Kaiseizan Daijingu Shrine (開成山大神宮) is a Shinto shrine located in front of Kaiseizan Park in Koriyama City. The shrine was established in 1876 and is famous for its cherry blossom festival during the spring, as well as for its New Year celebrations, among other festivities.
Three deities are enshrined at Kaiseizan Daijingu Shrine: Amaterasu, a Shinto deity believed to be the ancestress of the Imperial family of Japan; Emperor Jimmu, who according to Japanese mythology was the first emperor of Japan; and Toyouke-Ōmikami, the goddess of agriculture and industry in Shintoism.
| Website | https://www.kaiseizan.jp/history/ (Japanese) |
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| Contact | Koriyama City Tourism Association |
| Best Season | All Year |
| Parking | Available |
| Entrance Fee | Free |
| Access | Kaisei 3-1-38, Koriyama City, Fukushima Pref. 963-8851 View directions |
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| Getting there | By Car: 10 min drive from Koriyama I.C. exit off the Tohoku Expressway By Taxi: 10 min by taxi from Koriyama Station (JR Tohoku Main Line) By Bus: 20 min from Koriyama Station on the bus bound for the City Hall (市役所, ‘Shiyakusho’) or to Hayama via Otsuki (麓山経由大槻).
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Mt. Ryozen is a spiritual, historic mountain with beautiful scenery. Since the Muromachi Period, Ryozen Temple has been used as a training grounds for Buddhist monks. Apparently, monks-in-training used to tie themselves to cliff-edges as part of their training in self-discipline!Hikers can park at the Mt. Ryozen Trailhead Parking Lot.
In spring, this 150-year-old weeping cherry tree looks so different from one hour to the next. Viewed during the day, it is framed against a backdrop of snow-topped Azuma mountains. During the cherry blossom viewing season, Nakajima Jizozakura is lit up at night, its reflection glittering enchantingly on the surface of surrounding rice paddies.
Dake Onsen is one of Japan's few naturally acidic hot spring sources. The onsen source is located some 8 kilometers away from Dake Onsen town, meaning the hot spring water must be pulled from the source, travelling for around 40 minutes before it reaches the town. During this journey, the hot water becomes softer, making it gentle on the skin. Since the Dake Onsen's hot spring waters are acidic, it is recommended that visitors rinse in the shower after bathing in the town's onsen.This onsen town is also a popular spot for cherry blossom viewing. The cherry blossom tunnel at Sakura Hill in Dake Onsen – an onsen town located on the periphery of Mt. Adatara – comes into full bloom in mid-April. Visitors are greeted with fantastic views of cherry blossom against a backdrop of Mt Adatara still sprinkled white with the remainder of last winter’s snow.
Hanamiyama Park is a privately-owned field for flowering and ornamental trees, in southeast Fukushima City.The park is located within a satoyama-type landscape i.e. managed woodland hill country close to human habitat. What originally began more than 60 years ago with local farmers planting flowers and trees, has grown into a beautiful scene. The landowner generously turned the area into a park in 1959 to allow visitors to enjoy the beautiful flowers there.Hanamiyama Park, and the wider Hanamiyama area, is now visited by thousands of admirers every year!Springtime visits see cherry, plum, and forsythia trees paint everything in vivid colors. A gentle pink and purple landscape waving in the breeze with the picturesque snow-capped Azuma Mountains in the distance makes for an amazing sight.The riot of spring colors is spectacular enough to merit calling this park Fukushima's very own paradise.The flowering landscape moves all who see it and has been preserved through the cooperation of the local residents. Enjoy a leisurely one-hour stroll that will take you from the foot of the hill to the summit. Travel through groves of flowering trees and other vibrant flowers in full bloom.Hanamiyama is the perfect getaway for a day for nature lovers, hikers, or people trying to escape for a short time.The best part is that spring isn’t the only beautiful time to visit. Marvel in wonder during the lush green summer foliage or the dappled colors of autumn. When you visit this fairytale-like wonderland, it is recommended that visitors wear comfortable walking shoes as the terrain includes graveled paths, steep slopes, and slippery areas. Mid- through late April is the peak season, so ready your camera and your heart for the beauty that awaits.
Nihonmatsu Castle was built in 1643 by Mitsushige Niwa, the first feudal lord of the Nihonmatsu Domain. This domain had command over a territory producing 100,000 koku of rice (one koku being the amount of rice needed to feed one man for a year) and Nihonmatsu Castle was one of the strategic points used by the Tokugawa Shogunate forces. The castle fell in Boshin War after a fierce battle, precipitating the tragedy of the Nihonmatsu Youth Corps.Today, the castle ruins have been turned into a prefectural natural park, with the stone walls being the only structures remaining from the old days. The seasonal beauty of the landscape with the restored castle and the surrounding natural environment is a soothing experience for visitors, particularly in the spring when the 1,700 cherry trees in the park are in full bloom, making it seem as if the castle is surrounded by haze of blossoms. This is why Nihonmatsu Castle is also referred to as "Kasumigajo" (meaning "castle in the mist").In autumn, the park is crowded with visitors to Japan's largest chrysanthemum doll festival.
Shirakawa Castle (Komine Castle) was heavily damaged during the Boshin War (also known as the Meiji Restoration), and was restored in the 1990s.Komine Castle's restoration marked the first time in over 120 years that a restoration had been attempted on a triple turret (yagura) structure. Blueprints from the late Edo Period were used as references for the repair of this structure.As a result of using these blueprints, it was possible to restore the castle almost exclusively using wood construction techniques. This amazing architecture, along with the extraordinary techniques used to make the stone wall around the castle, make this castle extremely special. There is also an exhibition hall on site.
Korinji Temple, known as Hydrangea Temple, is home to around 20 kinds of hydrangeas. Many tourists visit every year to see the beautiful blue, purple and pink flowers that bloom from late-June to mid-July.
Yamamoto Fudoson Temple was built over 1000 years ago in a rocky cavern. The temple can be reached by taking paths lined with century-old Japanese cedar trees, and climbing a 130-step stone staircase. The cave that makes up part of the Yamamoto Fudoson temple grounds is where the Buddhist deity enshrined at this temple is worshipped. Yamamoto Fudoson Temple is located in Yamamoto Park. This park is centered in a valley – 5 km of which is designated as an Okukuji Prefectural Natural Park. A wonderful place for flower-viewing throughout the year, this area is also great for experiencing beautiful autumn leaves.