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.
| Website | https://kankou--iwaki-or-jp.translate.goog/spot/10071?_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 |
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| Parking | Available (Space for 30 vehicles available) |
| Entrance Fee | Free |
| Related info | Best time for seeing cherry blossoms: Early April |
| Access | Takahagi Ienomae 140-1, Ogawa-machi, Iwaki City, Fukushima Pref. 979-3122 View directions |
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| Getting there | By Car: 15 min from the Iwaki Chuo I.C. exit off the Joban Expressway By Train: 15 min by taxi from Iwaki Station (JR Joban Line). Alternatively, take the Joban Line to Ogawago Station (JR Ban-etsu East Line), from where the shrine is just a 15 min walk away. |
<p>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.</p>
<p><span style="color:#000000">The Great East Japan Earthquake and Nuclear Disaster Memorial Museum (東日本大震災・原子力災害伝承館, often referred to in Japanese only as </span><span style="color:#000000"><em>‘Denshokan’ </em></span><span style="color:#000000">[伝承館]) is located in Futaba town, in the coastal area of Fukushima prefecture.</span></p><p><span style="color:#000000">Through exhibitions, storytelling, research and interactive displays, visitors can learn about this area before, during and after the disaster, deepen their understanding of the revitalization of Fukushima and the decommissioning of the TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, as well as listen to testimonies of residents.</span></p><p><span style="color:#000000">This museum shows how Fukushima has dealt with a complex and unprecedented disaster and its ongoing consequences, and communicates lessons for the future on the importance of disaster prevention and mitigation.</span></p><p><span style="color:#000000">The museum opened in September 2020 and has about 200 items related to the The Great East Japan Earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster on permanent exhibition.</span></p><p><span style="color:#000000">Exhibits include explanations in both English and Japanese.</span></p><p><span style="color:#000000">Located nearby the museum is the Futaba Business Incubation and Community Center.</span></p>
<p>Tenzan Bunko is a quaint old-fashioned house stood in beautiful Kawauchi Village, which has been opened up as a museum. This house was presented by the village to the famous Japanese poet Kusano Shinpei. Kusano found inspiration to create many of his works at Tenzan Bunko, and this house now serves as the venue for the annual Tenzan Poetry Festival, which gives local people and poets a place to meet and network.</p>
This museum, located in sunny Iwaki City, exhibits the moving calligraphy of Shoko Kanazawa. The whole museum has been constructed while keeping in mind traditional Japanese architectural styles. As well as the calligraphy exhibition, Shoko Kanazawa Art Museum also has a Japanese tea room café on site, where you can take a rest with beautiful Japanese garden viewing. The same building also houses a kimono exhibition, while features one of the world's biggest kimono!
<p>Shiramizu Amidado Temple (Amitabha Hall) was constructed in 1160 by Princess Tokuhime of the Oushu Fujiwara clan, which built the "golden culture" in Oushu (the present Tohoku Region). It is the only building in Fukushima Prefecture that has been designated as a national treasure. Inside the hall stands a wooden statue of Amida Nyorai as well as a number of other Buddhist statues such as Kannon Bosatsu, Seishi Bosatsu, Jikoku Tenno, and Tamon Tenno. The garden, called Jodo Teien (Jodo, or "the pure land", is the Buddhist paradise) is a realm of natural beauty in every season. The scenery is especially breathtaking in summer when the lotus flowers are in bloom, prompting one famous writer to liken the garden to the mythical paradise.</p>
<p>Soma Nakamura Shrine, long revered for enshrining the patron deity of the Soma clan, is built on a small hill in the western area of the Nakamura Castle grounds.</p><p>The shrine was erected in 1643 by Soma Yoshitsune, the 18th head of the Soma family.</p><p>The main shrine is a an example of Gongen Shinto architecture, in which the main hall and worship hall are connected by a passageway, and the lacquer, painting, and metal fixtures are authentic representations of its Kan'ei era construction.</p><p>The shrine was designated as a national important cultural property in 1984.</p>
<p><span style="color:#000000">The Remains of Ukedo Elementary School in Namie Town (震災遺構浪江町立請戸小学校) are located in the coastal area of Fukushima prefecture.</span></p><p><span style="color:#000000">Ukedo Elementary School, located 300 meters from the sea, was having classes when the earthquake struck at 2:46 p. m. on March 11, 2011. </span></p><p><span style="color:#000000">A few minutes later, a tsunami warning was issued for Ukedo. The school staff urged students to evacuate immediately to nearby Mount Ohirayama, approximately 1.5 km from the school. </span></p><p><span style="color:#000000">When the tsunami hit about 40 minutes after the earthquake, all of the students and staff had evacuated safely.</span></p><p><span style="color:#000000">The school building suffered great damage from the earthquake and the tsunami, as did most of Namie town, which shortly after became under evacuation order due to the nuclear disaster (the evacuation order for some areas in Namie Town was lifted on March 31, 2017).</span></p><p><span style="color:#000000">In 2021, the remnants of the Ukedo Elementary School building opened to the public. The facilities remain largely untouched, with debris, broken floors and ceilings, smashed objects, collapsed furniture and other school items. Visitors can see the extent of the destruction caused by the earthquake and tsunami and learn about the importance of disaster preparedness.</span></p><p><span style="color:#000000">At the entrance, you can scan a QR code using your phone to access the English translation of each explanation panel as you proceed through the school grounds.</span></p>
<p><span style="color:#202124">Estimated to have been carved over 1,000 years ago, the Daihisan Stone Buddhas (大悲山の石仏) are a group of stone-carved Buddhas in Odaka, Minamisoma City, in the coastal area of Fukushima prefecture.</span></p><p><span style="color:#202124"><img alt="" src="/img/edit/images/5%288%29.jpg" /></span></p><p><span style="color:#202124">The Daihisan Stone Buddhas are made up of three groups of statues: the Yakushido Buddhas (薬師堂石仏), the Amidado Buddha (阿弥陀堂石仏), and the Kannondo Buddha (観音堂石仏). The statues are enshrined in a forest area with many smaller Buddha statues.</span></p><p><span style="color:#202124"><img alt="" src="/img/edit/images/3%286%29.jpg" /></span></p><p><span style="color:#202124">They are the biggest and oldest stone Buddha statues in the Tohoku area of Japan, and have been designated as a National Historical Site. Their origins, and much of their history, however, remain unknown, although they are presumed to have been built sometime during the Heian period of Japanese history, which goes from 794 to 1185.</span></p><p><span style="color:#202124">In front of the entrance to the Yakushido Buddhas is a 45 meter high cedar tree known as Daihisan’s Giant Japanese Cedar Tree. The tree has a circumference of 8.4 meters at eye level, and is one of the largest trees in Fukushima prefecture, also estimated to be over 1,000 years old. It is designated as a Natural Monument of Fukushima Prefecture.</span></p><p><span style="color:#202124"><img alt="" src="/img/edit/images/Untitled%20design%281%29.jpg" /></span></p>