This well-known hot spring is thought to be one of the oldest hot springs in Japan. The list of most ancient springs also includes Dogo Onsen (Ehime Prefecture) and Arima Onsen (Hyogo Prefecture).
It is said that Iwaki Yumoto Onsen as first used for its hot spring water around one thousand years ago. Water is pumped into the numerous hotels and ryokan in the town at a rate of five tons per minute. The springs have various benefits such as having skin-beautifying properties.
| Website | http://www.iwakiyumoto.or.jp/en/ |
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| Contact | Iwaki Yumoto Onsen Tourist Association (+81) 246-42-4322 iwakiyumotoonsen@gmail.com |
| Best Season | All Year |
| Opening Hours | Iwaki Yumoto Onsen Tourist Association hours are from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM |
| Access | Tennozaki 92 Joban Yumoto-machi, Iwaki City, Fukushima Pref. 972-8321 View directions |
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| Getting there | By Car: 10 min drive from Iwaki Yumoto I.C. exit off the Joban Expressway By Train: Short walk from Yumoto Station (JR Joban Line) |
Matsugaoka Park is one of the oldest public parks in Iwaki, with origins going back to 1907. It was first developed around a large reservoir that doubled as a fire prevention water source. Rather than being designed as a purely ornamental space, the park grew gradually with plantings of cherry, plum, and azalea trees. That starting point still shapes the layout today, with the central pond acting as a focal point.Within the park grounds stands a statue of Andō Nobumasa, a former lord of the Taira domain, reflecting the area’s connection to the old castle town.The park is best known for its cherry blossoms in spring. Around 200 Somei Yoshino cherry trees typically flower early compared to other spots in Iwaki, making it one of the first places locals associate with the start of hanami season. The azaleas - around 340 bushes, some originally transplanted from a former samurai residence in Tokyo - add a second wave of color slightly later. During peak bloom, the area is popular with groups and families, with food stalls set up around the park.Covering roughly 37,000 square meters, Matsugaoka functions as a neighborhood park with everyday amenities: benches, a small playground, walking paths, and a modest pond.
Approximately 1,500 cherry trees of the quintessential Japanese Somei Yoshino variety create a beautiful tunnel of cherry blossom for visitors to pass through. Many of these trees are over 100 years old.
Iwana no Sato is well-suited for family trips! Try out fishing ‘Iwana’ (charr fish), and enjoy the picturesque scenery of Japanese-style gardens, watermills, & other traditional Japanese architecture. There is an onsite restaurant, areas for having a BBQ, and even accommodation too. Iwana no Sato is close to Tenzan Bunko and Café Amazon, popular spots among tourists visiting Kawauchi Village.
Café Amazon Kawauchi is a modern cafe and restaurant located only 350 meters away from the Tenzan Bunko Museum. Café Amazon has over 1500 restaurants abroad, and serves Asian food and coffee.This was the first Café Amazon restaurant in Japan, opened to help reinvigorate Kawauchi, attract visitors and, of course, serve delicious Thai dishes!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.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.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.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.
