This museum introduces the eruption of Mt. Bandai, and uses large sized models and "body sonic" facilities to give a simulated experience of the eruption in 1888 of Mt. Bandai. The plants and animals that live around Mt. Bandai are introduced using a diorama, and nature observation meetings are held several times a year. This museum has wheelchair access and bathroom facilities.
The museum is across the road from Mt. Bandai 3D World, and a combined entrance ticket is available for the two facilities.
| Website | https://www.urabandai-inf.com/en/?page_id=25002 |
|---|---|
| Contact | Urabandai Tourism Association (+81) 241-32-2333 |
| Best Season | All Year |
| Opening Hours | 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM (Dec. - Mar.: 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM). Open every day |
| Entrance Fee | Adults: 600 yen<br>Junior high school students: 500 yen<br> Elementary school students: 400 yen <br>(Ticket set with Mt. Bandai 3D world available) |
| Accommodation details | Pets: In principle allowed |
| Access | 1093-36 Kengamine, Hibara, Kitashiobara Village, Fukushima Pref. 969-2701 View directions |
|---|---|
| Getting there | By Car: 25 min from Inawashiro-Bandaikogen I.C. exit off the Ban-etsu Expressway By Train: 25 min bus ride from Inawashiro Station (JR Ban-etsu West Line) |
Over the course of the year, Kaneyama Fureai Hiroba Viewpoint greets visitors with views of atmospheric fog rising above the Tadami River, mountains frosted with snow or painted with autumn leaves, all surrounding the Oshi Shuraku district of traditional houses.
When Mt. Bandai erupted in the Urabandai area in 1888, Okuragawa River and Nakatsugawa River were blocked, resulting in the creation of Lake Akimoto. This is the deepest lake among the three Urabandai lakes (Lake Hibara, Lake Onogawa, Lake Akimoto) and the second biggest lake after Lake Hibara. Boats, fishing and camping are available.
The Bandaisan Gold Line road connects Bandai Kogen, a highland rich with lakes diverse in shapes and size, and various alpine plants, and the Aizu area, which has an immensely rich and fascinating history. This submontane sightseeing road offers diverse views of Mt. Bandai (known in Japanese as 'Bandai-san') and can lead visitors to either the mountain's rugged caldera or to the picturesque Lake Inawashiro. Visitors can discover new hidden gems every time they explore the Gold Line by car, making it a very popular spot to return to among tourists and locals. The area surrounding the road is known as a foliage-viewing spot with hairpin curves that carve through the woodlands. On the walking trail that leads to Baya-ike, a "phantom" waterfall, visitors can take in the beauty of the landscape as they hike. The most highly recommended walking course extends from Happodai to the Oguninuma wetlands, where in late June, visitors are greeted by ban array of beautiful, broad dwarf day-lilies.
Wakaki (若喜商店) is a shop specializing in soy sauce brewing and a historical warehouse in Kitakata City. Both the shop and the warehouse buildings have been recognized for their unique architectural value, and were both designated Tangible Cultural Properties. The original brick warehouse was built in 1904, and was used both as a residence (second floor) and as a warehouse, as well as a place to entertain guests. An interesting feature of the building is its fusion of styles: from the outside it has a strikingly Western appearance with a brick facade, but the interior is built in Japanese-style with tatami floors. The wood used for the pillars and the main table was sourced from a very rare persimmon tree. The building uses a unique construction method to make it resistant to earthquakes.Founded in 1755, Wakaki brews both soy sauce and dashi sauce using traditional methods and locally sourced ingredients. You can get your hands on these unique artisanal products at the gift shop.The shop building, built in 1931, is also made from the same wood as the warehouse. From spring to autumn (usually from April to November), a gift store called “Showa Kan” inside the building complex sells rare vintage relics from Japan, like toys, collectable items and postcards. The shop is closed during winter.The shop also offers ‘akabeko’ painting experiences, in which you can paint your own akabeko (Fukushima’s lucky red cow) by reservation only (please contact the store directly for more information regarding this experience).Read more information about Kitakata’s kura warehouses here.
