Naraha, Fukushima
Geography. Naraha is located in southern of Fukushima Prefecture, bordering on the Pacific Ocean to the east. Demographics. Per Japanese census data, the population of Naraha remained relatively steady for the 40 years prior to the nuclear disaster. Climate. Naraha has a humid climate (Köppen climate classification "Cfa"). The average annual temperature in Naraha is . The average annual rainfall is with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around , and lowest in January, at around . History. The area of present-day Naraha was part of Mutsu Province, and was included in  the "tenryō" holdings of the Tokugawa shogunate during Edo period Japan. After the Meiji restoration, on April 1, 1889, the villages of Kido and Tatsuta was created within Naraha District, Fukushima with the establishment of the modern municipalities system. Naraha District became Futaba District in 1896. The villages of Kido and Tatsuta merged in 1956 to form the town of Naraha. 2011 earthquake and tsunami. Naraha suffered great devastation as a result of the March 11 earthquake and subsequent tsunami. As a result of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, as well as problems experienced with its cooling facility of the  Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Plant (see timeline), the town was totally evacuated by order of the town government. The entire area of the town fell within the 20 kilometer exclusion zone around the Fukushima Daiichi Power Plant. On August 1, 2012 the government eased the restriction order by allowing residents to visit their homes during daylight hours, but not permitting overnight stays. In March 2014, Naraha completed decontamination work in its residential areas, although radiation levels remained high in some areas of the town, and many buildings were still in ruins. By April 2015, residents could stay overnight if they  applied for permission, and the evacuation order was lifted completely effective September 4, 2015. Reconstruction efforts in the town commenced in 2016. Naraha is listed among several neighbouring towns as a ‘special zone for reconstruction and revitalisation’; as repair works are underway, several key milestones were met in the years following the evacuation order being lifted. In April 2018, the town’s Elementary and Junior High schools were reopened, while in July, J-Village was fully repaired and opened to the public. Economy. The economy of Naraha was formerly heavily dependent on agriculture. The Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Plant was  also a major employer. Education. Naraha had two public elementary schools and one public middle school in March 2011. Transportation. Railway. JR East – Jōban Line Local attractions. Among other attractions, Naraha houses J-Village, a state-of-the-art sports training and convention facility that also houses a hotel, restaurant and public bath. The Argentina National Football Team stayed at J-Village for the 2002 World Cup. Naraha also houses one of Japan's fifty-seven cycling terminals and an onsen.