Fukushima, Fukushima
Encyclopedia
is the capital city
of Fukushima Prefecture
in the Tōhoku Region
of Japan
. As of May 2011 the city has an estimated population
of 290,064 and an area of 746.43 km².
It lies about 250 km north of Tokyo
and 80 km south of Sendai.
. During the Edo period
, Fukushima began to grow prosperous from the production of silk and its name became well-known even in Kyoto
. After the Meiji Restoration
in 1868 a prefectural office was established in Fukushima and the Bank of Japan
established an office in the city. This was the first national bank in the Tōhoku Region. The city was founded on April 1, 1907. On July 1, 2008, the town of Iino
, from Date District
, was annexed by the city of Fukushima.
caused ruptures in multiple water mains originating from the city's water supply, the Surikamigawa Dam
, resulting in the majority of the city losing access to running water
. Train service was also stopped due to damage caused to railway infrastructure.
Fukushima City is about 63 kilometre north-west of Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant
, the site of the nuclear accident that followed the tsunami. Although outside the nuclear accident exclusion zone, the levels of radiation in the city caused residents to remain indoors more, reducing economic activity.
In June 2011 city authorities stated that from September radiation dosimeters would be given to 34,000 children to assess cumulative radiation exposure.
is the primary transportation hub of the city.
JR East
provides local and regional rail service via the Tōhoku Main Line and the Ōu Main Line
and high-speed rail service via the Tōhoku Shinkansen
and Yamagata Shinkansen
.
Fukushima Transportation
runs the Iizaka Line commuter train, connecting the center of the city to Iizaka
in the north of the city.
AbukumaExpress operates the Abukuma Express Line
, which takes a route following the Abukuma River
and connects the city to Miyagi Prefecture
in the north.
services throughout the city and region are primarily operated by Fukushima Transportation
. Local bus service to the Kawamata
area is offered by both JR Bus Tōhoku and Kanehachi Taxi.
are operated by a multitude of companies and link Fukushima to the cities of Iwaki
, Aizuwakamatsu
, Kōriyama
within the prefectures and to the Sendai, Tokyo
, Kinki areas outside the prefecture, among others.
passes through Fukushima and has multiple interchanges
within the city.
that run from or through Fukushima.
runs up and along Mt. Azuma on the western edge of the city, connecting Takayu Onsen
and Tsuchiyu Onsen.
in Sukagawa
and Sendai Airport
in Natori, Miyagi
.
However, despite Fukushima airport being in the same prefecture as Fukushima City, both airports are approximately the same distance from the city via road (approximately 70 km). Furthermore, as Sendai Airport is both more accessible via train and has more flights to more varied locations than Fukushima Airport, it's more common for Fukushima City residents to utilize the Sendai Airport.
Cities of Japan
||A is a local administrative unit in Japan. Cities are ranked on the same level as and , with the difference that they are not a component of...
of Fukushima Prefecture
Fukushima Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region on the island of Honshu. The capital is the city of Fukushima.-History:Until the Meiji Restoration, the area of Fukushima prefecture was known as Mutsu Province....
in the Tōhoku Region
Tohoku region
The is a geographical area of Japan. The region occupies the northeastern portion of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. The region consists of six prefectures : Akita, Aomori, Fukushima, Iwate, Miyagi and Yamagata....
of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. As of May 2011 the city has an estimated population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
of 290,064 and an area of 746.43 km².
It lies about 250 km north of Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
and 80 km south of Sendai.
History
Fukushima was once called "Shinobu-no-sato," the village of Shinobu. In the 12th century Suginome Taro built Suginome Castle and the village began to develop as a castle town surrounding Fukushima CastleFukushima Castle
was a castle located in Kiso, Nagano, Japan. It was the site of the Siege of Kiso-Fukushima led by Takeda Shingen in 1554. The castle's commander, Kiso Yoshiyasu surrendered the garrison when the food supplies ran out. The castle no longer stands....
. During the Edo period
Edo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
, Fukushima began to grow prosperous from the production of silk and its name became well-known even in Kyoto
Kyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
. After the Meiji Restoration
Meiji Restoration
The , also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution, Reform or Renewal, was a chain of events that restored imperial rule to Japan in 1868...
in 1868 a prefectural office was established in Fukushima and the Bank of Japan
Bank of Japan
is the central bank of Japan. The Bank is often called for short. It has its headquarters in Chuo, Tokyo.-History:Like most modern Japanese institutions, the Bank of Japan was founded after the Meiji Restoration...
established an office in the city. This was the first national bank in the Tōhoku Region. The city was founded on April 1, 1907. On July 1, 2008, the town of Iino
Iino, Fukushima
was a town located in Date District, Fukushima, Japan.As of 2003, the town had an estimated population of 6,592 and a density of 309.34 persons per km². The total area was 21.31 km².Iino is famous for UFO's. A UFO museum is located at a nearby mountain....
