is the capital
city
A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...
of
Fukushima Prefecture,
Japan. It is located in the northern part of the
Nakadōri
is a region comprising the middle third of Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. It is sandwiched between the regions of Aizu to the west and Hamadōri
is the easternmost of the three regions of Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, the other two being Nak ...
, central region of the prefecture. , the city has an estimated population of 283,742 in 122,130 households and a
population density
Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical ...
of . The total area of the city is .
The present-day city of Fukushima partially consists of most of the former
Shinobu and
Date
Date or dates may refer to:
*Date (fruit), the fruit of the date palm (''Phoenix dactylifera'')
Social activity
*Dating, a form of courtship involving social activity, with the aim of assessing a potential partner
** Group dating
*Play date, a ...
Districts and a portion of the former
Adachi District. The city is located in the
Fukushima Basin's southwest area and nearby mountains.
There are many
onsen on the outskirts of the city, including the resort areas of
Iizaka Onsen,
Takayu Onsen, and
Tsuchiyu Onsen
is a hot spring resort located approximately 16 kilometers west of the city centre of Fukushima, Fukushima, Japan. It is near the source and built along the shores of the Arakawa River, at the foot of Mt. Azuma.
Water
The majority of Tsuchiyu ...
. Fukushima is also the location of the
Fukushima Race Course, the only
Japan Racing Association
The Japan Racing Association ( ja, 日本中央競馬会 Nippon Chūō Keiba Kai, or JRA) is a public company established to operate Chūō Keiba (中央競馬 Central horse racing) and to manage racecourses, betting facilities, and horse-training ...
horse racing track in the
Tōhoku region
The , Northeast region, or consists of the northeastern portion of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. This traditional region consists of six prefectures (''ken''): Akita, Aomori, Fukushima, Iwate, Miyagi, and Yamagata.
Tōhoku reta ...
of Japan.
Geography
Fukushima is located in the central northeast section of Fukushima Prefecture, approximately east of
Lake Inawashiro
is the fourth-largest lake in Japan, located in central Fukushima Prefecture, south of Mount Bandai. It is also known as the . The lake is located within the borders of Bandai-Asahi National Park. It is a surface area of , circumference of , dept ...
, north of
Tokyo
Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and List of cities in Japan, largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, ...
, and about south of Sendai. It lies between the
Ōu Mountains
The are a mountain range in the Tōhoku region of Honshū, Japan. The range is the longest range in Japan and stretches south from the Natsudomari Peninsula of Aomori Prefecture to the Nasu volcanoes at the northern boundary of the Kantō ...
to the west and the
Abukuma Highlands
The or Abukuma Mountains is a highland area of Japan that extends from the southern part of Miyagi Prefecture to the eastern part of Fukushima Prefecture and then to the northern part of Ibaraki Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan locat ...
to the east. Most of the city is within the southeast area and nearby mountains of the Fukushima Basin.
Mt. Azuma and
Mt. Adatara loom over the city from the west and southwest, respectively
In the north, Fukushima is adjacent to the
Miyagi Prefecture cities of
Shiroishi and
Shichikashuku. In the northwest, Fukushima borders the
Yamagata Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region of Honshu. Yamagata Prefecture has a population of 1,079,950 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of 9,325 km² (3,600 sq mi). Yamagata Prefecture borders Akita Prefecture to the nor ...
cities of
Yonezawa
Yonezawa City Hall
is a city in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 81,707 in 33,278 households, and a population density of 150 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Yonezawa is most famous for ...
and
Takahata. Within Fukushima Prefecture, to the west of Fukushima is the town of
Inawashiro
is a town located in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 13,810 in 5309 households, and a population density of 35 persons per km². The total area of the town was . It is noted as the birthplace of the famous ...
, to the south is
Nihonmatsu
is a city in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. , the city has an estimated population of 54,013 in 20,179 households, and a population density of 160 persons per km2. The total area of the city was . The Adachi neighborhood of Nihonmatsu was the bir ...
, to the east are
Kawamata and
Date
Date or dates may refer to:
*Date (fruit), the fruit of the date palm (''Phoenix dactylifera'')
Social activity
*Dating, a form of courtship involving social activity, with the aim of assessing a potential partner
** Group dating
*Play date, a ...
, and to the northeast is
Koori
Koori (also spelt koorie, goori or goorie) is a demonym for Aboriginal Australians from a region that approximately corresponds to southern New South Wales and Victoria. The word derives from the Indigenous language Awabakal. For some people ...
.
Terrain
The Fukushima Basin is created by the surrounding Ōu Mountains in the west and the Abukuma Highlands in the east, with the
Abukuma River flowing through the center of the basin, from south to north. Multiple
tributaries
A tributary, or affluent, is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream or main stem (or parent) river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries and the main stem river drain the surrounding drainag ...
to the Abukuma River source in the Ōu Mountains before flowing down into Fukushima, namely the
Surikami,
Matsukawa, and
Arakawa rivers. These rivers flow eastward through the western side of the city until joining up with the Abukuma River in the central parts of the city. The irrigation from these rivers were formerly used for the cultivation of
mullberry trees; however, in the latter half of the 20th century cultivation was switched from focusing on mullberry trees, and instead growing a variety of fruit orchards.
The highest point within the city limits is
Mt. Higashi-Azuma, a peak of Mt. Azuma, located on the western edge of the city. The lowest point is the neighborhood of , which is in the northeastern part of the city and has an elevation of . Mt. Shinobu, a
monadnock, lies in the southeastern section of the Fukushima Basin and is a symbol of the city.
The Abukuma River flows north–south through the central area of Fukushima and joins with many tributaries on its journey through the city. The Arakawa River originates from Mt. Azuma and flows eastward, eventually flowing into the Abukuma River near the city center. The Matsukawa River, which flows eastward from its origin in Mt. Azuma and also joins with the Abukuma River in the northern part of the city. Another major tributary of the Abukuma River is the Surikami River, which originates along the Fukushima-Yamagata prefectural border near the Moniwa area in the northwest of the city. From there it flows into Lake Moniwa, a
reservoir
A reservoir (; from French ''réservoir'' ) is an enlarged lake behind a dam. Such a dam may be either artificial, built to store fresh water or it may be a natural formation.
Reservoirs can be created in a number of ways, including contro ...
created by the
Surikamigawa Dam. From there it continues flowing southeast before meeting up with the Abukuma River in northern Fukushima, thus completing its run.
Other tributaries of the Abukuma River which flow within Fukushima are the , , , , , , , , and rivers. The also flows through the city and is a tributary of the , which itself is also a tributary of the Abukuma River, however the Oguni River doesn't meet up with the Hirose River until the district of
Date
Date or dates may refer to:
*Date (fruit), the fruit of the date palm (''Phoenix dactylifera'')
Social activity
*Dating, a form of courtship involving social activity, with the aim of assessing a potential partner
** Group dating
*Play date, a ...
, outside of the Fukushima city limits.
