20 Parks in Fukushima worth your time

A privately owned hillside park in Fukushima offering stunning spring blossoms and views of the distant Azuma Mountains.

What it is

• A private park on the hills of the Watari district owned by the Abe family
• Opened to the public for free in 1959 after being used for sericulture and forestry
• Recognized as one of the Fukushima City 100 Landscapes
• Described by photographer Shotaro Akiyama as a Shangri-La

What to see

• Extensive displays of plum, peach, and cherry blossoms across the hillside
• Panoramic views of the Azuma Mountains from the park slopes

When to go

• Visit during the peak April season for the best flower displays
• Note that drinking parties and banquets are prohibited on these private grounds

Getting there

• Take a shuttle bus from Fukushima Station during the peak season
• General vehicle access is restricted during the busy month of April

Official site

www.hanamiyamakoen.jp

Read more about Hanamiyama Park

A public park in Fukushima featuring a freshwater aquarium, vintage railway cars, and a restaurant inside a former train station.

What it is

• A municipal park in Inawashiro Town that opened in 1989.
• The site offers free admission to the general grounds.
• A recreational facility managed by the local town government.

What to see

• The Aquamarine Inawashiro Kawasemi Aquarium located within the park.
• Vintage train cars from the former Bandai Kyuko Electric Railway.
• A soba restaurant housed inside the original Okunoshima Station building.
• Outdoor facilities including a fishing pond and a barbecue house.

When to go

• The park is open annually from mid-April through late November.
• Note that the facility is closed every Wednesday.

Getting there

• A fifteen minute taxi ride from Inawashiro Station.
• On-site parking is available for those traveling by car.

Official site

www.inawashiro.or.jp

Read more about Inawashiro Midorinomura

Kōriyama Culture Park offers an amusement park, pool, and cultural facilities, ideal for family fun.

What it is

• A leisure facility in Fukushima Prefecture.
• Includes an amusement park, a pool, and a culture center.

What to see

• Dreamland amusement park with a Ferris wheel and roller coaster.
• Ferris wheel is 30 meters high.
• Roller coaster is 700 meters long.
• Outdoor pool with a 50-meter competition pool and diving pools.
• Culture center with meeting rooms and an arena.

When to go

• Asakano Summer Festival Fireworks Display is on August 14.
• Approximately 10,000 fireworks are launched during the festival.

Getting there

• Accessible by bus from JR Kōriyama Station.

Official site

www.koriyamaculturepark.com

Read more about Kōriyama Culture Park

This aquarium exhibits freshwater life, including rare species, and is worth visiting for unique aquatic displays.

What it is

• Opened in 1989 as Inawashiro Freshwater Fish Museum.
• Renamed Aquamarine Inawashiro Kingfishers Aquarium in 2015.
• Operated by Fukushima Ocean Science Museum.

What to see

• Exhibits aquatic organisms, freshwater fish, and Eurasian otters.
• See the world's largest diving beetle species.
• View endangered native species in conservation efforts.

When to go

• Open daily, year-round.
• March to October: 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM.
• November to February: 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM.

Getting there

• About a 10-minute taxi ride from Inawashiro Station.

Official site

www.aquamarine.or.jp

Read more about Aquamarine Inawashiro Kingfishers Aquarium

Moriai Sports Park offers extensive sports facilities, including Fukushima City's largest tennis courts.

What it is

• A public sports park in Fukushima City.
• Managed by the Fukushima City Sports Promotion Public Corporation.
• Opened with tennis courts on March 31, 1971.
• Features a pool, tennis courts, and an archery range.

What to see

• Fukushima City's largest tennis courts, 18 in total.
• Sand-filled artificial grass tennis courts.
• An outdoor pool with 50m, 25m, and children's pools.
• An archery range, renovated in 1992.
• A multi-purpose open space.

When to go

• Outdoor pool operates from early June to early September.

Read more about Moriai Sports Park

Japan's only national scenic peony garden, worth visiting for its vast collection of beautiful flowers.

What it is

• Japan's only national scenic beauty site for a peony garden.
• Founded in 1766 by Yurin Ito.
• Ito cultivated peony seedlings for medicinal use.
• Designated a national scenic beauty in 1932.

What to see

• A total area of 10 hectares.
• 290 varieties of peony plants.
• 7000 peony plants.

When to go

• Admission is charged during peony blooming season.
• Open for free at other times.

Getting there

• About 15 minutes by car from Sukagawa IC.
• Accessible by bus from JR Sukagawa Station.

