Fushimi-ku, Kyoto

Fushimi (伏見区) is one of the eleven wards in the city of Kyoto, in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. Famous places in Fushimi include the Fushimi Inari Shrine, with thousands of torii lining the paths up and down a mountain; Fushimi Castle, originally built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, with its rebuilt towers and gold-lined tea-room; and the Teradaya, an inn at which Sakamoto Ryōma was attacked and injured about a year before his assassination. Also of note is the Gokōgu shrine, which houses a stone used in the construction of Fushimi Castle. The water in the shrine is particularly famous and it is recorded as one of Japan's 100 best clear water spots.

Although written with different characters now, the name Fushimi (which used to be its own "town") originally comes from fusu + mizu, meaning "hidden water" or "underground water". In other words, the location was known for good spring water. The water of Fushimi has particularly soft characteristics, making it an essential component to the particular type of sake brewed in Fushimi. This also explains why the area developed as a sake-brewing center in Kyoto. Today, Fushimi is the second greatest area of Japan in terms of sake production, and is where the sake company Gekkeikan was founded.

Economy
The following companies have their headquarters in Fushimi:
 * Kyocera, an electronics and ceramics manufacturer
 * Murata Machinery, an industrial machines manufacturer
 * Gekkeikan, a manufacturer of sake, plum wine, shōchū, mirin, and amazake
 * Kizakura, a manufacturer of sake and beer
 * Shoutoku, a manufacturer of sake

Education
Ryukoku University, Kyoto University of Education, and Shuchiin University are based in the area.

The ward has a North Korean school, Kyoto Korean Elementary School (京都朝鮮初級学校).,
 * Kyoto Tachibana Junior and Senior High School
 * Kyoto Tachibana Junior High School
 * Kyoto Tachibana Senior High School

Sights

 * Fushimi Inari Shrine – top shrine of largest shrine network in Japan
 * Daigo-ji – UNESCO World Heritage site
 * Gekkeikan Ōkura Memorial Hall – sake brewing museum
 * Fushimi Castle-Toyotomi Hideyoshi's castle in Kyoto; also known as Momoyama Castle, one of the namesakes of the Azuchi-Momoyama Period of Japanese history
 * Emperor Meiji Tomb
 * Emperor Kanmu Tomb
 * Kyoto Racecourse

Famous People

 * Haruki Murakami - Japanese writer, essayist, marathon runner, award-winning novelist born Fushimi-ku, Kyoto, January 12, 1949.
 * Keiyo Aomatsu - Japanese Nippon Professional Baseball player with the Chiba Lotte Marines of Japan's Pacific League
 * Kumi Koda - Singer
 * Hideki Okajima - Japanese professional baseball pitcher with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks
 * Kyoto Tachibana Senior High School Marching Band
 * Kyoto Tachibana Junior High School Marching Band

Train stations

 * JR West
 * Nara LineInari · JR Fujinomori · Momoyama
 * Kintetsu Railway
 * Kyoto LineKamitobaguchi · Takeda · Fushimi · Kintetsu Tambabashi · Momoyamagoryomae · Mukaijima
 * Keihan Electric Railway
 * Keihan Main LineFushimi-Inari · Ryūkokudai-mae-fukakusa · Fujinomori · Sumizome · Tambabashi · Fushimi-Momoyama · Chūshojima · Yodo
 * Uji LineChūshojima · Kangetsukyō · Momoyama-minamiguchi · Rokujizō
 * Kyoto City Subway
 * Karasuma LineKuinabashi · Takeda
 * Tozai LineDaigo · Ishida

Road

 * Meishin Expressway
 * Keiji Bypass
 * Second Keihan Highway (Daini Keihan Road)