Kure, Hiroshima
| Kure 呉 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Special city | ||
| 呉市 | ||
 | ||
| ||
 | ||
  Kure | ||
| Coordinates: 34°15′N 132°34′E / 34.250°N 132.567°ECoordinates: 34°15′N 132°34′E / 34.250°N 132.567°E | ||
| Country | Japan | |
| Region | Chūgoku (Sanyō) | |
| Prefecture | Hiroshima Prefecture | |
| Government | ||
| • Mayor | Kazutoshi Komura | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 353.74 km2 (136.58 sq mi) | |
| Population (October 1, 2010) | ||
| • Total | 240,820 | |
| • Density | 681/km2 (1,760/sq mi) | |
| Time zone | Japan Standard Time (UTC+9) | |
| Symbols | ||
| - Tree | Oak | |
| - Flower | Camellia | |
| Address |
4-1-6 Chūō, Kure-shi, Hiroshima-ken 737-8501 | |
| Phone number | 0823-25-3100 | |
| Website | www.city.kure.lg.jp | |
Kure (呉市 Kure-shi) is a city in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan.
As of October 1, 2010, the city has an estimated population of 240,820 and a population density of 681 persons per km². The total area is 353.74 km².
History
The city was founded on October 1, 1902. Up until the end of World War II, it served as a military and naval center. Headquarters of Independent Field Records was situated there in 1956.
Kure was the home base of the largest battleship ever built, the Yamato. There is still one of the bases of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) located there, its former center became the JMSDF Regional Kure District. While there is a hospital as a building of the Marine Self Defense Force, there are Escort Flotilla (Destroyers), Submarine Flotilla and the Training Squadron in the Kure District. A museum with a 1:10 scale model of the Yamato is located in the city.
- July 1, 1889 — Kure Army base founded
- October 1, 1902 — The towns of Washō and Futagawa and the villages of Miyahara and Sōyamada merge to form the city of Kure.
- November 10, 1903 — Kure Naval Arsenal established.
- April 1, 1928 — The towns of Kegoya, Yoshiura, and Aga merge into Kure.
- April 21, 1941 — The town of Nigata and the village of Hiro into Kure.
- May 5, 1945 — Bombing of Hiro Naval Arsenal.
- June 22, 1945 — Bombing of Kure Naval Arsenal.
- July 1, 1945 — Kure Air Raid.
- July 24–28, 1945 — Battle of Kure, American bombers attack the remaining fleet in Kure Naval Base.
- July 1, 1954 — Japan Maritime Self Defense Forces founded.
- October 1, 1956 — The town of Tennō and the village of Shōwa in Aki District, and the village of Gōhara in Kamo District merge into Kure.
- November 1, 2000 — Kure becomes a Special City
- April 1, 2003 — The town of Shimokamagari (from Aki District) was merged into Kure.
- April 1, 2004 —The town of Kawajiri (from Toyota District) was merged into Kure.
- March 20, 2005 — The towns of Ondo, Kurahashi and Kamagari (all from Aki District), and the towns of Yasuura, Toyohama and Yutaka (all from Toyota District) were merged into Kure.
Geography
Kure is located in the south-west of Hiroshima prefecture and faces the Seto Inland Sea. It is close to Setonaikai National Park.
Climate
Kure has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) with hot summers and cool winters. Precipitation is significant throughout the year and is heaviest in summer.