There are multiple lakes in the area of Fukushima that falls within
Bandai-Asahi National Park
is a national park in the Tōhoku region, Honshū, Japan. The park site straddles over Fukushima Prefecture, Yamagata Prefecture, and Niigata Prefecture. The park was designated as a national park on September 5, 1950. The park encompasses ...
. , also called is a
caldera lake located in Mt. Azuma's Mt. Issaikyō peak. The lake is so-named due its water color changing in relation to weather conditions. and are also located in Bandai-Asahi National Park.
In the
Tsuchiyu area in the western part of the city lie the small lakes of , , and . In the neighborhood of lies . is in the neighborhood.
Neighbouring municipalities
*Fukushima Prefecture
**
Nihonmatsu
is a city in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. , the city has an estimated population of 54,013 in 20,179 households, and a population density of 160 persons per km2. The total area of the city was . The Adachi neighborhood of Nihonmatsu was the bir ...
,
Date
Date or dates may refer to:
*Date (fruit), the fruit of the date palm (''Phoenix dactylifera'')
Social activity
*Dating, a form of courtship involving social activity, with the aim of assessing a potential partner
** Group dating
*Play date, a ...
**
Date District –
Koori
Koori (also spelt koorie, goori or goorie) is a demonym for Aboriginal Australians from a region that approximately corresponds to southern New South Wales and Victoria. The word derives from the Indigenous language Awabakal. For some people ...
,
Kawamata
**
Yama District –
Inawashiro
is a town located in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 13,810 in 5309 households, and a population density of 35 persons per km². The total area of the town was . It is noted as the birthplace of the famous ...
*
Yamagata Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region of Honshu. Yamagata Prefecture has a population of 1,079,950 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of 9,325 km² (3,600 sq mi). Yamagata Prefecture borders Akita Prefecture to the nor ...
**
Yonezawa
Yonezawa City Hall
is a city in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 81,707 in 33,278 households, and a population density of 150 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Yonezawa is most famous for ...
,
Takahata
*
Miyagi Prefecture
**
Shiroishi,
Shichikashuku
Climate
Under the
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
, Fukushima has a
humid subtropical climate. There is often a large temperature and weather difference between central Fukushima versus the mountains on the edge of the city. The hottest month tends to be August, with an average high of in central Fukushima, at an elevation of , while Tsuchiyu Pass on the western edge of the city and at an elevation of has an average August high of . The coldest month tends to be January, with an average low of in central Fukushima and on Tsuchiyu Pass.
On average, central Fukushima receives of precipitation annually and receives or more of precipitation on 125.2 days per year. An average of of snow falls annually, with 22.9 days receiving or more of snow. An average of of snow falls in January, making it the snowiest month. Central Fukushima also receives an average of 1,738.8 hours of sunshine per year, significantly more than the 1,166.5 hours received at Tsuchiyu Pass.
Population
Fukushima has the third-highest population in the prefecture, behind the cities of
Iwaki, with 377,288, and
Kōriyama
is a city in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. , the city has an estimated population of 322,996 people in 141760 households, and a population density of 430 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Kōriyama is designated as a core city an ...
, with 336,328.
This makes Fukushima the only prefectural capital in Japan that is the third-largest city in the prefecture.
The Fukushima
metropolitan area had a May 2011 estimated population of 452,912 and consisted of the towns and cities of
Nihonmatsu
is a city in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. , the city has an estimated population of 54,013 in 20,179 households, and a population density of 160 persons per km2. The total area of the city was . The Adachi neighborhood of Nihonmatsu was the bir ...
,
Date
Date or dates may refer to:
*Date (fruit), the fruit of the date palm (''Phoenix dactylifera'')
Social activity
*Dating, a form of courtship involving social activity, with the aim of assessing a potential partner
** Group dating
*Play date, a ...
,
Kunimi,
Koori
Koori (also spelt koorie, goori or goorie) is a demonym for Aboriginal Australians from a region that approximately corresponds to southern New South Wales and Victoria. The word derives from the Indigenous language Awabakal. For some people ...
,
Kawamata, and Fukushima. It is the second most populous metropolitan area in Fukushima Prefecture, with the Kōriyama metropolitan area being the largest with a population of 553,996.
The Fukushima metropolitan area is also the sixth-largest metropolitan area in the Tōhoku region.
History
Jōmon period to 11th century AD
In
ancient Japan
The first human inhabitants of the Japanese archipelago have been traced to prehistoric times around 30,000 BC. The Jōmon period, named after its cord-marked pottery, was followed by the Yayoi period in the first millennium BC when new invent ...
, the area now known as Fukushima City was called . The mountain in the middle of the city, present-day
Mt. Shinobu, was also formerly called .
During the
Jōmon period, for around 2,000 years there was a large settlement on the eastern bank of the
Abukuma River. This area has since been excavated and named the
Miyahata Site.
In the 5th century AD, was appointed by the to be the , giving him control over the Fukushima Basin.
Under the
Nara period
The of the history of Japan covers the years from CE 710 to 794. Empress Genmei established the capital of Heijō-kyō (present-day Nara). Except for a five-year period (740–745), when the capital was briefly moved again, it remained the c ...
's
Ritsuryō
, , is the historical law system based on the philosophies of Confucianism and Chinese Legalism in Japan. The political system in accord to Ritsuryō is called "Ritsuryō-sei" (律令制). ''Kyaku'' (格) are amendments of Ritsuryō, ''Shiki'' ...
system, stations were established along the
Seven Circuits so that officials could change horses. One of the stations, the
Tōsandō
is a Japanese geographical term. It means both an ancient division of the country and the main road running through it. It is part of the ''Gokishichidō'' system. It was situated along the central mountains of northern Honshu, specifically th ...
, passed through the area of present-day Fukushima, and Minekoshi Station was established on the route. Minekoshi Station was located south of the
Surikami River and north of the
Matsukawa River, which at the time flowed to the south of Mt. Minekoshi. The area south of the Matsukawa River was then, as it still is now, known as . Thus it is believed that the station was located north of the area around the present-day prefectural office, in the .
The implementation of the Ritsuryō system also resulted in administrative changes, with the area of present-day Fukushima and
Date
Date or dates may refer to:
*Date (fruit), the fruit of the date palm (''Phoenix dactylifera'')
Social activity
*Dating, a form of courtship involving social activity, with the aim of assessing a potential partner
** Group dating
*Play date, a ...
being combined to form the district of Shinobu. This was the northernmost point of the
Mutsu Province and held responsibility for preventing the southern expansion of the
Emishi, a people who lived in northern
Honshū.
After 718, and the widening influence of the Yamato Imperial Court, Mutsu Province was expanded northwards into present-day
Miyagi Prefecture. Along with this redrawing of boundaries, present-day Fukushima Prefecture was separated from the new Mutsu Province (approximately present-day Miyagi) and split between the newly formed provinces of
Iwaki in the east and
Iwase in the west. However, by 724 Mutsu Province was unable to deal on its own with the economic costs of holding back the Emishi, so Iwaki and Iwase provinces were merged back into Mutsu.
