[Onahama, Iwaki, Fukushima Prefecture] With the opening of the Onahama Marine Bridge, Onahama has regained its vitality

Onahama is a port town in Iwaki City in southern Fukushima Prefecture, home to Onahama Port, the largest port in Fukushima Prefecture

Originally a small fishing village, Onahama developed as a port town for shipping rice as tax during the Edo period, and in the late Edo period (1855), Onahama Port also functioned as a shipping port for coal that was discovered nearby

Onahama Port flourished due to the Joban coalfields

Since the Meiji period, the amount of coal mined from the Joban coalfields has increased, reaching 4 million tons per year at its peak, making it the largest coal mining area in Japan. Along with this, Onahama Port has developed greatly, and the town has become very prosperous

After that, from the 1950s onwards, oil took over as the main energy source, and the coal industry rapidly declined. In 1985, the last mine closed, signaling the end of the Joban coalfield

Of course, Onahama was greatly affected by the closure of the Joban Coal Mine, but even after the mine was abandoned, Onahama Port continued to be developed as an important port in the Tohoku region and as a fishing port with one of the highest catch volumes in the country

Onahama was the first to recover after the Great East Japan Earthquake

The Great East Japan Earthquake that occurred in 2011 caused a massive tsunami to hit the port, causing devastating damage. Not only small fishing boats but also large cargo ships were washed up on the dike, instantly rendering the port unable to function. Furthermore, the collapse of the nearby Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant spread radioactive contamination into the sea, causing enormous damage to the fishing industry

For a while after the earthquake, the area was plagued by negative rumors about the pollution of its oceans, but in the meantime, on July 15, 2011, just 126 days after the disaster, the aquarium Aquamarine Fukushima reopened, and on July 16, Iwaki Marine Tower reopened

Onahama Marine Bridge, a symbol of reconstruction, completed in 2018

In March 2018, the Onahama Marine Bridge was completed, connecting the artificial island of Higashi Port, which had been reclaimed offshore from Onahama Port since 1994, to Pier No. 3 on the land side. It is lit up at night and has become a symbol of Onahama's reconstruction

As of 2022, the Onahama Marine Bridge is only used as a construction road because the offshore East Port is still under construction, but it is planned to be used as a public road once the East Port Terminal and other facilities are completed

INFORMATION

• Facility name: Onahama Marine Bridge
• Address: Onahama Port
• Total length: 1,805m
• Bridge section: 927m
• Lane: 1 lane on each side
• Sidewalk: One side only

GOOGLE MAP

---

Onahama Port Pier No. 1, where a former navy battleship was buried

Relics from World War II remain in an unexpected form at Onahama Port

After the war, Japan's reconstruction progressed rapidly, but was hindered by a shortage of construction materials such as steel and concrete. The development of Onahama Port also stalled due to a lack of materials, and so the focus shifted to retired Imperial Japanese Navy battleships

Breakwaters are generally made of reinforced concrete, but at Onahama Port, a battleship was sunk instead of concrete. In April 1948 (Showa 23), the destroyer Sawakaze (completed in 1920) was sunk on the breakwater in front of the old fish market, followed in August by the destroyer Shiokaze (completed in 1921) at the tip of the old pier (now Pier No. 1)

These shipwreck breakwaters have been built all over the country, but the Sawakaze was the first shipwreck breakwater in Japan. The Sawakaze was later removed in 1965 (Showa 40) due to improvements to the fishing port area. Of the remains of the Sawakaze, only the turbine part of the engine is on display and preserved in Misaki Park

When Pier No. 1 was renovated in 1957 (Showa 32) into a rock wall capable of berthing 10,000-ton ships, Shiokaze still serves as the foundation for the new pier. The hull of the Shiokaze cannot be seen today, but the stern of the ship can be seen above where it sank, and an explanation of the wreck breakwater has been posted

Iwaki Lalamew, Onahama's largest commercial facility

Iwaki La La Mew is a commercial facility located at Onahama Port's Pier No. 1, which is currently a breakwater for sunken ships. It opened in 1997 and suffered devastating damage in the Great East Japan Earthquake, but the building's framework was mostly intact, so it managed to reopen eight and a half months later at the end of November

The first floor is a market selling fresh seafood from the nearby fish market and Onahama and Iwaki specialties, as well as a food court with sushi, seafood, and ramen restaurants. The indoor play zone, where children can play to their heart's content, is also popular. The second floor houses restaurants serving seafood and Western cuisine, including Italian, as well as a museum introducing Iwaki Onahama

INFORMATION

• Facility name: Iwaki Lalamew
• Address: 43-1 Tatsumi-cho, Onahama, Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture (Onahama Port No. 1 Pier)
• Phone number: 0246-92-3701
• Opening hours:
• Merchandise sales and live performance at Iwaki Mewsium / 9:00-18:00
• Food and Drink (1st and 2nd floors) - Wanpaku Hiroba Myu Myu / 10:00-18:00
• Closed: Irregular holidays (usually Wednesdays or Thursdays)
• URL: Iwaki LaLa Mew

GOOGLE MAP

---

A 50-minute sightseeing cruise around Onahama Port on the sightseeing boat "Sunshine Girl"