Official site

www.botan.or.jp

Read more about Sukagawa Peony Garden

Japan's oldest park, Nanko offers scenic beauty and historical significance worth an hour of your trip.

What it is

• Japan's oldest urban park, founded in 1801.
• Created by Matsudaira Sadanobu for public recreation.
• Designated a National Historic Site and Place of Scenic Beauty.

What to see

• One of Japan's largest pond-and-stroll gardens.
• The Lamp Cafe in the relocated Meiji Memorial Hall.
• A representative fishing spot in Shirakawa City.

When to go

• Beautiful scenery can be enjoyed throughout all seasons.

Getting there

• Accessible by JR Bus Kanto.
• Accessible by Shirakawa City Loop Bus.

Read more about Nanko Park

Mizubayashi Natural Forest is a historic flood control forest now a park with walking paths.

What it is

• A forest park developed from a flood control forest.
• Designated as a health and conservation forest.
• Opened on April 1, 1975.
• A Japan Society of Civil Engineers Select Civil Engineering Heritage site.

What to see

• Japanese red pine, hornbeam, and castor aralia trees.
• A walking path through the forest.
• A riverside campsite.
• The Arakawa Data Room displays nature and flood control materials.

Getting there

• Accessible from Tohoku Expressway Fukushima Nishi Interchange.

Read more about Mizubayashi Natural Forest

Spa Resort Hawaiians is a massive hot spring and water park complex, offering diverse relaxation and fun.

What it is

• A large leisure facility in Fukushima Prefecture.
• Opened in 1966, known for hot springs and pools.
• Features six theme parks, hotels, and a golf course.
• Hot spring water sourced from Iwaki Yumoto Onsen.

What to see

• Water Park: an all-weather indoor pool.
• Spa Garden Pareo: an outdoor spa area.
• Big Aloha: Japan's longest and highest slider.
• Edo Jowa Yoichi: the world's largest open-air bath.
• Nude bathing facilities and swimwear-friendly pools.
• Golf course with 3 courses and 27 holes.

Official site

www.hawaiians.co.jp

Read more about Spa Resort Hawaiians

Iwaki's oldest park, Matsugaoka offers cherry blossoms, azaleas, and historical monuments.

What it is

• Oldest park in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture.
• Established in 1907.
• Commemorates the Russo-Japanese War.

What to see

• 270 Someiyoshino cherry trees.
• Azalea garden with 3,000 azalea trees.
• Bronze statue of Ando Tsushima-no-kami.
• Former residence of Amata Gu-an.

When to go

• Known as a cherry blossom viewing spot.
• Annual cherry blossom festival in April.

Getting there

• 20-minute walk from Iwaki Station.
• About 2km from Iwaki Station.

Official site

iwakicity-park.or.jp

Read more about Matsugaoka Park

Hayama Park is a historical Japanese garden with monuments and waterfalls, worth visiting for its cultural significance.

What it is

• An urban park in Koriyama City.
• Selected as one of Japan's Top 100 Historical Parks.
• Created in 1824 to commemorate Koriyama Village's promotion.
• Officially opened as an urban park on April 1, 1965.

What to see

• A Japanese-style garden with pine forests.
• Monuments like twenty-three night towers.
• War memorial towers are present.
• Shrines for Suijin and Benzaiten.
• Hayama Falls, constructed in 1882.
• Hayama Falls is a national tangible cultural property.

Read more about Hayama Park

A large sports complex with diverse facilities for athletics, soccer, and more.

What it is

• A sports park in Tamura City, Fukushima Prefecture.
• Features multiple facilities for various sports.
• Includes a stadium certified by Japan's athletics federation.

What to see

• Athletics stadium with an 8-lane, 400m track.
• Stadium field measures 105m by 68m.
• Main arena with 936 seats and a 200m running course.
• Multi-purpose field with four softball fields.
• Multi-purpose field also has two soccer fields.
• 2000-meter natural grass cross-country course.

Read more about Tamura City Sports Park

Oyaku-en is a medicinal herb garden with historic buildings and year-round changing scenery, worth visiting for its tranquility.

What it is

• Medicinal herb garden centered around a pond.
• Long history as a retreat for Aizu lords.
• First villa built by Ashina Morihisa.
• Medicinal herbs grown by Hoshina Masatsune.

What to see

• Pond and formal landscape.
• Ochayagoten tea house, original building.
• Rakujutei, a six-sided pavilion on an island.
• Trees and flowering plants.
• Choyokaku annex, relocated from Higashiyama Onsen.

