Natsuigawa Valley

Natsuigawa Valley

Natsuigawa Valley continues 15 km along JR Ban-etsu East Line. In autumn, the train passes the valley at a slow speed so that passengers can enjoy the awesome views from its windows. The beautiful view of the waterfalls and clear streams meandering through rocks is definitely worth seeing.

Venue Details

Venue Details
Websitehttps://kankou-iwaki.or.jp/spot/10221
Contact

Iwaki Tourism and City Planning Bureau

(+81) 246-44-6545

Best Season
  • Summer
  • Autumn
ParkingAvailable ( Please park at the Natsuigawa Valley Campsite Parking Lot)
Related infoAutumn Leaf Season: From late Oct. to mid-Nov.
Access Details
AccessEda, Ogawamachi Kamiogawa, Iwaki City, Fukushima Pref. 979-3124
View directions
Getting there

By Car: 30 min drive from Iwaki-Chuo I.C. exit off the Joban Expressway. Please park at the Natsuigawa Valley Campsite Parking Lot (Address and location shown above)

By Train: Short walk from Eda Station (JR Ban-etsu East Line). The Nishiki Lookout is about 40 min on foot from Eda Station.

Related trips

Nearby

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.

The World Glassware Hall
Gourmet & Shopping

Café Amazon Kawauchi

Café Amazon Kawauchi is a modern cafe and restaurant located only 350 meters away from the Tenzan Bunko Museum. Café Amazon has over 1500 restaurants abroad, and serves Asian food and coffee.This was the first Café Amazon restaurant in Japan, opened to help reinvigorate Kawauchi, attract visitors and, of course, serve delicious Thai dishes!In 2016, following extensive revitalization efforts, all restrictions were lifted in Kawauchi village, which had had to be evacuated in 2011 following the nuclear accident. Kawauchi is now is a quiet, green village surrounded by mountains and streams, home to a few thousand people.But because the village had remained uninhabited for some time, the only coffee shop there had closed, and, left without a local hub, it seemed difficult for the community to rekindle—that’s when Thai restaurant chain Café Amazon stepped in.Café Amazon Kawauchi has a warm and light wooden interior (built using wood from Fukushima!), as well as a piano and guitar you can play freely. You can sit indoors or outdoors on a wooden deck.Café Amazon Kawauchi isn’t only a coffee shop, it’s a fundamental part of the reconstruction of Kawauchi village, a meeting place for both locals and visitors.

You might also like

Nanohana Flower Fields and Mazes
Nature & Scenery

Nanohana Flower Fields and Mazes

A massive field of nanohana flowers that first bloomed in Spring 2012, bringing great joy to the community. Since 2013 to today, huge flower fields and mazes are organized for the public to come and enjoy entirely for free. Children can receive prizes for completing the maze and visitors of all ages are encouraged to walk through the maze and have fun. Takayuki Ueno is a local farmer and creator of the Nanohana Flower Maze, planting the first flowers here in November 2011; eight months after the Great East Japan Earthquake. Click here to read more about his inspiring story.

Shirahata Gingko Tree
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.

Nakakamado Maple Tree
Nature & Scenery

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.  

Top