Fukushima

Fukushima (福島) is the capital city of Fukushima Prefecture in Honshu, Japan in the Fukushima Basin and its surrounding parts. Known for its fruit production, Fukushima is particularly proud of their peaches, but pears and apples and persimmons are also grown.

Fukushima was hit by high magnitude earthquake on 11 March 2011. A nuclear plant Fukushima Dai-ichi, located some 60 km to the south-east at the Pacific coast, was damaged in the quake and an evacuation zone was established. Fukushima city is well outside the evacuation zone, which occupies 2.4% (as of 2024) of the prefecture's land area. Elevated radiation levels have been detected (though still quite low), and while debate rages on about the long-term effects of these levels, a short stay in Fukushima is not likely to do you any harm.

Tourist information site
The local tourist association has a bilingual guide site.

By plane
It is a 40-minute bus ride from Fukushima Airport to Koriyama station (¥800), from which you will then have to travel to Fukushima station by Shinkansen (¥2920, 15 minutes) or local train (¥820, 45 minutes). It may be a bit more convenient to arrive in Tokyo and take the Shinkansen from there.

By train
Fukushima is a stop on the Tohoku Shinkansen line between Tokyo and Sendai, and is also served by the JR Tohoku and Yamagata lines. The Yamagata Shinkansen branches off here, traveling over conventional lines to Yamagata and Shinjo. The Shinkansen only calls at.

The travel time from Tokyo to Fukushima by Shinkansen is approximately 1 hour 45 minutes, with 2 to 4 departures every hour at a cost of ¥8500 each way (non-reserved seats).

By bus
JR Bus' Abukuma makes five daily round-trips to Fukushima from Shinjuku Station in Tokyo (5 hours, ¥4800). At night, JR Bus runs the Dream Fukushima from Tokyo and Yokohama stations (6 hours from Tokyo, ¥4800). Tohoku Bus' overnight bus, called the Suite, is cheaper at ¥4500 but arrives earlier in the morning.

Kintetsu Bus and Fukushima Kotsu's Galaxy bus runs overnight to Fukushima from Kyoto (11 hours, ¥12130) and Osaka (12 hours, ¥12740).

Willer Express offers bus service to Fukushima from Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto and Osaka, with online bookings available in English. Willer Express' prices vary by the day you are traveling and the class of bus. Willer Express offers "Standard" (similar to Sakura's offering), and "Relax" (slightly larger seats with more leg room, a blanket, and a dome looking thing to keep the light from your eyes).

Get around
Taxis are abundant around the station, though may be harder to find elsewhere.

Buses and trains are convenient for heading out of the city, including the surrounding hot spring areas.

Momorin Share Cycles are a good way to explore Fukushima City, at just \50/30 minutes, though you need to install and use a Japanese-only app on your device. 18 unmanned bicycle ports are located within the city. There is one on either side of JR Fukushima Station. Bicycles are motor-assisted and have large basket, bell, key/lock, and automatic light. They can be borrowed 24 hours everyday.

Walking is sufficient around the station, central shopping arcade, and the evening bar and restaurant area. Fukushima downtown is compact with few changes in elevation. There are also paths along rivers 15–20 minutes away which make longer walks or jogs an enjoyable activity.

Do note there are many underground pedestrian walkways in the city. Access is via stairs or escalators, and elevators, but you may have to hunt around for them. Besides the necessary and very long underground walkway beneath JR Fukushima Station, most are just optional shortcuts.

Onsens


Other onsens:



Buy

 * Fruits. Fukushima is known as a "Fruit Kingdom" because of its many seasonal fruits, and the fact that there is fruit being harvested every month of the year. While peaches are the most famous, the prefecture also produces large quantities of cherries, nashi (Japanese pears), grapes, persimmons, and apples.
 * Mamador is the prefecture's most famous confection. The baked good has a milky red bean flavor center wrapped in a buttery dough. The name means “People who drink mothers’ milk” in Spanish. It is produced by the Sanmangoku Company.
 * Sake. The Fukushima Prefecture Sake Brewers Cooperative is made up of nearly 60 sake breweries. Additionally, the Annual Japan Sake Awards has awarded the prefecture the most gold prizes of all of Japan for four years running as of 2016. Many brands are sold in gift shops and department stores. Kinsuisho (金水晶) is the only brewery located inside Fukushima City.

Eat
A lot of bars and restaurants are in the neighborhood east of the train station. There is an underpass connecting the east and west sides of the station.
 * Peaches Fukushima city is famous for the peach and produces a large amount of delicious peaches every summer, try one.
 * Peaches Fukushima city is famous for the peach and produces a large amount of delicious peaches every summer, try one.

Drink
There are lots of izakayas and beer gardens in Fukushima. Passeo Dori and the roads branching from it are where most of the best places are found. Two examples are Yatta Iwamora and Jyuhachiban (十八番).

Stay healthy
The tap water is generally safe, and hasn't been contaminated by radiation from the Dai-ichi power plant 90 km (56 miles) away.

While there is ongoing debate about long term exposure to low level radiation, risks to short-term travelers is minimal and should not be of major concern. It has been said travelers will be exposed to higher levels of radiation during the airplane ride to and from Japan then their time spent in Fukushima.

Go next

 * Aizu-Wakamatsu with the Tsuruga-jo Castle and the Fukushima prefectural museum and the nearby Mount Bandai.
 * Nihonmatsu
 * Date
 * Shiroishi
 * Yonezawa
 * Takahata
 * Shichikashuku
 * Kawamata
 * Inawashiro