| Climate data for Kure, Hiroshima | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 8.8 (47.8) |
9.2 (48.6) |
12.5 (54.5) |
18.2 (64.8) |
22.4 (72.3) |
25.5 (77.9) |
29.7 (85.5) |
31.2 (88.2) |
27.3 (81.1) |
22.1 (71.8) |
16.8 (62.2) |
11.7 (53.1) |
19.62 (67.32) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 5.3 (41.5) |
5.5 (41.9) |
8.4 (47.1) |
13.8 (56.8) |
18.1 (64.6) |
21.8 (71.2) |
26.1 (79) |
27.4 (81.3) |
23.7 (74.7) |
18.1 (64.6) |
12.7 (54.9) |
7.8 (46) |
15.73 (60.3) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 1.8 (35.2) |
1.9 (35.4) |
4.3 (39.7) |
9.8 (49.6) |
14.2 (57.6) |
18.6 (65.5) |
23.2 (73.8) |
24.3 (75.7) |
20.5 (68.9) |
14.3 (57.7) |
8.8 (47.8) |
3.9 (39) |
12.13 (53.83) |
| Precipitation mm (inches) | 45.1 (1.776) |
59.8 (2.354) |
98.5 (3.878) |
149.6 (5.89) |
138.9 (5.469) |
258.4 (10.173) |
206.1 (8.114) |
113.5 (4.469) |
182.0 (7.165) |
100.1 (3.941) |
68.9 (2.713) |
35.3 (1.39) |
1,456.2 (57.332) |
| Snowfall cm (inches) | 1 (0.4) |
1 (0.4) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
2 (0.8) |
| % humidity | 63 | 64 | 64 | 67 | 70 | 76 | 77 | 74 | 72 | 67 | 67 | 65 | 68.8 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 140.9 | 135.2 | 173.7 | 178.3 | 199.5 | 155.9 | 183.7 | 213.2 | 157.7 | 172.6 | 148.8 | 138.8 | 1,998.3 |
| Source: NOAA (1961-1990) [1] | |||||||||||||
Transportation
Kure is served by the Kure Line, operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West). It leads to Hiroshima, which is a terminal station.
There has been a municipal bus since December 1, 1942. The Kure City Transportation Bureau (Kure City Bus) started using natural gas in 2002. There is a bus route run by Hiroshima Electric Railway, too. In addition, there is Bōyo Kisen, which operates the San'yō Bus and Setouchi Sankō which runs two bus enterprises.
National Route 31 spreads out from Kure to Kaita, but the distance of the road is short. National Route 185 is connected from Kure to Mihara. This road has a view of the Inland Sea. National Route 375 is a 165 km long road to be connected from Kure to Ōda, Shimane. U.S. forces can use this way for their ammunition transportation. National Route 487 spreads out from Kure to the city of Hiroshima. This road crosses the Ondo Bridge, and goes around Etajima.
Though they are independent roads, separate from National Routes, there are a series of access roads toward the archipelago of the city. The Akinada Islands series of bridges conclude at Shimokamagari island, Kamikamagari island, Toyoshima, Osakishimojima, Herashima, Nakanoshima at seven bridges. Toyoshima Bridge, concluding at Toyoshima regards traffic of a ship as Kamikamagari island, and is 50 m high from the surface of the sea.
Economy
- IHI Marine United (IHI Corporation)
- Nisshin Steel
- Yodogawa Steel Works
- Babcock-Hitachi (Hitachi Ltd)
- Sailor Pen Company
- Disco Corporation
- Mitutoyo
- Oji Paper Company
Tourism
Museums
- Kure Municipal Museum of Art and Museum Avenue
- Irifuneyama Memorial Museum
- Sannose Gohonjin Art and Culture
- Rantokaku Art Museum
- Kurahashi-cho Nagato Museum of Shipbuilding History
- Yamato Museum
Shrines
- Kameyama Shrine
Historical places
- Former Kure-chinjufu
- Mitarai
- Former House of Prince Takamatsu
- House of Kimiyo Fjii
Parks and gardens
- Rekishi-no-mieru-Oka and Park
- Nagasako Park
- Allay Karasu Kojima Park
- Ondono-seto and Park
- Setonaikai National Park
- Kure Port-pia Park
- Nikokyo Park
Mountains
- Mount Noro
- Haiga-mine
- Mount Yasumi
- Nikyu-kyo
- Honjo Suigenchi
Beaches
- Romantic Beach Karuga
- Kajigahama Beach
Festivals
- Kure Port Festival
- Kure Fireworks above the Sea (late July or early August)
- Kameyama Shrine Festival (2nd Sunday in October, and the day before)
Sister cities
Daisen, Tottori, Japan
Bremerton, Washington, USA
Marbella, Spain
Jinhae-gu, South Korea
Wenzhou, China - sister port city
Notable people from Kure
Musicians
Authors
Sports
See also
References
- ↑ "Kure Climate Normals 1961-1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved January 6, 2013.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kure, Hiroshima. |
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