Fukuoka Prefecture

Fukuoka Prefecture
Japanese: 福岡県
Fukuoka-ken
Map of Japan with Fukuoka highlighted
Capital Fukuoka (city)
Region Kyūshū
Island Kyūshū
Governor Wataru Aso
Area (rank) 4,971.01 km² (29th)
 - % water 2.3%
Population  (July 1, 2004)
 - Population 5,057,932 (9th)
 - Density 1,017 /km²
Districts 13
Municipalities 65
ISO 3166-2 JP-40
Website www.pref.fukuoka.lg.jp/somu/
multilingual/english/top.html
Prefectural symbols
 - Flower Ume blossom (Prunus mume)
 - Tree Azalea (Rhododendron tsutsusi)
 - Bird Japanese Bush Warbler (Cettia diphone)
 - Fish
Symbol of Fukuoka Prefecture
Symbol of Fukuoka Prefecture
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Fukuoka Prefecture (福岡県 Fukuoka-ken?) is a prefecture of Japan located on Kyūshū Island. The capital is the city of Fukuoka.

Contents

History

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

Fukuoka Prefecture has signed Friendship Agreements with Bangkok, Thailand, Delhi, India, and Hanoi, Vietnam.

Geography

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

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-eight cities are located in Fukuoka Prefecture:

  • Asakura
  • Buzen
  • Chikugo
  • Chikushino
  • Dazaifu
  • Fukuoka (capital)
    • Chūō-ku
    • Hakata-ku
    • Higashi-ku
    • Jonan-ku
    • Minami-ku
    • Nishi-ku
    • Sawara-ku
  • Fukutsu
  • Iizuka
  • Itoshima
  • Kama
  • Kasuga
  • Kitakyūshū
    • Kokurakita-ku
    • Kokuraminami-ku
    • Moji-ku
    • Tobata-ku
    • Wakamatsu-ku
    • Yahatahigashi-ku
    • Yahatanishi-ku
  • Koga
  • Kurume
  • Miyama
  • Miyawaka
  • Munakata
  • Nakama
  • Nōgata
  • Ogōri
  • Ōkawa
  • Ōmuta
  • Ōnojō
  • Tagawa
  • Ukiha
  • Yame
  • Yanagawa
  • Yukuhashi

Towns and villages

Map of Fukuoka Prefecture.

These are the towns and villages in each district.

  • Asakura District
    • Chikuzen
    • Tōhō
  • Chikujō District
    • Chikujō
    • Kōge
    • Yoshitomi
  • Chikushi District
    • Nakagawa
  • Kaho District
    • Keisen
  • Kasuya District
    • Hisayama
    • Kasuya
    • Sasaguri
    • Shime
    • Shingū
    • Sue
    • Umi
  • Kurate District
    • Kotake
    • Kurate
  • Mii District
    • Tachiarai
  • Miyako District
    • Kanda
    • Miyako
  • Mizuma District
    • Ōki
  • Onga District
    • Ashiya
    • Mizumaki
    • Okagaki
    • Onga
  • Tagawa District
    • Aka
    • Fukuchi
    • Itoda
    • Kawara
    • Kawasaki
    • Ōtō
    • Soeda
  • Yame District
    • Hirokawa

Mergers

Economy

Fukuoka prefecture's main cities form one of Japan's main industrial centers, accounting for nearly 40% of the economy of Kyūshū. Major industries include automobiles, semiconductors, and steel. Fukuoka prefecture is noteworthy as the place where tire manufacturer Bridgestone[1] and consumer electronics chain Best Denki were founded.

Universities

Institution Location
Fukuoka University Fukuoka
Kurume University Kurume
Kyūshū Institute of Technology Kitakyūshū and Iizuka
Kyūshū University Fukuoka
Seinan Gakuin University Fukuoka
Kyūshū Institute of Information Sciences   Dazaifu
Kyūshū Sangyo University Fukuoka

Demographics

Culture

Sports

The sports teams listed below are based in Fukuoka.

Football (soccer)
Baseball
Basketball
Rugby

The prefecture has two significant annual athletics events: the Fukuoka International Cross Country and the Fukuoka International Open Marathon Championship. The marathon race has been held in Fukuoka since 1959 and has seen a number of world records broken during its history.[1]

Tourism

The most popular place for tourism is Fukuoka City, especially at the time of the Dontaku festival, and Dazaifu, although Kitakyūshū has also tried to attract tourists.

Transportation

Train

Sister regions

Miscellaneous topics

Since 2003, Fukuoka Prefecture has had the highest frequency of youth crime among all of the prefectures of Japan.[2]

References

  1. Nakamura, Ken. Marathon - A history of the Fukuoka International Marathon Championships by K. Ken Nakamura - Part 1 1947-1966. IAAF. Retrieved on 2010-02-28.
  2. 非行防げ、捜査員奮闘…少年犯罪全国ワースト1の福岡 - Yomiuri Shimbun(Japanese)

External links