I have visited the Oku-Aizu area in Fukusima prefecture many times on business and as a tourist. This region is located in the mountainous area 250km north of Tokyo. I sometimes went to there by the Tadami railway line. This line is originally from Aizu-Wakamatsu in Fukusima runs to Koide in Niigata prefecture. In summer 2011, it was terribly damaged by the heavy rains and finally some bridges and railways tracks were destroyed. Now, the railway service is suspended between Aizu-Kawaguchi and Tadami station. However, this section will be reopened on 1st October 2022. When I heard about this, I was very surprised, because this line was very countryside too expensive to operate and inconvenient for business trips. The landscapes include canyons, rivers and mountains along the Tadami railway line are very beautiful, so it’s best way to get the Oku-Aizu area for tourists. I hope many people, including foreigners come there to enjoy the hot springs, local foods, Japanese Sake and view the scenery from the Tadami train line after it reopens.