In the first half of the 10th century, the Date district was separated from the Shinobu district. As a reform to the tax on rice, labor, and textiles, there was a nationwide effort from the Imperial Court to split up
districts so they each had approximately the same population. This was accomplished both through administrative changes and forced population relocations. With Mutsu Province viewed as reclaimed land by the Imperial Court, the area saw a significant amount of reorganization.
In the late
Heian period
The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. It followed the Nara period, beginning when the 50th emperor, Emperor Kanmu, moved the capital of Japan to Heian-kyō (modern Kyoto). means "peace" in Japanese ...
, almost the entirety of the
Tōhoku region
The , Northeast region, or consists of the northeastern portion of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. This traditional region consists of six prefectures (''ken''): Akita, Aomori, Fukushima, Iwate, Miyagi, and Yamagata.
Tōhoku reta ...
was ruled by the
Northern Fujiwara clan. Relatives of the Northern Fujiwara clan, the was given domain over nearly the entirety of present-day Fukushima Prefecture's centrally-located
Nakadōri
is a region comprising the middle third of Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. It is sandwiched between the regions of Aizu to the west and Hamadōri
is the easternmost of the three regions of Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, the other two being Nak ...
area and eventually expanded their control to include
Aizu to the west as well. It is said that the Shinobu Satō clan is one of the reasons for the
Satō
is the most common Japanese surname, often romanized as Sato, Satoh or Satou. A less common variant is . Notable people with the surname include:
*, Japanese actress and voice actress
*, Japanese actress
*, Japanese judoka
*, Japanese writer
* ...
surname spreading throughout and eventually becoming the most common surname in Japan.
12th century to 18th century
In 1180,
Minamoto no Yoshitsune
was a military commander of the Minamoto clan of Japan in the late Heian and early Kamakura periods. During the Genpei War, he led a series of battles which toppled the Ise-Heishi branch of the Taira clan, helping his half-brother Yoritomo conso ...
, was accompanied by Shinobu district residents and on his way south to
Kantō to fight the
Taira clan
The Taira was one of the four most important clans that dominated Japanese politics during the Heian, Kamakura and Muromachi Periods of Japanese history – the others being the Fujiwara, the Tachibana, and the Minamoto. The clan is divi ...
in the
Genpei War.
In 1413, shut himself inside in defiance of the
Kamakura kubō. This is the first known historical mention of Daibutsu Castle, which was near the confluence of the Abukuma and
Arakawa rivers at the present-day location of the Fukushima Prefectural Offices. It is said that the castle was named after the , a
Vairocana Buddha
Vairocana (also Mahāvairocana, sa, वैरोचन) is a cosmic buddha from Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism. Vairocana is often interpreted, in texts like the ''Avatamsaka Sutra'', as the dharmakāya of the historical Gautama Buddha. In East ...
statue kept within the castle. The castle was also known as .
It is believed that in this time period the area's name was changed from Minekoshi to to reflect the concentration of political power in the area.
During the
Azuchi–Momoyama period
The was the final phase of the in Japanese history from 1568 to 1600.
After the outbreak of the Ōnin War in 1467, the power of the Ashikaga Shogunate effectively collapsed, marking the start of the chaotic Sengoku period. In 1568, Oda Nobuna ...
, in 1591
Gamō Ujisato
or Gamō Yasuhide was a Japanese ''daimyō'' of the Sengoku and Azuchi–Momoyama periods. He was heir and son of Gamō Katahide, lord of Hino Castle in Ōmi Province, he later held Matsusaka ( Ise Province) and finally Aizuwakamatsu Castle i ...
gained control of the Shinobu and Date districts, and under him took control of , which was in the southwest of present-day Fukushima. The following year he moved from Ōmori Castle to Suginome Castle. It is said that, inspired by the recent renaming of to the more joyous-sounding , he changed the name of his new residence to .
This castle, like many others in Japan, was later demolished at the beginning of the Meiji period.
In 1600,
Date Masamune and
Honjō Shigenaga
was a Japanese Samurai who lived from the Azuchi–Momoyama period through to the Edo period. Shigenaga served the Uesugi clan and was known for his betrayal against them. He held the court title '' Echizen no kami''.
Biography
Shigenaga fo ...
, who was under the
Uesugi clan
The is a Japanese samurai clan which was at its peak one of the most powerful during the Muromachi and Sengoku periods (14th to 17th centuries). Appert, Georges. (1888) ''Ancien Japon,'' p. 79./ref> At its height, the clan had three main branch ...
and head of
Fukushima Castle
was a Japanese castle that formed the administrative center of Fukushima Domain, a feudal domain of the Itakura clan, located in the center of what is now the city of Fukushima in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. Nothing remains of the castle t ...
at the time, fought the . At the time, the Matsukawa River flowed in a different riverbed than it does now, as the current Matsukawa River is north of Mt. Shinobu, while the Matsukawa River at the time of the battle flowed south of Mt. Shinobu. It is said that the Battle of Matsukawa's battlefield extended from the southern base of Mt. Shinobu and extended into the center of modern-day Fukushima. In 1664 the Uesugi clan lost control of the Shinobu district, and the area became directly ruled by the
Tokugawa shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate (, Japanese 徳川幕府 ''Tokugawa bakufu''), also known as the , was the military government of Japan during the Edo period from 1603 to 1868. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)"''Tokugawa-jidai''"in ''Japan Encyclopedia ...
.
In 1702, the
Fukushima Domain
was a '' fudai'' feudal domain under the Tokugawa shogunate of Edo period Japan, located in southern Mutsu Province. It was centered on Fukushima Castle in what is now the city of Fukushima in Fukushima Prefecture. For the majority of its histo ...
was established and governed from Fukushima Castle, and in 1787, the was established in the present-day Sakurashimo area in the western part of Fukushima. This domain was later abolished in 1823.
19th century
On November 17, 1868, , the head of the Fukushima Domain, surrendered to the
Satchō Alliance
The , or was a powerful military alliance between the feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū formed in 1866 to combine their efforts to restore Imperial rule and overthrow the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan.
History
The name ''Satchō'' () is ...
and handed over control of Fukushima Castle to . The Fukushima Domain was abolished the following year. In line with the
abolition of domains and introduction of the prefecture system, the first iteration of Fukushima Prefecture came into being on August 29, 1871. The prefecture at the time consisted of the Shinobu, Date, and
Adachi districts.
With permission from the
Ministry of the Treasury
The (lit. the department of the great treasury) was a division of the eighth-century Japanese government of the Imperial Court in Kyoto, instituted in the Asuka period and formalized during the Heian period. The Ministry was replaced in the Mei ...
, on September 10, 1871, the village of changed its name to the town of . Fukushima Prefecture was absorbed into Nihonmatsu Prefecture on November 2nd, making Nihonmatsu Prefecture consist of approximately the entirety of the Nakadōri area. On November 14th, Nihonmatsu Prefecture's name was changed to Fukushima Prefecture. Fukushima City was named the prefecture's capital.
