Fukushima, Japan

Fukushima City is the capital city of Fukushima Prefecture in the Tôhoku region of Japan. It lies about 250 km north of Tokyo and 80 km south of Sendai . Although the city is located inland, the prefecture has several Pacific ports such as Onahama and Soma. Fukushima Airport is located in nearby Sukagawa. As of 2003, the city has an estimated population of 290,866 and the density of 389.68 persons per km². The total area is 746.43 Fukushima City was once called "Shinobu-no-sato," the village of Shinobu. In the 12th century Suginome Taro built Suginome Castle and the village began to develop as a castle town surrounding Fukushima Castle. During the Edo period, Fukushima City began to grow prosperous from the production of silk and its name became well-known even in Kyoto. After the Meiji Restoration in 1868 a prefectural office was established in Fukushima City and the Bank of Japan established an office in the city. This was the first national bank in the Tôhoku Region.[2] The city was founded on April 1, 1907