Sightseeing spots you can go to from Hanamaki Onsenkyo in Iwate
Hanamaki, Iwate Prefecture, where Iwate Prefecture's airway Iwate Hanamaki Airport is located, is home to Hanamaki Onsenkyo, one of the leading hot spring areas in the Tohoku region with 12 hot springs. If Hanamaki Onsenkyo is your base for sightseeing, there are the following spots nearby.
The building that houses the Marukan Building Daishokudo, which is famous for its retro Showa atmosphere, is home to the Hanamaki Toy Museum, an experiential facility where you can play with equipment made from wood from Iwate Prefecture!
At the Miyazawa Kenji Fairytale Village, named after the fairytales from Kenji Miyazawa, a children's author with relations to Hanamaki, you can have fun learning about the mysterious world of Kenji's fairytales.
Furthermore, you can experience the mysteries of nature by boating down Geibikei Gorge, where you can enjoy the spectacular view of the wharf over 50 meters high, waterfalls, and trees from the boat!
Hanamaki is a transportation hub with an airport, station, and interchange. Let's start from the hot spring village and visit various spots!
Have fun at the Hanamaki Toy Museum where you can feel the warmth of the wood
Marukan Building Daishokudo closed in 2016, but was revived the following year at the request of the citizens of Hanamaki. The Hanamaki Toy Museum was formed on the second floor of the Marukan Building, where this "community kitchen" is located.
This is an hands-on wood training facility that uses a lot of lumber produced in Iwate Prefecture, processed and constructed by local craftsmen. This is a museum where multiple generations can interact, where children can play with wooden toys and play equipment, and adults can be soothed by the warmth of the wood.
If you get hungry, you can enjoy a meal in the large dining hall, allowing you to enjoy the entire day inside the building!
Get lost in the world of fairy tales at the Miyazawa Kenji Fairytale Village!
Located in Hanamaki, the birthplace of Kenji Miyazawa, a poet and children's writer, Kenji Miyazawa Fairytale Village is an "easy learning" facility where kids can enjoy learning in the world of Kenji's fairytales.
The main facility Kenji no Gakko (Kenji's School) has five rooms which present a dazzling and fascinating world! At Kenji no Kyoshitsu (Kenji's Classroom), an exhibition facility with seven log houses, visitors can have fun learning about the plants and animals that appear in Kenji's fairytales.
Outside, there is also an owl path, a fairy path, and a wildflower garden. Enjoy the world of Kenji fairytales while taking a leisurely stroll!
Enjoy the dynamic nature on a boat trip down Geibikei Gorge!
Geibikei Gorge, which has been designated as one of 100 Landscapes of Japan and National Places of Scenic Beauty, is a valley with cliffs over 50 meters high that extend for approximately 2 kilometers along the Satetsu River.
The specialty here is the boat ride where the boatman skillfully maneuvers the boat across the river using only a single rod. You can enjoy round-trip boat ride (approximately 90 minutes) while admiring the seasonal scenery and impressively shaped rocks. There is a boat dock at the turning point, and you can get off the boat and take a tour. Throw an Undama (luck ball) into the hole in the large wharf, and if it goes into the hole, your wish will come true! There's also a wish-making spot!
During the winter season from December to February, from the famous Kotatsu boats you can see snowy landscapes that remind one of an ink painting. From December 1, 2023 to February 29, 2024, you can enjoy a special plan that includes a boat cruise and a hot pot course for the special price of JPY 4,000! (Minimum 2 persons, reservation required 3 days in advance)