Nakakamado Maple Tree

Nakakamado Maple Tree

Nakakamado is a very uniquely-shaped maple tree. This incredible tree – designated as a Natural Monument – looks like an open umbrella, and has 3 m of roots that protrude out of the ground. If visiting during autumn-leaf season, it’s best to plan your trip for mid to late-November. That being said, Nakakamado can be enjoyed through each of the four seasons – visitors can appreciate the fresh green leaves that cover it in spring, and the very unusual shape of the branches after the autumn leaves fall.  

Venue Details

Venue Details
Websitehttps://kankou--iwaki-or-jp.translate.goog/spot/10209?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=ja
Contact

Iwaki Tourism and City Planning Bureau

(+81) 246-44-6545

Best Season
  • Autumn
Related infoDuring the average year, late November is the best time to see the bright red maple leaves.
Access Details
AccessOmotemae-117-2, Watanabe-machi, Nakakamado, Iwaki City, Fukushima Pref. 972-8337
View directions
Getting there

By Car: 8 km (10 min) from the Iwaki Yumoto I.C. exit off the Joban Expressway

By Train: 10 min by taxi from Izumi Station (JR Ban-etsu East Line)

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Gourmet & Shopping

Namie Roadside Station

Namie Town was once a bustling seaside town that was famous for their unique style of pottery and the large number of artisans in town. Along the coast the Suzuki Brewery created delicious local sake.After the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami of 2011 and the following accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, the residents of Namie Town were forced to evacuate their town. Nearly all of the buildings close to the coastline were destroyed by the enormous tsunami wave, many lives were lost. When it became clear that evacuees would not be able to return to their homes, people were deeply saddened at the devastating loss of many of the neighbors, their homes and their hometown culture. As residents settled in other areas of Fukushima and continued their lives, many believed that the rich culture of the town that had been created for generation would be lost.However, people of Namie Town chose to fight to preserve the rich culture and traditions of their hometown. So, the Namie Roadside Station was created to do just that. Here visitors can learn about the unique style of pottery that originated in Namie Town, shop the collections of several Namie Town artisans, and even try a pottery class!The Namie Roadside Station is also the new home of the Suzuki Brewery that was formerly located at the Namie Town seaside before it was destroyed by the tsunami wave. The head brewer was able to evacuate, and has been continued the same brewing methods that were developed in Namie TownBy visiting the Namie Roadside Station you can support the preservation of the culture of this unique seaside town! You can also shop the wares of many locals who were affected by the disaster but nevertheless work hard to preserve their hometown culture.

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History & Culture

Yamatsumi Shrine

Deep in Iitate Village on Mt. Toratori, Yamatsumi Shrine is the rare Japanese shrine based on wolves, instead of the more common foxes or 'lion dog' shisas. The ceiling of the main building, layered with dozens of traditional paintings of wolves, was damaged in a fire in 2013 but was faithfully repainted by students from the Tokyo University of the Arts utilising old photos.This is a good spot for buying an omamori good luck charm from a vending machine, or reading your fortune - there are both fortunes for general luck and for one's love life, at 50 yen and 100 yen respectively.There is ample parking near the shrine and toilets on site.

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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.

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Nature & Scenery

Shioyazaki Lighthouse

Shioyazaki Lighthouse (塩屋崎灯台) stands on the Usuiso Coast of Iwaki City in eastern Fukushima. Now a historical landmark, the lighthouse was first erected in 1899. Despite having sustained considerable damage from natural disasters over the years, including the 2011 tsunami, the lighthouse has been rebuilt and restored and now enjoys great popularity. Many visitors climb to the top to enjoy its stunning views of the ocean.It was counted among the 50 best lighthouses in Japan. Consider visiting during sunset: seeing the ocean bathed in the beautiful afternoon light is the perfect way to end the day.

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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.

Baryo Park
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Baryo Park

As the park's 630 Somei Yoshino cherry blossom trees bloom simultaneously, it is easy to be swept away by the scenery. You will be able to enjoy the coming of spring as you walk along rows of cherry blossom trees on the sando (a road which runs from the torii gate to the shrine).Baryo Park is a well-known location for viewing cherry blossoms, and every year from early to mid April the park holds a light-up event at night. We recommend you visit in the evening to see the cherry blossoms illuminated by the lights from the paper lanterns. A good spot for taking pictures is at the bottom of the sando, looking up at the torii.Soma Nakamura Shrine is connected to the park and is also worth a visit for its tranquil atmosphere and beautiful architecture.

Nijuisseiki-no-Mori Park (21st Century Forest Park)
Nature & Scenery

Nijuisseiki-no-Mori Park (21st Century Forest Park)

Stretching over more than 80 hectares, Nijuisseiki-no-Mori Park (二十一世紀の森公園) is a true haven for recreation; complete with a tennis court, a baseball stadium, a skateboard park, and a family sports garden, as well as a variety of flower fields, trees and shrubs.21st Century Forest Park is also a popular cherry blossom spot: it has both early-blooming Kawazu-sakura (which mostly bloom mid-February to mid-March) as well as Somei Yoshino cherry blossom trees (which typically bloom sometime between early to mid-April).During winter each year illumination events are held in the park, and, during autumn, the bright colored leaves attract plenty of visitors. During the summer, sunflowers and rapeseed flowers bloom, so the park truly offers ways to enjoy nature all year round.

Suzumigaoka Hachiman Shrine
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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.

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