Fukushima Prefecture

(July 31, 2011) Almost everyone reading this week’s Kameoka Corner will recognize the name Fukushima after the destructive earthquake and tsunami on May 11 that heavily damaged the Fukushima nuclear power plant. The power plant gets its name from the fact that it’s in Fukushima Prefecture that lies along the Pacific coast northeast of Tokyo. The prefecture is Japan’s third largest and extends west from the Pacific coast about three-fourths of the way across the island of Honshu toward the Sea of Japan. Although one of the largest prefectures, it’s been one of the least heavily populated for many years and now is likely to remain lightly populated for many years.  Although not blessed with a host of major tourist attractions, there are certainly things for tourists to see. Like every prefecture in Japan, there are mountains and hot springs. The best known mountain, actually a volcano, is Mt Bandai which last erupted in 1888 creating a large alpine plateau on its north slope which is covered with beautiful lakes and streams and attracts quite a number of tourists. Near Fukushima City, the capital of the prefecture, is Mt. Azuma, also a volcano. In the spring when snow begins to melt on the mountainside a place protected from the sun where the snow melts more slowly leaves an area of snow in the shape of a rabbit. It’s called by locals the seed-sowing rabbit and is a reminder to the local farmers that it’s seed planting time.  The city of Aizu-Wakamatsu with its 700 year old Tsuruga Castle is probably the prefecture’s primary tourist destination. It’s a nice city and a nice castle.