Nearly five years later, on August 21, 1876, Fukushima Prefecture merged with (consisting of the coastal
Hamadōri
is the easternmost of the three regions of Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, the other two being Nakadōri in the central area of the prefecture and Aizu in the west. Hamadōri is bordered by the Abukuma Highlands to the west and the Pacific Ocea ...
area) and (consisting of Aizu in the west), thus creating present-day Fukushima Prefecture. Fukushima continued to serve as the prefecture's capital. In 1879, the Shinobu district's government offices were moved to Fukushima.
On November 3, 1881, , which generally followed a portion of the old
Ushū Kaidō
The was a subroute of the Ōshū Kaidō and the Sendaidō in Japan. It breaks off from the Sendaidō at Kōri-juku in the modern-day Koori in Fukushima Prefecture. It connects to Aburakawa-juku along Matsumaedō, the other subroute of the Ōshū ...
, was opened and linked Fukushima to
Yonezawa
Yonezawa City Hall
is a city in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 81,707 in 33,278 households, and a population density of 150 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Yonezawa is most famous for ...
, approximately 45 km to the northwest. On December 15, 1887, the section of the
Tōhoku Main Line
The Tōhoku Main Line ( ja, 東北本線, ) is a long railway line in Japan operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East). The line starts from Tokyo Station in Chiyoda, Tokyo and passes through such cities as Saitama, Utsunomiya, Fuku ...
running through Fukushima, connecting
Kōriyama Station in the south to
Iwakiri Station
is a junction railway station in Miyagino-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan, operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East). The station also has a freight depot for the Japan Freight Railway Company (JR Freight).
Lines
Iwakiri station is served by ...
in the north, was opened. In Fukushima, this saw the opening of
Fukushima Station and
Matsukawa Station.
In 1888, there was a large-scale merger of municipalities. In the Date district, the village of absorbed the village of , the villages of and merged to form the village of , the villages of and merged to form the village of . In the Adachi district, the village of absorbed the village of . In the Shinobu district, the village of became the town of . The Shinobu district reduced one
town
A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world.
Origin and use
The word "town" shares an ori ...
and 70
villages
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town (although the word is often used to describe both hamlets and smaller towns), with a population typically ranging from a few hundred to ...
down to two towns and 26 villages.
1890 saw the opening of the , which was the predecessor of
Fukushima Medical University. On March 19, 1893, Mt. Azuma's Mt. Issaikyō peak erupted, and on May 15, 1899, Fukushima was linked to Yonezawa by rail via the opening of the , part of the present-day
Ōu Main Line
The is a railway line in Japan, operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East). It connects Fukushima Station through Akita Station to Aomori Station. Since the opening of the Yamagata Shinkansen on July 1, 1992, the Fukushima–Yama ...
. The opening of
Niwasaka Station corresponded with the opening of the line. Also in 1899, a
Bank of Japan branch was established in Fukushima, the bank's first branch in the Tōhoku region.
20th century
Turn of the century to end of World War II
On April 1, 1907, the town of Fukushima officially became the
city
A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...
of . It was the second municipality in the prefecture and 59th in the nation to become a city. At the time, Fukushima had a population of 30,000.
On April 14, 1908, the opened a
light rail system that connected to via . Also in 1908, the opened.
On June 28, 1918, the
Fukushima Race Course held its first horse race. On August 30 of the same year, rice riots occurred in the city.
On April 13, 1924, the Fukushima Iizaka Electric Tramway, precursor to the present-day
Iizaka Line, began service linking
Fukushima Station to Iizaka Station (present-day
Hanamizuzaka Station). Three years later, in 1927, the line was extended further north to its present-day terminus of
Iizaka Onsen Station. 1927 also saw the opening of and with it the prefecture's first elevator. In 1929 the Fukushima City Library closed and the opened in its place, taking over the Fukushima City Library's collections and facilities. 1929 also saw the beginning of bus service within the city.
In 1937, a section of the village of was absorbed into Fukushima, and in 1939 took over , changed its name to , and moved its head office to Fukushima. This was the precursor to the present-day .
In 1941,
NHK
, also known as NHK, is a Japanese public broadcaster. NHK, which has always been known by this romanized initialism in Japanese, is a statutory corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee.
NHK operates two terrestr ...
opened its first broadcast station in the city.
Near the end of
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
, in which Japan had initiated wars with a number of Pacific powers to create the
Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere
The , also known as the GEACPS, was a concept that was developed in the Empire of Japan and propagated to Asian populations which were occupied by it from 1931 to 1945, and which officially aimed at creating a self-sufficient bloc of Asian peo ...
, on July 20, 1945, a
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...
Boeing B-29 Superfortress bombed the Watari area.
Post-war
In 1946,
Toho Bank moved its head office to Fukushima, on June 18, 1947 became Fukushima Medical University, and on March 7, 1948, the Fukushima Prefecture Police Department was dismantled and the Fukushima City Police formed.
On April 27, 1948, at 12:04 am, a train on the
Ōu Main Line
The is a railway line in Japan, operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East). It connects Fukushima Station through Akita Station to Aomori Station. Since the opening of the Yamagata Shinkansen on July 1, 1992, the Fukushima–Yama ...
bound for
Ueno
is a district in Tokyo's Taitō Ward, best known as the home of Ueno Park. Ueno is also home to some of Tokyo's finest cultural sites, including the Tokyo National Museum, the National Museum of Western Art, and the National Museum of Na ...
derailed upon exiting a tunnel between
Akaiwa and
Niwasaka stations, killing three crew members. Upon inspection of the crash scene it was determined that someone had removed from the track two connecting plates, six
spikes
The SPIKES protocol is a method used in clinical medicine to break bad news to patients and families. As receiving bad news can cause distress and anxiety, clinicians need to deliver the news carefully. By using the SPIKES method for introducing a ...
, and four bolts. The perpetrator was never found. This became known as the
Niwasaka incident.
On August 17, 1949, at 3:09 am the
Matsukawa incident occurred. In a scene highly reminiscent of the scene from the previous year's Niwasaka incident, a train bound for
Ueno
is a district in Tokyo's Taitō Ward, best known as the home of Ueno Park. Ueno is also home to some of Tokyo's finest cultural sites, including the Tokyo National Museum, the National Museum of Western Art, and the National Museum of Na ...
derailed, killing three crew members. Inspection of the tracks revealed that connecting plates and spikes had been removed. Furthermore, a section of rail had been moved from the track. No one was ever convicted of the crime. 1949 also saw the opening of
Fukushima University
, abbreviated to , is a national university in Japan. The main campus is located in Kanayagawa, Fukushima City, Fukushima Prefecture
Fukushima Prefecture (; ja, 福島県, Fukushima-ken, ) is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku r ...
.
In 1952, a new city hall was opened in the neighborhood. The Seventh
National Sports Festival of Japan
The is the national premier sports event of Japan. It consists of three stages. The skating and ice hockey stage takes place in January, the skiing stage takes place in February, and the main Autumn tournament takes place in September and Octob ...
was also held in the city, and in 1954 the present-day Fukushima Prefectural Office's main wing was completed and the Fukushima City Police were integrated into the Fukushima Prefecture Police. In March 1959 NHK began television broadcasts. Later that year, on May 11, the
Bandai-Azuma Skyline tourist roadway opened.
