Please support Tomonoura, where the traditional culture of the modern port town remains in the daily lives of the people and the town.
This is Naoki Edahiro, the mayor of Fukuyama City.
Tomonoura is a port town situated on the Numakuma Peninsula, which is located in the central region of the Seto Inland Sea. It is mentioned in the ancient Manyo poems, and has prospered as a port to await the tide since the middle ages. A poem written by Otomo no Tabibito, the author of the source of the new Gengoh, Reiwa, mentions his stop in Tomonoura in the Manyoshu.
Tomonoura developed as a commercial port thanks to boats from Kitamae and Kyushu calling to port, due to its important position as a place where they could wait for the tide. The Joseon missionaries called to port often, and in 1811 (year 11 of the Bunka Era) they left a scroll stating “Nitto Daiichi no Keisho” (“This is the most beautiful place between Tsushima and Edo”), referring to the spectacular view from the Taicho-ro at Fukuzenji.
In 2017 (H27), the town-scape of Tomo was selected as an important preservation district of historic buildings, and the historical documents from the Joseon missionaries kept in Fukuzenji have been registered as "Memories of the World" by Unesco's Memory of the World Programme. Furthermore, in 2018 (H30), a story based on Tomo's port town culture was accredited as a piece of Japanese Heritage. These three points correctly evaluate the history and culture of our town, and are a great honor.
We, alongside Hiroshima Prefecture, are currently asking for donations from people far and wide to promote the revitalization and rejuvenation of Tomo, and make the appropriate care and utilization of these historical artifacts possible. Your donations will be used as an important source of funding for us to pass on these valuable historical/cultural items to future generations. Thank you in advance for any and all support you are able to offer.
The town of Tomo is home to a community who values traditional quiet living and festivals. Pay us a visit in Tomonoura, Fukuyama City; you will feel nostalgic on your first visit.