The Fukushima Prefectural Museum (Fukushima Museum) [福島県立博物館] is in Aizu-Wakamatsu City, about a ten-minute walk (750 m) from Tsurugajo Castle. The museum covers the history of Fukushima prefecture from the primitive age through modern times with exhibitions of historical items, relics, scale models, and replicas of objects of historical significance.Its general exhibition is divided into six parts and explains the history of the area in chronological order. Starting with archaeological findings from the Glacial Age, the formation of the Japanese islands, and the first settlements (all covered in the Primitive Age section), the exhibits show the cultural developments and the evolving way of life through to modern times. The last exhibit, ‘Fukushima and its Nature’, details the prefecture’s ecosystems and how they have been impacted by natural disasters through the years.The museum also has departmental exhibition rooms that focus on Fukushima’s geological features and folk culture.Visitors can ask for an English guidebook at the entrance, which contains explanations of most items on exhibit. Information in English, Chinese, and Korean is displayed on some screen panels at the museum.The museum also houses a tea room, the Prefectural Museum Tea Room ‘Tsukinai’, that serves lunch and a variety of drinks. To the right of the main entrance is a recreational room for children. The room has a tatami area, children’s books, wooden toys, and decorations in traditional Aizu momen (cotton) textiles, which give it a unique, warm feel. Throughout the year, several special events and activities for children are hosted in this space.
Most people probably don’t know who Hideyo Noguchi (1876-1928) is by name but just look at a 1,000-yen note and you’ll know his face. A renowned bacteriologist, Noguchi made great advances in the research of a vaccine for yellow fever. He’s also credited with the discovery of the agent which causes syphilis.This memorial museum was established to honor the Nobel-nominated bacteriologist, and to introduce his life achievements. The house where Noguchi was born stands within the museum grounds. Visitors to the house can see the fireplace where he fell as a child, leading to him seriously burning his left hand. The alcove post of the house has carved into it the words of resolution Noguchi made before he went to Tokyo.The exhibition room contains many resources that introduce Noguchi's life and accomplishments, including his favorite articles, letters, and photographs. In Noguchi's laboratory, which was recreated for the memorial museum, visitors can interact with a robot designed in the image of Noguchi. The robot answers questions from visitors and gives them encouraging messages.Though the house retains its Meiji Period charm, the hall and facilities were renovated in April 2015, during which time the experience-based corner was added. Here, guests can learn about bacteriology through videos and interactive games.Aizu-Ichiban Café, a café which renovated from the clinic where Hideo Noguchi received treatment for the burns he suffered to his left hand, is located nearby. Once named Kaihiyo Clinic, this is where he spent much of his youth and acquired his motivation to study and ambition to help others. There are also a number of his belongings on display, making it an interesting place to visit after a trip to the museum.
The Showa Nostalgia Museum (or 'Natsukashi-kan') is a museum in Aizu-Wakamatsu dedicated to the Showa period of Japanese history, 1926-1989. The museum features goods spanning the period and includes several rooms perfectly recreating the style that would have been common generations ago.The walls are plastered with classic movie posters and the shelves are heaving with old toys and model figurines. There is also a small shop at the front desk selling snacks and small ornaments.
This museum, which opened in June 1999, is located a short walk from the Goshiki-numa Ponds, which is one of the most scenic spots in Fukushima Prefecture.Morohashi Museum of Modert Art houses a collection of about 350 of the works of Salvador Dali, the master Spanish surrealist artist, including paintings, prints, and sculptures, as well as about 40 works by such impressionist and post-impressionist artists as Cézanne, Renoir, Chagall, Picasso, and Van Gogh. About 100 works out of this collection are on permanent exhibition, including 37 works of sculpture by Dali. The scale of this collection is unparalleled in the world and really is worth seeing.