History & Culture
Iwaki Yumoto Onsen Shrine
The Shinto gods of hot spring water and medicine are the enshrined deities of this shrine. This Onsen Shrine is widely thought of as being Iwaki Yumoto Onsen town’s own local Shinto deity.
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Kunitama Shrine
Kunitama Shrine (國魂神社) is located in Iwaki City, in the coastal area of Fukushima.
Three deities are enshrined at Kunitama Shrine: Okuninushi (the god of nation-building, said to be the founder of Japan); Suserihime-no-Mikoto (the wife of Okuninushi) and Shohikono.
The shrine is said to have been built in the year 806, and was renovated in 1942. The temple bell was designated as a tangible cultural property of the city of Iwaki in 1982. There is also a preserved cedar tree.
Several events are celebrated in the shrine, such as a New Year’s Day Festival, a Rice Planting Festival, and other prayer festivals. During the summer, the shrine is beautifully decorated with colorful wind chimes.
Venue Details
| Website | https://kunitamajinjya.com/(Japanese) |
|---|---|
| Contact | Kunitama Shrine |
| Best Season | All Year |
| Opening Hours | Opening hours: 6:00-16:30 (Shrine office hours: 8:30-16:00) |
| Parking | 20 cars |
| Access | 72-Baba Kubota Nakosomachi, Fukushima Pref. 9790141 View directions |
|---|---|
| Getting there | By Car: 5 minutes by car from the Joban Expressway Iwaki Nakoso IC 10 minutes by taxi from the JR Joban Line Nakoso Station Useful Links |
Nearby
Nature & Scenery
Shirahata Gingko Tree
Listed as a prefectural natural monument, the striking sight of the red torii gate at the foot of Shirahata Gingko Tree brings photographers and sightseers from up and down the eastern coast of Tohoku.It's also known as the 'upside-down gingko', owing to a legend that warlord Date Masamune planted a gingko whip upside down in the ground during an attack on Shinchi in the late 1500s. The best time to see the vibrant yellow leaves is usually the last week of November or first week of December.Although there is no parking lot specifically, there is space for cars to park on the green within sight of the tree.
Nature & Scenery
Kairyu no Sato Center Theme Park
Kairyu no Sato Center Theme Park is a dinosaur themed theme park in Iwaki city. Here there are three rides as well as some unique dinosaur statues including a huge long-necked dinosaur. Around late March to early April is the best time to visit if you want to see the unique sight of dinosaurs surrounded by cherry blossoms. Iwaki is well known for its excavation of fossils and most notably the discovery of the Futabasaurus dinosaur. You can learn more about the mining history of Iwaki at the Horuru: Iwaki Coal and Fossil Museum.
History & Culture
Soma Nakamura Shrine
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 by Baryo Park.The shrine was erected in 1643 by Soma Yoshitsune, the 18th head of the Soma family.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.The shrine was designated as a national important cultural property in 1984.
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Daihisan Stone Buddhas (Daihisan no Sekibutsu)
Estimated to have been carved over 1,000 years ago, the Daihisan Stone Buddhas (大悲山の石仏) are a group of stone-carved Buddhas in Odaka, Minamisoma City, in the coastal area of Fukushima prefecture.The Daihisan Stone Buddhas are made up of three groups of statues: the Yakushido Buddhas (薬師堂石仏), the Amidado Buddha (阿弥陀堂石仏), and the Kannondo Buddha (観音堂石仏). The statues are enshrined in a forest area with many smaller Buddha statues.They are the biggest and oldest stone Buddha statues in the Tohoku area of Japan, and have been designated as a National Historical Site. Their origins, and much of their history, however, remain unknown, although they are presumed to have been built sometime during the Heian period of Japanese history, which goes from 794 to 1185.In front of the entrance to the Yakushido Buddhas is a 45 meter high cedar tree known as Daihisan’s Giant Japanese Cedar Tree. The tree has a circumference of 8.4 meters at eye level, and is one of the largest trees in Fukushima prefecture, also estimated to be over 1,000 years old. It is designated as a Natural Monument of Fukushima Prefecture.
History & Culture
Tenzan Bunko
Tenzan Bunko is a quaint old-fashioned house stood in beautiful Kawauchi Village, which has been opened up as a museum. This house was presented by the village to the famous Japanese poet Kusano Shinpei. Kusano found inspiration to create many of his works at Tenzan Bunko, and this house now serves as the venue for the annual Tenzan Poetry Festival, which gives local people and poets a place to meet and network.
History & Culture
Hattachi-Yakushi Temple
In the year 806, the holy priest Tokuichi constructed Hattachi-Yakushi Temple as a place of worship for the Buddhist deity who has the ability to ensure the safe voyage of seafarers. The temple grounds are extremely beautiful in spring when the hydrangeas bloom, earning the temple the local nickname ‘Hydrangea Temple’. In front of Hattachi-Yakushi Temple is Bentenjima Island and Shrine, and the Hattachi Coastline, which connects the mainland with the island. The Hattachi Coast is covered in unique gravel, which has traditionally been thought to have healing properties. However, removing a stone and bringing it home can have the opposite effect.
History & Culture
Iwaki Yumoto Onsen Shrine
The Shinto gods of hot spring water and medicine are the enshrined deities of this shrine. This Onsen Shrine is widely thought of as being Iwaki Yumoto Onsen town’s own local Shinto deity.