48 hour experience in Fukushima, Japan

Fukushima has everything that visitors to Japan hope to experience such as hot springs, castles, old townscapes, beautiful scenery, and great cuisine. Then, if you have 48 hours in Fukushima, what will you do?

Ouchi-juku in Shimogo

This old post town was once located on the road that connected parts of Tohoku with the shogunal mausoleums of Nikko in Tochigi Prefecture. Even today, the village is remarkably preserved, making visitors feel as if they have stepped back into the Edo Period. The few dozen houses double as craft shops and small eateries, many of which serve miso-slathered rice dumplings or handmade soba noodles. The best view of the town comes from the viewpoint near the hillside shrine.

TEPCO Decommissioning Archive Center

You may be worried about the current Fukushima’s condition after the disaster in 2011 and get to know what happened at that time. Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) opened the museum related to the decommissioning TEPCO Decommissioning Archive Center in Tomioka Town, which was designated as a No-Go zone, in 2018. The museum introduces what happened with the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in 2011 and the process leading to the present status of the plant.

Tonohetsuri Bridge

Tonohetsuri, a name from the old Aizu dialect that means “cliff overlooking a river”, certainly lives up to its name. The natural landmark is comprised of a 200-meter long series of cliffs that have been weathered into unique shapes over the centuries. The forest along the cliffs is a popular spot to catch the autumn foliage. A bridge leads from across the river to the cliffs themselves, though recent flood activity has made much of the old walking route impassable.

Sky Walk at Fudosawa Bridge

Another exciting adventure to do in Fukushima is to witness the heaven walk on Fudosawa Bridge. Being located on the way to Azuma-Kofuji, the bridges give you a great opportunity to have an enchanting view of Fukushima. You can experience the ample nature’s beauty in this prefecture through this amazing view. This adventure will be a great therapy for your mind as well to get an ultimate relaxation.

Noguchi Museum

Even if you do not recognize Hideyo Noguchi’s name, you have surely seen his face,  on the ¥1000 bill. In Fukushima, you can visit the Noguchi Memorial Hall to learn about what earned this man his place on Japan’s currency. Among other accomplishments, Noguchi worked to develop the first vaccine to guard against yellow fever and discovered the agent responsible for causing syphilis. Noguchi’s work earned him a Nobel nomination. The memorial hall also encompasses part of Noguchi’s Meija-era home.

Tsurugajo Castle

Arguably Tohoku’s most impressive castle, Tsuruga is often remembered for its role in Japan’s Boshin Civil War, when it was one of the last remaining samurai strongholds. It was destroyed in the conflict, but rebuilt in the 1960s and now houses an interesting history museum. The castle roof is the only one of its kind to use red tiles. The grounds of Tsuruga-jo are an excellent place to catch Tohoku’s cherry blossoms in mid-April; the view from atop the outer walls is particularly impressive.

Goshikinuma Lake

Goshikinuma, or the “five-colored marshes”, are a series of ponds and lakes located in the highlands of Bandai-Asahi National Park. The multi-colored lakes were formed after an eruption in 1887 caused aluminum and silicone to leach into the newly-created bodies of water. Algae and iron oxide later lent even more distinctive hues. A hike leads from the Urabandai Visitors’ Center around a dozen of the lakes, fit individuals can easily walk the route in an hour.

See more: Lost in the dreamy beauty of Fukushima, Japan

Source Internet