Fu Prefecture

Fu Prefecture (不近; fu-kon) is a prefecture located on the north-west coast of Kanton, bordering Chiha, Tagi and Narō. The prefecture has a population of almost 1 million, which has been plateauing steadily for a number of years. The largest city in Fu is Kanmon, with a population of 450,000.

Fu has a fairly cold climate, with cool summers and harsh winters. Storms are especially common in the autumn months, and June is the rainiest season for the region. In winter, there is a lot of snowfall in the inland provinces, though the coast is often unaffected and instead becomes extremely icy. During the summer, Fu lacks humidity and baking heat, which makes it a popular holiday destination.

History
For almost four hundred years (600 AD - 1000 AD), Fu Prefecture was very sparsely inhabited. Its coastal location meant that its residents gravitated towards the western shore, and while fishing was common as a means of industry and survival, there were still many miles of untended grassland throughout the prefecture. Eventually migrants from prefectures such as Tagi and Chiha ventured past their borders and populated these areas. Agriculture grew as an industry from the early Kyo Period, but this meant that Fu was very slow in developing compared to its neighbouring provinces.

The clan which presided over Fu was originally the Tanai. The Tanai family was descended very distantly from the Kankachi clan of Chiha; however they shared none of the power and wealth that the Kankachi possessed. For many years the Tanai isolated themselves in the south near the Nagashi River and did little to alleviate the poverty of their vassals.

During the 1200s, soon after the religious renaissance had swept over Kanton's western coast, Fu experienced civil unrest as the serfdom began to rebel against the upper echelons. This led to over twenty years of fighting and rioting, during which time the Tanai were unseated from their position of power. In their place, the people of Fu appointed a committee of sai warriors, known as the Ten Peace-Men (十云手), who vowed to protect the people and act as a feudal government. This change is now known as the Fu Uprising of the Kyo Period (不近睞荒の況座).

During the latter half of the Kyo Period, Fu Prefecture began to grow as an agricultural producer. At the same time, a seaport was built in Kiya Bay, and the prefecture's fishing industry was growing rapidly. Soon, Fu began to grow past its poverty-stricken roots, and began trading frequently with neighbouring prefectures, particularly Tagi and Chiha.

In August 1951, it was announced that the city of Kanmon would become the seat and capital of the prefecture. Previously, no settlement had reached the same level of population or industralisation as Kanmon. This was viewed as a good development for Fu.

In 1966, Fu became connected by rail to neighbouring coastal prefectures, such as Narō.