Memorials held in Fukushima Prefecture, where communities are still dealing with damage caused by 2011 disaster.

Marches have taken place in Japan to mark the third anniversary of the Fukushima earthquake and tsunami that left nearly 20,000 people dead or missing and devastated local infrastructure.

Although the anniversary of the event falls on Tuesday, several events and protests were planned in the region on Saturday, when more people could attend them.

In snowy Koriyama, a committee of anti-nuclear groups – mostly unions - coordinated the "No Nuclear Fukushima Citizen's Rally" to commemorate the disaster and to warn the community of what they said were the dangers of nuclear energy.

"I'm here because I want to hear the voices of the people who live here," said Hiroyuki Inoue, a 34-year-old construction worker who had travelled from Tokyo for the event, which included local vendors and entertainers.

The capital voted in a man many see as a pro-nuclear candidate , Yoichi Misuzoe, as its governor in February, a sign, some say, that political will to listen to the concerns in the affected communities is waning there.

"I don't support Masuzoe – there are some people who have forgotten [the ongoing nuclear crisis] but many of us haven't," said Inoue.

"We're still protesting."

Koriyama was a place to which many were evacuated from the 20km nuclear exclusion zone, only to find out that Koriyama itself, about 55km west of the damaged Daiichi plant, had higher levels of radiation.

READ MORE: Protests mark Japan earthquake anniversary