Fukuoka Prefecture

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Fukuoka Prefecture
福岡県
Prefecture
Japanese transcription(s)
 •  Japanese 福岡県
 •  Rōmaji Fukuoka-ken
Fukuoka Skyline of Seaside Momochi.jpg
Aerial view of the seaside Momochi  [ ja ] with the Fukuoka Tower and Momochi Seaside Park in the center and with the Fukuoka PayPay Dome to the left side
Flag of Fukuoka Prefecture.svg
Flag
Emblem of Fukuoka Prefecture.svg
Symbol
Anthem: Kibō no Hikari
Map of Japan with highlight on 40 Fukuoka prefecture.svg
Coordinates: 33°36′N130°35′E / 33.600°N 130.583°E / 33.600; 130.583
Country Japan
Region Kyushu
Island Kyushu
Capital Fukuoka
Subdivisions Districts: 12, Municipalities: 60
Government
 •  Governor Seitaro Hattori [1] (since April 2021)
Area
 • Total4,986.52 km2 (1,925.31 sq mi)
 • Rank 29th
Population
 (June 1, 2019)
 • Total5,109,323
 • Rank 9th
 • Density1,000/km2 (2,700/sq mi)
 • Dialects
 Chikuzen・Buzen・Chikuho
GDP
[2]
 • Total JP¥19,942 billion
US$183.0 billion (2019)
ISO 3166 code JP-40
Website www.pref.fukuoka.lg.jp/somu/
multilingual/english/top.html
SymbolsofJapan
Bird Japanese bush warbler (Cettia diphone)
Flower Ume blossom (Prunus mume)
Tree Azalea (Rhododendron tsutsusi)

Fukuoka Prefecture (Japanese: 福岡県, Hepburn: Fukuoka-ken) is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. [3] Fukuoka Prefecture has a population of 5,109,323 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of 4,986 km2 (1,925 sq mi). [4] Fukuoka Prefecture borders Saga Prefecture to the southwest, Kumamoto Prefecture to the south, and Ōita Prefecture to the southeast.

Contents

Fukuoka is the capital and largest city of Fukuoka Prefecture, and the largest city on Kyūshū, with other major cities including Kitakyushu, Kurume, and Ōmuta. [5] Fukuoka Prefecture is located at the northernmost point of Kyūshū on the Kanmon Straits, connecting the Tsushima Strait and the Seto Inland Sea across from Yamaguchi Prefecture on the island of Honshu, and extends south towards the Ariake Sea.

History

Fukuoka Prefecture includes the former provinces of Chikugo, Chikuzen, and Buzen. [6]

Shrines and temples

Kōra taisha, Sumiyoshi-jinja, and Hakozaki-gū are the chief Shinto shrines ( ichinomiya ) in the prefecture. [7]

There are several historically important Buddhist temples in the Prefecture. Monks would sail back from China after completing their studies and establish temples in the heart of Hakata (now Fukuoka) City. Monk Eisai founded Shōfuku-ji which is known today as the oldest zen temple in Japan, monk Kukai established Tocho-ji, and Joten-ji was built by Enni who is also known for bringing Udon noodles first to Japan. The oldest temple is Kanzeon-ji that was founded by the Emperor in Dazaifu during the 7th century to honor his mother. Kanzeon-ji together with Kaidan-in, that used to be part of the former, was one of the three distinct places in Japan where Buddhist monks could ordain.

During the Tokugawa shogunate when the country was ruled by 300 local feudal lords (daimyo), an important daimyo, Arima Toyōji was relocated to this region and thus he moved his family temple to Kurume City. This zen temple is known today as Bairin-ji and is a main temple for zen practice in Fukuoka Prefecture and Kyushu. It is located on the West bank of Chiguko River, next to the Shinkansen station of Kurume city.

Geography

Map of Fukuoka Prefecture Government Ordinance Designated City City Town Village Map of Fukuoka Prefecture Ja.svg
Map of Fukuoka Prefecture      Government Ordinance Designated City     City     Town     Village

Fukuoka Prefecture faces the sea on three sides, bordering Saga, Ōita, and Kumamoto prefectures and facing Yamaguchi Prefecture across the Kanmon Straits.

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
18901,236,015—    
19031,571,158+1.86%
19131,926,417+2.06%
19202,188,249+1.84%
19252,301,668+1.02%
19302,527,119+1.89%
19352,755,804+1.75%
19403,094,132+2.34%
19452,746,855−2.35%
19503,530,169+5.15%
19553,859,764+1.80%
19604,006,679+0.75%
19653,964,611−0.21%
19704,027,416+0.31%
19754,292,963+1.29%
19804,553,461+1.19%
19854,719,259+0.72%
19904,811,050+0.39%
19954,933,393+0.50%
20005,015,699+0.33%
20055,049,908+0.14%
20105,071,968+0.09%
20155,101,556+0.12%
source: [8]

As of 1 April 2012, 18% of the land area of the prefecture was designated as natural parks: Setonaikai National Park, Genkai, Kitakyūshū, and Yaba-Hita-Hikosan quasi-national parks, and Chikugogawa, Chikuhō, Dazaifu, Sefuri Raizan, and Yabegawa Prefectural Natural Parks. [9]

Fukuoka includes the two largest cities on Kyūshū, Fukuoka and Kitakyushu, and much of Kyūshū's industry. It also includes a number of small islands near the north coast of Kyūshū.

