Futaba, Fukushima Pref. ¨C Overtourism in Japan has been a major point of tension ¡ª and even outright conflict ¡ª in 2024. But what if those tourists could help local communities rebrand, regroup and regrow?
That¡¯s the thinking of the small seaside town of Futaba, Fukushima Prefecture, located a few hours north of Tokyo. The area has an ancient history stretching back to the Kofun Period (250¨C552). In the waning days of the Edo Period (1603¨C1868), it was the site of armed conflict between loyalists of the shogunate and advocates of imperial rule in the 1868-69 Boshin War.
Futaba¡¯s modern trajectory has been shaped by the energy industry. At first, nuclear power offered the promise of a bright future ahead. After the 1971 commissioning of the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant at the border of Futaba and neighboring Okuma, the average local salary doubled.
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