Fukuoka
Fukuoka (Japanese: 福岡市, Fukuoka-shi, [ɸɯ̥kɯokaꜜɕi] ⓘ) is the sixth-largest city in Japan and the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. The city is built along the shores of Hakata Bay, and has been a center of international commerce since ancient times. The area has long been considered the gateway to the country, as it is the nearest point among Japan's main islands to the Asian mainland. Although humans occupied the area since the Jomon period, some of the earliest settlers of the Yayoi period arrived in the Fukuoka area. The city rose to prominence during the Yamato period. Because of the cross-cultural exposure, and the relatively great distance from the social and political centers of Kyoto, Osaka, and later, Edo (Tokyo), Fukuoka gained a distinctive local culture and dialect that has persisted to the present.
This article is about the city in Japan. For the prefecture with the same name where this city is located, see Fukuoka Prefecture. For other uses, see Fukuoka (disambiguation).
Fukuoka
福岡市
57 AD
April 1, 1889
Sōichirō Takashima (since December 2010)
343.39 km2 (132.58 sq mi)
1,603,543
4,700/km2 (12,000/sq mi)
2,565,501 (5th)
福岡
ふくおか
フクオカ
Fukuoka
Fukuoka
Fukuoka is the most populous city on Kyūshū island, followed by Kitakyushu. It is the largest city and metropolitan area west of Keihanshin. The city was designated by government ordinance on April 1, 1972. Greater Fukuoka, with a population of 2.5 million people (2005 census), is part of the heavily industrialized Fukuoka–Kitakyushu zone.
As of 2015, Fukuoka is Japan's sixth largest city, having passed the population of Kobe.[2] In July 2011, Fukuoka surpassed the population of Kyoto. Since the founding of Kyoto in 794, this marks the first time that a city west of the Kansai region has a larger population than Kyoto.
Korokan
View from Fukuoka Tower
Seaside Momochi aerial view
Tenjin area
Tenjin Underground City
Fukuoka City operates all public elementary and junior high schools, while the prefecture operates the high schools.
Fukuoka has ten sister cities.[59]
The city established the Asian Pacific City Summit in 1994. It consists of 26 Asia-Pacific cities. The Asian Pacific Children's Convention was established in Fukuoka in 1988.[64]