Aiming to return the area around Lake Fujinuma in Sukagawa, Fukushima Prefecture, to its former glory in the aftermath of the March 2011 disasters, a group of local citizens has launched a company to try to turn the area into a top spot for hydrangea hunters.

The company, Omofuru Heart, began operations this month after the city approved its 28 staff members as designated managers of the nature park around the lake.

Before the calamity, the park, which surrounds the 20-hectare lake, had been known for various trees and golden-banded lilies, attracting tourists and residents alike to enjoy flower viewing in the spring and camping in the summer.