, from Date District
Date District, Fukushima
is a district located in Fukushima, Japan.As of 2008, the district has an estimated population of 39,633 and a density of 190 persons per km². The total area is 208.53 km².-Towns and villages:*Kawamata*Kōri*Kunimi-Mergers:...
, was annexed by the city of Fukushima.
2011 earthquake and tsunami
The 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
The 2011 earthquake off the Pacific coast of Tohoku, also known as the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, or the Great East Japan Earthquake, was a magnitude 9.0 undersea megathrust earthquake off the coast of Japan that occurred at 14:46 JST on Friday, 11 March 2011, with the epicenter approximately east...
caused ruptures in multiple water mains originating from the city's water supply, the Surikamigawa Dam
Surikamigawa Dam
is a rock-fill dam built on the Surikami River in the Moniwa area of Iizaka, Fukushima, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. It was opened in 2006 and is administered by the Tohoku Regional Bureau Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.A multipurpose dam, it was built to provide water to the...
, resulting in the majority of the city losing access to running water
Tap water
Tap water is a principal component of "indoor plumbing", which became available in urban areas of the developed world during the last quarter of the 19th century, and common during the mid-20th century...
. Train service was also stopped due to damage caused to railway infrastructure.
Fukushima City is about 63 kilometre north-west of Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant
Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant
The , also known as Fukushima Dai-ichi , is a disabled nuclear power plant located on a site in the towns of Okuma and Futaba in the Futaba District of Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. First commissioned in 1971, the plant consists of six boiling water reactors...
, the site of the nuclear accident that followed the tsunami. Although outside the nuclear accident exclusion zone, the levels of radiation in the city caused residents to remain indoors more, reducing economic activity.
In June 2011 city authorities stated that from September radiation dosimeters would be given to 34,000 children to assess cumulative radiation exposure.
Rail
Fukushima StationFukushima Station (Fukushima)
is a railway station located in the city of Fukushima, Fukushima, Japan.-Lines:*JR East**Tōhoku Shinkansen**Yamagata Shinkansen**Tōhoku Main Line**Ōu Main Line*AbukumaExpress** Abukuma Express Line*Fukushima Transportation** Iizaka Line-Layout:...
is the primary transportation hub of the city.
JR East
East Japan Railway Company
is the largest passenger railway company in the world and one of the seven Japan Railways Group companies. The company name is officially abbreviated as JR East in English, and as in Japanese. The company's headquarters are in Yoyogi, Shibuya, Tokyo....
provides local and regional rail service via the Tōhoku Main Line and the Ōu Main Line
Ou Main Line
The is a railway line in Japan, operated by the East Japan Railway Company . It runs from Fukushima Station in Fukushima, Fukushima through Akita Station in Akita, Akita to Aomori Station in Aomori, Aomori Prefecture...
and high-speed rail service via the Tōhoku Shinkansen
Tohoku Shinkansen
The is a Japanese high-speed Shinkansen rail line, connecting Tokyo with Aomori in Aomori Prefecture for a total length of 674 km, Japan's longest Shinkansen line. It runs through the more sparsely populated Tōhoku region of Japan's main island Honshu. It has two spur lines, Yamagata...
and Yamagata Shinkansen
Yamagata Shinkansen
The is a Mini-shinkansen route in Japan, operated by East Japan Railway Company . It provides service between Tokyo and Shinjō in Yamagata Prefecture over the tracks of the Tōhoku Shinkansen and the Ōu Main Line....
.
Fukushima Transportation
Fukushima Transportation
is a rail and bus transportation company headquartered in Fukushima City, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan.It operates the Iizaka Line rail line and an extensive bus network, which primarily serves the Nakadōri and northern section of the Hamadōri regions of Fukushima Prefecture.-Founding and initial...
runs the Iizaka Line commuter train, connecting the center of the city to Iizaka
Iizaka, Fukushima
was a town located in Date District, Fukushima, Japan. The town is situated in the north part of Fukushima City.As of April 1, 2006, the town has an estimated population of 23,314. Iizaka is best known for its many onsen, most notably Sabakoyu Onsen, a public bath located downtown and reminiscent...
in the north of the city.
