Chasing Summer Adventures in Fukushima's Great OutdoorsRolling into the Countryside:a Drive Through Endless Rice Fields

No road trip in Japan is complete without a visit to a michi no eki, those roadside rest stations that double as local treasure troves. Fukushima’s michi no eki are especially fun, bursting with stalls of fresh produce, handmade crafts, and local specialties. There’s a kind of delight in browsing row after row of peaches, plums, and other fruits so perfectly ripe they look like they belong in a still-life painting.
Alongside the food are shelves stacked with hand-printed goods, many of them featuring the local mascot—the cheerful red akabeko cow. I couldn’t resist and ended up with a cute little akabeko tote bag that I now carry everywhere, plus a couple of big, sweet and juicy peaches. It’s the perfect way to grab both snacks for the road and souvenirs that carry a little piece of Fukushima’s charm.

My final destination was the Inawashiro Lake campsite, and it didn’t take long to see why it’s so beloved. Nestled right on the lakeshore, the site attracts campers from all over Japan. As I set up my tent, I struck up conversations with neighbors—some had come down from Tokyo, while others had driven from Sendai. That mix of city dwellers escaping the concrete jungle for a weekend under the stars is part of what makes the atmosphere so warm and welcoming. There’s a shared appreciation for the simple pleasures: cooking outdoors, watching the sun set over the water, and swapping stories around a lantern after dark. Camping has always been popular in Japan, but it feels especially rewarding here, where the lake breeze takes the edge off summer’s heat and the backdrop of Mount Bandai makes even washing the dishes feel picturesque.

When I first walked down to the shore, I was stunned—Lake Inawashiro is huge. I knew it was one of Japan’s largest lakes, but standing there in person made me realize just how vast it really is. The water stretched out farther than I could see, sparkling under the summer sun and promising the kind of cool relief only a Japanese August can make you truly crave. That’s when I knew: it was time to get out on the water. Stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) had always been on my list of things to try, and this was the perfect place to do it. The instructor, a local resident, immediately put everyone at ease. What makes her lessons unique is the way she combines SUP with yoga—during the winter she teaches yoga classes, and she’s found ways to bring that same calm, mindful approach onto the lake. Balancing on the paddleboard while flowing through simple poses was both hilarious and surprisingly peaceful. I’ll admit, I wasn’t exactly graceful (more than once I nearly tipped over), but her friendly encouragement kept me going. Even if you’ve never tried yoga or SUP before, the lesson is all about having fun, laughing at yourself, and soaking in the rhythm of the lake. By the time we paddled back to shore, I felt refreshed in every sense—cooled down from the blazing summer heat and glowing from the joy of trying something.

As the day faded into evening, the campsite buzzed with quiet laughter and the soft clinking of glasses. I joined a group of campers on the shore, where we shared drinks, swapped travel stories, and watched the stars come out over the water. It was the perfect ending to a day spent playing under the sun.
I loved every moment of hanging out in Fukushima’s countryside—from the drive past rice fields and mountains, to shopping for akabeko souvenirs, to the thrill of SUP on Lake Inawashiro. What stayed with me most, though, was the sense of connection: to nature, to the people I met, and to the simple joy of slowing down. I’m already planning my return trip for next summer, when I can once again chill by the lake, share a drink with fellow campers, and let Fukushima’s great outdoors work its quiet magic all over again.