| Fukushima-chō 福島町 |
|
|---|---|
| — Town — | |
| Location of Fukushima-chō in Hokkaidō | |
| Country | Japan |
| Region | Hokkaidō |
| Prefecture | Hokkaidō |
| District | Matsumae-gun |
| Area | |
| • Total | 187.23 km2 (72.3 sq mi) |
| Population (2008) | |
| • Total | 5,549 |
| • Density | 30.28/km2 (78.4/sq mi) |
| Time zone | Japan Standard Time (UTC+9) |
| City symbols | |
| - Tree | Sugi (Japanese Cedar) |
| - Flower | Yamayuri (Golden-Rayed Lily) |
| Phone number | 0139-47-3001 |
| Address | 820 Fukushima, Fukushima-chō, Matsumae-gun, Hokkaidō 049-1331 |
| Website | Town of Fukushima |
Fukushima (福島町 Fukushima-chō) is a town located in Matsumae District, Oshima, Hokkaidō, Japan.
As of 2008, the town has an estimated population of 5,549 and a density of 30.28 persons per km². The total area is 187.23 km².
Industries in the town include squid fishing and tourism. The main tourist attractions are the Seikan Tunnel Museum and the sumo museum (Yokozuna Chiyonoyama Chiyonofuji Kinenkan).
Two former Sumo Grand Champions (Yokozuna) were born and lived in Fukushima and their careers are celebrated in the sumo museum. The first is Chiyonoyama (千代の山 雅信) and was followed by Chiyonofuji (千代の富士貢). The latter is often considered to be the most successful sumo wrestler of all time and won 31 top division titles in his career before retiring in 1991.
Yoshioka, a part of the town, has access tunnels to the Seikan Tunnel and Yoshioka-Kaitei Station. This station, along with Tappi-Kaitei Station on the Aomori side of the tunnel, were the world's first undersea stations. They are presently closed to tourists while construction of the Shinkansen line to Hakodate is completed. The Seikan Tunnel travels beneath the Tsugaru Strait — connecting the island of Hokkaidō and Aomori Prefecture on the Japanese island of Honshū — as part of the Japan Railways Kaikyo Line. The access tunnels from Yoshioka serve as emergency access and escape points and were important during the tunnel's construction phase.