Fukusaki, Hyōgo

Fukusaki
福崎町
Town

Flag
Chapter

Location of Fukusaki in Hyōgo Prefecture
Fukusaki
Location in Japan
Coordinates: 34°57′N 134°46′E / 34.950°N 134.767°E / 34.950; 134.767Coordinates: 34°57′N 134°46′E / 34.950°N 134.767°E / 34.950; 134.767
Country Japan
Region Kansai
Prefecture Hyōgo Prefecture
District Kanzaki
Area
 • Total 45.82 km2 (17.69 sq mi)
Population (April 30, 2017)
 • Total 19,516
 • Density 430/km2 (1,100/sq mi)
Time zone UTC+9 (JST)
Website www.town.fukusaki.hyogo.jp

Fukusaki (福崎町, Fukusaki-chō) is a town in Kanzaki District, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan.

As of April 30, 2017, the town had an estimated population of 19,516 and a density of 430 persons per km².[1] The total area is 45.82 km².

Transportation system

The Bantan Line (train) is bound from Himeji (south) to Wadayama (north). The local train station is called Fukusaki Station.

The Shinki bus line is bound from Fukusaki to Himeji.

The route 312 and the Bantan highway connect Himeji and Fukusaki.

There is a Fukusaki intersection in the Chugoku highway which connects Osaka to Yamaguchi.

Schools

There are four elementary schools, two junior high schools, one senior high school and a welfare university. In addition, there are four preschools and four kindergartens:

  • Kinki Health Welfare University
  • Fukusaki Senior High School
  • Fukusaki Nishi Junior High School
  • Fukusaki Higashi Junior High School
  • Fukusaki Elementary School
  • Tawara Elementary School
  • Takaoka Elementary School
  • Yachikusa Elementary School

Festivals

There are many festivals in Fukusaki town. Among them are two big ones: Autumn Festival and Summer Festival.

In the Autumn Festival, many young men carry a portable shrine and pray for a good crop of harvest. Many young men wear 'happi', which is a traditional Japanese jacket. Many villagers join the festival, and this is a social gathering.

The Summer Festival is held on the 9th of August at the playground of Fukusaki Junior High School. There are fireworks displayed, bon dancing and drum performances. Many stalls have food and presents for sale. More than 1000 people join the festival every year.

Sightseeing

Kunio Yanagita's house and Matsuoka family memorial museum

The house of folklorist Kunio Yanagita (1875–1962) and memorial hall of his brothers is in Fukusaki. He wrote about his house in one of his books, Kokyou Nanajunen (70 years in hometown): "It was the smallest house in [his] hometown." The book also describes Gataro (ガタロ), a kappa. The municipal government of Fukusaki held a yōkai design contest and installed a mechanical kappa statue that pops out of a pond in Tsujikawa Yama Park to attract tourists. In 2015, the government went on to design a kappa costume for the character Gajiro (ガジロウ), who is said to be the younger brother of Gataro. Gajiro has since been adopted as the mascot of Fukusaki.[2][3]

Yanagita had four brothers. One of the younger brother's name is Teruo (Eikyuu), a famous Japanese traditional painter. Some of his paintings are shown in the museum.

The anniversary day of Yanagita's death is held at the Santou-Ki Haiku Festival.

Kanzaki-gun museum of history and customs

Miki house

The museum is a western-style building built in 1886. It was renovated in 1972 to a museum for keeping and promoting the development of culture.

House of the Miki family

The Miki House belonged to the great chief of Fukusaki. It is said that Kunio Yanagita read thousands of books from this family when he was a child.

Suzunomori shrine

Suzunomori shrine is in the Tsujikawa region. Peaceful and comfortable, it is next to Kunio Yanagita's house.

Restaurants

  • Ringo no Ki (gallery and tea room): near the Ichikawa river. English garden cafe, they serve handmade cake and bread. They hold many culture clubs such as flower arrangement, yoga and Okinawa traditional guitar-sanshin classes.
  • Les Beaux Provence (restaurant-cafe): near the Town Hall. They have many kinds of lunch; they serve handmade cakes.
  • Kurosuke (izakaya pub): near Fukusaki-kita Interchange. Separate rooms so people can drink in a cozy atmosphere.
  • Araken (izakaya pub): near Fukusaki station. They have many kinds of "sho-chu" and "sake".
  • Ajisai (izakaya pub): near the Chugoku Highway. They serve fresh raw fish.

References

  1. ↑ "Official website of Fukusaki Town" (in Japanese). Japan: Fukusaki Town. Retrieved 14 May 2017.
  2. ↑ "Hyogo town woos tourists with 'creepy' monster mascot". The Mainichi. 7 October 2016. Retrieved 15 February 2018.
  3. ↑ "福崎町の妖怪たち" [Yōkai in Fukusaki Town]. Town of Fukusaki. 5 February 2018. Retrieved 15 February 2018.
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