The great city of Fukushima was quarantined when the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami caused a nuclear meltdown. Since 2011, the area was far too irradiated to venture into, let alone take photos of, but as the radiation diminishes, some individuals are looking to move closer to the city they once loved.
For Starters
There was formerly a road here, but over the past 8 years, nature has completely grown over it. All of these cars were abandoned before the tsunami hit.
Part of the Landscape
These cars are actually completely useless because they were trapped in the flood that stayed after the tsunami. Now, they’re stuck and the surrounding nature is growing around them.
Checking Things Out
This Geiger sensor counts roughly 6.8 uSv/h, which is a very safe amount of radiation. Believe it or not, this is lower than the general background dose of radiation that a person endures on a daily basis, its only twice as much radiation as eating a banana.
Back From Where You Came
There’s something so interesting and beautiful about machines being reclaimed by nature. This motorcycle will likely remain here until the land is deemed safe to live in once again.
Contaminated Televisions
CRTs (Cathode Ray Tube Televisions) store radiation more than other devices. For this reason, they are stored in the same location, waiting to be dealt with by cleanup crews in the near future.
Oh the Places You’ve Been
Cobwebs cover the walls of this abandoned supermarket, tethering the shelves together as if the whole place merely grew around them. As you can see, this store was pretty cleanly picked through following the evacuation of the town.
Out of Business
This is a scene that genuinely feels like it was part of some post-apocalyptic film. Places like this exist on Earth, but they are so rare that it is mind-boggling that people’s interpretations of them in cinema are so accurate.
A Place to Perch
Evidently, abandoned computer labs make a great place for birds to perch up at. It is likely that the data on these computers is still intact because gamma and beta radiation (the types of radiation present in this town) are unlikely to affect non-living objects.
Dinner is Served
This dining area was left hastily, and after 8 years of not being touched, some of the sauces on the table still have some semblance of being preserved. This family, or possibly group of coworkers, was probably sitting down to a meal of hot pot, or shabu shabu, based on the burners and the utensils on the table.
On Your Mark, Get Set, Evacuate
These carts had their last race in an amusement park roughly 12 miles away from the edge of the exclusion zone. Needless to say, these carts probably will never be drivable again.
The Grand Exodus
This grand piano was left in a classroom, which has been thoroughly ransacked but seems to be too cumbersome to steal. This was the music room in the local high school, very similar to the music rooms in American schools.
Sinking 3-Pointers
Imagine playing a pickup game, when suddenly the floor collapses and you have to evacuate your home and never return. This depicts an emotional scene, showing what people, children, had to leave in order to save their lives. After these events, they had nothing.
Got Wheels
One of the cool things about gamma and beta radiation is that they actually strengthen rubber! It’s likely that these bikes are still rideable, but you’d have to wear a radiation suit to do it safely because of the radioactive dust covering everything.
School’s Out
Classes were interrupted mid-lesson for the emergency evacuation. As you can see here, the chalk stayed on the whiteboard through the tsunami. It is truly amazing what has been left untouched by such an enormous disaster.
An Arcade All to Yourself
These pachinko machines haven’t been touched since 2011. Remarkably, they appear to be in a workable order. Only a couple of machines suffered, guessing by the debris scattered on the floor.
Contaminated Soil
This is commonplace in areas that have had nuclear disasters or have been exposed to radiation in a major way. Sanitation teams are tasked with removing the topsoil that has been contaminated by the radiation and packing them into radiation proof bags, then stacked neatly in a contained area.
Stackin Em’ Up
The bags of soil are stacked very carefully to avoid further contamination. Over time, these bags will deteriorate and probably cause further problems until they are removed from the area.
Questionable Removal Schedule
Authorities have stated that they would be removing the bags of soil “soon,” this was several years ago and nothing has changed. The owners of the land they’re stacked on are getting continually more upset about the status of the removal of the dirt, demanding that a date be set so they can continue their livelihood.
Like Spots on a Cow
Local cows started developing white spots on their skin, presumably because they have been eating the contaminated grass. I’m unsure why they’re still being raised in a fairly dangerous radioactive area (they are about 15 miles from the reactor), there is a good chance that they would not be edible.
Working Attire
This is the outfit that people need to wear when they enter the exclusion zone. The ambient radiation isn’t nearly as dangerous as it was before the reactor was contained, but there is still heavily radiated dust in the air and on surrounding structures.
Recovering and Rebuilding
Following the disaster in 2011, former members of this previously thriving community are attempting to rebuild from the outside in. Obviously there are still areas that are unsafe to access, but some people are actively trying to drop the stigma of radioactive danger.
Move Move and Keep Moving
A large part of the reconstruction of Fukushima is National Route 6. Route 6 runs through Fukushima and passes the meltdown site merely three kilometers away from the radioactive nucleolus.
