Tomioka, Fukushima

For other uses, see Tomioka (disambiguation).

Tomioka 富岡町
—  Town  —
Location of Tomioka in Fukushima
Tomioka
Coordinates: 37°19′59″N 141°01′01″E
Country	Japan
Region	Tōhoku
Prefecture	Fukushima
District	Futaba District
Area
• Total	68.47 km2 (26.4 sq mi)
Population (2003)
• Total	16,078
• Density	234.8/km2 (608.2/sq mi)
Time zone	Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
Website	Town of Tomioka

Tomioka (富岡町, Tomioka-machi) is a town located in Futaba District, Fukushima, Japan.

As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 16,078 and a population density of 234.82 persons per km². The total area is 68.47 km². The town is famous for having one of the longest cherry blossom tunnels in Japan. It has a friendship agreement with Auckland, New Zealand, and a New Zealand teacher is sent to Tomioka every year to teach at the Junior and Elementary schools. Tomioka is the location for the Fukushima II Nuclear Power Plant, owned by The Tokyo Electric Power Company which provides a certain wealth to the town.

The town of Tomioka is divided into two main districts, each with their own train station. To the south is Tomioka, which is the main area. To the north, on top of the hill, is Yonomori, a smaller and much newer neighborhood. Though the two areas operate under one government, physical distance makes them feel like two separate towns.

Tomioka was severely affected by the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, and the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011. Besides sustaining considerable damage from the tsunami (which devastated the coastal area) and earthquake, the town was evacuated en masse on the morning of March 12 once the nuclear situation became clear. As it is well within the 20 kilometer radius around the damaged power plant, residents are not allowed to return at the present time.

Landmarks

Hayama shrine

The main shrine in Tomioka is Hayama shrine where a fire festival is held to pray for a good harvest. The shrine is known as "Number 33, the thirty-third shrine in a pilgrimage path which goes across the country.

Tomioka Government office complex

This complex consists of three buildings connected by walkways and a mini park. The center building is home to the city government offices. On the left side of the complex is a building that houses a large auditorium and the city's public library. A small selection of English books is available upon request at the library, and they keep regular subscriptions to TIME Magazine and a weekly English-language newspaper. The right side of the complex features a small health center. The whole complex is located just north of where the Joban train line crosses Route 6 and is across the highway from the Tomioka Sports Center.

Yonomori Park

This park is very popular in spring when the cherry blossoms are blooming. Many locals come to view the blossoms in the park and enjoy the festival atmosphere. During the Cherry Blossom Festival, there are many food, trinket, and game stalls.

Tomioka Sports Center

Located between Route 6 and the ocean, this sports center boasts multiple tennis courts and a baseball field, among other attractions. The facilities can be rented by the hour for a very reasonable price. Some local sports clubs meet here.

Refre

Located at the intersection of the two roads with cherry blossom tunnels, Refre (リフレ) is a popular meeting place. Its facilities include a conference room with seating and catering for hundreds of people, a hotel, a fitness center, a hot spring, one indoor heated pool for lap swimming, and one indoor/outdoor pool for general use, though the second pool is closed during the winter months.

Tomioka Beach

During the summer months leading up to Obon, there is a beach open for public swimming. After Obon, however, the beach is closed due to the large population of jellyfish. The beach is a short distance from Tomioka station.

Activities

Hot Springs

Tomioka also offers a choice of hot springs.

Refre is the most popular hot spring of the area. It is located in Yonomori (north of tomioka) some 300 meters from the Yonomori train station. Some events are also often held in this same building.

Iwaidonoyu is the other option. It is located in the mountains west of Tomioka and offers a more intimate setting. It is harder to reach this hot spring without a transport. The spring will often not be as crowded as in Yonomori and has a quieter atmosphere.

Restaurants

• Rokumeikan (鹿鳴館), located kiddy-corner to Super-Center
• Fuji Ramen, located on the south side of Tomioka on Route 6, is famous for its "Negi Ramen".
• Hama Yu (浜遊), located in the Yonomori Tom-とむ complex, is an udon restaurant that also offers tempura and rice bowls.

Yonomori Sakura Festival

In early April, there is a Sakura Festival in Yonomori, which the town is famous for. Cars will line up as far back as 3 km in order to drive under one of the three cherry blossom canopies in town. During the day there are festivities such as traditional music and dancing, and at night, the sakura canopies are illuminated by hundreds of ground-mounted lights. Because of this festival and the illumination, Tomioka is considered one of the top places in all of Japan for viewing cherry blossoms.^{[citation needed]}

Schools

Elementary schools

There are two elementary schools in Tomioka - Tomioka 1st Elementary School and Tomioka 2nd Elementary School.

Junior high schools

There are two junior high schools in Tomioka - Tomioka 1st Junior High School and Tomioka 2nd Junior High School.

High schools

There is one High School in Tomioka: Tomioka High School

External links

Media related to Tomioka, Fukushima at Wikimedia Commons

• Tomioka official website (Japanese)
• Tomioka High School (English)