Date City is located in the northern part of Fukushima Prefecture and is a relatively new city formed in 2006 by the merger of five towns. The city is surrounded by mountains such as Mt. Reizan and rivers such as the Abukuma River and the Hirose River. Its history dates back to the Paleolithic period. The city's industry flourished from the end of the Edo period to the early Showa period through sericulture, and it was bustling with buyers of raw silk from all over the country. Due to this background, the city had a ryokan district and a Kabuki theater until the postwar period. Today, fruit cultivation has developed in agriculture, making it one of the leading fruit-producing areas in the country. Both local chicken and Date chicken have established brands. Major tourist attractions include Mt. Reizan, the ruins of Somekawa Castle, and Somekawa Hachimangu Shrine.