Mt. Iwatsuno is the name of a hill in Motomiya City which is populated with numerous temples, shrines, carvings, statues, caves, and other ancient things. Mt. Iwatsuno has long been known as a place for Shugendo and other religious training for Buddhist monks from the school of Tendai.
One of the most notable of Mt. Iwatsuno's temples is Gankakuji Temple, which was founded in 851. Other highlights include Okunoin, located at the top of Mt. Iwatsuno, which was built in the Kamakura Era, and Bisshamondo, which was rebuilt in the mid-19th century.
Mt. Iwatsuno can be explored on foot in around 1 hour, but visitors can easily spend longer if they want to explore all of the hidden treasures the hill has to offer.
It's possible for groups to do Zazen meditation on the hillside if visitors contact Mt. Iwatsuno in advance (bookings must be conducted in Japanese).
| Website | https://www.city.motomiya.lg.jp/site/kanko/miru.html(Automatic translation) |
|---|---|
| Contact | Mt. Iwatsuno http://iwatsunosan.com/inquiry/ |
| Best Season | All Year |
| Estimated Visit Time | 1h 15m |
| Opening Hours | Open all year |
| Entrance Fee | Free to visit |
| Related info | A festival is held at Mt. Iwatsuno during the new year holidays. |
| Access | Higashiyaguchi 84, Wada, Motomiya City, Fukushima Pref. 969-1205 View directions |
|---|---|
| Getting there | By Car: 15 min drive from the Motomiya I.C. exit off the Tohoku Expressway. By Train: 15 min by taxi from Motomiya Sta. (JR Tohoku Main Line). |
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.
These windy highlands are located at the plateau summit of Mt. Aizu-Nunobiki. It’s location to the south of Lake Inawashiro provides ample breeze to power the 33 windmills that stand majestically atop the highland plateau. Nunobiki Kogen Wind Farm is one of Japan's largest wind farms. It's location at an altitude of about 1,000 meters, makes for a truly fantastic view of the surrounding scenery.From early August to early September, visitors can enjoy amazing vistas of the beautiful himawari batake (sunflower fields). The sunflowers here are planted at 3 different intervals, meaning that visitors can enjoy seeing them throughout the summer months.Sunflowers aren’t all that Koriyama Nunobiki Kaze-no-Kogen has to offer flower lovers: - from August to September - you can see cosmos blooming. Of course, visitors are always greeted with superb views of Lake Inawashiro and Mt. Bandai.There are walking courses along the plateau, so visitors can explore the area and snap some great photos. One really amazing photo spot can be found at the observatory. Depending on the timing of your visit, you might be able to purchase some local vegetables at temporary stalls. We recommend trying the region’s famous Nunobiki Plateau daikon radish.
The Hashimoto Butsugu-Chokoku Ten (Hashimoto Buddhist Sculpture Shop) has a long history of over 160 years. Here visitors can try the truly unique experience of customizing their own lacquered chopsticks. Under careful instruction, you’ll be able to go home with your very own pair of one-of-a-kind chopsticks. The establishment sells many fine lacquerware products, from kitchen utensils and crockery to masks for use as decoration or at festivals. The chopstick-customizing workshop is available for 2,500 yen per person and is very popular for groups and couples. Even children (ages 12 and up) are able to do it with the supervision of adults and the instruction of the teacher. There are also pamphlets available in English for non-Japanese speakers. The workshop is easy to understand as the instructor guides you through the various steps until you are finally able to see the revealed layers of lacquer color on your own chopsticks. The chopstick experience workshop requires a reservation made at least five days in advance. While you are at the Hashimoto Buddhist Sculpture Shop, you will be guided through the six steps of making your own lacquered chopsticks. It will be an exciting experience as you begin with red or black chopsticks and slowly file down the layers of lacquer until the patterns are revealed. Traditionally, red chopsticks are for women and black are for men. Whichever color you choose though, these are certain to be your favorite set of chopsticks full of memories.
