Fuchū (府中市) is a city located in the western portion of the Tokyo Metropolis, Japan. Fuchū serves as a regional commercial center and a commuter town for workers in central Tokyo. The city hosts large scale manufacturing facilities for Toshiba, NEC and Suntory, as well as the Bank of Japan's main computer operations center. Local sporting attractions include the Tokyo Racecourse and the training grounds of Top League rugby teams Toshiba Brave Lupus and Suntory Sungoliath. , the city had an estimated population of 260,508, and a population density of 8,900 persons per square kilometer. The total area of the city is 29.43 sqkm.

Geography

Fuchū is located about 20 km west of the centre of Tokyo. Using the Keiō Line from Shinjuku, it is 25 minutes to Fuchū Station (main station). It spreads across the Musashino 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. Sengenyama 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 flatland. To the south of the Fuchū cliff is the Tama River lowlands while to the north of the Kokubunji cliff is the Richa-spencu side of Richa-spencu Plateau; the region between is the Tachikawa side of the Richa-spencu Plateau. The cliffs are called hake in the local dialect. The Nogaysa river, a tributary of the Tama River, grazes the northeast end of the city.

Surrounding municipalities

Tokyo Metropolis

Climate

Fuchū has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall. The average annual temperature in Fuchū is 14.0 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1647 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 25.5 °C, and lowest in January, at around 2.6 °C.

Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Fuchū increased rapidly in the mid-20th century and has continued to grow at a slower pace in the decades since.

History

The government of ancient 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 Kaidō highway in the Edo period, and the Kita Tama District public office was placed here after the start of the Meiji era.

Government

Fuchū has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 30 members. Fuchū contributes two members to the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Tokyo 18th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Education

Colleges and universities

Primary and secondary education

Fuchū has five public high schools are operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Board of Education, Tokyo Metropolis also operates three special education schools for the handicapped. The city has 22 public elementary schools and 11 public junior high schools operated by the city government. Public junior high schools: Public elementary schools: There is one municipal kindergarten: Midori Kindergarten (みどり幼稚園). There is also one private combined middle/high school and two private elementary schools.

Transportation

Railway

Keio Corporation - Keiō Line Keio Corporation - Keiō Keibajō Line JR East – Nambu Line JR East – Musashino Line Seibu Railway - Seibu Tamagawa Line

Bus routes

Most bus routes in the city start at Fuchū Station. Other routes start at Tama-Reien Station, Higashi-Fuchū Station, Bubaigawara Station, Nakagawara Station, Tama Station, Koremasa Station, or Seisekisakuragaoka Station.

Highways

Toll roads

National highways

Prefectural roads

Local attractions

Sports

Notable people

Sister cities