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.
| Website | http://www.aquamarine.or.jp/english/index.html |
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| Contact | Environmental Aquarium Aquamarine Fukushima (+81) 246-73-2525 |
| Parking | 380 cars. Disabled parking available. |
| Entrance Fee | Adult: 1,850 yen<br>Elementary, Junior High, High School Students: 900 yen<br>Pre-school Age: Free<br>Groups of over 20 people: 750 yen to 1550 yen per person |
| Related info | Wheelchair-accessible toilet and ostomate toilet available (Omatsuri Square outdoor toilet). Wheelchair rental available. There are signs in English. |
| Accommodation details | Pets: Not allowed (Caged pet carrier which are to be left outside in a designated pet area are available upon request at the entrance) |
| Access | 50 Tatsumi-Cho, Onahama, Iwaki City, Fukushima Pref. 971-8101 View directions |
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| Getting there | By Car: 20 min from Iwaki-Yumoto I.C. exit off the Joban Expressway By Public Transport:
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Iwaki has plenty to offer families traveling in Japan! This area is well-known for its delicious seafood & its amazing interactive environmental aquarium Aquamarine Fukushima. Here’s a suggested day-trip for traveling by public transportation in Iwaki.
Refresh yourself along the coast of Fukushima with this one-day plan, which includes three of Iwaki's best spots. You can enjoy these places any time of the year, so it’s perfect to fit into your pre-existing travel plans. Start out at Iwaki Station and make your way down to Aquamarine Fukushima. This beautiful aquarium and aquatic museum will take your breath away with its amazing exhibits of sea creatures and habitats. Let your imagination run free as you walk through the interior and discover something new everywhere you look. After you’ve finished at Aquamarine Fukushima, make your way to Shiramizu Amidado Temple. This temple is a National Treasure of Japan and was first commissioned by a princess. It has a unique history and the atmosphere lends itself well to relaxation and introspection. Once you’ve found inner peace, head over to Natsuigawa Valley. The pristine river waters and cool countryside breeze will relax your body and rejuvenate your spirit. No matter where you turn to, the coastal area of Fukushima is sure to astound you. This plan is best enjoyed by renting a car from Iwaki Station.
Have you ever wanted to take a cross-prefecture tour of Japan, from Tokyo to the impeccable countryside of Fukushima? Well, now is your chance to travel from the international hub of Tokyo and see what else Japan and—especially—Fukushima have to offer. Enjoy this cross-country tour of Japan any time of the year, over the span of a few days so that you can enjoy things at your pace. You’ll find life outside of Tokyo goes at a much slower pace. Start your trip from Tokyo Station and ride a short distance to Asakusa. See one of the busiest shrine-and-temple locations in Tokyo. You’ll love the bustling atmosphere and the street stalls with their many trinkets and souvenirs. Once you’ve finished in Asakusa, head out of the city and make your way for Tochigi Prefecture’s Nikko. Nikko is perhaps most famous for the three monkey statues that people equate with “hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil”. You’ll see these wonderful statues and more while you stop over in Nikko. From there, travel north to Higashiyama Onsen and enjoy the sights form the train along the way. Higashiyama Onsen is Fukushima’s home to some truly great hot springs and Japanese-style inns. Soak up the hot waters and relax your tired muscles. At Tsuruga-jo Castle, you can walk the pristine gardens and enjoy the castle grounds. Be sure to make note of the red-roof tiles of the castle as well, this is the only castle in Japan that boasts having these deep-red tiles. Inside the castle keep, discover the history of the Aizu samurai through the many exhibits and displayed artifacts. Make your way to Nanokamachi-dori Street and admire the local architecture, which is quite different than that from the rest of the area. Search out local hidden gems along the narrow streets and find the perfect souvenir to take home. Enjoy your time in Tokyo, Tochigi, and Fukushima like never before with this route.
