Fuchū, Tokyo

Japanese city
Name=Fuchū
JapaneseName=府中市
Prefecture=Tokyo
Region=Kantō
Area_km2=29.34
Population=236,491
PopDate=2003
Density_km2=8060
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LatitudeDegrees= 35
LatitudeMinutes= 40
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LongtitudeDegrees= 139
LongtitudeMinutes= 28
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Area code=
Mayor =
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CityHallPostalCode =
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CityHallLink= [http://www.city.fuchu.tokyo.jp/ Fuchū] | City

Elevation=

nihongo|Fuchū|府中市|Fuchū-shi is a city in Tokyo Metropolis, Japan.

As of 2003, the city has an estimated population of 236,491 and a population density of 8,060.36 persons per km². The total area is 29.34 km².

The government of Musashi Province was established in Fuchū by the Taika Reform, and the city prospered as the local center of politics, economy, and culture. It prospered as a post town on the Kōshū Highway in the Edo period, and the Kita Tama District public office was placed here after the start of the Meiji era.

The city was founded on April 1, 1954.

Geographical features

The city is located 20 km west of central Tokyo. It spreads across the river terrace on the left bank of the Tama River, facing the Tama hills on the opposite shore. The Tama River flows through the southernmost end of the city from west to east. The Kokubunji cliff runs west to east along the north; the Fuchū cliff runs west to east through the center of the city. The former has a height of 10 to 15 m, and the latter, 10 to 20 m. Mt. Sengen-yama with an altitude of 79 m is in the northeast part, and the height from the foot is about 30 m. The region is mostly flat land. To the south of the Fuchū cliff is the Tama River lowlands while to the north of the Kokubunji cliff is the Musashino side of Musashino Plateau; the region between them is the Tachikawa side of the Musashino Plateau. The cliffs are called "hake" in the local dialect. On the south of the Fuchū cliff, Fuchū water is flowing. The Nogawa river, a tributary of the Tama River, grazes the northeast end of the city.

History

* 645: With the Taika Reforms of the government of Musashi Province was established in Fuchū.
* 1333: The Battle of Bubaigawara was fought.
* 1602: The Fuchū post-town was established with the upgrading of the Kōshū-dochu road (Kōshū Highway).
* 1868: Nirayama Prefecture was established, and the southwest part of the city region becomes part of it. The remainder was under the jurisdiction of the Musashi prefectural governor.
* 1869: Shinagawa Prefecture was established, and except for the southwest part, the city becomes part of the prefecture.
* 1871: Establishment of the prefectural system. Parts of the city were transferred to Kanagawa Prefecture by the next year step by step.
* 1878: Tama District of Kanagawa Prefecture was divided into three districts: North Tama, South Tama, West Tama, and one district in Tokyo Prefecture: East Tama. The city region became part of North Tama District, whose district offices were established in the city.
* 1880: Four towns and one village of the central area of the city region merged into Fuchū-eki.
* 1889: Eight villages of the eastern area of city region merged into Tama Village, and three villages of the western area merged into Nishifu Village. Fuchū-eki reorganized as a town, without changing its name.
* 1893: Three Tama districts were admitted to Tokyo Prefecture. Fuchū-eki changed its name to Fuchū Town.
* 1910: The Tokyo Gravel Railroad (later JNR Shimogawara Line) is opened for traffic.
* 1913: Telephone service commenced.
* 1916: Keiō Electric Tram (part of present Keiō Line) opened for traffic.
* 1922: Tama Railroad (present Seibu Tamagawa Line) is opened for traffic.
* 1925: Gyokunan Electric Railroad (part of the present Keiō Line) opened for traffic.
* 1929: Nanbu Railroad (present JR Nambu Line) opened for traffic.
* 1943: Tokyo Prefecture merged with Tokyo City, forming Tokyo-to.
* 1954 April 1: Fuchū Town, Tama Village, Nishifu Village merged into Fuchū City, with the structure of a city.
* 1956: New Kōshū Highway is opened for traffic between Higashi Fuchū and Honshūku.
* 1961: New Kōshū Highway is opened for traffic between Higashi Fuchū and Chōfu.
* 1968: The 300 million yen robbery occurred in Harumicho. This was the biggest robbery in the history of the nation.
* 1973: The JNR (as was) Musashino Line opened for traffic. Shimogawara Line closed.

Transportation

Access to the city

Using the Keiō Line from Shinjuku Station (新宿駅), it is 25 minutes to Fuchū Station (main station). Coming by Keiō Line from Shinjuku, the station before Fuchu is Higashi-Fuchu (東府中) when using the local, rapid, or express trains; on the semi-special express or special express trains, the station before Fuchu is Chōfu (調布).

