A City With a Remarkable Past

After falling out of use as a brewery, the Nanatsu Ume Sake Brewery found a new purpose as a small collection of shops and even a movie theater called Fukaya Cinema! While a few parts are off-limits to visitors, there’s something here for everyone to enjoy.

Take a walk from Former Nanatsu Ume Sake Brewery to Nakasendo for an intriguing stroll through history! You can see many old red-brick buildings as you walk along, such as the Tsukamoto Shoten Store with its Japanese-style “machiya” townhouse architecture and unusual red-brick “udatsu” (short pillars), and the Fujihashi Tozaburo Shoten Store with its tall red-brick chimney. Rent a bicycle at Fukkachan to continue your trip.

Bizenkyo Iron Bridge is a plate girder bridge that was built in 1895. It has been designated as a National Important Cultural Property and was part of Japan’s first private railway, linking the brick factory to Fukaya Station.

The Japan Brick Manufacturing Company was established by Shibusawa Eiichi and other founders in 1887. It produced the materials for many of Japan’s beautiful red-brick buildings, including Tokyo Station and the Kanagawa Prefectural Museum of Cultural History. The factory closed its doors in 2006 and has been converted into a museum full of fascinating information!

Along with its myriad of sights, Fukaya is also famous as the birthplace of Shibusawa Eiichi, who’s called the “father of the modern Japanese economy.” In the Shibusawa Eiichi Memorial Museum, you can see various displays of materials and photographs that showcase the achievements of this extraordinary man. There’s also a statue of Shibusawa Eiichi himself for you to admire!

For those seeking to visit a relic of Japanese history, look no further than Nakanchi, the birthplace of Shibusawa Eiichi. Both the main buildingーbuilt by his brother-in-law Ichiro in 1895ーand garden are open to the public free of charge. You can also enjoy a stroll in the adjoining Seien Park!

If you’re hungry, then Fukkachan Yokocho is the place to be! There are nine restaurants with different styles of food, such as Fukaya negi (green onion) dishes.