Fukiya Homes

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Fukiya 吹屋
is one of seven villages in Okayama Prefecture designated as a "Hometown Village". Fukiya's most characteristic feature is the uniformity of its architecture. The streets are lined with old homes and storefronts with burnt-red and mustard-colored walls of bengara,black siding charred to protect against the elements and rooftops of distinctive calico brown and red tiles.

The ambience of an coppermining town still remains in the hometown village of Fukiya. The characteristics of this 19th century town are evident in the rust-colored walls of the buildings which line the narrow streets. An abundance of historic sites entice visitors all year long.

Bengara
Bengara is a type of red pigment. Its main ingredient is iron oxide, and it is known for its strong tinting power and durability. The name is a corruption of Bengal, in India, where it was originally made. Bengara was used for painting porcelain ware, for rustproofing ships, and as a coloring agent in architecture.

The bengara pigment produced in Fukiya was known as "the red among reds" and was traded throughout Japan. It was celebrated as far away as Scandinavia as the red used for renowned Kutani and Imari porcelain ware. Due to the high demand for bengara, traders and producers such as the Nishie family were able to amass enormous fortunes.

New technologies developed following the end of World War II, however, enabled high-quality bengara to be produced easily, leading to the decline of bengara production in Fukiya and the eventual closing of the copper mines there.

Today, bengara is synthetically produced in chemical plants, but it is said that the red color thus obtained cannot match that of Fukiya's famed bengara.

©　Fukiya International Village

Children make a woodblock calendar every year to re-enforce their eye for the rural beauty The Daruma Store

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The Hirokane Residence in Fukiya


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Fukiya Shrine


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Haiku about Fukiya



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Takahashi and Fukiya Hanami 2008


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In May 2010, the village announced its special food of the area

bengara karee ベンガラカレー Bengara Curry



It comes in two versions Black or Red, trying to imitate the bengara colors of the village.
red is made with powder of red paprika.
black is made with ink from squid (ikasumi イカ墨).

bengara udon ベンガラうどん

. WASHOKU : Regional dishes from Okayama 　

備中高梁元気プロジェクト吹屋地区座談会

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. Regional Folk Toys from Japan .



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