When to go

• Year-round for ever-changing scenery.

Official site

www.tsurugajo.com

Read more about Oyaku-en

Iwaki Park is a large park with diverse zones for recreation and culture, worth visiting for its variety.

What it is

• A Fukushima Prefectural Park.
• Opened fully on March 25, 2005.
• Covers an area of 71.3 hectares.
• Divided into seven distinct zones.

What to see

• Flower garden in the Main Entrance Zone.
• Monuments and waterfalls in the Amusement Zone.
• Large play equipment in the Play Zone.
• Iris garden and cherry trees in the Picnic Zone.
• Walking path and observation deck in the Forest Adventure Zone.
• Iwaki City Museum of Life in the Cultural Facilities Zone.

Official site

www.pref.fukushima.lg.jp

Read more about Iwaki Park

21st Century Forest Park is a large, modern park offering sports and nature in Iwaki City.

What it is

• A large park with sports facilities in Iwaki City.
• Construction began in 1989.
• It opened in April 1995.
• Managed by Iwaki City Park Ryokuchi Kanko Kosha.

What to see

• Four distinct zones.
• A sports zone of 37.9 hectares.
• A community plaza zone of 24.2 hectares.
• A natural adventure zone of 25.9 hectares.

Getting there

• 25-minute walk from JR Joban Line Yumoto Station.
• 15-minute drive from JR Joban Line Iwaki Station.

Official site

www.iwakicity-park.or.jp

Read more about 21st Century Forest Park

Kaiseizan Park is a historic urban park with diverse attractions, including cherry trees and a rose garden.

What it is

• An urban park in Koriyama City, Fukushima Prefecture.
• Opened in 1972.
• Selected as one of Japan's Top 100 Historical Parks.
• Total area is approximately 30.3 hectares.

What to see

• Isuzugaike Pond, created for irrigation.
• About 1300 cherry trees, including Japan's oldest Somei Yoshino.
• A rose garden with about 400 varieties of roses.
• A D51 steam locomotive on display.
• An outdoor music hall.
• The 'Statue of Pioneers' monument.

Official site

www.city.koriyama.lg.jp

Read more about Kaiseizan Park

Gohyakubuchi Park is a scenic nature park with a pond, known for cherry blossoms and wild birds.

What it is

• A large park in Koriyama City, Fukushima Prefecture.
• Built in 1630 as an irrigation pond.
• Designated as a scenic area in 1937.
• Includes a wild bird learning center.

What to see

• Gohyakubuchi Pond and surrounding forests.
• A reed field and an observation deck.
• 200 cherry trees planted in 1932.
• Slides and other play equipment.

When to go

• Spring for cherry blossoms.
• Any time for wild bird watching.

Official site

www.bunka-manabi.sakura.ne.jp

Read more about Gohyakubuchi Park

A memorial park commemorating the 2011 earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster.

What it is

• Commemorates the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami.
• Also commemorates the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident.
• Opened on May 2, 2026.
• Includes a national memorial facility.

What to see

• Cherry tree-lined paths for memorial purposes.
• A multi-purpose open space.
• Views of the Pacific Ocean with a seawall and buffer forest.
• The Great East Japan Earthquake and Nuclear Disaster Memorial Museum is adjacent.

Address

〒979-1401　福島県双葉郡双葉町中野字高田16-1 Map

Official site

www.pref.fukushima.lg.jp

Read more about Fukushima March 11 Memorial Park

British Hills is a British-themed village in Japan for language and cultural immersion.

What it is

• A language training facility in Fukushima Prefecture.
• Built by Sano Gakuen for English and British culture learning.
• Functions as a hotel and resort with a British theme.

What to see

• A replicated British townscape on 240,000 square meters.
• Guests can use all facilities in English.
• A ballroom and gift shop were added in July 2019.

Getting there

• Accessible by shuttle bus from Shin-Shirakawa Station.

Read more about British Hills

Yamanouei Rural Park: a scenic spot with historical ties to the Uneme Monogatari story.

What it is

• A rural park designated by Koriyama City in 2011.
• Also known as Uneme Park.
• Setting for the Uneme Monogatari story.
• Contains Uneme Shrine, dedicated to Haruhime.

What to see

• Yamanouei Shimizu, where Haruhime is said to have drowned.
• Monument for a Manyoshu poem.
• Katakuri flowers.
• Hydrangeas along the road to the park.
• Lotus and iris flowers in the garden's pond.
• Part of the hill maintained as 'Senmaida'.

Read more about Yamanoi Rural Park