Iwaki 3.11 Memorial and Revitalization Museum

Iwaki 3.11 Memorial and Revitalization Museum

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.

Venue Details

Venue Details
Websitehttps://kankou-iwaki.or.jp/spot/51226
Contact

0246-38-4894

Best SeasonAll Year
Opening Hours

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

Closed: Mondays (or the following day if the Monday falls on a public holiday).

ParkingFree
Entrance FeeFree
Related infoYou can also access this museum by bicycle, bicycle parking is available.
Access Details
Access3-11 Usuiso, Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture 970-0229
View directions
Getting there

By Car: 30 min from the Iwaki Chuo I.C. exit off the Joban Expressway.

35 min from the Iwaki Yumoto I.C. exit off the Joban Expressway.

By Train: 30 min by bus from the JR Iwaki Station (JR Joban Line; JR Ban-etsu East Line)

Nearby

The World Glassware Hall
Historical Sites

Bentenjima Shrine

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, 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 I highly recommend checking out the photos on the Iwaki city website linked below. It is all in Japanese, but you can read it with the google translate extension on google chrome browsers.
The World Glassware Hall
Local Foods

The Suzuki Brewery in Namie Town

The Suzuki Sake Brewery used to operate a sake brewery in Namie Town's Ukedo district, this building was located steps from the sea and was physically destroyed by the tsunami wave. This left the owner of the brewery without a home or a livelihood. They managed to evacuate with the necessities of the brewery and after the disaster, the brewery was moved to Nagai City to the mountains of Yamagata Prefecture in October 2011 (the same year as the earthquake). Since then, they’ve continued to brew sake with the hope of preserving the traditional sake brewing techniques that had been developed by generations of brewers in Namie Town. Finally, on March 20, 2021, the brewery was able to return to its hometown of Namie with the opening of a new brewery at the Namie Roadside Station. Here, visitors can watch the Suzuki brewers at work making their delicious sake. They even use locally grown rice to make some of their sake, with a focus on maintaining their hometown flavor. At the Namie Roadside Station, you can visit the sake brewery and taste their freshly brewed sake. For visitors who don't drink sake, there is also a sake flavored soft serve ice cream that is absolutely delicious. The soft serve comes in a traditional wooden sake cup!
Discover Coastal Area

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