From Tokyo: Iwaki Fossil Museum & Amida-do Customizable Tour

Iwaki on the coast of Fukushima has deep history under its feet and above it. In 1968 a high school student found the bones of a large sea reptile here, later named Futabasaurus suzukii. The area was also a big coal mining town. And in its quiet hills stands one of Japan's finest old Buddhist halls. This day trip takes about 10 hours.

Your driver-guide picks you up at your hotel in central Tokyo in the morning and drives north on the Joban Expressway, with rest stops. The drive takes about 2.5 to 3 hours.

Your first stop is the Iwaki City Coal and Fossil Museum. In the fossil hall you see a full skeleton model of Futabasaurus and many dinosaur and ancient sea animal fossils. Then you go underground into a model coal mine, built to show how miners worked in Iwaki in the past.

Next you visit Shiramizu Amida-do, built in 1160 and a National Treasure of Japan. The small wooden hall stands behind a large pond garden made to show the Pure Land paradise of Buddhism. You walk across the bridges and around the water. In autumn the maple trees turn red around the pond.

Then you go to Onahama fish port for lunch at the local fish market, with fresh seafood from the Pacific. In the afternoon you drive back to your Tokyo hotel.

This is a private tour. Only your group. One van, 1 to 6 guests, never shared with strangers. Your driver-guide speaks English, and also Hindi and Urdu. If the fossil museum is closed on your date, you can take a full refund of your booking, guaranteed. If you prefer, we can instead visit another Iwaki history museum.