Plan your trip

The following resources will assist you in planning your trip to Fukushima Prefecture. From reaching Fukushima from other parts of Japan and basic access information about moving between cities, to some cultural guides to inspire your travel plans, find what you need in this section.

Practical Information

Access

Access Fukushima

Learn how to reach Fukushima from various central hubs including Tokyo, Sendai, and Osaka.
Getting there

Getting around Fukushima

Fukushima has so much to offer in the way of sights and activities; and its several train lines, both JR and private, will help you have travel around Fukushima with ease.
Safety in Fukushima

Safety in Fukushima

Plan and travel with peace of mind by understanding the latest situation in the eastern parts of Fukushima, affected by the 2011 earthquake.
Accessibility in Fukushima

Accessibility in Fukushima

Find out how the Fukushima Barrier-Free Tour Center can help provide accessibility support on your next trip to Fukushima prefecture.

Fukushima in Detail

Traditional Food

Local Foods of Fukushima

Fukushima is home to unique varieties of local foods and flavors which make the most of seasonal ingredients.
Fukushima Crafts

Fukushima Crafts

Fukushima has a proud heritage of traditional arts and crafts. Don’t miss out on the chance to learn more about them. (They make great souvenirs!)
Fruits of Fukushima

Fruits of Fukushima

Fukushima is renowned for its delicious fruits. Visitors can experience fruit-picking at a variety of facilities across the prefecture.
Cherry Blossom

Fukushima Cherry Blossom Guide

Every year, from early April to mid-May, you can enjoy cherry blossoms all over Fukushima.

Downloadable Brochures

Browse our selection of tourism guides and pamphlets – available in PDF format and free to download

Useful Information

  2. Useful Information

    Persimmon Paradise in Date City!

    Here you can drive though fields of endless persimmons...  [photo id="8NK4Ft04Z1mDZvU0r2r64E7Wzk9bh5C1hjb4g4Ee.jpg"] At first you might think that someone has hung thousands of lanterns, such a romantic sight might be expected in a town named Date City... but these are actually persimmons! Acres and acres of persimmon trees grow around the Date City area. On top of that nearly every home in the area has hundreds, even thousands, of persimmons hanging from their rafters or in open air pavilions. Dried persimmons are, apparently, a specialty in Date City. [photo id="xxD2KYbrKMwaWgF4JQcv0dVCdjksZizgBhFj0QO6.jpg"] These fruits are turned into delicious semi-dried fruits that you’ve got to try! They are so good. The outer skin firms up like fruit leather and the insides sweeten and become gelatinous in texture. If you have ever tried a "gusher," these are like giant gushers that are naturally sweet.  [photo id="SkTAsX5Y6lzNZNmB7cGQeDJPkgZpKgoWTNc2nxaU.jpg"] The practice of hanging persimmons at home is still practiced by some Japanese people, however it can be a bit difficult and time consuming. Fortunately for everyday people (who lack both time and skill) the farmers of Date City make and sell plenty of these delicious treats!  [photo id="GC6ytlZkIgEykso4rVPDoVaagwfgQaWdzS2JdInR.jpg"] Those who hang persimmons for commercial use use a special method that they learned from California raisin makers, this is how they maintain their brilliant color! It was cool to find a connection to my home country in such a cute rural town.

