Minamisoma City Museum

Minamisoma City Museum

The Minamisoma City Museum is located on the eastern side of the Soma Nomaoi festival grounds within the spacious Higashigaoka Park.

Its exhibitions center around the Soma Nomaoi festival, a traditional festival of the Soma region that is a nationally-designated important intangible cultural property, and the nature, history, and culture of the local region.

Venue Details

Venue Details
Websitehttps://en.hamadori-coast.com/place/p02
Contact

Minamisoma City Museum
(+81) 244-23-6421
hakubutsukan@city.minamisoma.lg.jp

(+81) 244-23-6421

Best SeasonAll Year
Opening Hours

9:00 AM - 4:45 PM (Last entrance at 4:00 PM)

ParkingAvailable
Entrance FeePermanent Exhibition: Adults 300 yen; High school students 200 yen; Elementary & Junior High school students 100 yen
Related infoClosed:

- Mondays. (If a Monday falls on a national holiday, the musem will be closed on the following day)

- New Year holidays

- Final day of the Soma Nomaoi Festival



Please note there is an additional charge to enter temporary exhibitions.
Access Details
Access194 Deguchi Hara-machiku Gorai, Minamisoma City, Fukushima Pref. 975-0051
View directions
Getting there

By Car: 10 min from the Joban-Minamisoma I.C. exit off the Joban Expressway.

By Train: 10 min by taxi from Haranomachi Station on the JR Joban Line.

Nearby

The World Glassware Hall
Nature & Scenery

Suzumigaoka Hachiman Shrine

Founded over seven hundred years ago, Suzumigaoka Hachiman Shrine came under the aegis of the Soma clan in the sixteenth century, whereupon warlord Soma Masatane rebuilt its halls with zelkova wood. It was known as Soma Nikko at the time for being the northern equivalent of Nikko's Toshugu Shrine.Hachiman shrines are devoted to the warrior deity of the same name, seen historically as a protector of the nation, as well as someone prayed to for protections from illness and success in personal life.The shrine is an excellent trip both in spring, when the road leading to the shrine is sheltered with parallel rows of cherry trees, or in autumn, when the great gingko tree by the shrine building is a vibrant yellow.

The World Glassware Hall
Gourmet & Shopping

Sedette Kashima

Sedette Kashima [せでってかしま] is a service area in Minamisoma City, in the coastal area of Fukushima prefecture.The name of the facility derives from an expression in the local dialect, which could be roughly translated as “Bring me with you!”. At the entrance, the service area has life-size replicas of Soma Nomaoi participants riding horses, and monitors showing photos of the festival. There is a souvenir shop and a dining hall, places for drivers to rest, as well as a play area for children and a dog park.At Sedette Kashima, you’ll find plenty of local crafts, souvenirs and traditional items from Minamisoma.Sedette Kashima can be accessed using non-toll (local) roads. 

The World Glassware Hall
Gourmet & Shopping

Odaka Micro Stand Bar (OMSB)

Odaka Micro Stand Bar (OMSB, “omusubi”) is a cafe located near the JR Odaka Station (小高駅) in Minamisoma City, in the coastal area of Fukushima prefecture.This narrow but charming coffee house is popular among visitors and residents, who gather to indulge in its pastries and freshly brewed coffee. Odaka is an area that saw its population decrease to zero for several years while the evacuation order was in place following the nuclear accident.Mr. Takashi Moriyama, a young IT specialist and entrepreneur, decided to open a kitchen car cafe in front of the JR Odaka Station in 2016, after the evacuation order was lifted in the area, to serve returning residents.Mr. Moriyama knew he wanted to play a part in revitalizing Odaka. At the time, there weren’t many other stores or businesses open in the area. He decided to launch a crowdfunding campaign to open a cafe, bakery and coworking space.The campaign raised the necessary funds, and Odaka Micro Stand Bar, the cafe that he envisioned, finally opened to the public. The coworking space and offices on the first and second floor have also opened. OMSB also hosts programming lessons and IT literacy seminars for senior residents in the area.So, more than only a cafe, OMSB is a place where the community comes together, bridging the old and the new.Odaka Micro Stand Bar serves coffee, sandwiches, pastries, matcha and more. We recommend enjoying their rich hot chocolate on a winter afternoon.

The World Glassware Hall
History & Culture

Ogawasuwa Shrine's Weeping Cherry Blossom

Selected by Iwaki City as a Natural Monument, the great weeping cherry tree is over 500 years old. The flowers bloom slightly earlier than those of Yoshino cherry trees, and are lit up by traditional Japanese lanterns in the evenings of cherry blossom season. Stretching even further down than the roots, the weeping branches of the tree give it an extremely beautiful appearance.Illuminations run throughout cherry blossom season; please be aware the shrine can get crowded in the evenings.

You might also like

Iwaki City Coal & Fossil Museum (Horuru)
Museums & Galleries

Iwaki City Coal & Fossil Museum (Horuru)

*Please note that the Iwaki City Coal & Fossil Museum (Horuru) remains temporarily closed until 2024. Lovingly referred to as 'Horuru' by locals, Iwaki City Coal & Fossil Museum is home to exhibitions on the city's history of coal mining. Horuru also exhibits a range of fossils, including the locally-excavated Plesiosaur Futabasaurus, which was discovered by a high school student. There are also some hands-on experiences to try out, such as making your own amber accessories. Horuru is accessible on foot from Iwaki Yumoto Onsen town, and is a great addition to any trip to the Iwaki area.

Aquamarine Fukushima
Museums & Galleries

Aquamarine Fukushima

Aquamarine Fukushima is an ‘environmental aquarium’ that exhibits aquatic creatures in environments which closely mimic their natural habitats.As well as being an aquarium, Aquamarine Fukushima is also home to a research center and offers educational information about sustainability and conservation.The main exhibits are two gigantic tanks that extend from the second to the fourth floor, reproducing Shiome no Umi, an area of the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Fukushima Prefecture where the Kuroshio (Black Current) and the Oyashio (Kurile Current) meet.Visitors can enjoy walking through a transparent tunnel whilst being surrounded by the wealth of marine life found in Shiome no Umi, which includes vast schools of sardines and bonito. On the fourth floor, visitors can also visit a calming botanical garden which exhibits the various plant life of Fukushima Prefecture.In addition, guests can see over the top of the main tank, a great spot to appreciate the sheer scale of the water and the curious marine life below. There is also a touch tank where interested visitors can try touching starfish and other small sea critters.Since its establishment, Aquamarine Fukushima has conducted research into an ancient species of fish called coelacanths, and its findings are exhibited on the first floor in a corner entitled the World of Coelacanths. Here visitors can view an anatomical specimen of the rarely seen coelacanth and watch exclusive footage of living coelacanths.There are events throughout the year, with many activities for children and families to enjoy together including a fish maze, art festivals, and a fishing experience where you can catch real fish to be fried for lunch!If catching your own lunch doesn’t appeal to you, you are in luck as there is a seafood market selling fresh seafood just a 10-minute walk away!The seafood market is located within Iwaki Lalamew, a shopping center that also includes restaurants where you can dine on locally sourced, freshly caught fish.

Shoko Kanazawa Art Museum
Museums & Galleries

Shoko Kanazawa Art Museum

This museum, located in sunny Iwaki City, exhibits the moving calligraphy of Shoko Kanazawa. The whole museum has been constructed while keeping in mind traditional Japanese architectural styles. As well as the calligraphy exhibition, Shoko Kanazawa Art Museum also has a Japanese tea room café on site, where you can take a rest with beautiful Japanese garden viewing. The same building also houses a kimono exhibition, while features one of the world's biggest kimono!

Top