The sightseeing boat "Sunshine Girl" is a sightseeing boat for Onahama Port Cruises that began service in April 2021, and there is a ticket office on the "Iwaki LaLa Mew." The cruise lasts approximately 50 minutes

INFORMATION

• Facility name: Sightseeing boat "Sunshine Girl"
• Phone number: 0246-38-4197
• Operation: 3 flights per day (irregular operation, please inquire)
• Admission fees: Adults 1,500 yen, Seniors (60 years and older) 1,350 yen, Students (middle school and older) 1,000 yen, Elementary school students and younger 500 yen, up to two preschoolers per adult or senior are free
• URL: Sightseeing boat "Sunshine Girl"

---

Misaki Park, home to Iwaki Marine Tower, Misaki Shiomidai, and a barbecue area

Iwaki Marine Tower is an observation tower about 60 meters high that stands in the vast Misaki Park on a plateau 46 meters above sea level overlooking Onahama Port. The observation room is about 106 meters above sea level, and from the sky deck you can enjoy a 360-degree panoramic view of Onahama Port, the Pacific Ocean, Iwaki city, and more

In addition to the Marine Tower, Misaki Park also has a lawn plaza, promenade, outdoor music hall, barbecue area, hotel and restaurant, making it Onahama's number one resort facility. In one corner of the plaza, the turbine of the Sawakaze ship, which was sunk as a breakwater for the wreck, is on display

In particular, Misaki Shiomidai, which juts out from the cliff into the Pacific Ocean, is a thrilling spot with an observation walkway leading to the Pacific Ocean

INFORMATION

• Facility name: Iwaki Marine Tower
• Address: Misaki Park, Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture
• Phone number: 0246-53-2448 (Misaki Park Management Office)
• Business hours: 9:00-17:00 (last entry at 16:30)
• Admission fee: Adults 330 yen, Junior and senior high school students 220 yen, Elementary school students 170 yen
• Closed: Third Tuesday of every month (or the following day if that Tuesday falls on a public holiday)

• Facility name: Misaki Shiomidai
• Address: Misaki Park, Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture
• Phone number: 0246-53-2448 (Misaki Park Management Office)
• Free admission

• Facility name: Misaki Park
• Address: 93 Shimokamishiro Daisaku, Onahama, Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture (Misaki Park Management Office)
• Phone number: 0246-53-2448
• Free to walk around the park except for paid facilities
• URL: Misaki Park

GOOGLE MAP

---

Aquamarine Fukushima was one of the first to recover and is now even more vibrant than before the earthquake

Aquamarine Fukushima is an aquarium located at Onahama Port's Pier No. 2. During the Great East Japan Earthquake, it was hit directly by the tsunami and suffered extensive damage. However, all of the fish and monsters on display, except for the oceanic fish that were no longer able to survive, were able to safely evacuate to Kamogawa Sea World (Chiba Prefecture), Ueno Zoo (Tokyo), Kasai Rinkai Aquarium (Tokyo), Izu Mito Sea Paradise (Shizuoka Prefecture), and Enoshima Aquarium (Kanagawa Prefecture) the day after the earthquake. Thanks to the efforts of staff and other related parties, the aquarium reopened on July 15th, just 126 days later

The greatest feature of Aquamarine Fukushima is its environmentally recreated exhibits, which recreate the environments in which the creatures live as closely as possible, allowing visitors to see them in their natural state

INFORMATION

• Facility name: Aquamarine Fukushima
• Address: Onahama Port No. 2 Pier, Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture
• Phone number: 0246-73-2525
• Opening hours: March 21st to November 30th: 9:00-17:30 (last entry at 16:30), December 1st to March 20th: 9:00-17:00 (last entry at 16:00) *Opening hours are extended during Golden Week, the Obon holiday period, fireworks festival days, and other special periods
• Admission fee: Adults 1,850 yen, elementary, middle and high school students 900 yen, preschoolers free
• Closed: Open all year round
• URL: Aquamarine Fukushima

GOOGLE MAP

---

Onahama Fish Market is bustling with Tokiwa seafood and bonito

The Onahama Fish Market was destroyed in the Great East Japan Earthquake and reopened in 2015 in a new building in front of Iwaki LaLa Mew

Onahama Port is also one of the top fishing ports in Japan for the amount of bonito and saury it lands, and is known for its wide variety of inshore fish known as "Tokiwamono."

The road side of the Onahama Fish Market is closed off, so you can't see inside from the outside. However, there is a glass-walled viewing area on the second floor, so you can visit the market on days other than its closure (Sundays, national holidays, and public holidays) by applying at the Fisheries Cooperative Office

INFORMATION

• Facility name: Onahama Fish Market
• Address: 41 Tatsumicho, Onahama, Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture
• Phone number: 0246-54-6121
• Application: Fisheries Cooperative Office
• Market tour times: Weekdays: 9:00-16:00 / Saturdays: 9:00-11:30
• Closed: Sundays, public holidays

GOOGLE MAP

---

Iwaki City Tourism Site

• Phone number: 0246-44-6545
• URL: Iwaki City Tourism Site

---