    Persimmon Paradise in Date City!
  3. Useful Information

    5 reasons to go River Trekking in Tadami Town

    1. Safely explore the river and forest with a local guide! The river and trail are unmarked, but luckily there are local guides that are affordable and available to guide you! Even if you don’t speak Japanese, guides can help you through the trail with gestures and a little bit of English. Hiring a local guide is a really great way to support the community and meet some of the interesting people that live in this area. [photo id="pGJ902ZKtwsLnTdAjDTHVsbtSI9dCYVyjQXLrA2O.jpg"] 2. Experience the Japanese tradition of forest bathing or forest therapy. The vibrant greenery, relaxing sounds of the river, and immersion and nature are sure to relax you. [photo id="zNTrPRwKvdSjlX53PYs0FL0K5IowcWyr3juhRKX5.jpg"] 3. You can see unique plants and fungi!  The forests and mountains of Tadami Town are home to an extremely diverse population of plants, animals and fungi. Some of the unique mushrooms are yet to be fully documented and studied so it is not uncommon for research group to visit this beautifully biodiverse environment! [photo id="EU7A3JrubjDe37jBuYKkfixV6hwlTSuHalNk4SZt.jpg"]  4. Search for traces of the past…  On the trees you can find some graffiti from former students of the Mori no Bunko Fuzawa forest school who carved their names into the trees! Now those kids are a lot older, and the letters have been stretched out as the trees have grown. It’s fun to search the trees for these carvings. Even if you can't spot them yourself, your guide will be sure to point the carvings out to you! [photo id="Sk2NSlb8JucCHFQO94Zf0LvOMlGx42I0fB9C69zF.jpg"] 5. Enjoy local produce cooled in the river! There are some natural pockets in the stone waterfall and river bed that are perfect for cooling a drink or snack. So, bring some local fruits or vegetables and let them cool while you take pictures, then enjoy a refreshing treat. We ate some locally grown tomatoes, they were so sweet and delicious!  [photo id="0jBGsOqS8pVAshJeWCpJaSi3maMvZPVlw6z4c73U.jpg"] You can experience river trekking by contacting the Mori no Bunko Fuzawa by phone(Japanese only) or email(Any language via Google Translate). [photo id="JLsRj9xhGkolkxBXaicAQ3taR93nOiidJlrJvM4Q.jpg"]

    5 reasons to go River Trekking in Tadami Town
  4. Useful Information

    The Sunken Village of Hibara

    The mystery beneath the surface of Lake Hibara...  Today, if you visit Lake Hibara, you’ll see a beautiful lake with pebble beaches and forested banks. In winter the lake freezes over, making it a popular destination for ice fishing! However, beneath the surface of the water, or ice, lies traces of the areas mysterious past. [photo id="EWlj1fV3dlQd9imiUrrqYNJlldYn0HqPSPpMX84U.jpg"] Prior to 1888, this was the location of Hibara Village, a small but lively village surrounded by rivers and natural beauty. The last trace of the village’s existence is a partially submerged set of Torii gates and a set of stairs that leads up to Ooyama Sumi Shrine.  So what happened?  I visited the Mt. Bandai Eruption Memorial Museum to learn more and speak to Mr. Satou, a local expert on volcanoes and the area surrounding Mt. Bandai and the . He showed us an old map of Hibara Village, pointing at the spot where his great great grandfather’s home once stood. At the center, you can even see some rare photographs from people evacuating the village back in 1888.  [photo id="giEYs64a7qcZQM5a4Th3LkozyeiMXF4XzkrUFtSU.jpg"] Today there are one two peaks on Mt. Bandai, however, there used to be three. On July 15th, 1888, on a beautiful summer day the Kobandai peak of Mt. Bandai suddenly erupted, changing the landscape forever. When Kobandai exploded, that side of the mountain collapsed into the valley below, burying entire villages and homes under 100 meters of mountain. Although some managed to escape, around 500 lives were claimed beneath the volcano. [photo id="0NZ6pRNp8kCUK4MPLzWkFk2m8AesdPL47I1IRDBi.jpg"] The environment beneath the fallen mountain peak, known as the Urabandai area, was changed forever. Rivers and streams that once covered the area changed dramatically, lakes and ponds began to form, these bodies of water became known as the Goshikinuma Lakes and Ponds due to their unique colors. This is also how Lake Hibara was formed. Fortunately, for the people of Hibara village there were no casualties! However, people had to quickly evacuate and relocate to surrounding villages and towns when it became clear that the water would not recede.  [photo id="pWPgUiV6EXu7EJAvX9pP7MEbcTI8n04IUAW0v7Hk.jpg"] An ever changing natural environment. Visiting today is safe, thankfully, today we have tools that allow us to predict when volcanoes will erupt that give us time to evacuate. Although it is a tragedy that so many lost their homes or lives to the eruption, we can also be reminded of the enormous power of nature. Despite the destruction that the eruption caused, it also gave birth to new, unique habitats for indigenous plants and animals, creating unique new landscapes for us to discover. Visit the sunken village of Lake Hibara, and explore the other lakes and ponds of the Urabandai area! [photo id="g4Wbr1kK0UDGKZwGZMPITgqdabhXNMKBRxaw3Vem.jpg"]

    The Sunken Village of Hibara
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