Explore Yufuin Floral Village: A Japanese Fairytale

Discovering Ouchijuku: A Hidden Gem in Fukushima

Kotoku Wamura was the mayor of a small Japanese village called Fudai. Against expert advice and public criticism, he insisted on building a 51-foot floodgate, far taller and more expensive than what was considered reasonable at the time. Wamura passed away in 1997. In 2011, a massive earthquake and tsunami devastated Japan’s coastline. Neighboring towns were destroyed. Fudai was not. The floodgate held. The village survived because one leader refused shortcuts. Years later, residents honored Wam