Discovering Fukushima: Blossom Hill, Peaches, and Onsen
Travel guide · editorial"Fukushima has its own Tōgenkyō," a legendary land of peach blossoms, wrote the photographer Akiyama Shōtarō about a hill where cherries, plums, forsythia, and peaches all bloom at the same time in April. A trip to Fukushima, the capital of the prefecture of the same name, leads to this blossom-covered hill, to orchards, hot springs, and one of the most beautiful scenic roads in Tōhoku.
Hanamiyama and the Blossom Spring
Hanamiyama Park is actually the grounds of a family of gardeners who have been opening their blooming slopes to visitors since 1959. From late March to early May, the terraces turn pink, white, and yellow, while the still-snowy Azuma Mountains glow in the background. A walking path takes about an hour to loop over the hill. During peak bloom, shuttle buses run from the train station because the access road would otherwise be overwhelmed. If you arrive early in the morning, you'll have the best views almost to yourself.
Sights in Fukushima
The city's local mountain is Shinobu-yama, where the Haguro Shrine houses a giant straw sandal. This gave rise to the Waraji Festival in early August, when a 12-meter-long sandal is carried through the city center. In February, pilgrims bring new sandals up the mountain on a cold night during the Akatsuki-mairi. West of the city begins the Bandai-Azuma Skyline, a mountain road lined with brilliant foliage in fall that passes the Azuma-Kofuji volcanic crater; from Jōdo-daira you can walk around the crater rim in half an hour. The road is closed in winter.
Onsen in Iizaka and Tsuchiyu
Fukushima is home to two hot spring towns with a long tradition. Iizaka Onsen on the Surikami River is one of the oldest in Tōhoku; Matsuo Bashō stayed here on his journey to the north, and in the historic bathhouse Sabakoyu you bathe in small wooden tubs. Tsuchiyu Onsen in the mountains is known for its kokeshi dolls, turned wooden figures that are painted in workshops there. Both towns can be reached by train or bus.
Eating in Fukushima
The Fukushima Basin is one of Japan's most important fruit-growing regions. Along the Fruit Line, farms offer pick-your-own peaches in summer and pears, grapes, and apples in fall. Typical of the city is enban gyōza, dumplings arranged in a circle in the pan. Add to that sake from the prefecture's breweries and ramen in a clear soy broth. In the evening, the restaurants around the station fill up with locals who sit together after work over yakitori and a glass of sake. In July and August, a stop at a roadside fruit stand is worth it: freshly picked Akatsuki peaches are considered especially juicy and are shipped as gifts all over Japan.
Getting There and Best Time to Visit
The Tōhoku Shinkansen connects Fukushima with Tokyo in about 90 minutes, and the Yamagata Shinkansen branches off here. The city lies about 60 kilometers from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, life goes on as normal, and fruit and fish from the region are sold under strict monitoring. The best times to visit are April for Hanamiyama and summer and fall for fruit and the mountain road.