Tucked away in a cedar grove in Tanagura Town, the moss-covered rocks and statues of Isshikikanei Shrine make you feel like you’ve stepped into a Ghibli movie.The shrine is well-known in the area for its two koma-inu (lion statue) carvings. These were carved in 1934 by Kobayashi Wahei, a famous stonemason from the region responsible for dozens of statues on shrine grounds, especially in his birthplace of nearby Ishikawa Town. One of them is known as one of Kobayashi’s ‘Great Three Lion Statues’.
Designated a historic site by Fukushima City, Yorinji Temple is famous not only as a cherry blossom spot but for its abundance of flowers. It’s said there are over 20,000 anabells and 5,000 hydrangeas, making it a popular place to visit during its blooming season (typically mid-June to early July).The purification well here is full of beautiful flowers from the area and watched over by small o-jizo-san - stone statues of a Buddhist deity said to protect children. Larger statues also dot the grounds of the temple, wearing traditional red caps and bibs; these are usually gifts offered by locals as a way of showing respect.There is a cafe on the grounds which sells gluten-free pizza made on site.A trip to the south of Fukushima City pairs well with seeing the Tired Gundam, a short five minute drive away.
The Hashimoto Butsugu-Chokoku Ten (Hashimoto Buddhist Sculpture Shop) has a long history of over 160 years. Here visitors can try the truly unique experience of customizing their own lacquered chopsticks. Under careful instruction, you’ll be able to go home with your very own pair of one-of-a-kind chopsticks. The establishment sells many fine lacquerware products, from kitchen utensils and crockery to masks for use as decoration or at festivals. The chopstick-customizing workshop is available for 2,500 yen per person and is very popular for groups and couples. Even children (ages 12 and up) are able to do it with the supervision of adults and the instruction of the teacher. There are also pamphlets available in English for non-Japanese speakers. The workshop is easy to understand as the instructor guides you through the various steps until you are finally able to see the revealed layers of lacquer color on your own chopsticks. The chopstick experience workshop requires a reservation made at least five days in advance. While you are at the Hashimoto Buddhist Sculpture Shop, you will be guided through the six steps of making your own lacquered chopsticks. It will be an exciting experience as you begin with red or black chopsticks and slowly file down the layers of lacquer until the patterns are revealed. Traditionally, red chopsticks are for women and black are for men. Whichever color you choose though, these are certain to be your favorite set of chopsticks full of memories.
The Archive Center was opened on November 3rd, 2020 in order to share the unique artistry of Tokusatsu (Japanese special effects) with the world. Early Tokusatsu creator and Sukagawa Native, Eiji Tsuburaya came to be known as the “Father of Tokusatsu” due to his incredible Tokusatsu special effects in films such as Godzilla (1954) and television series such as the Ultra-series.Prior to the development of advanced digital and cgi special effects, science fiction films heavily relied on Tokusatsu techniques to create captivating live-action scenes where enormous monsters or Kaijyu wreak havoc upon cities. Smashing and exploding miniature models of cities allowed film makers to create incredible scenes for films and television.The Archine Center stores and displays many historic pieces that were used in or otherwise are related to the production of Tokusatsu films. There is even a special where visitors can watch Tokusatsu artists in action!©円谷プロ
Between two farms in Hiraishi in the south of Fukushima City, next to a vegetable stall selling cucumbers for 100 yen, you can find the Tired Gundam. Occasionally translated as the ‘Weakling’ or ‘Loser’ or ‘Incompetent’ Gundam, he might not look like much, and he can’t walk, or fight, but he's very popular with the locals.The product of a local ironsmith over ten years ago, the Tired Gundam first stumbled to fame after the ‘Beam Rifle Theft Incident’, in which someone stole his famous weapon, and fans nationwide made replacements. Now he has an entire arsenal, a weapon rack, and security cameras to ward off thieves. When he gets rusty, he often gets a fresh coat of paint from his fans.The Tired Gundam is located in the middle of a farmland region in southern Fukushima City, making for a lovely afternoon drive up and down the winding roads surrounded by rice fields. There is parking available nearby for roughly 10-15 cars.