Railroads and their stations

*Keiō Line
**Musashinodai Station
**Tama-reien Station
**Higashi-Fuchū Station
**Fuchū Station
**Bubaigawara Station
**Nakagawara Station
*Keiō Keibajō Line
**Higashi-Fuchū Station
**Fuchūkeibaseimonmae Station
*Nanbu Line
**Fuchūhommachi Station
**Bubaigawara Station
*Musashino Line
**Fuchuhommachi Station
**Kita-fuchū Station
*Seibu Tamagawa Line
**Tama Station
**Shiraitodai Station
**Kyōteijōmae Station
**Koremasa Station

Bus routes

Most bus routes in the city start at Fuchū Station. You can get other routes at Tama-reien Station, Higashi-fuchū Station, Bubaigawara Station, Nakagawara Station, Tama Station, Koremasa Station, or Seisekisakuragaoka Station.

Roads

Chūō Expressway and Route 20 are parallel to Keiō Line, and run east to west. They connect Fuchū and central Tokyo.

Toll roads

*Chūō Expressway
**Inagi Interchange (3.1; Limited interchange)
**Kunitachi Fuchū Interchange (4)
**:Chōfu Interchange (3) is not located in Fuchū city area, but serves the eastern half of city.
*Inagi Ohashi Toll Road

National highway

*Route 20 - Kōshū Highway

Prefectural roads

* Tokyo Prefectural Route 9 Kawasaki Fuchu line Fuchū highway (it is also called the Kawasaki highway), Koremasa Bridge
* Tokyo Prefectural Route 14 Shinjuku Kunitachi line Tohachi Road
* Tokyo Prefectural Route 15 Fuchu; Kiyose line Koganei Highway
* Tokyo Prefectural Route 17 Tokorozawa Fuchu line Fuchū Highway
* Tokyo Prefectural Route 18 Fuchu Machida line Kamakura Highway, Sekido Bridge
* Tokyo Prefectural Route 20 Fuchu Sagamihara Line Fuchū Yotsuya Bridge (Yaen Highway)
* Tokyo Prefectural Route 110 Fuchu Mitaka line Hitomi Highway, Shin-Koganei Highway
* Tokyo Prefectural Route 133 Ogawa Fuchu line Kokubunji Highway
* Tokyo Prefectural Route 229 Fuchu Chōfu line Old Kōshū Highway
* Tokyo Prefectural Route 245 Tachikawa Kokubunji Line Takikubo Dori
*Tokyo Prefectural Route 247 Fuchu Koganei line (the section in Fuchū is un-opened for traffic)
*Tokyo Prefectural Route 248 Fuchu Kodaira line Shin-Koganei Highway
In the above figure, [20] is a national highway, ( )'s are prefectural roads, IC's are interchanges in Chūō Expressway.

Industry

Today, the local economy is primarily service-oriented, with retail centers and department stores near the train stations, as well as the Tokyo Racecourse and the Tama-gawa speedboat race facility. Roughly 84,000 work in this part of the economy, as of 2000,

Manufacturing accounts for 26,000 workers, with large-scale factories such as the Fuchū facility of the NEC Corporation, Toshiba's Fuchū factory, and Suntory's Musashino brewery.

Until after World War II, agriculture was the primary industry, growing rice through paddy field tillage and raising silkworms through sericulture. However, as of 2000, the number of the agriculture workers was only 865, and as of 2002, only 6.9 % of land was under tillage percentage, 25.7 % of that being paddy fields. Farmhouses account for only 0.4 % of buildings.

Fuchu is also home to Fuchu Prison, one of Japan's largest prisons, and to a major base of the Air Self-Defense Force.

Education

Colleges and universities

*Tokyo University of Foreign Studies
*Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology

Primary and secondary education

The city operates its public elementary and junior high schools.

Public high schools are operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Board of Education
*Fuchu High School [http://www.fuchu-h.metro.tokyo.jp/]
*Fuchu East High School [http://www.fuchuhigashi-h.metro.tokyo.jp/]
*Fuchu West High School [http://www.fuchunishi-h.metro.tokyo.jp/]
*Fuchu Technical High School [http://www.fuchukogyo-h.metro.tokyo.jp/]
*Nogyo High School [http://www.nogyo-h.metro.tokyo.jp/]

Adjoining cities

*Tokyo
**Kokubunji
**Koganei
**Chōfu
**Inagi
**Tama
**Hino
**Kunitachi

Tourism

* Suntory Beer Factory
If you would like to indulge in some of Suntory's finest beer, you should make your way to their Musashino Brewery in Fuchu. The brewery is open from 10am til 5pm daily and operates free tours of the Musashino Brewery including a 30 minute beer tasting session. The brewery is located near Bubaigawara station (Keio and Nanbu Lines). Suntory provide a free shuttle bus between Bubaigawara Station and the brewery. The shuttle departs the Station every 30 minutes.
* Tama River Stroll
Take a leisurely stroll along the Tama River. in the evening. Its especially good in sakura season, as the banks are lined with ornamental cherry trees.
* Kyodo no mori open air museum and park

ports

*Suntory Sungoliath - a rugby team based in Fuchu
*Toshiba Brave Lupus - a rugby team based in Fuchu

ee also

References

External links

* [http://www.city.fuchu.tokyo.jp/english/index.html Fuchu official website] in English
* [http://www.city.Fuchu.tokyo.jp/ Fuchu official website] in Japanese
* [http://www.tohocinemas.co.jp/fuchu/index.html Toho Cinema Fuchu]