Mt. Shinobu (Shinobuyama)

Mt. Shinobu (Shinobuyama)

Mt. Shinobu, with a total altitude of 275 meters, is one of the most recognisable landmarks of Fukushima City. It is estimated that it formed about 500,000 years ago when the Fukushima basin caved in and Mt. Shinobu became an isolated hill, which later became the object of multiple local poems, stories, and legends.

Visitors can hike up Mt. Shinobu for unobstructed views of the cityscape. Hikers of all levels can try climbing Mt. Shinobu, as its peak can be reached in a few hours and many parts of it can be reached by car.

Each year in April, there is a spring festival with cherry blossom night illuminations that attract hordes of visitors. Summer and autumn are also great times to follow the hiking routes on Mt. Shinobu.

A spiritual power spot for locals, Haguro Shrine can be found at the top of the central peak, where there is also a giant straw sandal that weighs about 2 tons and is 12 meters in length and is believed to be among the biggest in Japan. The sandal is paraded along Fukushima City each year in August during the Waraji Festival. Also in Mt. Shinobu, you can find the Shinobuyama Neko Inari Jinja (‘cat shrine’), and the Gokoku Shrine, along with several parks.

For stunning views of the city, including the Shinkansen bullet train tracks, head to the Karasugasaki Observation Deck on the western side. Located nearby are the Fukushima Prefectural Museum of Art and the Fukushima Prefectural Library.

Venue Details

Venue Details
Websitehttps://www.shinobuyama.com/
Contact

Nonprofit Organization Street Fukushima
(+81) 024-573-0032

Best SeasonAll Year
Access Details
AccessHayasakayama Oyama, Fukushima City, Fukushima Pref. 960-8252
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Getting there

By bus: From Fukushima Station (JR/Shinkansen), take a Fukushima City Loop Line Momorin Course 2 （福島市内循環線ももりん2コース）bus and get off at the Fukushima TV bus stop (福島テレビ), pronounced ‘Fukushima terebi’. From there, it takes about 5 minutes on foot to reach Mt. Shinobu.

By Car: Approximately 5 minutes from Fukushima Station (East Exit).

On foot: Approximately 30 minutes on foot (2 km) from Fukushima Station. Bicycle rental services are also available near the station.

Useful Links

Fukushima Prefectural Museum of Art

Hanamiyama

Nearby

The World Glassware Hall
History & Culture

Okitsushima Shrine

Off the beaten track, Mt. Kohata’s Okitsushima Shrine is a perfect spot for those searching for a peaceful, spiritual place to visit. The shrine’s story – Date Masamune burned down Mt. Kohata in order to dominate the area during the Tensho Era (1563-1593), but couldn’t destroy the shrine’s three-storied pagoda – makes the area even more special.The three main goddesses of Shintoism – whose names are Princess Tagori, Princess Tagitsu, Princess Ichikishima – are worshipped at this shrine. These three goddesses are thought to be the daughters of the sun goddess Amaterasu, the major deity in the Shinto religion.It is not only Shintoism which is practiced at this shrine, but also Buddhism. In particular, the Japanese Buddhist goddess known as ‘Benten sama’ is worshipped on Mt. Kohata. Despite the turmoil which engulfed faith in Buddhism which occurred during the Meiji Era, strong faith in Benten sama – the Buddhist deity of peace, good luck, wisdom, and marriage – continues to this very day.This is the destination for the Kohata Flag Festival procession, which has been designated as an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan, and is held annually on the first Sunday of December.
The World Glassware Hall
Nature & Scenery

Hanamiyama

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.
The World Glassware Hall
History & Culture

Kasumigajo Castle Park (Nihonmatsu Castle)

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.
The World Glassware Hall
Museums & Galleries

Fukushima Prefectural Museum of Art

Fukushima Prefectural Museum of Art, located at the foot of Mt. Shinobu on the north side of Fukushima City, houses over 2,000 pieces of art, including paintings, block prints, carvings, craft works, and more. Some highlights of the museum's collection include paintings by Shoji Sekine and woodblock prints by Kiyoshi Saito, both of whom were born in Fukushima Prefecture, as well as a collection of impressionist art, and 20th century paintings by artists such as Ben Shahn and Andrew Whyeth.
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