In January 1966, the Kitamachi
Route 4 bypass was completed, and on May 29 the on
Route 13 was opened.
The very first was held on August 1, 1970. In the festival participants parade a large ''
waraji
() are light tie-on sandals, made from (usually straw) ropemaking fibers, that were the standard footwear of the common people in Japan.
Use
resemble other forms of traditional Japanese footwear, such as zori and geta, with a few key diffe ...
'' straw sandal through the streets of Fukushima. Two months later, on November 1, Route13's . The
Iizaka East Line was shut down on April 12, 1971, leaving the Iizaka Line the only remaining railway operated by
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 Hamadō ...
. The same year Fukushima Prefectural Office's west wing was completed, making it, at the time, the tallest building in the prefecture. The section of the
Tōhoku Expressway
The is a south-north national expressway, and the longest expressway in Japan at . Its southern terminus is in Kawaguchi, Saitama in the Greater Tokyo Area, at the Tokyo Gaikan Expressway and Kawaguchi Route near Araijuku Station, and its no ...
linking
Kōriyama
is a city in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. , the city has an estimated population of 322,996 people in 141760 households, and a population density of 430 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Kōriyama is designated as a core city an ...
in the south to
Shiroishi in the north, via Fukushima, opened on April 1, 1975. The
Tōhoku Shinkansen
The is a Japanese high-speed Shinkansen rail line, connecting Tokyo with Aomori in Aomori Prefecture in a route length of , making it Japan's longest Shinkansen line. It runs through the more sparsely populated Tōhoku region of Japan's main ...
opened on June 23, 1982, and connected
Ōmiya Ōmiya 大宮 is a Japanese word originally used for the imperial palace or shrines, now a common name, and may refer to:
People
*Ōmiya (surname), a Japanese surname
*Ōmiya, or is a female character in ''The Tale of Genji'', an 11th-century nove ...
in the south to
Morioka
is the capital city of Iwate Prefecture located in the Tōhoku region of northern Japan. On 1 February 2021, the city had an estimated population of 290,700 in 132,719 households, and a population density of . The total area of the city is .
G ...
in the north, via Fukushima.
The Route 4 South Bypass opened on November 11, 1983, and the
Fukushima Prefectural Museum of Art
is a museum located in Fukushima City, at the base of Mount Shinobu. It shares a campus of over 60,000 square meters with Fukushima Prefectural Library. The two facilities were established together in July, 1984. However, the museum maintains i ...
and Prefectural Library were completed on July 22, 1983. Fukushima hosted the first
East Japan Women's Ekiden road relay race on November 24, 1985.
On August 4 and 5 of 1986 the Abukuma River and its tributaries flooded due to Nakdōri receiving from of rain from a
typhoon
A typhoon is a mature tropical cyclone that develops between 180° and 100°E in the Northern Hemisphere. This region is referred to as the Northwestern Pacific Basin, and is the most active tropical cyclone basin on Earth, accounting for a ...
. Cities and towns along the Abukuma River and its tributaries, Fukushima included, suffered 11 people killed or injured, and damage to 14,000 buildings.
Later that year, on September 13, the
Fukushima Azuma Stadium was completed. The
Abukuma Express Line, a railway line linking Fukushima to
Marumori
is a towns of Japan, town located in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 13,092, and a population density of 48 persons per km² in 5,050 households. The total area of the town is .
Geography
Marumori is located ...
in the north, began operations on July 1, 1988, and on November 12, the
Yūji Koseki
was a Japanese ''ryūkōka'', '' gunka'', march, fight song and film score composer. His real name was also Yūji Koseki, but its kanji was 古關 勇治.
Koseki entered Nippon Columbia in 1930. He composed Hanshin Tigers' song "Rokko Oroshi" i ...
Memorial Museum was opened.
The Fukushima Mutual Bank changed its name to Fukushima Bank in February 1989, and on September 27
Route 115's was opened. On July 1, 1992, the
Yamagata Shinkansen
The is a Mini-shinkansen route in Japan, operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East). It provides service between Tokyo and Shinjō in Yamagata Prefecture over the tracks of the Tohoku Shinkansen and the Ōu Main Line.
The term Yamag ...
opened, connecting Fukushima to
Yamagata. In 1995, the 50th
National Sports Festival of Japan
The is the national premier sports event of Japan. It consists of three stages. The skating and ice hockey stage takes place in January, the skiing stage takes place in February, and the main Autumn tournament takes place in September and Octob ...
was held, primarily at Azuma Sports Park in the west of the city.
The dam completion ceremony for the
Surikamigawa Dam in the Moniwa area was held on September 25, 2005.
April 1, 2007 was the 100th anniversary of Fukushima becoming a city, and to celebrate, a festival was held on June 30. ''Dashi'' representing the former towns and villages that make up modern-day Fukushima paraded and gathered in front of Fukushima Station.
During the
Great Heisei Merger, Fukushima and the towns of
Kawamata and
Iino held merger talks, however on December 1, 2006, Kawamata withdrew from the talks. Negotiations between Fukushima and Iino continued, and on July 1, 2008, the town of Iino was incorporated into Fukushima.
21st century
On January 4, 2011, Fukushima officially opened a new city hall to replace the previous one built in 1952. The new city hall, as was the previous one, is located in Gorōuchi-machi, next to
National Route 4 in the center of the city.
On March 11, 2011, the
2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
The occurred at 14:46 JST (05:46 UTC) on 11 March. The magnitude 9.0–9.1 (M) undersea megathrust earthquake had an epicenter in the Pacific Ocean, east of the Oshika Peninsula of the Tōhoku region, and lasted approximately six mi ...
occurred, with the earthquake causing ruptures in multiple water mains originating from the Surikamigawa Dam, which supplies much of the city's water. This resulted in the majority of the city losing access to running water. Train services were also stopped due to damage caused to railway infrastructure. The Iizaka Line reopened two days later on March 13, and on March 31 the
Yamagata Shinkansen
The is a Mini-shinkansen route in Japan, operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East). It provides service between Tokyo and Shinjō in Yamagata Prefecture over the tracks of the Tohoku Shinkansen and the Ōu Main Line.
The term Yamag ...
resumed limited service and the
Ōu Main Line
The is a railway line in Japan, operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East). It connects Fukushima Station through Akita Station to Aomori Station. Since the opening of the Yamagata Shinkansen on July 1, 1992, the Fukushima–Yama ...
resumed full service. By April 7 the
Tōhoku Main Line
The Tōhoku Main Line ( ja, 東北本線, ) is a long railway line in Japan operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East). The line starts from Tokyo Station in Chiyoda, Tokyo and passes through such cities as Saitama, Utsunomiya, Fuku ...
was reopened in both directions, however it was closed again following a
strong earthquake later that night. The Tōhoku Main Line was again reopened in both directions from Fukushima on April 17. The
Tōhoku Shinkansen
The is a Japanese high-speed Shinkansen rail line, connecting Tokyo with Aomori in Aomori Prefecture in a route length of , making it Japan's longest Shinkansen line. It runs through the more sparsely populated Tōhoku region of Japan's main ...
reopened with limited service on April 23, and the
Abukuma Express Line resumed limited service from Fukushima on April 28.
