Nirayama Reverberatory Furnace

MUSEUM

The Nirayama Reververatory Furnace is an iron smelting facility in Izunokuni built by the Tokugawa government in 1857 during the Meiji Industrial Revolution. It represents the start of modern iron production in Japan and is the most complete furnace still standing in Japan. It received world heritage status in the summer of 2015.

The furnace has a large car park, as well as a gift shop and visitor centre (signs in Japanese) for anyone visiting. They also have English tours by local volunteers and English pamphlets for anyone wanting a simple English explanation.

Review

Honestly speaking, the furnace was a little underwhelming. At the entrance there is a small museum about the history of the furnace but it is very text heavy and can get crowded very quickly.

Upon leaving the museum, we were immediately approached by a local Japanese volunteer, wanting to explain everything to us in English. It is a very popular tourist destination so it is always full of volunteers wanting to test out their English. If you are very introverted and don’t want to talk to enthusiastic locals it may be hard for you to say no. The tour itself was pretty short and the locals seemed to have memorised a script so unless you get lucky and find a volunteer with a good grasp of English you may want to steer clear of asking questions.

There isn’t must to the furnace, although there is a small river walk where you can take photos. I would definitely recommend planning more in your schedule if you plan on visiting the furnace as I doubt it would even take an hour to walk around if you’re reading everything thoroughly.

At the exist there is a gift shop, filled with local delicacies and tourist goods. Each area in Japan has its own local specialty so if you don’t mind the price it may be a good place to get some local gifts. It is also home to some very strange drink flavours. We tried the melon bread and curry flavours, which were very true to taste but not something I think should ever have been made into drink form.

ADDRESS

Nirayama Reverberatory Furnace,
268 Naka,
Izunokuni,
Shizuoka Prefecture,
410-2113

+81559493450 (Japanese only)
https://www.city.izunokuni.shizuoka.jp/bunka_bunkazai/manabi/bunkazai/hansyaro/ (English and Japanese)
https://www.city.izunokuni.shizuoka.jp/hansyaro/manabi/bunkazai/hansyaro/documents/english.pdf (English pamphlet)

RECOMMENDED ROUTE:

Nirayama Revereratory Furnance has plenty of parking for anyone arriving by car. For public transport, either take the Izu Hakone Tetsudo Line to Izunagaoka station and walk 30 minutes or you can take the hourly loop bus from the station.

Ganjojuin Temple

VIEWPOINT

With great transport links along the Izu Hakone Tetsudo Line, Izunokuni is a great place to visit for a relaxing break within easy access. Ganjojuin Temple is one of my favourite temples in the area.

Originally built for prosperity in war, the temple is home to a rich history, all of which you can read/experience for yourself in English! Home to another Brit, you can hear for yourself the immersive story straight from an English-speaking mouth. It is also home to five of Unkei’s national treasure Buddhist sculptures.

Note: in order to preserve the artefacts, no photographs are allowed within the main viewing hall or treasure hall.

Review

I first visited this temple by recommendation of a friend of mine and without any idea of what I would encounter there. I was very pleasantly surprised when we arrived at the temple. Not only were the grounds pretty, the statues extremely interesting and the history itself was leaving me wanting to know more, but a fellow Brit is married to the daughter of the owner and works in the temple.

After reminiscing about the UK, he explained about the temple and the grounds in English (both were originally much larger and were destroyed/shrunk after the buildings were burned down). I’ve never been to a temple before where I had a 100% English tour. It’s very rare in Japan and made me love the temple even more. The temple also is home to five important Buddhism statues so hearing about the authentication process (opening up the statues and examining the plaques inside) was very interesting. I highly recommend trying to get the English explanation if you can!

Also if you have the time, I recommend heading around to the side/back of the temple – where all the statues are. This temple’s cemetery features stone carving caricatures (paid for by the Japanese before they pass). It’s really interesting walking around and seeing how the people wanted to be remembered after they moved on to the next life.

ADDRESS

Ganjojuin Temple
83-1 Jike,
Izunokuni,
Shizuoka Prefecture,
410-2122

+81559497676 (English available)
https://ganjoujuin.jp/english.html (English available)

RECOMMENDED ROUTE:

The easiest way to get here is by car, however there are good transport links. The nearest train stations are Nirayama and Izunagaoka on the Izuhakone railway line. The temple is around a 15 minute walk from these stations. If you wish to use a local tourist shuttle bus then it departs from Izunagaoka station.

Panorama Park

VIEWPOINT

To enjoy a magnificent view of the Mt. Fuji and the Suruga Bay then look no further than Panorama Park. With a panoramic view of the surround peninsula you’ll need a second to catch your breath. If the open air isn’t to your taste then the Fujimi Terrace, completed in July 2016, offers a relaxing view of the scenery. This however is limited to 6 seats with a fee payable and reservations required. There is also a foot spa and athletics ground for both children and adults to enjoy.

Panorama Park is famous for its “first sunrise of the year” viewing. It opens early on the 1st January (around 5:30am) and you can enjoy the whole region lighting up at the sunlight hits it. This is a very important tradition in Japan so if you’re here at the right time then don’t miss it!

There are many seasonal flowers so be sure to plan around this if you’re coming in season! In spring, you can see cherry blossoms and azaleas. In summer, hydrangeas and lilies. In autumn, the gorgeous fall leaves are on display. In winter you can see some of the earliest cherry blossoms in Japan (a different variant from the spring ones).

With a big car park and easy access from major cities, Panorama Park is very accessible.

Review

I was very fortunate to have friends recommend this to me for my first New Year in Japan. Waking up to get there for 5:30am was tough and the crowds were unbelievable (be sure to get a good spot and wait for at least an hour or else you won’t be able to get the pictures), however, the views were definitely worth it. It’s a little pricey for a viewpoint but when you’re up at the top there are some other things to check out so you can get your money’s worth.

For any of you avid hikers, it is actually possible to hike all the way up to the top. It’ll take a little longer than the 7 minute ropeway but if you want to work for the view then don’t be afraid to try it. The attractions at the top are also a little of a walk, however nothing too difficult for the average person.

ADDRESS

Panorama Park,
260-1 Nagaoka,
Izunokuni,
Shizuoka Prefecture,
410-2211

+81559481525 (Japanese only)
https://www.panoramapark.co.jp/ (Japanese only)

RECOMMENDED ROUTE:

Take the train to Izu-Nagaoka station and switch to the bus. Get off at Izunokuni Shiyakusho-mae and walk roughly 1 minute to the ropeway.