Tuesday 1 May 2012

Fukushima - a weekend out of Tokyo



We are back from a weekend in Fukushima. I have been wanting to go for ages, long before the earthquake. The end of studies, the warmer weather, a long weekend, and a new battery in the motor bike provided a fortunate convergence and off we went. 


Hiro has been to Fukushima several time since the earthquake, not to the coast but in areas just in where there are large numbers of livestock producers. I've only passed through the area. Either on the shinkansen, changing trains at Fukushima city and Koriyama on seishun 18 trips, and passing through on the Joban Expressway on the motorbike. 
There were lots of reason to go. Aside from interest in seeing the area,  I also wanted to see how things are with respect to the tsunami, which caused a lot of damage in Fukushima.  And, I  wanted to go to the edge of the exclusion zone and see it for myself, and to try and get some kind of sense about how life has changed there and because the people remaining in the area need outside support re-establishing industry. And because Fukushima has become so stigmatised, it is a small gesture of showing solidarity with the people.

This is a rough outline of where we went.



5 comments:

Rurousha said...

Why did I think you were going next weekend? Ah, ignore me, I probably had another senior moment.

I'm looking forward to the rest of the trip report. I hope the tourists have returned to the region.

I'm hoping we'll get a chance to go fishing in northern Fukushima this summer, although it's a bit far for a Saturday/Sunday trip. We'll see.

Rurousha said...

PS: The Hero wants to see a photo of the motorbike. :)

Cecilia said...

Which part of Fukushima? There are some beautiful parts. The area on the Tadami sen is lovely. I am busting to go on the Ban'etsu sen which runs from Iwaki to Koriyama. It winds through really pretty country - there should be reasonable fishing along there somewhere ... Hiro used to fish a lot when he was at uni & school. I think I'd need a good book or an internet connection ;).

Will try & dig up a motor bike pic.

Rurousha said...

Where? The Hero will decide. I will follow obediently. :)

Have you been to the Bandai highlands? That's the part I'm ogling.

The harsh reality is that river fish in Fukushima have very high levels of contamination. I'm not so sure that fishing is still allowed everywhere.

PS: I need my camera and several books and lots of warm clothes. Us hot-blooded barbarians shiver easily in the high mountains, even in summer.

Cecilia said...

How admirably dutiful! ;)

I haven't been to Bandai. I really want to go. I have a friend in Niigata city and I've was toying with the idea of either meeting her there, or going that way on a seishun 18 ticket.

The contamination is so sad and so maddening at the same time.

I must be a barbarian too! My camera is unhappy these days - too much being dragged around, it's not focusing as well as it should be. A project for when I get back from Akita...