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Iwaki (いわき) is a city in Fukushima, Japan.

[edit] Understand

If you've seen the movie Hula Girls, you've seen Iwaki — it's the incredibly depressing coal mining town that acts as the movie's setting. Things have improved somewhat since then — mining, for one thing, is long gone — but it's still a very industrial town with little to attract the casual tourist.

Iwaki city is actually a collection of several smaller towns and sparse conurbations surrounding the densely populated central area known as Taira. They include Taira (the central area with the main train station), Ichigo, Yumoto, Izumi, Onahama (the port town), Ueda and many other smaller areas. They were amalgamated a few decades ago in order to boost its status due to a receding population. The name Iwaki had been used for a long time to refer to the general area however it had many different Kanji depictions, so to remove any confusion the name Iwaki is officially written in the hiragana syllabary.

[edit] Get in

[edit] By train

Iwaki is on the JR Joban Line from Tokyo, between Mito and Sendai.

[edit] By road

Iwaki is at the junction of the Joban (Tokyo-Sendai) and Kan'etsu (Iwaki-Niigata) Expressways. Highway buses travel to Sendai and Tokyo for around ¥3000-4000.

[edit] Get around

[edit][add listing] See

[edit][add listing] Do

• Spa Resort Hawaiians, [1]. The real-life spa resort used as the setting of Hula Girls. Free shuttle bus from Yumoto Station. ¥3150/2000 adult/child (discounts for late entry).  edit

Every summer, locals put on the Iwaki Beach Bomb, a beach party with 2 or 3 stages of DJs that draws thousands of young people, Japanese and foreigners alike. In recent years, the music has ended somewhat early due to complaints from the locals.

[edit][add listing] Buy

[edit][add listing] Eat

Mehikari is a a small green eyed silver fish which is also a local symbol. Its name pretty much means light/bright eyes. Even when cooked they still appear to glow bright green. It can be found at most Izakayas and it is normally served whole and fried in a thin batter.

[edit][add listing] Drink

• Purnima, ☎ 0246.25.1550, [2]. 11-22. Arguably the best Indian food to be found in Japan. A visit to Purnima and its lovable owner and chef Baba is worth the trek to Iwaki. Located in central Taira, Purnima offers a whole galaxy of curries. From mild and sweet to mindblowingly spicy, Baba's curry will without fail be outstanding. \\.  edit

[edit][add listing] Sleep

[edit] Contact

[edit] Get out