It has been eight years now since the meltdowns, and the water just off the Dai-ichi plant still contains contamination that washed there from the plant. But, a little further away, Kitai-izumi Beach is now open again. It is a popular spot for surfers as it gets some of the best waves in Japan, as you can see in the photo.

Surfing was banned there for 6 years, not just because of the radiation but also because of tsunami wreckage and also possible human remains in that stretch of ocean.

Fukushima would have been chosen to host the surfing competition when it makes its Olympic debut at the Tokyo Olympic Games but for the 2011 tsunami and meltdowns. The return of surfers to Fukushima is another sign that the prefecture is slowly recovering.

The city government tests the sand and water every month and the surfers also conduct their own regular tests.