Is it suitable for families with children? We visited the Iwaki City Coal and Fossil Museum and Iwaki Yumoto Onsen [Fukushima Prefecture]

In early May 2026, my family and I visited Iwaki City in Fukushima Prefecture. In this article, I will share our experiences visiting the "Iwaki City Coal and Fossil Museum Horuru " and " Iwaki Yumoto Onsen " during our stay

Iwaki was a coal mining town

When it comes to tourist attractions in Iwaki City, "Spa Resort Hawaiians" is probably the most famous. I stayed in Iwaki City for two days and one night, and spent the first day at Spa Resort Hawaiians. There are already several articles about Hawaiians on this media outlet, so please take a look

Tohoku Rokken Trivia Media NEFT

[Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture] Locals tell you how to enjoy Spa Resort Hawaiians!

https://jp.neft.asia/archives/24095

Summer vacation brings to mind the beach, the pool, and Hawaiians! Spa Resort Hawaiians' expansive grounds include a hotel, hot springs, and a pool, allowing you to experience a summery atmosphere no matter the season. The highlight is the hula girl show! As a resident of Iwaki for 10 years and a regular visitor to Hawaiians every year, I'd like to share some tips for enjoying Hawaiians. The History of Spa Resort Hawaiians: A Perpetual Summer Paradise Hawaiians opened in 1966 as the "Tokiwa Hawaiian Center." Drawing on underground spring water from the Tokiwa Coal Mine era, it was Japan's first...

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The area stretching from northern Ibaraki Prefecture to the southern Hamadori region of Fukushima Prefecture was oncethe Joban Coalfield. The Joban Line railway, which runs through this region, was originally built primarily to transport coal mined from the Joban Coalfield.
However, as you know, coal lost its position as the main energy source to oil, and the Joban Coalfield declined, with the mines closing down.
In place of the coal mines, the Joban Hawaiian Center, now Spa Resort Hawaiians, opened in 1966 to support local employment and livelihoods through tourism. By utilizing the hot springs and geothermal heat that were considered a nuisance in the coal mines, a theme park inspired by Hawaii, a dream island for Japanese people at the time, was realized.

Therefore, coal is an indispensable element in the history of Iwaki City.
When I went to Iwaki City, I decided early on that I would visit not only Spa Resort Hawaiians but also the Iwaki City Coal and Fossil Museum, Horuru. On the second day of my stay, I decided to start my activities at the children's play facility located behind the Coal and Fossil Museum.

Iwaki City Coal and Fossil Museum Horuru

"Iwaki City Coal and Fossil Museum Horuru" is a facility that exhibits the history of the Joban coalfield, as well as fossils excavated in Iwaki City and fossils excavated in other countries (originals and replicas). It opened in 1984, more than 40 years ago, but was renovated and reopened in 2010.

While it's generally thought that facilities in rural areas are inconvenient to access without a car, the Coal and Fossil Museumonly about a 10-minute walk from Yumoto Station on the JR Joban Line. It's perfectly accessible without a car. Yumoto Station is also convenient because all Hitachi limited express trains on the Joban Line stop there.

The "Hitachi" is a limited express train that mainly connects Shinagawa Station to Iwaki Station, and passengers can board it from stations such as Shinagawa, Tokyo, Ueno, Tsuchiura, Mito, and Katsuta. There are also three round trips per day of trains that run beyond Iwaki Station, between Shinagawa Station and Sendai Station, stopping at major stations in the Hamadori region of Fukushima Prefecture such as Tomioka, Haranomachi, and Soma north of Iwaki Station

Tohoku Rokken Trivia Media NEFT

The trajectory of the Joban Line Limited Express "Hitachi," which has played a vital role in connecting the Pacific coast of Tohoku despite being tossed about by the times [Miyagi Prefecture and Fukushima Prefecture]

https://jp.neft.asia/archives/30690

The Hitachi Limited Express is a limited express train that runs between Shinagawa Station in Tokyo and either Iwaki Station in Fukushima Prefecture or Sendai Station in Miyagi Prefecture via JR East's Joban Line*. As of March 2024, it operates 15 round trips per day, making it the most frequent limited express train currently operating on conventional lines. This article explores the history of the Hitachi Limited Express from its inception to the present day. *Although the sections between Shinagawa Station and Nippori Station in Tokyo and between Iwanuma Station and Sendai Station in Miyagi Prefecture are not technically part of the Joban Line, for the sake of simplicity, this article will refer to the entire section on which the Hitachi operates as the Joban Line. Limited Express...

