Fukushima is unlike any other abandoned places destination in Japan — or the world. On March 11th 2011, the magnitude 9.0 Great East Japan Earthquake triggered a tsunami that caused three reactor meltdowns at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, forcing the evacuation of over 150,000 people overnight. The abandoned towns of Namie, Futaba, Okuma and Tomioka — homes, shops, schools and railway stations left exactly as they were on evacuation day — became the most haunting time capsules in modern history. More than a decade later, the situation is complex: parts of the former exclusion zone have been reopened after decontamination, while Difficult-to-Return Zones remain restricted. Our Japan Urbex Map covers Fukushima with legal access status for every location — 70+ verified GPS locations.
Understanding the Fukushima Exclusion Zone in 2025
| Zone Type | Status | Access |
|---|---|---|
| Reopened areas (Namie, Tomioka, Futaba partial) | Decontaminated — evacuation orders lifted | 🟢 Independently visitable |
| Reconstruction Base Areas | Infrastructure rebuilt — some residents returned | 🟡 Accessible with awareness |
| Difficult-to-Return Zones | Radiation levels above 20mSv/year — restricted | 🔴 Illegal to enter without permit |
| Fukushima Daiichi plant perimeter | Active decommissioning — strictly controlled | 🔴 No public access |
1. Namie Town – Futaba District, Fukushima — Entirely Evacuated March 2011, Evacuation Order Partially Lifted 2017, Decontaminated Streets, Memorial Sites, Some Residents Returned (Known Location)
Many residents have yet to return to their hastily abandoned homes. While some cities like Okuma, Futaba, and Namie have been cleared for residents to return after a decade, as of March 2024 there remain large swatches of abandoned areas. Parts of Namie, Tomioka, Futaba, and Odaka have been progressively reopened since 2011. Some residents have returned, and new facilities including memorial museums, community centers, and shops have been established. Ukedo Elementary School in Namie has been preserved as a tsunami memorial. Namie's reopened areas are independently visitable — empty streets, decontaminated but largely unoccupied, with memorial facilities.
🔗 Sources: Japan Uncharted – Fukushima Exclusion Zone Guide | Milwaukee Independent – Fukushima Abandoned Lands
2. Tomioka Town – Futaba District, Fukushima — Evacuation March 2011, Order Lifted April 2017, Cherry Blossom-Lined Streets Empty, Yonomori Station Derelict, Gradual Repopulation (Known Location)
The best-known abandoned places in Fukushima are parts of Tomioka, Futaba, Okuma, Namie, and smaller districts. The Fukushima exclusion zone is a patchwork of reopened, controlled, and restricted districts. The towns most often cited are Tomioka, Namie, Futaba, and Okuma. Many famous photographs from Fukushima show homes, shops, schools, and train infrastructure left in place after evacuation. Tomioka's Yonomori Station and the famous cherry blossom avenue that bloomed each spring for years with no one to see it became the defining visual symbol of Fukushima's abandonment. The reopened areas are accessible; the Difficult-to-Return Zones are not.
🔗 Sources: Japan Wonder Travel – Fukushima Tour Report | Japan Uncharted – Fukushima Guide 2026
3. Futaba Town – Futaba District, Fukushima — Last Town to Reopen, Entire Population Relocated 2011–2013, "Nuclear Power: Energy for a Bright Future" Sign, Partial Return
The entire town of Futaba evacuated in 2011, relocated to Kawamata Town, then to Saitama Prefecture and finally to Iwaki City in 2013. In preparation for the anticipated lifting of the evacuation order in the spring of 2023, preparatory accommodation commenced within the Specified Reconstruction and Revitalization Base Areas in Futaba Town. On 30 August 2022, the evacuation order for the Specified Reconstruction and Revitalization Base Areas centred around JR Futaba Station was lifted. Futaba became internationally known for the ironic "Nuclear Power: Energy for a Bright Future" banner visible in photographs of its abandoned main street. The Reconstruction Base Area around Futaba Station is now partially accessible. All GPS in our Japan Urbex Map.
4. Ukedo Elementary School – Namie, Fukushima — Preserved Tsunami Memorial, Students Evacuated in Time, Tsunami Damage Visible, Emotional Heritage Site, Freely Accessible (On Our Map Only)
Ukedo Elementary School in Namie has been preserved as a tsunami memorial. The school building shows the physical impact of the tsunami — warped metal, debris lines on walls, and structural damage — while telling the story of the students and teachers who survived. Many visitors on TripAdvisor describe this as the most emotionally impactful stop on exclusion zone tours. The school is a reminder that the disaster was, above all, a human event. GPS in our Japan Urbex Map.
5. Difficult-to-Return Zone Viewpoint – Fukushima Border — Legal Viewpoint of Restricted Zone, Abandoned Landscape Visible from Road, Context Without Trespass (Carte Urbex Exclusive)
Many abandoned buildings in Fukushima remain restricted, monitored, or only viewable from public roads. Responsible urbex in Fukushima means no trespassing, no barrier crossing, and no entry into unsafe structures. Several points along the Difficult-to-Return Zone boundary allow legal observation of the restricted abandoned landscape from public roads — the empty fields, the sealed houses and the vegetation reclaiming the streets visible without crossing any barrier. Our Japan Urbex Map marks the legal viewpoint locations along the zone boundary where the abandoned landscape is visible and photographable without trespass. Exclusively in our Japan Urbex Map.
❓ FAQ
Can I visit Fukushima's abandoned towns?
The reopened areas of Namie, Tomioka, Futaba's Reconstruction Base Area and Odaka are independently visitable by car. The Difficult-to-Return Zones are legally restricted — entry without authorisation is illegal and carries genuine radiation health risk. Always check current zone boundaries at the Fukushima Prefecture official portal before any visit. Guided tours from Tokyo are available through several operators.
Is it safe to visit Fukushima?
The reopened areas of Fukushima have been decontaminated and radiation levels in accessible areas are comparable to many other places in the world. The Difficult-to-Return Zones remain restricted because radiation levels are still elevated above safe habitation limits. Always stay within the reopened areas, follow posted instructions and treat the towns with complete respect — real people lived there and many have not been able to return.
What is the Difficult-to-Return Zone?
The Difficult-to-Return Zone is the area where the annual cumulative dose estimated from the air dose rate may not be lower than 20 mSv, even 6 years after the nuclear disaster — the area where the estimated annual cumulative dose exceeded 50 mSv as of March 2012. Entry requires a special permit from the Japanese government. As of 2024, these zones cover approximately 2.2% of Fukushima Prefecture.
Safety and Ethics
- NEVER enter Difficult-to-Return Zones: illegal, radiation risk, and deeply disrespectful to the communities who were forced to leave their homes — always check pref.fukushima.lg.jp for current boundaries
- Treat Fukushima with absolute respect: these are not abandoned buildings — they are the homes of real people who were evacuated overnight and many of whom have not been able to return; approach with the gravity this deserves
- Carry a dosimeter: even in reopened areas, carrying a personal dosimeter gives you real-time radiation data and peace of mind; available to rent in the region
- Guided tours are recommended: for a first visit, a guided tour from Tokyo provides legal clarity, safety briefing and historical context that independent visiting cannot; operators include Japan Wonder Travel and several specialist Fukushima tour companies
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