Shirahata Gingko Tree

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.

Venue Details

Venue Details
Best Season
  • Autumn
ParkingFree
Access Details
AccessHakubo Komagamine, Shinchi, Soma District, Fukushima 979-2611
View directions
Getting there

1 hour drive east from Fukushima City

25min walk from Komagamine Station (Joban Line)

Nearby

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.
The World Glassware Hall
Nature & Scenery

Iitate Reconstruction Three Thousand Cherry Trees

The Iitate Reconstruction Three Thousand Cherry Trees began as a private planting project in 1998, when a local couple started growing cherry trees on former farmland. Over time, the number of trees gradually increased, with the help of locals, so that the grounds now feature cherry blossoms as far as the eye can see every April.Following the 2011 disaster, Iitate Village was evacuated, but the couple still returned periodically to look after the trees. From around 2013, the area became a focus for volunteers helping with things like cleaning and pruning, and the project became something of a symbol of Iitate's reconstruction. Nowadays, the site is a great example of how far Fukushima has come in the years since the earthquake.
The World Glassware Hall
Nature & Scenery

Kairyu no Sato Center Theme Park

Kairyu no Sato Center Theme Park is a dinosaur themed theme park in Iwaki city. Here there are three rides as well as some unique dinosaur statues including a huge long-necked dinosaur. Around late March to early April is the best time to visit if you want to see the unique sight of dinosaurs surrounded by cherry blossoms. Iwaki is well known for its excavation of fossils and most notably the discovery of the Futabasaurus dinosaur. You can learn more about the mining history of Iwaki at the Horuru: Iwaki Coal and Fossil Museum.

Discover Coastal Area

You might also like

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.  
Iitate Reconstruction Three Thousand Cherry Trees
Nature & Scenery

Iitate Reconstruction Three Thousand Cherry Trees

The Iitate Reconstruction Three Thousand Cherry Trees began as a private planting project in 1998, when a local couple started growing cherry trees on former farmland. Over time, the number of trees gradually increased, with the help of locals, so that the grounds now feature cherry blossoms as far as the eye can see every April.Following the 2011 disaster, Iitate Village was evacuated, but the couple still returned periodically to look after the trees. From around 2013, the area became a focus for volunteers helping with things like cleaning and pruning, and the project became something of a symbol of Iitate's reconstruction. Nowadays, the site is a great example of how far Fukushima has come in the years since the earthquake.
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.
Kairyu no Sato Center Theme Park
Nature & Scenery

Kairyu no Sato Center Theme Park

Kairyu no Sato Center Theme Park is a dinosaur themed theme park in Iwaki city. Here there are three rides as well as some unique dinosaur statues including a huge long-necked dinosaur. Around late March to early April is the best time to visit if you want to see the unique sight of dinosaurs surrounded by cherry blossoms. Iwaki is well known for its excavation of fossils and most notably the discovery of the Futabasaurus dinosaur. You can learn more about the mining history of Iwaki at the Horuru: Iwaki Coal and Fossil Museum.

View All
Top