Fukusaki, Hyōgo

Fukusaki 福崎町
Town
Location of Fukusaki in Hyōgo Prefecture
Fukusaki Location in Japan
Coordinates:
Country	Japan
Region	Kansai
Prefecture	Hyōgo Prefecture
District	Kanzaki
Area
• Total	45.82 km2 (17.69 sq mi)
Population (2008)
• Total	19,958
• Density	440/km2 (1,100/sq mi)
Time zone	Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
Website	www.town.fukusaki.hyogo.jp

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

As of 2008, the town has an estimated population of 19,958 and a density of 432.17 persons per km². The total area is 45.82 km².

Transportation system

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

List of schools:

• Kinki Helth 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 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 costume. Many villagers join the festival and this is a kind of social gathering.

Every year is held the Summer Festival on the 9th of August at the playground of Fukusaki Junior High School. There are fireworks displayed, "bon" dancing and Fukusaki drum performances. Many stalls have food and fun 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. He wrote about his house in one of his book 'Kokyou 70 nen' (70 years in hometown) - 'It was the smallest house in his hometown' Kunio had 4 brothers. One of the younger brother's name is Teruo,(Eikyuu) a famous Japanese traditional painter. Some of his paintings are shown in the Memorial museum.
On the anniversary day of Kunio's death is held the Santou-Ki Haiku Festival.

Kanzaki-gun county museum of history and customs

Miki house

A western-style building built in 1886. Renovated in 1972 to a museum for keeping and promoting the development of culture.

House of the Miki family

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

Suzunomori shrine

A shrine located in the Tsujikawa region. Peaceful and comfortable, next to Kunio Yanagita's house.

Restaurants

• Ringo no Ki (Gallery and Tea Room): located 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): located near the Town Hall. They have many kinds of lunch and they serve handmade cakes.
• Kurosuke (Izakaya pub): located near Fukusaki-kita Interchange. Separate rooms so people can drink in a cozy atmosphere.
• Araken (Izakaya pub): located near Fukusaki station. They have many kinds of "Sho-chu" and "sake".
• Ajisai (Izakaya pub): located near the Chugoku Highway. They serve fresh raw fish.

External links

• Media related to at Wikimedia Commons
• Fukusaki official website (Japanese)