On April 1, 2018, Fukushima City became a
core city
In urban planning, a core city, principal city metropolitan core, or central city, is the largest or most important city or cities of a metropolitan area. A core city is surrounded by smaller satellite cities, towns, and suburbs. A central city ...
.
Government
Fukushima has a
mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a
unicameral
Unicameralism (from ''uni''- "one" + Latin ''camera'' "chamber") is a type of legislature, which consists of one house or assembly, that legislates and votes as one.
Unicameral legislatures exist when there is no widely perceived need for multi ...
city legislature of 35 members. The city also contributes eight members to the Fukushima Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, most of the city falls within the Fukushima 1st district, a single-member constituency of the
House of Representatives
House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entitles. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often c ...
in the national
Diet of Japan, which also includes the cities of
Date
Date or dates may refer to:
*Date (fruit), the fruit of the date palm (''Phoenix dactylifera'')
Social activity
*Dating, a form of courtship involving social activity, with the aim of assessing a potential partner
** Group dating
*Play date, a ...
,
Sōma,
Minamisōma
is a city located in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 53,462 in 26,355 households, and a population density of 130 persons per km². The total area of the city is .
Geography
Minamisōma is located in northe ...
and
Date District and
Sōma District.
Economy
As of 2005, the total income of all citizens of Fukushima totalled trillion. Of this income, 0.8% was made in the
primary sector
The primary sector of the economy includes any Industry (economics), industry involved in the extraction and production of raw materials, such as farming, logging, fishing, forestry and mining.
The primary sector tends to make up a larger portio ...
, 24.1% in the
secondary sector
In macroeconomics, the secondary sector of the economy is an economic sector in the three-sector theory that describes the role of manufacturing. It encompasses industries that produce a finished, usable product or are involved in constructi ...
, and 80.1% in the
tertiary sector
The tertiary sector of the economy, generally known as the service sector, is the third of the three economic sectors in the three-sector model (also known as the economic cycle). The others are the primary sector (raw materials) and the second ...
.
Income in the primary sector was led by that from agriculture, which totaled . The secondary sector was led by general manufacturing, with income there totaling billion. The service industry led the tertiary sector with a total income of billion.
Company headquarters located within Fukushima include that of
Toho Bank,
Fukushima Bank The Fukushima Bank Ltd. (株会社福島銀行 ''Kabushiki-gaisha Fukushima Ginkō'') is a Japanese regional bank headquartered in Fukushima City, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an is ...
, and
Daiyu Eight.
Agriculture
The majority of Fukushima's
agricultural economic output is from planting
crops. As of 2010, out of a total agricultural monetary yield of billion, crops accounted for billion and
livestock
Livestock are the domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to provide labor and produce diversified products for consumption such as meat, eggs, milk, fur, leather, and wool. The term is sometimes used to refer solely to animal ...
accounted for billion. Of crops planted in Fukushima,
fruit
In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants that is formed from the ovary after flowering.
Fruits are the means by which flowering plants (also known as angiosperms) disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particu ...
comprises 60% of monetary yield,
rice
Rice is the seed of the grass species '' Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice) or less commonly ''Oryza glaberrima'' (African rice). The name wild rice is usually used for species of the genera '' Zizania'' and '' Porteresia'', both wild and domesticat ...
13%,
vegetables
Vegetables are parts of plants that are consumed by humans or other animals as food. The original meaning is still commonly used and is applied to plants collectively to refer to all edible plant matter, including the flowers, fruits, stems ...
12%, and other various crops round out the final 15%. For livestock, both
milk
Milk is a white liquid food produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals (including breastfed human infants) before they are able to digest solid food. Immune factors and immune-modula ...
and
chicken
The chicken (''Gallus gallus domesticus'') is a domesticated junglefowl species, with attributes of wild species such as the grey and the Ceylon junglefowl that are originally from Southeastern Asia. Rooster or cock is a term for an adu ...
led production with values of million each.
Fruits by far make up the largest value of crops grown in Fukushima, led by an annual production of 14,935 tons of
apple
An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple trees are cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus ''Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, where its wild ancestor, ' ...
s, 13,200 tons of
Japanese pears, and 11,517 tons of
peach
The peach (''Prunus persica'') is a deciduous tree first domesticated and cultivated in Zhejiang province of Eastern China. It bears edible juicy fruits with various characteristics, most called peaches and others (the glossy-skinned, non-f ...
es. While Fukushima produces more apples and pears than peaches, as a percentage of national fruit production, in 2010 Fukushima produced 8.2% of all peaches grown in the country, compared to 5.1% of all Japanese pears and 2.3% of all apples. When the neighboring cities of
Date
Date or dates may refer to:
*Date (fruit), the fruit of the date palm (''Phoenix dactylifera'')
Social activity
*Dating, a form of courtship involving social activity, with the aim of assessing a potential partner
** Group dating
*Play date, a ...
,
Kunimi and
Koori
Koori (also spelt koorie, goori or goorie) is a demonym for Aboriginal Australians from a region that approximately corresponds to southern New South Wales and Victoria. The word derives from the Indigenous language Awabakal. For some people ...
, all of which are also in the Fukushima Basin, are taken into effect, the Fukushima metro area produced 20.1% of all peaches grown in Japan in 2010.
The city is known for its many
peach
The peach (''Prunus persica'') is a deciduous tree first domesticated and cultivated in Zhejiang province of Eastern China. It bears edible juicy fruits with various characteristics, most called peaches and others (the glossy-skinned, non-f ...
,
pear
Pears are fruits produced and consumed around the world, growing on a tree and harvested in the Northern Hemisphere in late summer into October. The pear tree and shrub are a species of genus ''Pyrus'' , in the family Rosaceae, bearing the po ...
,
apple
An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple trees are cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus ''Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, where its wild ancestor, ' ...
, and
cherry orchards which are located throughout the city, especially along the so-called road that loops the western edge of the city. Fukushima is also sometimes known as the .
Industry
In 2009 Fukushima's industries directly employed 18,678 workers and shipped ¥671 billion worth of goods. This was led by information-related industries with 50.5% of total output. Other industries in Fukushima include those dealing with food at 7.6% of total output, metals at 7.5%, chemistry at 5.3%, ceramics at 4.9%, electricity at 4.5%, printed goods at 2.8%, steel at 2.5%, plastics at 2.5%, and electronics at 2.2%. Other various industries make up the final 9.8%.
In 2009, the value of goods shipped by Fukushima's industries comprised 14.2% of all of Fukushima Prefecture's total output for the year.
Commerce
For the year of 2007,
wholesale
Wholesaling or distributing is the sale of goods or merchandise to retailers; to industrial, commercial, institutional or other professional business users; or to other wholesalers (wholesale businesses) and related subordinated services. In ...
products sold in Fukushima totalled billion and employed 6,645 workers, while
retail sales for the same time period totalled billion, and employed 18,767 workers. Total combined sales of both retail and wholesale products in 2007 came to billion, approximately a quarter less than sales in 1997 a decade prior.
