Tips for Walking Through Fushimi in the Kan’ei Era

Hello. I’m a curator who wanders the streets of Fushimi, picking up bits of local stories as the mood takes me.

The other day, I attended a lecture titled “Rediscovering the Charm Along the Keihan Line: A Strolling Route Through the Kan’ei Era and the Tokaido,” specifically the talk “Fushimi in the Kan’ei Period” by Masahiro Wakabayashi.

After listening to the talk, I suddenly felt like walking my usual route.

But this time, not seeing “present-day Fushimi,” rather layering it with “Fushimi of the Kan’ei era.”

A town that is both Kyoto—and not quite Kyoto.

Fushimi is a place that cannot be summed up in a single phrase. It was an independent city until 1931 (Showa 6), but more than that, its position in history is uniquely complex.

Edo was Tokugawa Ieyasu, Kyoto was the “capital,” Osaka was Toyotomi Hideyoshi.

Within this framework, Fushimi doesn’t quite fit into any of them.

And yet, in reality, it served as Hideyoshi’s political center in his later years and as a base for Ieyasu. Out of the 802 days Ieyasu held the title of shogun, he spent 462 days in Fushimi, and he even received his appointment as Seii Taishogun there.

Here, the outline of “Fushimi as the castle town of the ruler of the realm” comes clearly into view.

A town that did not end even after the castle was gone

It’s easy to think Fushimi’s role ended with the dismantling of its castle in the Genna era—but in the Kan’ei period, it took on a different character.

Residences of the Owari and Kii domains were established here, and it functioned as a stage for politics and social exchange.

During the imperial visit in 1626 (Kan’ei 3), Tokugawa Yoshinao of Owari and Tokugawa Yorinobu of Kii hosted court nobles and monzeki priests on a rotating basis from their Fushimi residences.

The ordinary streets we walk today were once such a stage. Just thinking that adds a bit of depth to the scenery.

The remains of Fushimi Castle known as “Matsunomaru” were later relocated to Fukuyama Castle.

From wasteland to “Momoyama”

What stood out in the lecture was the dramatic transformation of Fushimi.

In 1677 (Enpo 5), it was described as a desolate castle town, even called “a haunt of badgers and foxes.”

Yet by 1706 (Hoei 3), it was praised as a “famous place for peaches.”

Peach trees were planted on the former domain estates, and the name “Momoyama” took root—like a story of the town’s rebirth.

And the story continues. Those peach fields eventually turned into tea fields.

Seeing familiar streets with new eyes

Kyomachi Street and Otesuji Street. The areas around Gokonomiya Shrine and Momoyama.

Layering “Fushimi of the Kan’ei era” onto these familiar sights.

Tokugawa Ieyasu equals Edo, Toyotomi Hideyoshi equals Osaka.

But by adding Fushimi as another base, the way we see history shifts slightly.

Even Kyoto itself was, at one point, under the influence of Fushimi.

Simply knowing that background and walking the streets adds a subtle three-dimensional quality to the familiar landscape.

After the lecture, this way of walking felt just right.

*Information is accurate at the time of reporting. Details may have changed, so please check in advance by phone or other means.*