This is the shrine of the guardian deity of the Soma Domain, and a ceremony site of the Nomakake ritual which takes place during the exhilarating Soma Nomaoi Festival. Somei Yoshino cherry blossom and weeping cherry trees light up the shrine grounds in spring, making Soma Odaka Shrine a popular cherry blossom viewing spot.
| Website | http://odaka-kanko.jp/c-kankou/ (Japanese) |
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| Contact | Minamisoma City Education Committee Cultural Asset Division Cultural Asset Affairs (+81) 244-24-5284 |
| Best Season | All Year |
| Parking | Available |
| Entrance Fee | Free |
| Access | Odaka Furushiro 13, Odaka-ku, Minamisoma City, Fukushima Pref. 979-2102 View directions |
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| Getting there | By Car: 15 min from the Namie I.C. exit off the Joban Expressway By Train: 5 min by taxi from Odaka Station (JR Joban Line) |
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.
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.
Approximately 1,500 cherry trees of the quintessential Japanese Somei Yoshino variety create a beautiful tunnel of cherry blossom for visitors to pass through. Many of these trees are over 100 years old.
The Shinto gods of hot spring water and medicine are the enshrined deities of this shrine. This Onsen Shrine is widely thought of as being Iwaki Yumoto Onsen town’s own local Shinto deity.
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.
Iwana no Sato is well-suited for family trips! Try out fishing ‘Iwana’ (charr fish), and enjoy the picturesque scenery of Japanese-style gardens, watermills, & other traditional Japanese architecture. There is an onsite restaurant, areas for having a BBQ, and even accommodation too. Iwana no Sato is close to Tenzan Bunko and Café Amazon, popular spots among tourists visiting Kawauchi Village.
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.
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 by Baryo Park.The shrine was erected in 1643 by Soma Yoshitsune, the 18th head of the Soma family.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.The shrine was designated as a national important cultural property in 1984.