Transportation
Due to Fukushima having long been the junction of the
Ōshū Kaidō
The was one of the five routes of the Edo period. It was built to connect Edo (modern-day Tokyo) with Mutsu Province and the present-day city of Shirakawa, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. It was established by Tokugawa Ieyasu for government offic ...
and
Ushū Kaidō
The was a subroute of the Ōshū Kaidō and the Sendaidō in Japan. It breaks off from the Sendaidō at Kōri-juku in the modern-day Koori in Fukushima Prefecture. It connects to Aburakawa-juku along Matsumaedō, the other subroute of the Ōshū ...
routes, it has developed into an important transportation hub. It is currently the location of where
National Route 13 breaks off from
National Route 4.
Fukushima Station is where the
Ōu Main Line
The is a railway line in Japan, operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East). It connects Fukushima Station through Akita Station to Aomori Station. Since the opening of the Yamagata Shinkansen on July 1, 1992, the Fukushima–Yama ...
separates from the
Tōhoku Main Line
The Tōhoku Main Line ( ja, 東北本線, ) is a long railway line in Japan operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East). The line starts from Tokyo Station in Chiyoda, Tokyo and passes through such cities as Saitama, Utsunomiya, Fuku ...
and the
Tōhoku Shinkansen
The is a Japanese high-speed Shinkansen rail line, connecting Tokyo with Aomori in Aomori Prefecture in a route length of , making it Japan's longest Shinkansen line. It runs through the more sparsely populated Tōhoku region of Japan's main ...
separates from the
Yamagata Shinkansen
The is a Mini-shinkansen route in Japan, operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East). It provides service between Tokyo and Shinjō in Yamagata Prefecture over the tracks of the Tohoku Shinkansen and the Ōu Main Line.
The term Yamag ...
.
Railway
In addition to the Tōhoku and Yamagata shinkansen,
JR East also provides service from Fukushima Station on the
Tōhoku Main Line
The Tōhoku Main Line ( ja, 東北本線, ) is a long railway line in Japan operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East). The line starts from Tokyo Station in Chiyoda, Tokyo and passes through such cities as Saitama, Utsunomiya, Fuku ...
and
Ōu Main Line
The is a railway line in Japan, operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East). It connects Fukushima Station through Akita Station to Aomori Station. Since the opening of the Yamagata Shinkansen on July 1, 1992, the Fukushima–Yama ...
routes. Fukushima Station is north of Tokyo via the Tōhoku Main Line, which then continues north to
Morioka Station
Morioka Station ( ja, 盛岡駅, ) is a railway station in Morioka, Iwate Prefecture, Japan. It is operated by JR East.
Lines
Morioka Station is a major junction station, and is served by both the Tōhoku Shinkansen and the Akita Shinkansen. I ...
. The Ōu Main Line originates at Fukushima Station then runs north to
Aomori Station
is a railway station in the city of Aomori in Aomori Prefecture, Japan. The station has been operating since September 1891, though the most recent station building, which consists of three island platforms connected to the station building by a ...
, taking a more western route than the Tōhoku Main Line. Train services are also provided by
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 Hamadō ...
and
AbukumaExpress, which respectively run the
Iizaka Line and the
Abukuma Express Line. The Iizaka Line is a commuter train which connects the center of the city to
Iizaka in the north of the city. The
Abukuma Express Line takes a route following the
Abukuma River and connects the city to
Miyagi Prefecture in the north.
*
East Japan Railway Company (JR East) -
Tōhoku Shinkansen
The is a Japanese high-speed Shinkansen rail line, connecting Tokyo with Aomori in Aomori Prefecture in a route length of , making it Japan's longest Shinkansen line. It runs through the more sparsely populated Tōhoku region of Japan's main ...
/
Yamagata Shinkansen
The is a Mini-shinkansen route in Japan, operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East). It provides service between Tokyo and Shinjō in Yamagata Prefecture over the tracks of the Tohoku Shinkansen and the Ōu Main Line.
The term Yamag ...
** Station in the city:
*
JR East -
Tohoku Main Line
** - - - -
*
JR East -
Ōu Main Line
The is a railway line in Japan, operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East). It connects Fukushima Station through Akita Station to Aomori Station. Since the opening of the Yamagata Shinkansen on July 1, 1992, the Fukushima–Yama ...
(Yamagata Line)
** - - -
*
AbukumaExpress -
Abukuma Express Line
** - - - -
*
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 Hamadō ...
-
Iizaka Line
** -
Soneda -
Bijutsukantoshokanmae -
Iwashiroshimizu -
Izumi -
Kamimatsukawa -
Sasaya -
Sakuramizu -
Hirano -
Iohji-mae -
Hanamizuzaka -
Iizaka Onsen
Highway
For automobile traffic, Fukushima is linked to Tokyo in the south and
Aomori in the north via the
Tōhoku Expressway
The is a south-north national expressway, and the longest expressway in Japan at . Its southern terminus is in Kawaguchi, Saitama in the Greater Tokyo Area, at the Tokyo Gaikan Expressway and Kawaguchi Route near Araijuku Station, and its no ...
, which passes through Fukushima and has multiple
interchanges
Interchange may refer to:
Transport
* Interchange (road), a collection of ramps, exits, and entrances between two or more highways
* Interchange (freight rail), the transfer of freight cars between railroad companies
* Interchange station, a rai ...
within the city. There are six
national highways
National Highways, formerly the Highways Agency and later Highways England, is a government-owned company charged with operating, maintaining and improving motorways and major A roads in England. It also sets highways standards used by all f ...
that run from or through Fukushima.
Japan National Route 4
is a major national highway in eastern Honshū, Japan. Measuring it is the longest highway in the country. When oversea routes are included, it is the second longest highway in Japan, with National Route 58 then measuring because of its mar ...
runs to Tokyo in the south, through Fukushima, then north to Sendai and beyond;
Japan National Route 13
is a highway in Japan on the island of Honshū which runs from Fukushima in Fukushima Prefecture to Akita in Akita Prefecture.
Route data
*Length:
*Origin: Fukushima (originates at junction with Route 4)
*Terminus: Akita (ends at Junction wi ...
begins in Fukushima, runs through
Yamagata Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region of Honshu. Yamagata Prefecture has a population of 1,079,950 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of 9,325 km² (3,600 sq mi). Yamagata Prefecture borders Akita Prefecture to the nor ...
, then terminates in
Akita Prefecture;
Japan National Route 114 starts in Fukushima and runs southeast to the town of
Namie;
Japan National Route 115
National Route 115 is a national highway of Japan connecting Sōma, Fukushima and Inawashiro, Fukushima in Japan, with a total length of 109.7 km (68.16 mi).
History
Route 115 was originally designated on 1 April 1953 from Hirashi ...
runs through Fukushima, connecting
Sōma in the east to
Inwashiro in the west;
Japan National Route 399 starts southeast of Fukushima in the city of
Iwaki, Fukushima
is a city located in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. , Iwaki had a population of 337,765 in 143,500 households, and population density of 270 persons per km2. The total area of the city is , making it the largest city in the prefecture and the 10th ...