<p>Soma Nakamura Shrine, long revered for enshrining the patron deity of the Soma clan, is built on a small hill in the western area of the Nakamura Castle grounds.</p><p>The shrine was erected in 1643 by Soma Yoshitsune, the 18th head of the Soma family.</p><p>The main shrine is a an example of Gongen Shinto architecture, in which the main hall and worship hall are connected by a passageway, and the lacquer, painting, and metal fixtures are authentic representations of its Kan'ei era construction.</p><p>The shrine was designated as a national important cultural property in 1984.</p>
<p><span style="color:#000000">The Remains of Ukedo Elementary School in Namie Town (震災遺構浪江町立請戸小学校) are located in the coastal area of Fukushima prefecture.</span></p><p><span style="color:#000000">Ukedo Elementary School, located 300 meters from the sea, was having classes when the earthquake struck at 2:46 p. m. on March 11, 2011. </span></p><p><span style="color:#000000">A few minutes later, a tsunami warning was issued for Ukedo. The school staff urged students to evacuate immediately to nearby Mount Ohirayama, approximately 1.5 km from the school. </span></p><p><span style="color:#000000">When the tsunami hit about 40 minutes after the earthquake, all of the students and staff had evacuated safely.</span></p><p><span style="color:#000000">The school building suffered great damage from the earthquake and the tsunami, as did most of Namie town, which shortly after became under evacuation order due to the nuclear disaster (the evacuation order for some areas in Namie Town was lifted on March 31, 2017).</span></p><p><span style="color:#000000">In 2021, the remnants of the Ukedo Elementary School building opened to the public. The facilities remain largely untouched, with debris, broken floors and ceilings, smashed objects, collapsed furniture and other school items. Visitors can see the extent of the destruction caused by the earthquake and tsunami and learn about the importance of disaster preparedness.</span></p><p><span style="color:#000000">At the entrance, you can scan a QR code using your phone to access the English translation of each explanation panel as you proceed through the school grounds.</span></p>
Opened on Saturday, May 30, 2020, the museum was established to share the history of the disaster and the following reconstruction efforts by preserving and exhibiting materials related to the earthquake and tsunami, giving talks by local storytellers, and other activities. This way, they are able to preserve the memories and lessons of the disaster. There are panel displays about the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear power plant accident, as well as about recovery and reconstruction, and displays of actual items damaged in the disaster, such as a blackboard from the former Toyoma Junior High School. The Iwaki Storyteller's Group offers regular lectures on the disaster. For more information on lectures, please visit this website.
<p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#000000">Café Amazon Kawauchi is a modern cafe and restaurant located only 350 meters away from the Tenzan Bunko Museum. </span></p><p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#000000">Café Amazon has over 1500 restaurants abroad, and serves Asian food and coffee.</span></p><p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#000000">This was the first Café Amazon restaurant in Japan, opened to help reinvigorate Kawauchi, attract visitors and, of course, serve delicious Thai dishes!</span></p><p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#000000">In 2016, following extensive revitalization efforts, all restrictions were lifted in Kawauchi village, which had had to be evacuated in 2011 following the nuclear accident. Kawauchi is now is a quiet, green village surrounded by mountains and streams, home to a few thousand people.</span></p><p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#000000">But because the village had remained uninhabited for some time, the only coffee shop there had closed, and, left without a local hub, it seemed difficult for the community to rekindle—that’s when Thai restaurant chain Café Amazon stepped in.</span></p><p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#000000">Café Amazon Kawauchi has a warm and light wooden interior (built using wood from Fukushima!), as well as a piano and guitar you can play freely. You can sit indoors or outdoors on a wooden deck.</span></p><p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#000000">Café Amazon Kawauchi isn’t only a coffee shop, it’s a fundamental part of the reconstruction of Kawauchi village, a meeting place for both locals and visitors.</span></p>
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!
<p><span style="color:#000000">The Great East Japan Earthquake and Nuclear Disaster Memorial Museum (東日本大震災・原子力災害伝承館, often referred to in Japanese only as </span><span style="color:#000000"><em>‘Denshokan’ </em></span><span style="color:#000000">[伝承館]) is located in Futaba town, in the coastal area of Fukushima prefecture.</span></p><p><span style="color:#000000">Through exhibitions, storytelling, research and interactive displays, visitors can learn about this area before, during and after the disaster, deepen their understanding of the revitalization of Fukushima and the decommissioning of the TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, as well as listen to testimonies of residents.</span></p><p><span style="color:#000000">This museum shows how Fukushima has dealt with a complex and unprecedented disaster and its ongoing consequences, and communicates lessons for the future on the importance of disaster prevention and mitigation.</span></p><p><span style="color:#000000">The museum opened in September 2020 and has about 200 items related to the The Great East Japan Earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster on permanent exhibition.</span></p><p><span style="color:#000000">Exhibits include explanations in both English and Japanese.</span></p><p><span style="color:#000000">Located nearby the museum is the Futaba Business Incubation and Community Center.</span></p>
![[Temporarily Closed] Iwaki City Coal & Fossil Museum (Horuru)](https://fukushima.travel/img/spots/photos/thumbnail/ulg2LekR2O9goTyHDLoSWHdsIAME4keMxJ1xBP2u-900x600.jpg)
<p>*Please note that the Iwaki City Coal & Fossil Museum (Horuru) remains temporarily closed until 2024.</p><p> </p><p>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 <a href="https://fukushima.travel/destination/iwaki-yumoto-onsen/43">Iwaki Yumoto Onsen town</a>, and is a great addition to any trip to the Iwaki area.</p>
Opened on Saturday, May 30, 2020, the museum was established to share the history of the disaster and the following reconstruction efforts by preserving and exhibiting materials related to the earthquake and tsunami, giving talks by local storytellers, and other activities. This way, they are able to preserve the memories and lessons of the disaster. There are panel displays about the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear power plant accident, as well as about recovery and reconstruction, and displays of actual items damaged in the disaster, such as a blackboard from the former Toyoma Junior High School. The Iwaki Storyteller's Group offers regular lectures on the disaster. For more information on lectures, please visit this website.