AbukumaExpress operates the Abukuma Express Line
Abukuma Express Line
The is a railway line in Japan. It is owned and operated by AbukumaExpress. The line transits from Fukushima Station in Fukushima Prefecture to Tsukinoki Station in Miyagi Prefecture. Both of these stations are also on the Tōhoku Main Line.-Station list:...
, which takes a route following the Abukuma River
Abukuma River
The , with a length of 234 km, is the second longest river in the Tōhoku region of Japan and the 6th longest river in Japan. It runs through Fukushima Prefecture and Miyagi Prefecture, rising from springs in the peaks of the Nasu Mountains, collecting water from tributaries leaving the Ōu Mountains...
and connects the city to Miyagi Prefecture
Miyagi Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan in the Tōhoku Region on Honshu island. The capital is Sendai.- History :Miyagi Prefecture was formerly part of the province of Mutsu. Mutsu Province, on northern Honshu, was one of the last provinces to be formed as land was taken from the indigenous Emishi, and became the...
in the north.
Local
Local busTransit bus
A transit bus , also known as a commuter bus, city bus, or public bus, is a bus used for short-distance public transport purposes...
services throughout the city and region are primarily operated by Fukushima Transportation
Fukushima Transportation
is a rail and bus transportation company headquartered in Fukushima City, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan.It operates the Iizaka Line rail line and an extensive bus network, which primarily serves the Nakadōri and northern section of the Hamadōri regions of Fukushima Prefecture.-Founding and initial...
. Local bus service to the Kawamata
Kawamata, Fukushima
is a town located in Date District, Fukushima, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 17,248 and a density of 135.11 persons per km². The total area is 127.66 km²....
area is offered by both JR Bus Tōhoku and Kanehachi Taxi.
Intercity
Intercity busesIntercity bus
An intercity bus is a bus that carries passengers significant distances between different cities, towns, or other populated areas. Unlike a municipal bus, which has frequent stops throughout a city or town, an intercity bus generally has a single stop at a centralized location within the city, and...
are operated by a multitude of companies and link Fukushima to the cities of Iwaki
Iwaki, Fukushima
is a city located in the southern part of the Hamadōri coastal region of Fukushima Prefecture, Japan.A designated "core city", Iwaki is also one of the growing number of hiragana cities. Its area is 1,231.35 km², making it the 10th largest city in Japan...
, Aizuwakamatsu
Aizuwakamatsu, Fukushima
is a city located in the Aizu region of Fukushima Prefecture, Japan.As of May 2011, the city has an estimated population of 125,341. The total area is 383.03 km².-History:...
, Kōriyama
Koriyama, Fukushima
is a city in the center of the Nakadōri region of Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. As of May 2011, the city had an estimated population of 336,328. The total area is 757 km²....
within the prefectures and to the Sendai, Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Kinki areas outside the prefecture, among others.
Expressway
The Tōhoku ExpresswayTohoku Expressway
The is a national expressway in Japan. It is owned by Japan Expressway Holding and Debt Repayment Agency and operated by East Nippon Expressway Company.-Naming:Tōhoku refers to the Tōhoku region, the northernmost region on the island of Honshū....
passes through Fukushima and has multiple interchanges
Interchange (road)
In the field of road transport, an interchange is a road junction that typically uses grade separation, and one or more ramps, to permit traffic on at least one highway to pass through the junction without directly crossing any other traffic stream. It differs from a standard intersection, at which...
within the city.
National highways
There are six national highwaysNational highways of Japan
Japan has a nationwide system of distinct from the expressways. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and other government agencies administer the national highways. Beginning in 1952, Japan classified these as Class 1 or Class 2. Class 1 highways had one- or two-digit numbers, while...
that run from or through Fukushima.
- Japan National Route 4 runs to Tokyo in the south, through Fukushima, then north to Sendai and beyond.
- Japan National Route 13Japan National Route 13National Route 13 is a highway in Japan on the island of Honshū which runs from Fukushima City in Fukushima Prefecture to Akita City in Akita Prefecture.-Route Data:*Length: *Origin: Fukushima City...
begins in Fukushima, runs through Yamagata PrefectureYamagata Prefecture-Fruit:Yamagata Prefecture is the largest producer of cherries and pears in Japan. A large quantity of other kinds of fruits such as grapes, apples, peaches, melons, persimmons and watermelons are also produced.- Demographics :...