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However, from what I observed, no one seemed to be walking from Yumoto Station to the Coal and Fossil Museum. My family also traveled by car, as we were visiting various facilities in addition to the Coal and Fossil Museum during our stay in Iwaki City. The parking lot was reasonably large, but even so, being May 5th during a major holiday period, we had to wait a bit to get in. On the other hand, the museum itself was not crowded considering it was a major holiday period

There is a children's play area behind the Coal and Fossil Museum

Behind the Coal and Fossil Museum is a building called "Woodpia Iwaki," which my family visited before the museum. Inside this building is "Iwakids Morimori," an indoor playground for children up to elementary school age. There are set times for entry , with sessions lasting 80 minutes (weekdays) or 70 minutes (weekends). There is no entrance fee. While the play content is undeniably geared towards slightly younger children (up to around the time they start elementary school), my three daughters (4th grade, 1st grade, and preschool) played happily for the entire time. The official website states that "entry may be restricted during peak hours." However , my family arrived a few minutes before the 11:00 session started and were allowed in without any problems.

Iwaki City Hall

Indoor Playground (Iwakids Morimori) | Iwaki City Hall

https://www.city.iwaki.lg.jp/www/contents/1001000005194/index.html

This will take you to the Iwaki City Hall website

Coal and Fossil Museum: Fossil exhibits

After a full 70 minutes of fun at Iwaki Kids Morimori, it's finally time to enter the Coal and Fossil Museum.
At the entrance, you're greeted by an object of Futabasaurus suzukii (Futabasuzukiryu), the first plesiosaur fossil discovered in Iwaki City.

*Although they are often confused,plesiosaurs and pterosaurs such as Pteranodons are not "dinosaurs," at least from a scientific standpoint.

The first room you enter is the fossil exhibit, where many valuable fossils and their replicas are on display.
Seeing the complete fossils of creatures I had only seen in picture books as a child, such as dinosaurs like Triceratops and Mamenchisaurus, plesiosaurs like Pliosaurus, and pterosaurs like Rhamphorhynchus, was quite impressive even for adults.
Personally, I was particularly struck by the Eremotherium (giant sloth) that once inhabited the Americas.

Although there is lighting in the exhibition room, it is undeniably rather dark, and since the exhibits consist of animal bones,young children might find it a little scary.

From the fossil exhibition room, you can take the stairs or elevator up to the second floor, where you'll find the learning and specimen exhibition room. This room displays specimens of fossils, coal, rocks, and other materials, along with explanatory panels

From the second floor, you can go outside to an area called Rokkoen. There, the entrance to the Jōban Coal Mine Yumoto Pit No. 6 Human Vehicle Shaft, which Emperor Showa entered the mine from when he visited in 1947, is preserved

Coal and fossil museum mock mine shaft

After viewing all the exhibits, you expect to take the next elevator back down to the first floor... but as soon as you get in, the elevator darkens and you're led down to a mine shaft 600 meters underground. Of course, this is all part of the show, and you've only actually been taken back down to the first floor, but a small child might really believe they've been taken to a mine shaft.
In fact, I remember believing a story from my childhood about being taken deep underground when I rode an elevator in a facility in Fukushima Prefecture. The fact that I have this memory suggests that I must have visited this Coal and Fossil Museum when I was little, and that I was completely taken in by the show's intentions.

Upon exiting the elevator, we found ourselves in a simulated mine shaft, where the evolution of coal mining methods from the late Edo period to the mid-Showa era was displayed using tools and mannequins. This exhibit, following the elevator ride, was understandablyfrightening for our four-year-old youngest daughter. She clung to her mother the entire time we were in the simulated mine shaft and wouldn't let go.

The next exhibit after the simulated mine tunnel is the Life Museum, which showcases the lives of coal miners and their families around 1935. Behind the building, you'll find exhibits of equipment used in the mine, such as battery-powered locomotives

One thing I noticed after seeing the exhibition was that the length of the exhibits was just right for families with children. Wea little over an hour looking at the exhibits.