Take a Peek At This Map
As you can see here, the power plant is very close to Route 6. Since the road opened back up in 2014, cars can pass through without any special permission. Motorcycles, pedestrians, and bicycles are not allowed to pass through on this roadway.
Difficult to Return Zone
Roads leading to residential areas of Fukushima are barricaded off to prevent anyone from entering while they are on Route 6. Only vehicles with specialized permission are allowed to pass by these roadblocks.
Reading the Radiation
Along Route 6, there are LED screens that actively read the radiation level of the area. 2.127 uSv/h is a very safe and normal level of radiation.
Cops on the Scene
Local police are stationed at checkpoints close to Fukushima to make sure people know what they’re getting themselves into. The police around the area wear little to no protective gear, due to lack of funding, as well as a lack of necessity.
Dividing the Space
Areas around Fukushima have been split into three different zones in order to protect those who wish to pass through. Pink= “Difficult-to-Return Zone”. Entry and lodging are prohibited to the general public. Yellow= “Restricted Residence Zone”. Entry is permitted in these areas, businesses are allowed to operate under special permissions, and lodging is prohibited. Green= “Evacuation Order Cancellation Preparation Zone.” Entry and business ownership are allowed, lodging is allowed under special circumstances.
The Public Toll
Nearly 50,000 people were left with nothing after the events that caused the evacuation. The majority of these people are still living as refugees, after eight years, the government is still supporting many families that couldn’t return to normal life.
The Fallout
Hundreds of tons of nuclear waste have been collected from the houses in the surrounding areas. Personal objects, clothes, appliances, and tons of hard-earned material goods were left in the aftermath.
Making the Switch
Even people who lived in areas that are now deemed safe to return to are choosing to stay far away. The emotional toll that returning to a destroyed house after five to eight years of abandoning normal life leaves on a person is profound.
Some Weren’t So Lucky
On top of all that, many houses were completely destroyed in the tsunami that swept the area. Miles of houses have been reduced to skeletons, forcing people to completely restart their lives from scratch.
Trapped in History
Even though this happened in 2011, the infrastructure of the area is on the borderline of being completely obsolete. Gas lines and water filtration systems need to be completely replaced, which doesn’t include residential resources either.
Local Resources Depleted
Not to mention, all public services need to be re-established before the area can be inhabitable again. That means the town needs mail and waste collectors, local government buildings, real estate salespeople and so on.
Local Heros
Some people have been making an effort to breathe life into this area once more though. Seisuke Shimao (pictured left) opened his seafood restaurant the day Odaka (a surrounding city that’s in the green zone) reopened for public inhabitance. Shimao gave others hope that their lives would continue after this great tragedy.
Odaka Micro Stand Bar
Taking advantage of the low property value in the area, young people who want to live out their dream of owning a business are also capitalizing on the opportunity to breathe life back into this area. Entrepreneur Takashi Moriyama owns Odaka Micro Stand Bar, which is a coffee shop and coding boot camp. Moriyama sees the opportunity as a way to bring locals back into their community, and build skills that can make them income outside of retail work in this town.
The Lantern House
Another thriving business in Fukushima is the Lantern House. Owned by Karin Taira, the Lantern House has a nearly 100% customer satisfaction rating. Not only is it beautiful, spacious, and affordable, Taira is also a bilingual guide who leads historical tours around the accessible areas in Fukushima.
Soma Nomaoi
Every year since Fukushima’s limited reopening, the town has been hosting festivals, also known as matsuri. The most popular festival is Soma Nomaoi, which brings up to 40,000 people into Fukushima city limits and breathes hope into the local businesses.
A Celebration of History
The Soma Nomaoi festival is a celebration of the history of Fukushima. Complete tea ceremonies and a royal style meal served to honor warriors of the past and present.
Horses of Bushi
Japanese Bushi, historical warriors, host horse races on a pitch in a public park in Fukushima. As you can see behind them, there are hundreds of people in attendance!
Religious Observance
Part of the ceremony is mourning the lives lost, and lives restarted because of the Fukushima tragedy. Citizens burn incense to mourn their loved ones, the smoke symbolizes their prayers reaching their families and friends in heaven.
Reclaiming Tragedy
The events of Fukushima currently dwarf the public opinion of the area. It’s so important to acknowledge the effort that the survivors of the event are putting into the town to rebuild it. Recovery takes time, energy, and positivity. The individual stories of success are a testament to people who have faith in their community and were welcomed to pursue their dreams and make the lives around them better. The future of Fukushima is bright.
Coming Full Circle
Fukushima isn’t the only place making a complete turnaround in the face of adversity. After the most disastrous nuclear accident in history, Chernobyl struggled to return to normal. Nowadays, people are trying to bring the area back to where it was.
