OK, so you do not party at the awesomely titled Futaba Business Incubation and Community Center (F-BICC), but it is an essential stop when you visit Futaba, Fukushima, and all the cool nuclear stuff.
So, what is the Futaba Business Incubation and Community Center (F-BICC)? To cut a long story short, it is the social hub of Futaba, pretty much one of the worst places affected by the tsunami and nuclear incident. Excited yet?
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What Is the Futaba Business Incubation and Community Center (F-BICC)?
The Futaba Business Incubation and Community Center opened in October 2020 as part of efforts to revitalise the town following the 2011 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster. The idea was to create a place where businesses, residents and visitors could meet, work and socialise as Futaba gradually reopened. I have seen it improve over the years, adding a gift shop and a very small food court. There is also a field next door where people play sports. OK, not the most interesting place in the world, but, you know, it once was, and they are trying to make things better.
Eating at the Futaba Business Incubation and Community Center
Basically, this is one of the only places to eat near the locations that you come for (more on that later). This is because a couple of years ago they built a food court of sorts. This consists of three to five places selling Japanese food, or Japanese takes on Western food. When I just visited, only two were open.
The food options include Sendantei, serving ramen and local specialities such as Namie yakisoba; Penguin, which serves burgers, sandwiches and other Western-style fast food; and Futaba no Orahoya, which offers Japanese meals, soba and udon. Restaurant F is also located on the second floor. The stalls and their opening hours can vary, though, so do not expect everything to be open when you visit.
Other than that, you have FamilyMart. FamilyMart is awesome AND they serve not just booze, but great fried chicken. I ask, what more do you want, man?
So, Why Come to the Futaba Business Incubation and Community Center?
It is right next to the school that got fucked by the tsunami, the museum and within spitting distance of the beach. This is quite literally ground zero for nuclear jollies in Futaba and beyond.
It is also opposite the Business Hotel ARM Futaba (ビジネスホテルARM双葉), which I do not recommend at all. There is, though, also now the Futatabi Futaba Fukushima (ふたたび双葉福島), which translates roughly as “Futaba Again, Fukushima”. This place looks nice, but also expensive.
Oh, and I forgot to mention the fifth-floor viewing deck, so high it might be the best place if the tsunami comes back!
Click to see my Japanese Tours with YPT