General Information Fuchu-cho is a small town enveloped within the suburbs
of Hiroshima city. It extends about 4.18 km from east to west and about
5.2 km from north to south. It has an area of approximately 10.45 square
km. In Japanese, "fuchu" means "the place of central government
in olden times". In the past, Fuchu was the center of politics and
culture in the Aki province, where is the western part of Hiroshima prefecture.
In 1889, it was renamed Fuchu-son (village) and in 1937, it became designated
as "town". From 1960 to 1975, the population exploded, but since
1975 it has slowed down. in 2006, the population of Fuchu-cho was 51,647.
Extending to the north of Fuchu-cho, Mikumari Valley and Mt.Gosasou are renowned for their natural beauty. Now this area has gained even further appeal through it's recent designation as a nature preserve. In addition to the residents of this area, we invite all to enjoy the great outdoors through picturesque hiking in spring and autumn and camping in the summertime. "Kusazuri Waterfalls" of Mikumari Valley is beautiful in every season.
Mikumari Shrine The name Mikumari means "water supply", so this shrine has been dedicated as a water shrine. People came to pray for rain here in times of drought. Fuchu Museum of History and Folklore If you are interested in the history
of Fuchu-cho, we recommend that you visit Fuchu Museum of History and Folklore,
where you can see the daily life and agriculture of our ancestors. On display
are farm implements and other artifacts used in the daily lives of those
days. 
Kokucho Estate and Tadokoro ancient document (Important Cultural Property
in Hiroshima) A member of the Tadokoro family, who was an officer in the
Aki province, is said to have lived at Kokucho Estate from the 10th to
the 13th century. Several important documents about territorial possessions
and property taxes were written. They were also written about the family's
duties, their fortune, and their personal retainers. These documents have
given a lot of insight us today about life at that time. Take Shrine and Treasure House (Important Cultural Property in Hiroshima)
Accoding to ancient Engishiki documents, Take Shrine has always been and
still remains as one of the important shrines in Aki Province. Take Shrine
was originally located in another area (exact location unknwn) and then
moved to its present location in 1874. It was destroyed by fire in 1915,
and rebuilt 1922. The Hozo treasure house is notable for its unusual building
style which uses square-shaped wood. This style is very rare in Japan now.
Doryu Temple and Yakushinyorai Seated-Statue (Important Cultural Property
in Hiroshima) Doryu Temple was built by a Buddhist priest named Kobodaishi
in 806. In those days, the temple was named "Yakuoh Temple" and
was the head temple of the Aki Province. The seated statue of Yakushi-Nyorai
was made in 1201 of Japanese cypress, and has been dedicated as an important
cultural property in Hiroshima. Besides this, this temple stores centuries-old
treasures including statuary and ancient documents. The site of Ishii Castle Ishii Castle was once the residence of Suetada Hichiro Ishida. He played an important role in the 14th century. His gravesite and a monument to honor him lies on the top of the mountain. Around the grave is a mound of shells in which was found pottery dating back to medieval times.
Kogomori Shrine According to ancient pictorial documents, the Goddess
of Fortune named Benzaiten is enshrined here. The stone lantern was donated
by a parishioner of Kogomori Shrine in 1835. Originally, this shrine is
said to have been located near Kogomori railroad crossing. In 1911, it
was taken over by Kibune Shrine and then rebuilt in 1954.