The Aftermath
Before the Unit 4 reactor went down in Chernobyl, the surrounding area was the most profitable place in Russia. Belarus was effected the most, losing millions of dollars and having to evacuate hundreds of thousands of people. Some places are making a turnaround though, most notably, the Orthodox Ministry of Yurovichy. This used to be a boarding school for children with learning impairments, now it’s a church and community group
Historical Representation
The EU-funded weaving center in the village of New Gusevista holds classes on how to hand make clothing, blankets, and tapestries using a hand weave. This is a historical representation of how the town was in the far past but recently has gained traction because of tourist travel near Chernobyl.
Leading the Community
What one might consider a tourist trap, others flock to have an experience they wouldn’t have otherwise. Community leaders from the fallen Botvinovo village, which is less than 30 miles away from Chernobyl, demonstrates how to live and cultivate agriculture sustainably in a post-nuclear disaster zone.
Baking, Then Breaking Bread
The ladies in the village teach a seminar on baking period accurate bread, using ingredients that are exclusively sourced from areas surrounding Chernobyl. This is an attempt to break the unnecessary fear surrounding the idea of radiation. Every month, this event hosts around 1,000 people.
Fun for the Kids Too
Children of the area are involved in period accurate attractions as well. This photo depicts a local choir group practicing for a performance, this group is called “The Valley of Angels.”
The Return of Art
Local artists are actively working on restoring mosaics around the city. These artists are being funded by the UNDP, who is fronting most of the cost for the restoration of the surrounding areas.
Welcoming Tourism
Now that the area surrounding Chernobyl is safely accessible, and the media attention of HBO’s new mini-series, extreme-tourism has been booming.
Down to the Roots
Now that the radiation has cleared up to a safe level, citizens and tourists can explore and find the aftermath of the Chernobyl disaster. Tourism agencies are making a killing bringing people into previously quarantined zones.
Building from the Bottom
Since so much money was lost in Chernobyl, and not many places are being revived because of the timeframe they have been inactive for, the area is frozen in history and is eerily decrepit.
Radioactive Tourism
Some areas are accessible, only under special permission and only in very specific gear. The tourists here most likely paid a large sum of money to be where they are.
Utilizing the Surroundings
Even some of the preventative gear that was left after the explosion is still usable. These people are standing in a radioactivity detecting body scanner that has only had a few modern updates.
Geigers Up
As you can see here, the Chernobyl power grid that used to house massive amounts of radiation is actually completely safe to be around!
Illegal Tourism
Every year, thousands of people casually enter Chernobyl, legally and safely. Some people seek a different thrill though. There are illegal tour guides that bring people on expeditions through restricted, yet safe, areas of Chernobyl under the radar.
Stalkers
There are guides that bring people into Chernobyl illegally that call themselves “stalkers.” One of the most popular stalkers is named Kiril Stepanets. Stepanets is so confident in his route and ability to stay out of the public eye that he was willing to release his identity through Vice recently.
The Frontier
Stepanets views Chernobyl as a place to clear his mind, as far away from people as possible. He started venturing into Chernobyl with his friends to drink at a young age, but then he started going out on his own.
Building a Reputation
People started wanting to pay Stepanets to bring them into Chernobyl. They claimed that the tours that they were getting were inconclusive. These tourists wanted an inside perspective to life around the deserted wasteland. Stepanets unapologetically recounted the miseries that he had grown up in his off the beaten path tours of the exclusion zone.
Finding an Entrance
Stepanets is not at liberty to discuss how he enters the exclusion zone without permission. He did state that he drives as close to the legal checkpoints as possible, just in case something bad were to happen to one of his tour members.
Clientele
Stepanets states that his clientele is quite mixed, and his tours are priced on a sliding scale. He has corporate dudes who just want a little adrenaline rush, history buffs who want to know the actual truth about these kinds of places, and some people who just want to cut loose and get drunk on top of a building and watch the sunset over Chernobyl.
Some Competition
Other stalkers see Stepanets as a threat to their wellbeing since he is so successful with his tours. They sometimes track him down and break his belongings, and sometimes they’ll even urinate all over his expensive radiation devices and bed.
Accidents Can Happen
Stepanets tells the story of a friend who broke into Chernobyl while drink in the winter. His friend fell asleep on a roof while his feet were wet, he woke up in the morning and couldn’t feel his lower extremities. He dragged himself three miles before giving up and contacting authorities. His friend lost all of his toes.
Keeping a Strong Head
Stepanets says that bad things only happen to people who are reckless or over-confident. He is positive that nothing negative will happen to him if he continues to use the same safe routes and properly prepares his clients for the surrounding area. He said that while dangling from the rusty guardrail of a six-story building with no safety gear.