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Fukuoka Prefecture

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Template:Nihongo is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū.<ref>Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric (2005). "Fukuoka-ken" in Template:Google books.</ref> 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).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Fukuoka Prefecture borders Saga Prefecture to the southwest, Kumamoto Prefecture to the south, and Ōita Prefecture to the southeast.

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.<ref>Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric (2005). "Fukuoka" in Template:Google books.</ref> 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

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Template:See also Fukuoka Prefecture includes the former provinces of Chikugo, Chikuzen, and Buzen.<ref>Nussbaum, "Provinces and prefectures" in Template:Google books.</ref>

Shrines and temples

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Kōra taisha, Sumiyoshi-jinja, and Hakozaki-gū are the chief Shinto shrines (ichinomiya) in the prefecture.<ref>"Nationwide List of Ichinomiya," p. 3 Template:Webarchive; retrieved 2012-10-26.</ref>

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.Template:Fix

Geography

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File:Map of Fukuoka Prefecture Ja.svg
Map of Fukuoka Prefecture Template:Legend0 Template:Legend0 Template:Legend0 Template:Legend0

Fukuoka Prefecture faces the sea on three sides, bordering Saga, Ōita, and Kumamoto prefectures and facing Yamaguchi Prefecture across the Kanmon Straits. Template:Historical populations 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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

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Template:See also There are twenty-nine cities in Fukuoka Prefecture:

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Towns and villages

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These are the towns and villages in each district:

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Mergers

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Economy

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

Well-known company headquartered in Fukuoka are as follows:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

  • TOTO Ltd. (founded in 1917)
  • Yasukawa Electric Corporation (founded in 1915)
  • PIETRO Co., Ltd. (founded in 1980)
  • ZENRIN CO., Ltd. (founded in 1949)
  • SANIX INCORPORATED (founded in 1975)
  • HASEGAWA Co.Ltd. (founded in 1929)
  • Plenus Co., Ltd. (founded in 1976)
  • LEVEL-5 Inc. (founded in 1998)
  • Star Flyer Inc. (founded in 2002)
  • DAIICHI KOUTSU SANGYO Co., Ltd. (founded in 1960)
  • Shabondama Soap Co., Ltd. (founded in 1910)
  • MoonStar Company. (founded in 1873)
  • Shinoken Group. Co., Ltd. (founded in 1990)

Universities

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

Institution Location
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

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File: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.<ref name="Fukuoka expected to have a steady birthrate alas the decreasing rate in Japan">Template:Cite web</ref>

Culture

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File:Fukuoka City Museum 2018.jpg
Fukuoka City Museum
File:Fukuoka Asian Art Museum 20170623.jpg
Fukuoka Asian Art Museum
File:Bulwark aginst Mongola Invasion vid.webm
Bulwarks against Mongol Invasion video
  • Fukuoka Art Museum – In Ohori Park; contains a wide selection of contemporary and other art from around the world
  • Fukuoka Asian Art Museum – contains art from Asia
  • Fukuoka City Museum – displays a broad range of items from the region's history, including a spectacular gold seal
  • Template:Ill (元寇史料館, Museum of the Mongol Invasion) in Template:Ill (East Park) displays Japanese and Mongolian arms and armor from the 13th century as well as paintings on historical subjects; open on weekends
  • Hakata Machiya Folk Museum – Dedicated to displaying the traditional ways of life, speech, and culture of the Fukuoka region
  • Fukuoka Castle – a castle in Chūō-ku, Fukuoka
  • Hakata Gion Yamakasa – Japanese festival celebrated 1–15 July
  • Ōhori Park – a registered Place of Scenic Beauty
  • Kyushu National Museum – The collections cover the history of Kyūshū from prehistory to the Meiji era with particular emphasis on the rich history of cultural exchange between Kyūshū and neighboring China and Korea
  • HKT48 Theater – where the idol group HKT48 performs every day
  • LinQ – the Kyushu idol group meaning "Love in Kyushu", local theater where the LinQ performs weekly on Saturday and Sunday in Tenjin Best Hall
  • Bairin-jiRinzai temple and garden in Kurume
  • Zendō-jiJōdo-shū temple in Kurume

Major events and festivals

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  • Hakata Dontaku Harbour Festival, Tenjin, Fukuoka on May 3 and 4
  • Hakata Gion Yamakasa, Kushida Shrine, Fukuoka in July
  • Kokura Gion Yamagasa, Kitakyushu in July
  • Tobata Gion Yamagasa, Kitakyushu in July
  • Kurosaki Gion Yamagasa, Kitakyushu in July
  • Kitahara Hakushu Festival, Yanagawa on November 1 to 3Template:Citation needed

Sports

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File:Level5 Stadium 03.JPG
Level5 Stadium, home of the Avispa Fukuoka football team
File: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
File: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.<ref>Nakamura, Ken. Marathon - A history of the Fukuoka International Marathon Championships by K. Ken Nakamura - Part 1 1947-1966 Template:Webarchive. IAAF. Retrieved on 2010-02-28.</ref> Its final race took place in 2021.<ref name=johnson>Template:Cite web</ref>

Crime and safety

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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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Between 2004 and 2009, and in early 2011,<ref name="nnp_248434">"Gunfire, The worst in the nation, None has been solved" Template:Webarchive, 23 June 2011, Nishinippon Shimbun Template:In lang</ref> Fukuoka Prefecture led the nation in gun-related incidents.<ref>"Fukuoka yakuza groups tackle police pressure in all-out war", 4 May 2010, The Tokyo Reporter, from Friday May 14, p.22-23 Template:In lang</ref> These incidents were mostly related to the local yakuza syndicates, specifically the Kudo-kai, the Dojin-kai, and the Kyushu Seido-kai.<ref name="nnp_248434"/>

Fukuoka Prefecture had the highest frequency of youth crime among the prefectures of Japan from 2003 to 2007.<ref>非行防げ、捜査員奮闘...少年犯罪全国ワースト1の福岡 Template:Webarchive, Yomiuri Shimbun Template:In lang</ref>

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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Tourism

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Template:See also

File:Beach of Seaside Momochi Seaside Park 3.jpg
Fukuoka Tower as seen from Seaside Momochi
File:Riverwalk Kitakyushu 20130721.jpg
Riverwalk Kitakyushu
File:Fukuoka Yanagawa03bs3200.jpg
A sightseeing boat in Yanagawa Canal
File: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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Transportation

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Railway services

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Airports

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International relations

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Citations

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General and cited references

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Template:Fukuoka Template:Regions and administrative divisions of Japan Template:Authority control