Fukushima Travel – Hope Tourism in Fukushima

For travelers seeking a deeply meaningful journey through Japan’s recent history, Hope Tourism in Fukushima offers an opportunity to engage with the stories of survival, loss, and recovery following the Great East Japan Earthquake and the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Disaster of 2011.

On June 15, we visited key locations in Ōkuma Town and Futaba Town—the former evacuation zones closest to the nuclear plant. These places stand as living records of a region profoundly affected by disaster, yet steadily moving toward renewal.

One of the most striking sites is Sunlight Ōkuma (サンライトおおくま), a former nursing home for the elderly. Abandoned during the urgent evacuation following the nuclear accident, the building has been preserved exactly as it was on the day of the disaster. Inside, visitors can still see fallen ceiling tiles, medical equipment left behind, and calendars frozen on March 11, 2011. This haunting, powerful space brings the reality of the disaster into sharp focus, offering an unfiltered view into the lives that were abruptly changed.

From the grounds of Sunlight Ōkuma, visitors can also see the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in the distance—an unmistakable reminder of the accident’s scale and consequences.

Nearby, the Interim Storage Facility spans across areas in both Ōkuma and Futaba. Here, vast amounts of contaminated soil from the decontamination process are securely stored. The scale of the operation is immense, and visiting this site gives a tangible sense of the environmental and logistical challenges faced in the recovery effort.

Amid this altered landscape, the Shōhachiman Shrine (正八幡神社) still stands. Though surrounded by decontamination zones and fencing, the shrine is a quiet symbol of cultural resilience—testament to the community’s deep roots and enduring spirit.

Why Hope Tourism in Fukushima?

• ・Witness preserved sites like Sunlight Ōkuma, frozen in time since the earthquake

• ・Learn about nuclear disaster response and decontamination at the Interim Storage Facility

• ・Visit spiritual landmarks like Shōhachiman Shrine, connecting past and present

• ・Understand the human impact of evacuation, and hear stories of recovery from local guides

• ・Reflect on global issues of energy, disaster resilience, and rebuilding communities

Unlike conventional tourism, Hope Tourism is about learning, empathy, and forward-looking reflection. It invites visitors to not only see what happened—but to understand how people are rebuilding with strength and hope.

To experience this important journey respectfully and safely, we recommend traveling with Deep Japan Tours. Their guided programs offer insight, context, and access to key locations that would otherwise remain unseen.

Fukushima’s story is not only about disaster—it’s about the courage to recover. Join a Hope Tour and see the future being written, one step at a time.

https://www.hopetourism.jp/