Stand on the slope at Iwaya-Kannon and the city opens out below you, with sixty Buddhas carved into the rock face of Mount Shinobu behind you. It is one of the quietest ways to get your bearings in Fukushima, and it costs nothing but the climb.
Fukushima suits travellers who like their sightseeing unhurried: rock carvings, hilltop viewpoints, a small art museum, a bird forest, and hot spring towns a short train ride from the station. Spring visitors come for the blossom at Hanamiyama Park; anyone with a spare day tends to head north to Iizaka hot springs.
This guide covers the sights and experiences in and around the city, followed by a one-day plan and answers to the questions travellers ask most.
Top things to do in Fukushima
1. Hanamiyama Park
This is the place to go in spring for cherry blossom viewing, and it has become known throughout Japan for it. A short trail leads up a hill where you get wide panoramas, and you can walk underneath light-pink canopies on the way.
Be prepared for crowds in blossom season. Regular buses leave for Hanamiyama from the train station; ask at the tourist office for details.
2. Iwaya-Kannon
Sixty Buddhas are carved into the rock face of Mount Shinobu, and the site offers a decent place to take a look down at the city. It pairs naturally with the other sights on Mount Shinobu.
Combine it with Mount Shinobu Park, whose trails and observation decks sit on the same hill.
3. Mount Shinobu Park
A hilly park with three observation decks overlooking the city, open around the clock. Within it you will also find the Neko Inari Shrine, Fukushima-ken Gokoku Shrine and Henshoin Temple.
Entry is free. Go late in the day if you want the city lights rather than the midday view.
4. Fukushima Inari Shrine
A historic Shinto shrine near Fukushima Station, dedicated to Inari, the deity of prosperity and agriculture, and known for its striking red torii gates. It is open 24 hours and admission is free.
The shrine hosts seasonal festivals, including the Fukushima Inari Festival in autumn. Its position near the station makes it an easy first or last stop of the day.
5. Iizaka hot springs
A great place for a day trip from Fukushima, in the north part of the city and reachable by a special short JR line. The train leaves Fukushima from a separate platform in the northern part of the station roughly every 30 minutes, and the trip to the end station, Iizaka onsen, takes about 20 minutes.
The information centre is just across the street, open all year round between 09:00 and 18:00, and the staff speak English. They can provide an English booklet of the onsen, help you book a day or overnight visit to one of the bath houses, and offer tours through the spa town and its surroundings. While strolling the streets you can use three foot baths, open throughout the year and free of charge.
6. Fukushima Prefectural Museum of Art
A small museum mostly showing local art, with some national and international exhibits as well, including a handful of prized Impressionist and Pointillist paintings. Admission is ¥280.
Phones and cameras are not permitted, except with an armband for hand-written translation; camera translation is not permitted. The attached curry restaurant and cafe, and the library, are both popular with locals.
7. Kotori No Mori
Meaning "forest of little birds", this spot at Yamaguchi Miyawaki-98 is free to enter and open Tuesday to Sunday, 08:30 to 17:00, closed on Mondays. It is a steep walk up a small mountain, and the trails at the top are short and quiet.
It is very peaceful but not so special except for bird watchers, so save it for when that is what you are after.
8. Shiki No Sato
A park at Kamisaginishi-1-1 Arai where you can discover agricultural activity, with an animals area, a watermill, crafts, restaurants and hot springs.
It works well as a slower half-day, particularly if you want the hot springs at the end of it.
9. Fukushima Racetrack
If you feel like betting on horses, this is the place to go in Fukushima. Live races only happen during certain times of the year, usually April, July and November, but video races are available on weekends year-round.
Entry costs ¥100, and is free for video races, plus whatever you bet on the wrong horses once inside.
10. Prefectural Culture Center
The Prefectural Culture Center is one of the city's cultural venues and sits alongside the other sights in the centre.
Check what is on before you go, and pair it with the Fukushima Prefectural Museum of Art nearby.
11. Waraji Festival
Held on the first Friday and Saturday in August, this festival involves dancing, parades, food stalls and a huge waraji, a Japanese sandal.
Because it runs for only two days, plan your trip around those dates if the festival is the reason you are coming.
12. Obon Festival
The Obon Festival is another of the city's seasonal events and a reason to check the calendar before you fix your dates.
Summer travel in Japan is busy around this period, so sort out your accommodation early.
13. Takayu Onsen
One of the other hot springs in the area, and an option if you want an onsen trip beyond Iizaka.
Treat it as a soak to build a day around rather than a quick stop.
14. Tsuchiyu Onsen
Another of the area's hot spring towns, useful if you are working your way through the local baths.
Combine an onsen visit with the rest of your day rather than trying to fit in two in one afternoon.
15. Shin-Noji Onsen
A further hot spring option in the area, best suited to travellers who are specifically setting out to bathe.
As with the other onsens, check locally before you travel out, since these are the kind of places where a little planning saves a wasted trip.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start at Fukushima Inari Shrine near the station, then walk or ride up to Iwaya-Kannon to see the Buddhas carved into the rock face of Mount Shinobu and look down over the city. Continue into Mount Shinobu Park for its observation decks, the Neko Inari Shrine, Fukushima-ken Gokoku Shrine and Henshoin Temple.
Afternoon: Head to the Fukushima Prefectural Museum of Art for the local collection and the Impressionist and Pointillist paintings, then eat at the attached curry restaurant or cafe. If you are travelling in spring, swap this block for Hanamiyama Park and take the bus from the train station.
Evening: Take the JR line from the northern part of Fukushima Station to Iizaka hot springs, about 20 minutes, and use one of the free foot baths while strolling the streets, or book a bath house through the information centre across the street.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to see cherry blossoms in Fukushima?
Spring, at Hanamiyama Park, which is the place to go for cherry blossom viewing. Expect crowds, and take the regular buses that leave for Hanamiyama from the train station.
Can I visit a hot spring without leaving the city for long?
Yes. Iizaka hot springs is in the north part of Fukushima city and reachable by a special short JR line; the train leaves from a separate platform in the northern part of the station about every 30 minutes and the trip takes roughly 20 minutes. The information centre across the street is open all year round between 09:00 and 18:00 and can help you book a bath house.
Is the Fukushima Prefectural Museum of Art worth visiting, and can I take photos?
It is a small museum, mostly with local art plus some national and international exhibits, including prized Impressionist and Pointillist paintings, and admission is ¥280. Phones and cameras are not permitted, except with an armband for hand-written translation; camera translation is not permitted.
What can I do in Fukushima for free?
Fukushima Inari Shrine is free and open 24 hours, Mount Shinobu Park is free and open 24 hours, Kotori No Mori is free, and the three foot baths at Iizaka hot springs are free of charge and open throughout the year.
Pick your season, check the festival dates, and start building your days around the hill, the museum and the onsen.