Recommended Tourist Information
Kunio Yanagita, who pioneered and established Japanese folklore studies, wrote in his book “Kokyo Nanajūnen” (Seventy Years in My Hometown), “My house is the smallest in Japan,” and “In fact, it can be said that my interest in folklore originated from the destiny of the smallness of this house.”
His birthplace was originally located along the Tsujikawa highway, but in 1974, it was relocated to the area near Suzunomori Shrine, a place associated with Yanagita. (Designated as an Important Folk Cultural Property of Hyogo Prefecture)
| Location | Nishidahara, Fukusaki Town (next to the memorial hall) |
| Phone | 0790-22-1000 (Memorial Hall) |
| Opening Hours | 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM |
| Closed | Mondays, the day after public holidays, and from December 28 to January 4 |
| Admission | Free |
| Parking | Available (Tsujikawa Area Parking Lot) |
| Access | By Car: Approximately 5 minutes from Fukusaki IC on the Bantan Expressway or Chūgoku Expressway By Train: Approximately 10 minutes by taxi from Fukusaki Station on the JR Bantan Line |
Born in 1875 in the Matsuoka family of Tsujikawa, Fukusaki Town, Kunio Yanagita graduated from the University of Tokyo and entered the Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce. After serving as a councillor at the Legislative Bureau, he became the Secretary-General of the House of Peers. In 1919, at the age of 45, he retired from his government position and dedicated himself to research, founding the field of Japanese folklore studies. His research received high praise, earning him the Order of Culture, as well as being named the first Honorary Citizen of Fukusaki Town, and awarded the Third Rank and the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star.
Additionally, the brothers of the Matsuoka family, Kunio’s birthplace (Katae, Taizo, Shizuo, and Teruo), each achieved great success in their respective fields, and the memorial hall was built to honor them together.
| Location | 1038-12 Nishidahara, Fukusaki Town |
| Phone | 0790-22-1000 |
| Opening Hours | 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM |
| Closed | Mondays, the day after public holidays, and from December 28 to January 4 |
| Admission | Free |
| Parking | Available (Tsujikawa Area Parking Lot) |
| Access | By Car: Approximately 5 minutes from Fukusaki IC on the Bantan Expressway or Chūgoku Expressway By Train: Approximately 10 minutes by taxi from Fukusaki Station on the JR Bantan Line |
The Kanzaki District Historical and Folklore Museum displays materials related to the history from prehistoric and ancient times to the modern era, as well as folk materials such as everyday tools and farming implements used in the region. The building itself was originally constructed in 1886 as the government office for the former Shin-To and Shin-Nishi districts (now Kanzaki District). It was relocated and restored, and has been designated as an Important Cultural Property of Hyogo Prefecture due to its significance as an outstanding example of Meiji-era architecture.
| Location | 1038-12 Nishidahara, Fukusaki Town |
| Phone | 0790-22-5699 |
| Opening Hours | 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM |
| Closed | Mondays, the day after public holidays, and from December 28 to January 4 |
| Admission | Free |
| Parking | Available (Tsujikawa Area Parking Lot) |
| Access | By Car: Approximately 5 minutes from Fukusaki IC on the Bantan Expressway or Chūgoku Expressway By Train: Approximately 10 minutes by taxi from Fukusaki Station on the JR Bantan Line |
The Miki family served as the chief steward of the Himeji domain. The existing residence retains the appearance of that time and is a valuable artifact that offers a glimpse into the layout and lifestyle of an Edo-period mansion (designated as an Important Cultural Property of Hyogo Prefecture). It is also said to be the place where Kunio Yanagita, in his childhood, freely read books, marking the beginning of his later vast knowledge.
| Location | 1106 Nishidahara, Fukusaki Town |
| Opening Hours: | 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM (last entry by 4:00 PM) |
| Autumn Open Days | November 1 – November 30 (closed on Mondays and the day after public holidays) |
| Admission | Free |
| Parking | Available (Tsujikawa Area Parking Lot) |
| Access | By Car: Approximately 5 minutes from Fukusaki IC on the Bantan Expressway or Chūgoku Expressway By Train: Approximately 10 minutes by taxi from Fukusaki Station on the JR Bantan Line |
☆★☆ Japan’s first! An extraordinary space where you can stay in a Registered Tangible Cultural Property. ☆★☆
At NIPPONIA Harima Fukusaki Zousho no Yakata, you can enjoy a refined and unique experience.
Built in 1923 by the 9th head of the Miki family, Miki Tetsuji, the building also served as a telegraph and telephone office. Originally known as Tsujikawa Post Office, it was later renamed Fukusaki Post Office and is considered a predecessor to the current Fukusaki Post Office. In 2008, it was registered as a Tangible Cultural Property of Japan.
The second floor of the building is now part of the accommodation facilities for NIPPONIA Harima Fukusaki Kousho no Yakata, while the first floor features a book cafe exclusively for guests.
| Location | 1107-1 Nishidahara, Fukusaki Town |
| Parking | Available (Tsujikawa Area Parking Lot) |
| Access | By Car: Approximately 5 minutes from Fukusaki IC on the Bantan Expressway or Chūgoku Expressway By Train: Approximately 10 minutes by taxi from Fukusaki Station on the JR Bantan Line |
During the reign of Empress Suiko, the temple was founded as Shigaoka-dera by the Korean monk Hegkan Hoshi of the Sanron sect. In 1928, when it was relocated to its current site, it was renamed Kongōjō-ji. This famous Shingon sect temple is also well-known as the 30th temple of the New Saigoku Pilgrimage. In April and May, visitors can see a cluster of endangered species, the Okinagusa (Anemone patens), blooming on the temple grounds.
