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 ‘Denshokan’ [伝承館]) is located in Futaba town, in the coastal area of Fukushima prefecture.
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.
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.
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.
Exhibits include explanations in both English and Japanese.
Located nearby the museum is the Futaba Business Incubation and Community Center.
| Website | https://www.fipo.or.jp/lore/en |
|---|---|
| Contact | +81(0)240-23-4402 |
| Best Season | All Year |
| Opening Hours | 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Last entry at 4:30 PM Closed: Tuesdays (or the following day if the Tuesday falls on a public holiday) and year-end holidays (December 29-January 3) |
| Parking | Free |
| Entrance Fee | Adults: 600 yen. High school students and younger: 300 yen (discounts available for groups of over 20 people). |
| Related info | There are lockers available to use only during opening hours for 100 yen (deposit-refund system). |
| Access | 39 Takada, Nakano, Futaba Town, Futaba District, Fukushima Prefecture 979-1401 View directions |
|---|---|
| Getting there | By Car: 12 min from the Joban Futaba IC off the Joban Expressway. Approx. 1 hour 30 minutes from Sendai City. Approx. 1 hour from Iwaki City. Approx. 1 hour 40 minutes from Fukushima City. By Public Transportation: 3 hours 10 min by train from Tokyo Station to the nearest station (JR Futaba Station) (JR Joban Line; Limited Express Hitachi). There is a shuttle bus from Futaba Station to the Great East Japan Earthquake and Nuclear Disaster Memorial Museum (200 yen one-way) (see timetable in Japanese). |
<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>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>
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.
This well-known hot spring is thought to be one of the oldest hot springs in Japan. The list of most ancient springs also includes Dogo Onsen (Ehime Prefecture) and Arima Onsen (Hyogo Prefecture). It is said that Iwaki Yumoto Onsen as first used for its hot spring water around one thousand years ago. Water is pumped into the numerous hotels and ryokan in the town at a rate of five tons per minute. The springs have various benefits such as having skin-beautifying properties.
<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>
<p>The Minamisoma City Museum is located on the eastern side of <a href="https://fukushima.travel/destination/soma-nomaoi-festival/62">the Soma Nomaoi festival</a> grounds within the spacious Higashigaoka Park.</p><p>Its exhibitions center around the Soma Nomaoi festival, a traditional festival of the Soma region that is a nationally-designated important intangible cultural property, and the nature, history, and culture of the local region.</p>
Opened on Saturday, May 30, 2020, the museum was established to share the history of the disaster and the following reconstruction efforts by preserving and exhibiting materials related to the earthquake and tsunami, giving talks by local storytellers, and other activities. This way, they are able to preserve the memories and lessons of the disaster. There are panel displays about the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear power plant accident, as well as about recovery and reconstruction, and displays of actual items damaged in the disaster, such as a blackboard from the former Toyoma Junior High School. The Iwaki Storyteller's Group offers regular lectures on the disaster. For more information on lectures, please visit this website.
<p>Aquamarine Fukushima is an ‘environmental aquarium’ that exhibits aquatic creatures in environments which closely mimic their natural habitats.</p><p>As well as being an aquarium, Aquamarine Fukushima is also home to a research center and offers educational information about sustainability and conservation.</p><p>The main exhibits are two gigantic tanks that extend from the second to the fourth floor, reproducing Shiome no Umi, an area of the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Fukushima Prefecture where the Kuroshio (Black Current) and the Oyashio (Kurile Current) meet.</p><p>Visitors can enjoy walking through a transparent tunnel whilst being surrounded by the wealth of marine life found in Shiome no Umi, which includes vast schools of sardines and bonito. On the fourth floor, visitors can also visit a calming botanical garden which exhibits the various plant life of Fukushima Prefecture.</p><p>In addition, guests can see over the top of the main tank, a great spot to appreciate the sheer scale of the water and the curious marine life below. There is also a touch tank where interested visitors can try touching starfish and other small sea critters.</p><p>Since its establishment, Aquamarine Fukushima has conducted research into an ancient species of fish called coelacanths, and its findings are exhibited on the first floor in a corner entitled the World of Coelacanths. Here visitors can view an anatomical specimen of the rarely seen coelacanth and watch exclusive footage of living coelacanths.</p><p>There are events throughout the year, with many activities for children and families to enjoy together including a fish maze, art festivals, and a fishing experience where you can catch real fish to be fried for lunch!</p><p>If catching your own lunch doesn’t appeal to you, you are in luck as there is a seafood market selling fresh seafood just a 10-minute walk away!</p><p>The seafood market is located within <a href="https://fukushima.travel/destination/iwaki-lalamew/200">Iwaki Lalamew</a>, a shopping center that also includes restaurants where you can dine on locally sourced, freshly caught fish.</p>