Last Updated: Jul 2, 2023

Fukushima’s Iwaki City

An Unsung Side of the Prefecture

This story was originally published on donnykimball.com and has been syndicated here on Medium.

As many readers will already know, I’ve long been fascinated by Fukushima. Normally neglected by international visitors due to the stigma surrounding the March 11 triple disaster, the prefecture just can’t seem to shake its lingering bad rap. Alas, much of what you have heard in the international news is simply now nonsense. For starters, Fukushima is the third largest prefecture in all of Japan. Moreover, it is divided into three distinct sections that extend deep into the center of Japan’s main island. Honestly speaking, outside of the “no entry zone” surrounding the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant, the rest of the prefecture is harmless.

In the past, I’ve covered the ever-amazing region of Aizu-Wakamatsu and the other interesting parts of central Fukushima Prefecture. I’ll leave links to my prior work in the Other Nearby Attractions section at the end of this article. Today though, I want to instead turn your attention towards the coastal city of Iwaki. Long on my radar due to my undying love of Fukushima, Iwaki is a place with a varied history that dates back to before the founding of many European nations. Moreover, the city is also home to an amazing theme park that will leave you feeling as if you were magically transported to Hawaii.