Fukusaki, Hyōgo

Fukusaki has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) with hot summers and cool to cold winters. Precipitation is significantly higher in summer than in winter, though on the whole lower than most parts of Honshū, and there is no significant snowfall. The average annual temperature in Fukusaki is 15.1 °C (59.2 °F). The average annual rainfall is 1,445.0 mm (56.89 in) with July as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 27.4 °C (81.3 °F), and lowest in January, at around 3.6 °C (38.5 °F).[2] The highest temperature ever recorded in Fukusaki was 38.8 °C (101.8 °F) on 24 July 2018; the coldest temperature ever recorded was −7.8 °C (18.0 °F) on 3 February 1996.[3]

Per Japanese census data, the population of Fukusaki in 2020 is 19,377 people.[4] Fukusaki has been conducting censuses since 1920.

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

There are two Major festivals: the Autumn Festival and Summer Festival.

During the Autumn Festival, young men carry a portable shrine and pray for a good harvest. These young men often wear 'happi'.

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. As well as food/game stalls.

Kunio Yanagita (1875–1962) Was born in Fukusaki, and due to his importance in the study of Japanese folklore, the town has a number of yokai sculptures. In Tsujikawayama Park there are currently five statues whose designs were chosen through "The National Yokai Modeling contest".[5]

A total of 17 "Yokai benches" also exist within the town. As a way to create tourism, these benches were created and placed near local businesses and other points of interest.[6]

The house of folklorist Kunio Yanagita and memorial hall to his brothers is located 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 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.[7][8]

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.

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.

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 is in the Tsujikawa region, near Kunio Yanagita's house.

• 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.