🗺️ Fuchu City Kyodo-no-Mori Museum (府中市郷土の森博物館)

The Fuchu City Folklore Museum primarily introduces the history and local customs of Fuchu City, located to the west of Tokyo. Spanning approximately 140,000 square meters, it features a state-of-the-art "planetarium," which houses a highly accurate projector; an "experience hall," where visitors can engage in various hands-on crafts; and reconstructed historical buildings, including traditional farmhouses and town shops, to help visitors understand the culture and history of Fuchu City. What's even more noteworthy is that the Folklore Museum resembles a vast natural park, allowing visitors to appreciate the changing scenery throughout the four seasons. Within the museum grounds, there are expansive grassy plazas and a plum garden, as well as a pond for water activities during the summer. Particularly, the plum garden boasts over a thousand plum trees, and every early spring, a popular plum blossom festival (梅花祭 - Umehana Matsuri) takes place.

The expansive park features various facilities that can entertain visitors for an entire day. There are 60 species and approximately 1,100 plum trees in the park. The best time to enjoy the plum blossoms is from mid-February to early March each year. An Ajisai Matsuri (紫陽花祭) is held every early summer, showcasing about 10,000 hydrangeas, with the best blooming period from late May to early June. The park includes a pond suitable for wading, making it an excellent spot for family outings in the summer. The tea house, 梅欅庵 (Baikyuan), offers tea service (charges apply, irregular business hours).