Tomioka, Fukushima
Encyclopedia
is a town
located in Futaba District, Fukushima
, Japan
.
As of 2003, the town has an estimated population
of 16,078 and a population density
of 234.82 persons per km². The total area is 68.47 km². The town is famous for having one of the longest cherry blossom tunnels in Japan. It has a friendship agreement with Auckland, New Zealand
, and a New Zealand teacher is sent to Tomioka every year to teach at the Junior and Elementary schools. Tomioka is the location for the Fukushima II Nuclear Power Plant
, owned by The Tokyo Electric Power Company
which provides a certain wealth to the town.
The town of Tomioka is divided into two main districts, each with their own train station. To the south is Tomioka, which is the main area. To the north, on top of the hill, is Yonomori, a smaller and much newer neighborhood. Though the two areas operate under one government, physical distance makes them feel like two separate towns.
Tomioka was severely affected by the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster
, and the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
on March 11, 2011. Besides sustaining considerable damage from the tsunami (which devastated the coastal area) and earthquake, the town was evacuated en masse on the morning of March 12 once the nuclear situation became clear. As it is well within the 20 kilometer radius around the damaged power plant
, residents are not allowed to return at the present time.
.
Refre is the most popular hot spring of the area. It is located in Yonomori (north of tomioka) some 300 meters from the Yonomori train station. Some events are also often held in this same building.
Iwaidonoyu is the other option. It is located in the mountains west of Tomioka and offers a more intimate setting. It is harder to reach this hot spring without a transport. The spring will often not be as crowded as in Yonomori and has a quieter atmosphere.
s in Tomioka - Tomioka 1st Elementary School and Tomioka 2nd Elementary School.
Towns of Japan
A town is a local administrative unit in Japan. It is a local public body along with prefecture , city , and village...
located in Futaba District, Fukushima
Futaba District, Fukushima
is a district located in Fukushima, Japan.As of 2003, the district has an estimated population of 75,220 and a density of 86.95 persons per km². The total area is 865.12 km².-Towns and villages:*Futaba*Hirono*Katsurao*Kawauchi*Namie*Naraha*Ōkuma...
, 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 2003, the town 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 16,078 and a population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
of 234.82 persons per km². The total area is 68.47 km². The town is famous for having one of the longest cherry blossom tunnels in Japan. It has a friendship agreement with Auckland, New Zealand
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, and a New Zealand teacher is sent to Tomioka every year to teach at the Junior and Elementary schools. Tomioka is the location for the Fukushima II Nuclear Power Plant
Fukushima II Nuclear Power Plant
The , or Fukushima Dai-ni , is a nuclear power plant located on a site in the town of Naraha and Tomioka in the Futaba District of Fukushima Prefecture, Japan...
, owned by The Tokyo Electric Power Company
The Tokyo Electric Power Company
, also known as or TEPCO, is an electric utility servicing Japan's Kantō region, Yamanashi Prefecture, and the eastern portion of Shizuoka Prefecture. This area includes Tokyo...
which provides a certain wealth to the town.
The town of Tomioka is divided into two main districts, each with their own train station. To the south is Tomioka, which is the main area. To the north, on top of the hill, is Yonomori, a smaller and much newer neighborhood. Though the two areas operate under one government, physical distance makes them feel like two separate towns.
Tomioka was severely affected by the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster
Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster
The is a series of equipment failures, nuclear meltdowns, and releases of radioactive materials at the Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant, following the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami on 11 March 2011. The plant comprises six separate boiling water reactors originally designed by General Electric ,...
, and the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
2011 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...
on March 11, 2011. Besides sustaining considerable damage from the tsunami (which devastated the coastal area) and earthquake, the town was evacuated en masse on the morning of March 12 once the nuclear situation became clear. As it is well within the 20 kilometer radius around the damaged power plant
Nuclear power plant
A nuclear power plant is a thermal power station in which the heat source is one or more nuclear reactors. As in a conventional thermal power station the heat is used to generate steam which drives a steam turbine connected to a generator which produces electricity.Nuclear power plants are usually...
, residents are not allowed to return at the present time.
Hayama shrine
The main shrine in Tomioka is Hayama shrine where a fire festival is held to pray for a good harvest. The shrine is known as "Number 33, the thirty-third shrine in a pilgrimage path which goes across the country.Tomioka Government office complex
This complex consists of three buildings connected by walkways and a mini park. The center building is home to the city government offices. On the left side of the complex is a building that houses a large auditorium and the city's public library. A small selection of English books is available upon request at the library, and they keep regular subscriptions to TIME Magazine and a weekly English-language newspaper. The right side of the complex features a small health center. The whole complex is located just north of where the Joban train line crosses Route 6 and is across the highway from the Tomioka Sports Center.Yonomori Park
This park is very popular in spring when the cherry blossoms are blooming. Many locals come to view the blossoms in the park and enjoy the festival atmosphere. During the Cherry Blossom Festival, there are many food, trinket, and game stalls.Tomioka Sports Center
Located between Route 6 and the ocean, this sports center boasts multiple tennis courts and a baseball field, among other attractions. The facilities can be rented by the hour for a very reasonable price. Some local sports clubs meet here.Refre
Located at the intersection of the two roads with cherry blossom tunnels, Refre (リフレ) is a popular meeting place. Its facilities include a conference room with seating and catering for hundreds of people, a hotel, a fitness center, a hot spring, one indoor heated pool for lap swimming, and one indoor/outdoor pool for general use, though the second pool is closed during the winter months.Tomioka Beach
During the summer months leading up to Obon, there is a beach open for public swimming. After Obon, however, the beach is closed due to the large population of jellyfish. The beach is a short distance from Tomioka station.Hot Springs
Tomioka also offers a choice of hot springsHot Springs
Hot Springs may refer to:* Hot Springs, Arkansas** Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas*Hot Springs, California**Hot Springs, Lassen County, California**Hot Springs, Modoc County, California**Hot Springs, Placer County, California...
.
Refre is the most popular hot spring of the area. It is located in Yonomori (north of tomioka) some 300 meters from the Yonomori train station. Some events are also often held in this same building.
Iwaidonoyu is the other option. It is located in the mountains west of Tomioka and offers a more intimate setting. It is harder to reach this hot spring without a transport. The spring will often not be as crowded as in Yonomori and has a quieter atmosphere.
Restaurants
- Rokumeikan (鹿鳴館), located kiddy-corner to Super-Center
- Fuji Ramen, located on the south side of Tomioka on Route 6, is famous for its "Negi Ramen".
- Hama Yu (浜遊), located in the Yonomori Tom-とむ complex, is an udon restaurant that also offers tempura and rice bowls.
Yonomori Sakura Festival
In early April, there is a Sakura Festival in Yonomori, which the town is famous for. Cars will line up as far back as 3 km in order to drive under one of the three cherry blossom canopies in town. During the day there are festivities such as traditional music and dancing, and at night, the sakura canopies are illuminated by hundreds of ground-mounted lights. Because of this festival and the illumination, Tomioka is considered one of the top places in all of Japan for viewing cherry blossoms.Elementary schools
There are two elementary schoolElementary school
An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...
s in Tomioka - Tomioka 1st Elementary School and Tomioka 2nd Elementary School.