“Reconstruction Cycling Road Iwaki Nanahama Kaido” was completed on March 28, 2021. It is approximately 53km in length, touring the seven beaches of Iwaki City.
The course includes sections where you can ride along the embankment and enjoy the spectacular view of the coast in front of you.
Starting from Onahama beach, I cycled at a leisurely pace along the about 30km round trip.

Reconstruction Cycling Road Iwaki Nanahama Kaido

The road is a 5km−bike path from Nakosonoseki Park to Hisanohama Beach Disaster Prevention Green Space, which began construction in 2018 and was fully opened to traffic on March 28, 2021.
Iwaki Nanahama Kaido utilizes seawalls that were constructed as part of restoration and reconstruction projects, and existing roads along the coastline of Shirahama green pine forests.

Start at Aquamarine Park Fukushima

Park your car at Aquamarine Park Fukushima, one of the tourist attractions, and set out.
There is a large public free parking lot where you can park your car safely.

I started out with cloudy skies. Aquamarine Park is a good spot to buy souvenirs as it is a collection of aquariums and souvenir centers.

Arrows are drawn on the cycling road, so you can follow the arrow marks.
Signs are also provided throughout the route to make it easier for first-time cyclists.

It was uphill at the beginning of the ride, but looking back, the view is wonderful. Continue toward Misaki Park.

Misaki Park

Enter the park grounds from the middle of the hill. The vast grassy plaza that came into view immediately had animal figurines.

At the top is Marine Tower, which stands approximately 60m high.
I took a short walk around the park. There are several parking lots in the park, so you could start your bike ride at Misaki Park! I went toward the ocean and found Shiomidai (a tide observatory).

Shiomidai juts out from the hill, and for someone like me who is afraid of heights, it was a thrill to be standing on the sea.

However, the view from the observatory was fantastic. The view of the horizon is something you have to see to fully appreciate it.
After walking around Misaki Park, I headed back to Yabane-dori Avenue.

Seikoukan

After a while, I arrived at a quiet port town in Nakanosaku, Iwaki City.

There was an old private house nearby. It is a 200-year-old rental house. The tasteful building gave me a sense of history, and time seemed to flow slowly.

There is a bike rack, so I parked my bike and headed for lunch.
They do not have a parking lot or bicycle parking lot for the café, so it is recommended parking at the rack in Seikoukan.

Café and Farm “Tsukimitei” with a View of the Sea

Walking less than 300m from Seikoukan is a café called “Tsukimitei” (“Tshukimitei” means a moon viewing café).

There is a signboard along the road.

Follow the sign and continue along the path.
Tsukimitei comes into view at the top of a small hill. I went there just before the opening time, but there were already several groups lined up.

The restaurant is a 50-year-old private house that was built as a DIY project. It is a perfect place to enjoy the stylish atmosphere and take a break.

I was lucky enough to have a seat by the window. The window overlooks the ocean, which made me feel luxurious.

There was a one-plate lunch menu, but after much thinking, I decided on  “White Miso Pasta with Pumpkin and Soy Milk.”
It comes with soup, drink, and salad. The thick, glutinous pasta was delicious with the rich soybean milk miso sauce. The menu changes with the seasons, so please check their SNS.

Toyoma Disaster Prevention Green Space

After leaving Tsukimitei, I stopped at the “Toyoma Disaster Prevention Green Space” located about 3.5km north.

According to the information board, a disaster prevention green space is one that serves to protect people and their homes from tsunami and is a place for community interaction. Toyoma Disaster Prevention Green Space is the largest disaster prevention green space in Iwaki City, extending about 2.4km and 50m wide. It is a good opportunity to think about disaster prevention again.

The sandy beach is right below and offers a spectacular view.

On Iwaki Nanahama Kaido, arrow marks and directions are marked on the road for your safety.

There were also signs for pedestrians.

Shinmaiko Cycle Station

From Toyoma Disaster Prevention Green Space, head north about 5.4km to Shinmaiko Heights, a hot spring resort with a cycle station. This is the midpoint of the 53-km long Iwaki Nanahama Kaido.

There is a cycle station at Shinmaiko Heights.

There were cycle racks and a full-scale maintenance stand. In addition, air inflators and tools are available for rent, as well as a rest area and restrooms.
Being a newly built facility, it looks like a clean place to get relaxed.

Shinmaiko Cycle Station also offers bicycle rentals, with four road bikes, four cross bikes, two children’s bikes, and one tandem bike for a total of 10 bicycles available for rent.
After taking a break, go back the way I came.

Hibari-no-Sono and Shioyazaki Lighthouse

I stopped at Hibari-no-Sono, located about 3.5km from Shinmaiko Cycle Station.

There is a monument to Hibari Misora’s (1937-1989) song “Midaregami” here, and when you stand in front of the monument, the melody of “Midaregami” starts playing. It is said that the song was set in Cape Shioya.

There is also a lighthouse at Shioya Cape, which can be seen from Hibari-no-Sono.

Café “Laugh”

On the way there, I stopped at a café that I had been curious about. It is located at the foot of Misaki Park.
It is located in a corner of Onahama Terrace House, which has a fashionable atmosphere.
There you can enjoy light meals such as hamburgers, and there are also seats on the terrace.

According to the owner, many cyclists visit the café!
After taking a break for coffee, I returned to Aquamarine Park.

Course Introduction

Summary

This was my first visit to Iwaki Nanahama Kaido. The part of the route that runs along the seawall was refreshing to feel the ocean up close.
It is a course that allows you to enjoy the spectacular view again and again, including hills. When you think you are cycling along the sea, you enter a quiet town, and then a port town appears, and the round trip goes by quickly in the sea breeze.
This time it was part of Nanahama Kaido, but is a place that even beginners can enjoy and makes you want to visit again and again, to potter along another section or to ride beyond 53km.