Introduction to Fukuyama City

Fukuyama City, the heart of the Setouchi region, is located in the eastern part of Hiroshima Prefecture, and is known as “Fukuyama, the City of a Million Roses”, as roses can be seen blooming throughout the city in the spring and autumn. Tomonoura, the “port of waiting for the tide” is a famous sightseeing spot, a scenic place where the streets of the Edo Period, when Japan was ruled by shogun from the 1600s to the 1800s, can still be seen today as they were then. It is the only region in Japan to earn the three distinctions of being a Japan Heritage Site, included in UNESCO's Memory of the World Register, and a preservation district for groups of historic buildings. Otomo no Tabito, a poet born in the 7th century whose work played a role in the naming of the current Imperial era “Reiwa”, visited Tomonoura, and today three monuments with his poetry engraved on them can be found there. Fukuyama Castle, located just a short walk from JR Fukuyama Station, was built by Katsunari Mizuno, a cousin of the Edo Period's first shogun Ieyasu Tokugawa, as the first lord of the domain, and serves as a landmark of the city. 2022 marks the 400th anniversary of its construction. Fukuyama Castle’s tower was destroyed by fire during the air raids of 1945, but Fushimi Turret and Sujigane-Gomon Gate, which retain the original appearance of the castle, have been designated as National Important Cultural Properties. In addition, there are many other places where you can experience the history and culture of Fukuyama City, including Myooin Temple, a National Treasure, and Renjuku, an Edo-era private school that has been designated as a Special Historic Site.