Cities

Twenty-nine cities are in Fukuoka Prefecture:

Towns and villages

These are the towns and villages in each district:

Mergers

Economy

Fukuoka prefecture's main cities form one of Japan's main industrial centers, accounting for nearly 40% of the economy of Kyūshū. [10] GDP exceeds 154 billion US dollars, comparable to that of a medium-sized country. [11] Major industries include automobiles, semiconductors, and steel. Fukuoka prefecture is where tire manufacturer Bridgestone [12] and consumer electronics chain Best Denki were founded.

Well-known company headquartered in Fukuoka are as follows: [13]

Universities

One of Japan's top 5 universities, Kyushu University, is located in Fukuoka.

InstitutionLocation
Fukuoka University Fukuoka
Kurume University Kurume
Kyushu Institute of Technology Kitakyūshū and Iizuka
Kyushu University Fukuoka and Kasuga
Seinan Gakuin University Fukuoka
Kyushu Institute of Information Sciences Dazaifu
Kyushu Sangyo University Fukuoka
Fukuoka Women's University Fukuoka
Fukuoka University of Education Munakata

Demographics

Fukuoka prefecture population pyramid Fukuoka prefecture population pyramid in 2020.svg
Fukuoka prefecture population pyramid

According to October 2018 estimates, the population in Fukuoka Prefecture reached 5,111,494 inhabitants, making the prefecture the 9th most populated of Japan's 47 prefectures. It is one of the few prefectures with a steadily increasing population. [14]

Culture

Fukuoka City Museum Fukuoka City Museum 2018.jpg
Fukuoka City Museum
Fukuoka Asian Art Museum Fukuoka Asian Art Museum 20170623.jpg
Fukuoka Asian Art Museum
Bulwarks against Mongol Invasion video

Major events and festivals

Sports

Level5 Stadium, home of Avispa Fukuoka Level5 Stadium 03.JPG
Level5 Stadium, home of Avispa Fukuoka
Fukuoka Yahuoku Dome, home of the Softbank Hawks Fukuoka Dome 2008-1.jpg
Fukuoka Yahuoku Dome, home of the Softbank Hawks

The sports teams listed below are based in Fukuoka.

Football (soccer)
Baseball
Basketball
Rugby
Mikuni World Stadium, home of Giravanz Kitakyushu Mikuni World stadium2.JPG
Mikuni World Stadium, home of Giravanz Kitakyushu

The prefecture hosts the Fukuoka International Cross Country competition. The prefecture also hosted the Fukuoka Marathon, which was an elite marathon in which marathon world records were established twice during its 75 year existence. [15] Its final race took place in 2021. [16]

Crime and safety

Fukuoka Prefecture has the most designated yakuza groups among all of the prefectures, at five: the Kudo-kai, the Taishu-kai, the Fukuhaku-kai, the Dojin-kai and the Namikawa-kai. [17] Between 2004 and 2009, and in early 2011, [18] Fukuoka Prefecture led the nation in gun-related incidents. [19] These incidents were mostly related to the local yakuza syndicates, specifically the Kudo-kai, the Dojin-kai, and the Kyushu Seido-kai. [18]

Fukuoka Prefecture had the highest frequency of youth crime among the prefectures of Japan from 2003 to 2007. [20]

According to statistics from the national police, the crime rate in Fukuoka was the eighth-highest in 2017, lower than in Osaka, Tokyo, Hyogo, Aichi, Saitama, Chiba and Ibaraki. [21]

Tourism

Fukuoka Tower from Seaside Momochi Beach of Seaside Momochi Seaside Park 3.jpg
Fukuoka Tower from Seaside Momochi
Riverwalk Kitakyushu Riverwalk Kitakyushu 20130721.jpg
Riverwalk Kitakyushu
A sightseeing boat in Yanagawa Canal Fukuoka Yanagawa03bs3200.jpg
A sightseeing boat in Yanagawa Canal
Dazaifu Tenmangu Gate to Dazaifu Tenmagu shrine.JPG
Dazaifu Tenmangū

The most popular place for tourism is Fukuoka City, especially during the Dontaku festival, which attracts millions of visitors from across Japan during Golden Week. [22] Fukuoka is the main shopping, dining, transportation and entertainment hub in Kyushu.

Dazaifu is popular for its many temples and historical sites, as well as the Kyushu National Museum.

