectural styles. As well as the calligraphy exhibition, Shoko Kanazawa Art Museum also has a Japanese tea room café on site, where you can take a rest with beautiful Japanese garden viewing. The same building also houses a kimono exhibition, while features one of the world's biggest kimono!
Aquamarine Fukushima
Museums & Galleries

Aquamarine Fukushima

Aquamarine Fukushima is an ‘environmental aquarium’ that exhibits aquatic creatures in environments which closely mimic their natural habitats.As well as being an aquarium, Aquamarine Fukushima is also home to a research center and offers educational information about sustainability and conservation.The main exhibits are two gigantic tanks that extend from the second to the fourth floor, reproducing Shiome no Umi, an area of the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Fukushima Prefecture where the Kuroshio (Black Current) and the Oyashio (Kurile Current) meet.Visitors can enjoy walking through a transparent tunnel whilst being surrounded by the wealth of marine life found in Shiome no Umi, which includes vast schools of sardines and bonito. On the fourth floor, visitors can also visit a calming botanical garden which exhibits the various plant life of Fukushima Prefecture.In addition, guests can see over the top of the main tank, a great spot to appreciate the sheer scale of the water and the curious marine life below. There is also a touch tank where interested visitors can try touching starfish and other small sea critters.Since its establishment, Aquamarine Fukushima has conducted research into an ancient species of fish called coelacanths, and its findings are exhibited on the first floor in a corner entitled the World of Coelacanths. Here visitors can view an anatomical specimen of the rarely seen coelacanth and watch exclusive footage of living coelacanths.There are events throughout the year, with many activities for children and families to enjoy together including a fish maze, art festivals, and a fishing experience where you can catch real fish to be fried for lunch!If catching your own lunch doesn’t appeal to you, you are in luck as there is a seafood market selling fresh seafood just a 10-minute walk away!The seafood market is located within Iwaki Lalamew, a shopping center that also includes restaurants where you can dine on locally sourced, freshly caught fish.
View All
Top