| Location | 236 Taguchi, Fukusaki Town |
| Phone | 0790-22-0014 |
| Parking | Available |
| Access | By Car: Approximately 15 minutes from Fukusaki IC on the Bantan Expressway or Chūgoku Expressway By Train: Approximately 10 minutes by taxi from Fukusaki Station on the JR Bantan Line |
Ōshō-ji Temple, a Tendai sect temple with Mount Hiei’s Enryaku-ji as its head temple, is said to have been founded over 1,300 years ago during the Hakuchi era by the Indian monk Hōdō Sen’in. The temple is known for its scenic garden, which is designated as a Cultural Property of Hyogo Prefecture, and is famous for the blooming of Sarala flowers (mid-June to early July).
| Location | 1912 Takaoka, Fukusaki Town |
| Phone | 0790-22-1077 |
| Admission | 200 yen Garden Viewing Fee: 500 yen (includes matcha tea and sweets) |
| Parking | |
| Access | By Car: Approximately 15 minutes from Fukusaki IC on the Bantan Expressway or Chūgoku Expressway By Train: Approximately 10 minutes by taxi from Fukusaki Station on the JR Bantan Line |
Nikkō-ji Temple, founded in the first year of the Taika era (645) by the monk Hōdō Sen’in, is the head temple of the Omuro sect of the Shingon school. It prospered as the temple established by Emperor Tenmu and served as the retirement home of Emperor Reigen’s adopted son. From the summit of Nikkō-ji Mountain, which stands at an elevation of 408 meters, the view is spectacular, offering a panoramic sight of the Himeji Plain, the Harima coastal industrial area, the Ieshima Islands, and, in the distance, the Rokko mountain range. A telescope is installed on the temple grounds to take in the breathtaking scenery.
| Location | 2925 Onuki, Fukusaki Town |
| Parking | Available (in front of the Bell Tower) |
| Access | By Car: Approximately 15 minutes from Fukusaki IC on the Bantan Expressway or Chūgoku Expressway By Train: Approximately 20 minutes by taxi from Fukusaki Station on the JR Bantan Line |
Jinshaku-ji Temple belongs to the Tendai sect, Hiei Mountain school, and was founded in the 2nd year of the Shōryaku era (991) by the monk Keihō. It is said to have received the strong devotion of Emperors Ichijō and Sanjō. The temple’s main image is the Yakushi Nyorai (a National Important Cultural Property), with Monju Bosatsu (the Bodhisattva of Wisdom) and Bishamon Ten (the God of Warriors) enshrined as attendants. The Monju Bosatsu is popularly known as “Tahara Monju” and is counted as one of the six major Tendai temples of Harima. On Coming-of-Age Day, the temple holds a ritual called Onioi-shiki (the Exorcism Ceremony).
| Location | 1891 Higashidahara, Fukusaki Town |
| Phone | 0790-22-0339 (Myōtoku-san Goshin-in) |
| Parking | Available |
| Access | By Car: Approximately 5 minutes from Fukusaki IC on the Bantan Expressway or Chūgoku Expressway By Train: Approximately 10 minutes by taxi from Fukusaki Station on the JR Bantan Line |
The shrine enshrines Ame-no-Yagokoro-Omoikane-no-Kami along with two other deities. When Keihō Shōnin established the Jinzanji Temple, a statue of Monju was also dedicated to this shrine. The existing torii gate, standing at a total height of 322 cm, is made of quartz-rich tuff and does not utilize footstones. Its design retains a traditional style with a wider width in proportion to its height and no inward inclination of the pillars. Bearing an inscription from the 16th year of the Keichō era (1611), it has been designated as a Prefectural Important Cultural Property.
| Location | Higashitawara, Fukusaki Town |
| Access | By Car: Approximately 5 minutes from Fukusaki IC on the Bantan Renraku Road or Chugoku Expressway. By Train: Approximately 10 minutes by taxi from Fukusaki Station on the JR Bantan Line. |
The Oguni Residence served as the residence of a village headman during the Edo period and is renowned as the birthplace of Oguni Tetsujirō, who was active from the late Edo to the Meiji era. It is also the birthplace of Oguni Sekiji, who contributed to regional healthcare from the Meiji to the Showa era. In 2007, the main house, clinic, nagaya-mon gate, and walls were designated as the first nationally registered tangible cultural properties in Kanzaki District.
| Location | 814 Yamazaki, Fukusaki Town |
| Parking | Available |
| Access | By Car: Approximately 10 minutes from Fukusaki IC on the Bantan Renraku Road or Chugoku Expressway. By Train: Approximately 5 minutes by taxi from Fukusaki Station on the JR Bantan Line. |
Inoue Michiyasu, the elder brother of Kunio Yanagita, was a physician who also made significant contributions to the study of the Man’yōshū and the Harima Fudoki as well as the teaching of poetry. At Kannonji Temple, the family temple of the Inoue family, there is a poetry monument inscribed with a verse recalling Suzunomori Shrine in Tsujikawa, where he spent his childhood:
“In the grove of Ubutsuna, the yama-momo trees, my hometown, even fleeting memories, I hold dear.”
| Location | 1169 Nishiji, Fukusaki Town (Kannonji Temple) |
| Phone | 0790-22-3794 (Kannonji Temple) |
| Parking | Available |
| Access | By Car: Approximately 10 minutes from Fukusaki IC on the Bantan Renraku Road or Chugoku Expressway. By Train: Approximately 10 minutes by taxi from Fukusaki Station on the JR Bantan Line. |