, then terminates in Akita PrefectureAkita Prefectureis a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku Region of northern Honshu, the main island of Japan. The capital is the city of Akita.- History :The area of Akita has been created from the ancient provinces of Dewa and Mutsu....
. - Japan National Route 114 starts in Fukushima and runs southeast to the town of NamieNamie, Fukushimais a town located in Futaba District, Fukushima, Japan.As of 2003, the town had an estimated population of 22,068 and a density of 98.92 persons per km². The total area is 223.10 km². The town was heavily damaged in the 11 March 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami and hastily evacuated shortly...
. - Japan National Route 115 runs through Fukushima, connecting SōmaSoma, Fukushimais a coastal city located in Fukushima, Japan, approximately 30 kilometers South of Sendai. Japan National Route 6 runs through Sōma, since 2001 augmented by the Route 6 Sōma Bypass, which runs up to 2 km East of the original route, around the city center....
in the east to InwashiroInawashiro, Fukushimais a town located in Yama District, Fukushima, Japan. Inawashiro rests on the shores of Lake Inawashiro, one of the largest lakes in Japan. During the Edo period, it was part of the Aizu domain, and was the home of Aizu's secondary castle town...
in the west. - Japan National Route 399 starts southeast of Fukushima in the city of Iwaki, FukushimaIwaki, Fukushimais a city located in the southern part of the Hamadōri coastal region of Fukushima Prefecture, Japan.A designated "core city", Iwaki is also one of the growing number of hiragana cities. Its area is 1,231.35 km², making it the 10th largest city in Japan...
, continues northwest through Fukushima, and terminates in the city of Nan'yō, Yamagata. - Japan National Route 459 begins in Niigata, NiigataNiigata, Niigatais the capital and the most populous city of Niigata Prefecture, Japan. It lies on the northwest coast of Honshu, the largest island of Japan, and faces the Sea of Japan and Sado Island....
, runs eastward through KitakataKitakata, Fukushimais a city located in Fukushima, in northern Honshū, Japan. Kitakata was once written '北方', which meant 'northern place'.As of May 2011, the city had an estimated population of 51,955. The total area is 554.67km².The city was founded on March 31, 1954....
, through Fukushima, southward to NihonmatsuNihonmatsu, Fukushimais a city located in Fukushima, Japan. As of May 2011, the city has an estimated population of 59,323. The total area is 344.65 km².The city was founded on October 1, 1958.-Geography:Nihonmatsu's Western border consists of the Adatara mountain range...
, then eastward to Namie.
Scenic toll road
The Bandai-Azuma SkylineBandai-Azuma Roadway
, also known as the , is a toll road in Fukushima Prefecture in the Tohoku region, of Honshu, Japan. It is managed by the .Opening in November 1959, the roadway was created to allow visitors to the Tohoku area sightseeing access to the Azuma Mountain Range. The project was part of a larger plan to...
runs up and along Mt. Azuma on the western edge of the city, connecting Takayu Onsen
Takayu Onsen
, also translated as Takayu Hot Spring, is an onsen resort city in the Zainiwasaka district of the city of Fukushima, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan...
and Tsuchiyu Onsen.
Airports
Fukushima is served by both Fukushima AirportFukushima Airport
, is an airport serving Sukagawa, a city in the Fukushima Prefecture of Japan. The airport is located southeast of Kōriyama Station in Kōriyama.A popular TV drama, Crying Out Love, In the Center of the World, was filmed there.-Airlines and destinations:...
in Sukagawa
Sukagawa, Fukushima
is a city located in the center of Fukushima, Japan. It is famous for both its peony garden , a national scenic beauty, and its torch festival which has been hereditary for over 400 years....
and Sendai Airport
Sendai Airport
is an airport located in Natori, Miyagi, south southeast of Sendai Station, Sendai, Japan.-History:In 1940, the Imperial Japanese Army built Sendai Airport in order to use it for the Kumakaya Army Flight School, Masda Branch School Trainee Training Center. It was called by several names: Natory...
in Natori, Miyagi
Natori, Miyagi
is a city located in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.As of 2010, the city has an estimated population of 72,757 and a population density of 727 persons per km². The total area is officially 100.07 km²....
.
However, despite Fukushima airport being in the same prefecture as Fukushima City, both airports are approximately the same distance from the city via road (approximately 70 km). Furthermore, as Sendai Airport is both more accessible via train and has more flights to more varied locations than Fukushima Airport, it's more common for Fukushima City residents to utilize the Sendai Airport.