Fuefuki was the center of ancient
Kai Province and contains many
burial mounds from the
Kofun period. The ruins of the
Kai Kokubun-ji, the
Nara period provincial temple are also found within the city limits, as is the
Ichinomiya Asama Shrine, the
ichinomiya of Kai Province. During the
Edo period, all of Kai Province was
tenryō territory under direct control of the
Tokugawa shogunate, with a
daikansho based at the village of Isawa. During the cadastral reform of the early
Meiji period on April 1, 1889, the rural districts of
Higashiyatsushiro and
Higashiyamanashi Districts were formed. The modern city of Fuefuki was established on October 12, 2004, from the merger of the towns of
Ichinomiya,
Isawa,
Misaka and
Yatsushiro, the village of
Sakaigawa (all from
Higashiyatsushiro District), and the town of
Kasugai (from
Higashiyamanashi District). The name refers to the
Fuefuki River that flows through the city. The city hall is located at the former Isawa Town Hall, and other former towns and village halls were converted to satellite offices. On August 1, 2006, Fuefuki later absorbed the village of
Ashigawa (also from
Higashiyatsushiro District. Higashiyatsushiro District was dissolved as a result of this merger. ==Government==