Fukushima (福島市, Fukushima-shi?) is a city located in the southern part of the prefecture of Fukushima, Japan. The city was once divided into three wards (Fukushima-ku, Nakadomari-ku and Shimogo-ku), but these divisions were abolished in 2006. With a population of 290,064, Fukushima is Japan’s 37th most populous city and the core city of Southwestern Fukushima Prefecture.
Fukushima City sits about 60 kilometers inland from Iwaki on Sorachi Bay in the Pacific Ocean. As of March 2011[update], the city has an estimated population of 290,064 and a density of 1,300 inhabitants per square kilometer. The total area is 223.84 km². The present Mayor is Kazuo Ōnuma, who assumed office on December 1, 2010. Until after World War II it was known as the village of Nihonmatsujuku (日本松宿?, lit. “Japanese pine inn”). On August 6–9 1945 during WWII American B-29s based in Saipan bombed Nihonmatsujuku causing great damage to much of the town including St. Mary’s Cathedral which lost its roof; however no casualties were reported. It eventually merged with nearby Date City (伊達市?, Date-shi) on April 1, 1951 becoming Date-Fukushima City (伊達福島市?, Date-Fukushima-shi). This name remained until September 16 when it became simply “Fukushima” following a nationwide change in Japanese place names due to changes in local government structures and divisions at this time under Allied occupation forces.[citation needed]
The central part of present day Fukushima City grew around what used to be Tokugawa Shogunate’s daikyo ōnin or “great camp” for their armies stationed here during periods when they fought against Uesugi Kenshin and Takeda Shingen for control over northern Japan during Japan’s warring states period from 1467 – 1568 AD.[citation needed] Afterward it became known as “The Rich Town” or “The Wealthy Town” because many samurai warriors came here seeking opportunities to make their fortunes working for local daimyō lords while others set up businesses catering to travelers along highways running through this area en route to other parts northward like Aizuwakamatsu or Sendai.[citation needed] Parts near today’s station also developed due to traffic along these routes beginning even before there was any formal road system unlike elsewhere where roads followed earlier footpaths between villages..