Overview:From the Great East Japan Earthquake and Nuclear Disaster Memorial Museum in Futaba, through Ukedo Elementary School in Namie, the Tomioka Archive Museum and the TEPCO Decommissioning Archive Center in Tomioka, to Naraha: a one-day model route along the Hamadori coast of Fukushima.
On the Hamadori coast of Fukushima, the tsunami was compounded by a nuclear accident. Grasp the whole picture at the memorial museum in Futaba, touch the memory of the tsunami at Ukedo Elementary School in Namie, learn about the town’s history and the present state of decommissioning in Tomioka, and visit a gathering place for people in Naraha. The route may pass through evacuation order zones.
Route Map
Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors. Positions are estimates from addresses. Please check the official information of each facility before you visit. (OpenStreetMap)
Itinerary
1. Great East Japan Earthquake and Nuclear Disaster Memorial Museum
The museum exhibits the reality of the compound disaster of earthquake, tsunami and nuclear accident, and the path of recovery. Storyteller talks by people affected by the disaster are held four times a day.
Suggested time: 1.5 to 2 hours. Storyteller talks are held four times a day.
Hours: 9:00-17:00 (last entry 16:30)
Closed: Tuesdays (the next weekday if Tuesday is a public holiday); Dec 29 – Jan 3
▼ About 3 min by car (about 2.2 km; estimate calculated by a map service)
2. Fukushima Reconstruction Memorial Park
A 46.4-hectare park spanning the towns of Futaba and Namie. It consists of a national memorial and prayer facility, a multipurpose plaza, and the Nakano and Ryotake district settlements, among other areas.
Suggested time: About 30 minutes. A park spanning Futaba and Namie. The location is approximate, and operation after opening is unconfirmed.
Hours: Not stated on the prefecture’s page
Closed: Not stated on the prefecture’s page
▼ Same site / nearby (about 1 min by car; also reachable on foot)
3. Disaster Ruins: Namie Town Ukedo Elementary School
The building of an elementary school founded in 1873. It was damaged by the tsunami, but all children and staff evacuated safely. The building, which escaped collapse, is open to the public as a disaster ruin.
Suggested time: About 1 hour. A school building where all children and staff evacuated safely.
Hours: 9:30-16:30 (last entry 16:00)
Closed: Tuesdays (the next weekday if Tuesday is a public holiday); year-end and New Year holidays
▼ About 26 min by car (about 21.6 km; estimate calculated by a map service)
4. Tomioka Archive Museum
A facility that conveys to future generations the history of the town and the changes in the community caused by the compound disaster. It has a town gallery, two exhibition rooms, and a storage facility holding about 50,000 items.
Suggested time: About 1 hour.
Hours: 9:00-17:00 (last entry 16:30)
Closed: Every Monday (the next weekday if Monday is a public holiday); Dec 29 – Jan 3
▼ About 5 min by car (about 3.5 km; estimate calculated by a map service)
5. TEPCO Decommissioning Archive Center
The center looks back on the course of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident and the response to it, and explains the plans and progress of decommissioning work. It uses a theater, 3D video, a replica of the central control room, and testimony from plant staff.
Suggested time: 1 to 1.5 hours. Reservations are required (0120-502-957). The information comes from third-party sites.
Hours: 9:30-16:30 (tour times vary by season, so please check)
Closed: Third Sunday of every month; year-end and New Year holidays
▼ About 8 min by car (about 9.0 km; estimate calculated by a map service)
6. Minna no Kouryukan Naraha CANvas (Community Exchange Hall)
An exchange facility designed based on opinions gathered at residents’ tea-drinking workshops. It uses timber from tsunami-damaged houses and displays panels showing the town’s history of disaster and recovery.
Suggested time: About 30 minutes. A good place to take a break.
Hours: 9:00-21:00
Closed: Second and fourth Tuesdays of every month; Dec 29 – Jan 3
Before You Go
- Closing days differ. The memorial museum and Ukedo Elementary School are closed on Tuesdays, the Tomioka Archive Museum on Mondays, the TEPCO Decommissioning Archive Center on the third Sunday of every month, and Naraha CANvas on the second and fourth Tuesdays. We recommend planning for Wednesday to Saturday (avoid the third Sunday).
- The TEPCO Decommissioning Archive Center requires a reservation. Please check the official website for the latest tour times.
- Public transportation is infrequent, so travel by car (rental car) is the basic option.
- The route may pass through evacuation order zones. Please check the latest traffic information from official sources such as Fukushima Prefecture.
Travel times are estimates for driving, calculated with a map service (OSRM / OpenStreetMap), and vary with road and weather conditions. Suggested visit durations are the editors’ estimates. Hours, closing days and fees may change, so please check each facility’s official website before you visit. Many of these facilities are also places of mourning for those who lost their lives.
This article was compiled by the Tohokuru editorial team based on the official pages of each facility and other sources (checked: October 13, 2026). For details on each facility, please see its individual article.