11years after the Great East Japan Earthquake and the Future.
(Projects in Futaba Town)
Futaba Town
Futaba Town is located in the eastern part of Fukushima Prefecture facing the Kashima Coast. It is a town boasting of rich nature embraced by the ocean and mountains, with the Pacific Ocean to the east and the Abukuma Mountains to the west. It has a relatively mild climate and little snow accumulation in winter, making it a distinctively comfortable place to live even as it is part of the Tohoku Region.
March 11, 2011: The Great East Japan Earthquake
Futaba Town suffered great damage, including 20 persons lost and one person missing in the tsunami. The accident at the Tokyo Electric Power Company’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station also forced all residents to evacuate from their familiar town for more than 11years.
The town also made the difficult decision to accept the Interim Storage Facility in order to revitalize Fukushima.
Futaba Town before the earthquake
Futaba Town is home to a rich traditional culture that has developed and been handed down in the various districts of the town. These include bon-odori dancing in the summer and the wintertime Daruma Market – a tradition that has continued for more than 130 years. The town centers on agriculture, primarily rice farming, however its industrial structure underwent large changes with the construction of a nuclear power station in 1967, boosting employment and bringing large growth to the town.
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Famous spot in Futaba Town
Futaba BeachThis popular spot drew people to enjoy splashing in the cool, clean ocean water. It was selected among the top 55 and top 88 swimming beaches in Japan by the Ministry of the Environment, as well as one of the “Top 100 Beaches of Japan”. It was a popular destination among families.
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Futaba Town produce
SpinachDue to the effects of a unique seasonal wind in the Hamadori Region known as yamase, Futaba Town remains cool in the summertime. The town was a booming area for organic cultivation of spinach, which thrives at temperatures of 15 - 20°C.
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Futaba Town events
Daruma MarketThis regular traditional new year’s event has been held since the Edo Period (1603 – 1867). Held each year on the second Saturday and Sunday in January, it centers on the Nakatsuka Shopping Street, and includes teams which compete by towing giant daruma dolls, a competition that is said to be a predictor of fortunes for the coming year.
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Futaba Town specialty products
Shirafuji sakéSaké brewing began here from middle of the Edo Period after obtaining permission from a high-ranking Soma official. It was loved as local sake brewed using high-quality rice cultivated locally in Futaba Town and water from the Abukuma Mountains.
Created based on source: “Record of the Great East Japan Earthquake in Futaba Town”
Futaba Town today
After all Futaba Town residents had spent many years living in evacuation sites, at midnight on August 30, 2022, the evacuation order was lifted for the Specified Reconstruction and Revitalization Bases Area around Futaba Station. The (third) Futaba Town Reconstruction and Development Plan was formulated, and the recovery in Futaba Town began to pick up speed based on the basic principles of “revitalization for every resident and the entire town”.
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A new town center
New Futaba Town officesFollowing the nuclear accident, the town government functions relocated four times to places within and outside of the prefecture, finally returning to Futaba Town after 11 years and five months. Staffs are now going about their duties with renewed resolve to achieve the revitalization.
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New interaction
Futaba Business Incubation and Community Center (F-BICC)This facility opened in 2020 as a symbolic presence driving the revitalization in Futaba Town. In addition to rental conference rooms and rental offices, it also has a food court, restaurant, and gift shop, and is thriving as a communication point connecting town residents, visitors, and businesspeople.
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New programs
Memorial MuseumThis facility explains what happened in Fukushima following the unprecedented multiple disasters of the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear accident, how people faced the challenges, and lessons regarding disaster prevention and mitigation for persons in and beyond Japan and for the future.
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New living
Station west-side housingIn the area on the west side of JR Futaba Station, construction is proceeding on places for housing and shared facilities, aiming to be a place that can spur a return to the traditional way of life in Futaba Town.
Futaba Town of the future
Aiming “revitalization for every resident and the entire town”
Futaba Town has launched future-oriented projects with the following basic objectives.
● Achieve a return to our hometown and restore a vibrant and attractive town.
● Rebuild the lives of every town resident.
● Maintain and strengthen the bonds of town residents, and develop love for our hometown.
![[Futaba Town MAP] (Agricultural areas Vision for the resumption of local agriculture in Futaba Town) : In addition to providing support for the agricultural land preservation and management associations in each district, and working to protect agricultural land and restore soil productivity, work is progressing on restoring the water mains and the irrigation and drainage channels, aiming for a resumption of agriculture in or after 2025. (Station east area Energy-filled reconstruction project) : We are creating and gradually expanding a town that is comfortable to live and work in. We are improving both the infrastructure and human elements, and will generate energy and activity through creating environments where people walk and gather in order to promote commercial sales and land use. (Activity area Creating an activity environment utilizing outdoor coastal spaces) : Studies are being carried out for construction of facilities and other spaces where people can enjoy a variety of activities, utilizing outdoor spaces such as beaches and campsites, to serve as a symbol of the Futaba Town recovery and create opportunities for new energy and activity.](/cop27/en/community/futaba/images/img_futaba_10.png)
![[Futaba Town MAP] (Agricultural areas Vision for the resumption of local agriculture in Futaba Town) : In addition to providing support for the agricultural land preservation and management associations in each district, and working to protect agricultural land and restore soil productivity, work is progressing on restoring the water mains and the irrigation and drainage channels, aiming for a resumption of agriculture in or after 2025. (Station east area Energy-filled reconstruction project) : We are creating and gradually expanding a town that is comfortable to live and work in. We are improving both the infrastructure and human elements, and will generate energy and activity through creating environments where people walk and gather in order to promote commercial sales and land use. (Activity area Creating an activity environment utilizing outdoor coastal spaces) : Studies are being carried out for construction of facilities and other spaces where people can enjoy a variety of activities, utilizing outdoor spaces such as beaches and campsites, to serve as a symbol of the Futaba Town recovery and create opportunities for new energy and activity.](/cop27/en/community/futaba/images/img_futaba_11.png)