You can also continue further behind the building and play at "Iwakids Morimori" (my family played there first)

Additionally, during holidays and school breaks, workshops such as "Ammonite Specimen Preparation" and "Amber Accessory Making" are held. Each workshop takes approximately one hour, and there is a separate materials fee in addition to the entrance fee to the Coal and Fossil Museum

In front of the building, there is a D51 steam locomotive that served on the Joban Line for 25 years, preserved in a static display, but I forgot to go see it. My wife took this photo as we were leaving the parking lot in the car

Iwaki Yumoto Onsen is located in front of the station

After leaving the Coal and Fossil Museum, my family and I went to Onahama, the largest port town in Fukushima Prefecture (I will write about that in a separate article later), and then returned to Yumoto for a bath and dinner

As the name suggests, Yumoto is a hot spring resort.
While some hot spring resorts throughout Japan require a considerable walk or bus ride from the nearest station, Iwaki Yumoto Onsen hashot spring inns within walking distance of Yumoto Station, and there are even footbaths on the station platform and in front of the station.

I used the day-use bathing facilities at " Kotakiya, " located about 600m northwest of the station . This hot spring inn has a history of over 300 years, having been founded in 1695. Iwaki Yumoto Onsen, which boasts one of the largest volumes of hot spring water in Japan, is provided at a comfortable temperature without any added water. In addition, both the men's and women's baths have chairs and toys for small children .

It is said thatIwaki Yumoto Onsen was first opened over 1,300 years ago, and it is sometimes called one of Japan's three oldest hot springs, along with Arima Onsen in Hyogo Prefecture and Dogo Onsen in Ehime Prefecture. The amount of hot spring water is as much as 5 tons per minute, with 3 tons sent to Spa Resort Hawaiians and the remaining 2 tons used by hot spring inns and other establishments. The spring water has a rare quality nationwide, containing not only sulfur but also chlorides and sulfides, and is said to have various benefits such as being called a "beauty spring" for its skin-beautifying effects, a "heart spring" for its blood pressure-lowering effects, and a "heat-retaining spring" for its warming effect.

Tohoku Rokken Trivia Media NEFT

[Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture] The largest volume of hot spring water in Fukushima Prefecture. From hula dancing to racehorse hot springs, "Iwaki Yumoto Onsen"

https://jp.neft.asia/archives/17847

Iwaki Yumoto Onsen, located in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture, is a historic hot spring resort considered one of Japan's three oldest, along with Dogo Onsen (Ehime Prefecture) and Arima Onsen (Hyogo Prefecture). A panoramic view of Iwaki Yumoto Onsen ©Fukushima Travel. Ancient documents from the 900s during the Heian period mention the existence of a hot spring shrine, suggesting the hot springs were in use even earlier, approximately 1300 years ago. Records show that local lords visited the hot springs during the Sengoku period, and during the Edo period, more than 50 natural hot spring sources gushed forth. Iwaki Yumoto Onsen became a vibrant hot spring resort during the Meiji era when the coastal road, the Hamakaido (Joban Road), was established...

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This shrine, aptly named "Onsen Jinja" (Hot Spring Shrine), is a rare find nationwide, boasting a hot spring on its grounds. It appears to be one of the notable attractions of Iwaki Yumoto Onsen

After bathing, we went to the area in front of Yumoto Station and had dinner at "Genta Sushi Main Store." The restaurant is operated by the "Gen Group," which has stores mainly in Iwaki City, so it can be considered a local sushi restaurant. They use fish that was caught locally that day. For us, the fact that they had a children's menu was a big plus (the children's menu also mainly consists of sushi).

minamoto-group.com

Genta Sushi Main Store | For Japanese food, sushi, and izakaya in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture, choose "Gen Group"

https://minamoto-group.com/shop/genta-honten

Having finished their bath and dinner, all that was left was to get in the car and head home. My daughters started snoring before we even reached the Iwaki-Yumoto Interchange on the Joban Expressway, which is only about 4km from Iwaki-Yumoto Onsen, making for a peaceful journey home

Conclusion

In just two days, I was able to visit Spa Resort Hawaiians and Iwaki City Coal and Fossil Museum Horuru, so I managed to see all the places I wanted to visit this time. Iwaki City is a rare town in Japan that has transformed from a coal mining town to a tourist town, and there are still many places I want to visit, such as Aquamarine Fukushima and Iwaki City Ammonite Center. It has become a town I would like to visit again when I have the chance

Yuto Ono

A former railway engineer and current freelance writer who has loved trains since childhood, his dream is to make train travel his career