Iwase Yumoto Onsen has been treasured as a hot spring resort for a long time. The rustic ryokan of Iwase Yumoto Onsen have quaint thatched roofs and are particularly photogenic lined up side-by-side. This old-fashioned area’s nostalgic atmosphere is definitely not to be missed if you would like to feel as if you have been transported back into the Japan of centuries gone by.
| Website | https://ten-ei.net/index.aspx(Automated translation available) |
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| Contact | Tenei Village Tourism Association |
| Access | Yumoto, Tenei Village, Iwase District, Fukushima Pref. 962-0621 View directions |
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| Getting there | Car: 40 min drive from Ouchi-juku. About 70 min by car from Shirakawa Station |
This arched iron bridge crossing the Abukuma River is famous as a viewing point for the fresh green of early summer and brightly colored autumn leaves. The bridge is 81 meters long, and has a maximum height of 50 meters from the valley bottom, and you can enjoy the refreshing feeling of being totally enveloped in the surrounding scenery as you look down from the bridge.
Shiki no Sato (Village of Four Seasons) is a lawn-covered agricultural park of about 8 ha in size. There are western-inspired brick buildings in the center, which house a traditional crafts gallery. The gallery includes a glass workshop and kokeshi (traditional wooden doll) exhibit. You can learn to make blown glass, see kokeshi being made by local artisans, and try your hand at decorating a doll of your own. Shiki no Sato also has an ice cream shop offering seasonal ice creams made with the local fruits of Fukushima. In addition to ice cream, you can try a variety of locally-produced beers at the Shiki no Sato's beer hall. The seasonal flowers are a highlight of a visit to Shiki no Sato, which is loved by families and young couples alike. The summertime firework displays and the winter light-ups in the park are some of the most popular times to visit.
Fukushima Prefectural Museum of Art, located at the foot of Mt. Shinobu on the north side of Fukushima City, houses over 2,000 pieces of art, including paintings, block prints, carvings, craft works, and more. Some highlights of the museum's collection include paintings by Shoji Sekine and woodblock prints by Kiyoshi Saito, both of whom were born in Fukushima Prefecture, as well as a collection of impressionist art, and 20th century paintings by artists such as Ben Shahn and Andrew Whyeth.
Licca Castle houses a production studio and museum both dedicated to Licca dolls (Japanese fashion dolls). In this building designed in the image of a European castle, you can find out everything there is to know about the five generations of Licca dolls.
Tsuchiyu Onsen, located at the heart of Mt. Azuma, is surrounded by beautiful scenic spots, and is home to many ryokan and hotels - such as Hotel Sansuiso - that make the most of the abundant onsen water. As well being to make day-trips to the baths at many of Tsuchiyu Onsen's ryokan, there are also footbaths and public baths dotted throughout this quaint town. A Japan of years gone by is captured in the nostalgic streets of Tsuchiyu Onsen. Check out the various shops selling the town’s famous Kokeshi Dolls (a Japanese traditional craft), browse for omiyage or stop by at a café.
There are well-known onsen in Tohoku, but Kashi Onsen, is treasured as one of this region's smallest, most off-the-beaten-track hot springs. In fact, Kashi Onsen home to only one ryokan inn: Daikokuya. Daikokuya’s oiwaburo (big-stone bath), which is measures 5m by 15m, with a depth of 1.2m, is gently warmed up from the source water that gushes up from the bedrock at the bottom of the bath, which is decorated with a number of large stones and small jewels.
Outdoor hot spring baths line the sides of the valley at the foot of Mt. Futamata. The open-air baths of Futamata Onsen’s ryokan are situated in a very peaceful location, surrounded by ancient forests full of beech trees – all at an altitude of 800 m. Futamata Onsen’s hot spring baths have been used for about 1200 years, and are particularly revered for the hot spring water’s healing properties. What’s more, being close to Ouch-juku, Futamata Onsen is conveniently located for a visit during your trip to Fukushima.
Fukushima City's Iizaka Onsen has been used as an onsen town for over 1,000 years, and has been visited by legendary figures in Japanese literature such as Matsuo Basho (1644-1694), the master of haiku poems. Locals in Iizaka Onsen pride themselves on the well-known Japanese phrase “Beppu in the West; Iizaka in the East”, which refers to the best onsen towns in Japan. The Surikami River that passes through the town is lined on either side by 9 high-rise ryokan (Japanese-style inns). More ryokan can be found scattered about Iizaka Onsen. The town is also dotted with a number of communal baths and public foot baths. Some of Iizaka Onsen’s most well-loved local foods include include Enban Gyoza and soft-boiled eggs known as Onsen Tamago. Iizaka Onsen is also close to sightseeing spots such as Hanamomo no Sato, the Fruit Line, and Nakano Fudoson Temple.