, continues northwest through Fukushima, and terminates in the city of
Nan'yō, Yamagata; and
Japan National Route 459
National Route 459 is a national highway of Japan connecting Chūō-ku, Niigata and Namie, Fukushima
is a town located in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. the town has a population of 1,238 in 794 households, although the official registered p ...
begins in
Niigata, Niigata
is a city located in the northern part of Niigata Prefecture (). It is the capital and the most populous city of Niigata Prefecture, and one of the cities designated by government ordinance of Japan, located in the Chūbu region of Japan. I ...
, runs eastward through
Kitakata, through Fukushima, southward to
Nihonmatsu
is a city in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. , the city has an estimated population of 54,013 in 20,179 households, and a population density of 160 persons per km2. The total area of the city was . The Adachi neighborhood of Nihonmatsu was the bir ...
, then eastward to Namie.
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Also within the city is the
Bandai-Azuma Skyline scenic toll road, which runs up and along
Mt. Azuma on the western edge of the city, connecting
Takayu Onsen and
Tsuchiyu Onsen
is a hot spring resort located approximately 16 kilometers west of the city centre of Fukushima, Fukushima, Japan. It is near the source and built along the shores of the Arakawa River, at the foot of Mt. Azuma.
Water
The majority of Tsuchiyu ...
.
Local bus services throughout the city and region are primarily operated by
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 Hamadō ...
. Local bus service to the
Kawamata area is offered by both
JR Bus Tōhoku
is an operator of inter-city and regional bus lines based in the Tōhoku region of Japan. A subsidiary of the East Japan Railway Company (JR East) group, JR Bus Tohoku is one of eight JR Bus companies within Japan Railways Group (JR Group). Outli ...
and
Kanehachi Taxi. Intercity buses are operated by a multitude of companies and link Fukushima to the cities of
Iwaki,
Aizuwakamatsu
is a city in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 118,159 in 50,365 households, and a population density of 310 persons per km2. The total area of the city was .
Geography
Aizuwakamatsu is located in the west ...
, and
Kōriyama
is a city in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. , the city has an estimated population of 322,996 people in 141760 households, and a population density of 430 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Kōriyama is designated as a core city an ...
within the prefectures and to the
Sendai,
Tokyo
Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and List of cities in Japan, largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, ...
, and
Kinki
The or the , lies in the southern-central region of Japan's main island Honshu, Honshū. The region includes the Prefectures of Japan, prefectures of Nara Prefecture, Nara, Wakayama Prefecture, Wakayama, Kyoto Prefecture, Kyoto, Osaka Prefectur ...
areas outside the prefecture, among others.
Airports
There is no commercial airport within the city limits. For air transportation, Fukushima is served by both
Fukushima Airport
is an airport serving northern and central Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, located in the city of Sukagawa. The airport is located southeast of Kōriyama Station in Kōriyama.
History
Fukushima Airport was conceived in the late 1970s, and pla ...
in the city of
Sukagawa
270px, Sukagawa City Hall
is a city located in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 76,251 in 38824 households, and a population density of 270 persons per km2. The total area of the city was .
Geography
Sukagaw ...
and
Sendai Airport
is an international airport located in the city of Natori, Miyagi, south southeast of Sendai metropolis, Sendai, Japan. The airport is alternatively referred to as .
History
In 1940, the Imperial Japanese Army built Sendai Airport in order ...
in
Natori, Miyagi
is a Cities of Japan, city located in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 79,459 in 31,748 households, and a population density of 810 persons per km². The total area of the city is .
Geography
Natori is in eas ...
.
Education
In addition to libraries and museums, Fukushima is home to many facilities for
higher,
secondary, and
primary education
Museums located in Fukushima include the ,
the ,
the ,
and the .
Fukushima is also the location of the
Fukushima Prefectural Museum of Art
is a museum located in Fukushima City, at the base of Mount Shinobu. It shares a campus of over 60,000 square meters with Fukushima Prefectural Library. The two facilities were established together in July, 1984. However, the museum maintains i ...
, located near
Bijutsukantoshokanmae Station. The museum houses 2,200 works, including
French Impressionism
Impressionism was a 19th-century art movement characterized by relatively small, thin, yet visible brush strokes, open composition, emphasis on accurate depiction of light in its changing qualities (often accentuating the effects of the passage ...
, 20th century
American realism
American Realism was a style in art, music and literature that depicted contemporary social realities and the lives and everyday activities of ordinary people. The movement began in literature in the mid-19th century, and became an important te ...
,
Japanese modern paintings,
prints,
earthenwares,
ceramics
A ceramic is any of the various hard, brittle, heat-resistant and corrosion-resistant materials made by shaping and then firing an inorganic, nonmetallic material, such as clay, at a high temperature. Common examples are earthenware, porcelain ...
and
textiles.
Fukushima operates 19 libraries and library branches throughout the city, and is also home to the Fukushima Prefectural Library, which is administered by Fukushima Prefecture and is adjacent to the Fukushima Prefectural Museum of Art.
Institutes of higher learning that are located in Fukushima include
Fukushima University
, abbreviated to , is a national university in Japan. The main campus is located in Kanayagawa, Fukushima City, Fukushima Prefecture
Fukushima Prefecture (; ja, 福島県, Fukushima-ken, ) is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku r ...
,
Fukushima Medical University,
Fukushima College, and
Sakura no Seibo Junior College.
Senior high schools
Senior high schools in Fukushima are operated by both Fukushima Prefecture and private companies.
Junior high schools
Most junior high schools within the city are operated by the Fukushima City Board of Education, however two junior high schools are privately operated, and one, Fukushima University Attached Junior High School, is a national school run by Fukushima University.
Elementary schools
The Fukushima City Board of Education operates the majority of elementary schools in the city. However, Fukushima University operates a single national elementary school while Sakura no Seibo operates a private elementary school.
Special assistance schools
Various special assistance schools for the blind, handicapped, and other general disabilities are operated by Fukushima University, Fukushima Prefecture, and Fukushima City.
Sports
The city is home to the
Fukushima Azuma Baseball Stadium, which was an Olympic venue at the Tokyo
2020 Summer Olympics
The , officially the and also known as , was an international multi-sport event held from 23 July to 8 August 2021 in Tokyo, Japan, with some preliminary events that began on 21 July.
Tokyo was selected as the host city during the 1 ...
.
Fukushima United football club play at the athletic
Toho Stadium
is an athletic stadium in Fukushima, Fukushima, Japan.
It was formerly known as Azuma Athletic Stadium. Since May 2013 it has been called Toho Stadium for the naming rights by Toho Bank
is a Japanese regional bank headquartered in Fukushi ...
. The city's third professional team is basketball
Japanese Second Division club
Fukushima Firebonds.
Notes
References
*
External links
Official Website
Fukushima City Tourism and Convention Association official website
Fukushima City Tourism and Convention Association official website
{{Authority control
Cities in Fukushima Prefecture