Yanagawa is sometimes called "the Venice of Japan" for its boat tours on the abundant, calm rivers that wind through the city. [23]

Kitakyushu features one of the famous night views of Japan from atop Mt. Sarakura, accessible via cablecar. The Mojiko area features waterfront dining, a market, and several preserved historical buildings. The Kanmon Kaikyo Tunnel which connects Kyushu (Moji ward, Kitakyushu) and Honshu (Shimonoseki) is free to walk through. The city center in Kokurakita ward contains the Riverwalk and Itsutsuya shopping complexes, Kokura castle, and the Uomachi Gintengai shopping arcade, the oldest shopping arcade in Japan. [24]

In the "19 best places to visit in 2019" published by the U.S. CNN, Fukuoka Prefecture was chosen as the only destination in Japan. [25]

Transportation

Railway services

Airports

International relations

Citations

  1. ↑ "Hattori Elected Fukuoka Governor for 1st Time". Jiji Press. NHK. April 12, 2021. Archived from the original on May 11, 2022. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
  2. ↑ "2020年度国民経済計算（2015年基準・2008SNA） : 経済社会総合研究所 - 内閣府". 内閣府ホームページ (in Japanese). Archived from the original on September 24, 2023. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  3. ↑ Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric (2005). "Fukuoka-ken" in Japan Encyclopedia , p. 218, at Google Books.
  4. ↑ "都道府県 人口ランキング". Archived from the original on November 29, 2018. Retrieved November 27, 2018.
  5. ↑ Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric (2005). "Fukuoka" in Japan Encyclopedia , p. 218, at Google Books.
  6. ↑ Nussbaum, "Provinces and prefectures" in p. 780 , p. 780, at Google Books.
  7. ↑ "Nationwide List of Ichinomiya," p. 3 Archived May 17, 2013, at the Wayback Machine ; retrieved 2012-10-26.
  8. ↑ "Statistics Bureau of Japan". Archived from the original on November 8, 2020. Retrieved July 21, 2019.
  9. ↑ "General overview of area figures for Natural Parks by prefecture" (PDF). Ministry of the Environment. April 1, 2012. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 21, 2012. Retrieved December 8, 2013.
  10. ↑ "九州のポテンシャル". 福岡銀行. Archived from the original on May 16, 2023. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
  11. ↑ "Fukuoka". JETRO. Archived from the original on March 22, 2023. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
  12. ↑ "Bridgestone Holds the Opening Ceremony for its Kitakyushu Plant". Bridgestone. August 4, 2009. Archived from the original on October 27, 2013. Retrieved September 17, 2009.
  13. ↑ "意外と知らない福岡に本社を置く有名企業13社". February 7, 2019. Archived from the original on May 23, 2023. Retrieved May 23, 2023.
  14. ↑ Growing Cities, In Japan (November 13, 2019). "List of cities that are exceeding the birth rate". www.villagehouse.jp. Archived from the original on May 26, 2022. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
  15. ↑ Nakamura, Ken. Marathon - A history of the Fukuoka International Marathon Championships by K. Ken Nakamura - Part 1 1947-1966 Archived December 8, 2010, at the Wayback Machine . IAAF. Retrieved on 2010-02-28.
  16. ↑ Johnson, Len (December 6, 2021). "Farewell to Fukuoka". Archived from the original on December 8, 2021. Retrieved December 8, 2021.
  17. ↑ ""福岡県内の指定暴力団"". Archived from the original on November 2, 2022. Retrieved May 15, 2023.
  18. 1 2 "Gunfire, The worst in the nation, None has been solved" Archived 2012-09-05 at archive.today , 23 June 2011, Nishinippon Shimbun (in Japanese)
  19. ↑ "Fukuoka yakuza groups tackle police pressure in all-out war", 4 May 2010, The Tokyo Reporter, from Friday May 14, p.22-23 (in Japanese)
  20. ↑ 非行防げ、捜査員奮闘…少年犯罪全国ワースト１の福岡 Archived 2009-02-12 at the Wayback Machine , Yomiuri Shimbun (in Japanese)
  21. ↑ "「犯罪の県民性」大阪が全国ワースト、殺人1位、すり2位". Diamond Online. June 2, 2018. Archived from the original on November 29, 2018. Retrieved November 27, 2018.
  22. ↑ "Hakata Dontaku Festival". Japan National Tourism Organization. Archived from the original on November 29, 2018. Retrieved November 27, 2018.
  23. ↑ "水の国 柳川". 筑後七国よかとこ巡り旅. Archived from the original on November 29, 2018. Retrieved November 27, 2018.
  24. ↑ "Uomachi-gintengai Street". Kitakyushu City Travel Guide. Archived from the original on November 29, 2018. Retrieved November 27, 2018.
  25. ↑ "CNN Travel's 19 best places to visit in 2019". CNN travel. January 2, 2019. Archived from the original on May 16, 2023. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
  26. ↑ Hawaii and, Fukuoka friendship agreement. "HAWAII-FUKUOKA SISTER STATE RELATIONSHIP". http://hawaiifukuokakenjinkai/ . Fukuoka Keniinkai. Archived from the original on May 17, 2022. Retrieved May 11, 2022.

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