Fukui Prefecture
Encyclopedia
is a prefecture
Prefectures of Japan
The prefectures of Japan are the country's 47 subnational jurisdictions: one "metropolis" , Tokyo; one "circuit" , Hokkaidō; two urban prefectures , Osaka and Kyoto; and 43 other prefectures . In Japanese, they are commonly referred to as...

 of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

 located in the Chūbu region
Chubu region
The is the central region of Honshū, Japan's main island. Chūbu has a population estimate of 21,886,324 as of 2008.Chūbu, which means "central region", encompasses nine prefectures : Aichi, Fukui, Gifu, Ishikawa, Nagano, Niigata, Shizuoka, Toyama, Yamanashi, and often Mie.It is located directly...

 on Honshū
Honshu
is the largest island of Japan. The nation's main island, it is south of Hokkaido across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyushu across the Kanmon Strait...

 island
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...

. The capital is the city of Fukui
Fukui, Fukui
is the capital of Fukui Prefecture, Japan. The city is located in the north-central part of the prefecture on the coast of the Sea of Japan.-Demographics:...

.

Prehistory

The Kitadani Dinosaur Quarry, on the Sugiyama River within the city limits of Katsuyama, has yielded the Fukuiraptor kitadaniensis and Fukuisaurus tetoriensis as well as an unnamed dromaeosaurid and a new sauropod. It also shows the coexistence of pterosaurs and birds, in the forms of comingled tracks.

History

Fukui originally consisted of the old provinces of Wakasa
Wakasa Province
was an old province of Japan in the area that is today southern Fukui Prefecture. It is also known as or .The province's ancient capital was at Obama, which continued to be the main castle town through the Edo period.-Neighboring Provinces:...

 and Echizen
Echizen Province
was an old province of Japan, which is today the northern part of Fukui Prefecture. It was sometimes called , with Etchū and Echigo Provinces.Echizen is famous for washi . A text dated AD 774 mentions the washi made in this area. Echizen-produced Washi is still the most commonly sold traditional...

, before the prefecture was formed in 1871.

During the Edo period
Edo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....

, the daimyō
Daimyo
is a generic term referring to the powerful territorial lords in pre-modern Japan who ruled most of the country from their vast, hereditary land holdings...

 of the region was surnamed Matsudaira, and was a descendant of Tokugawa Ieyasu
Tokugawa Ieyasu
 was the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan , which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara  in 1600 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Ieyasu seized power in 1600, received appointment as shogun in 1603, abdicated from office in 1605, but...

.

Geography

The province faces the Sea of Japan
Sea of Japan
The Sea of Japan is a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean, between the Asian mainland, the Japanese archipelago and Sakhalin. It is bordered by Japan, North Korea, Russia and South Korea. Like the Mediterranean Sea, it has almost no tides due to its nearly complete enclosure from the Pacific...

, and has a western part (formerly Wakasa) which is a narrow plain between the mountains and the sea, and a larger eastern part (formerly Echizen) with wider plains including the capital and most of the population. The mountain side of the eastern part has much snow in winter; according to the book For Fukui's Sake
For Fukui's Sake
For Fukui's Sake is a book written by Sam Baldwin that describes the experiences of living in Ono, Fukui prefecture, Japan, whilst working as an Assistant Language Teacher on the JET Programme....

 the snowfalls are so heavy some winters that the weight of snow has crushed buildings.

Cities

Nine cities are located in Fukui Prefecture:
  • Awara
    Awara, Fukui
    is a city located in Fukui, Japan.As of October 1, 2005, the city has an estimated population of 31,080 and the density of 265.66 persons per km². The total area is 116.99 km²....

  • Echizen
    Echizen, Fukui
    is a city in Fukui, Japan.Echizen took its present form on October 1, 2005, when the city of Takefu and the town of Imadate merged to form the new city, although the Echizen Basin has been an important regional center for over 1,500 years. It has many former castle sites and prehistoric...

  • Fukui
    Fukui, Fukui
    is the capital of Fukui Prefecture, Japan. The city is located in the north-central part of the prefecture on the coast of the Sea of Japan.-Demographics:...

     (capital)
  • Katsuyama
    Katsuyama, Fukui
    is a city located in Fukui, Japan.As of October 1, 2005, the city has an estimated population of 26,961 and the density of 106.28 persons per km²...

  • Obama
    Obama, Fukui
    is a city located in Fukui Prefecture, Japan.It faces Wakasa Bay due north of Kyoto, and is about four to five hours by train from Tokyo. As of October 1, 2005, the city had an estimated population of 32,185 and a population density of 138.22 persons per square kilometer...

  • Ōno
    Ono, Fukui
    is a city located in Fukui Prefecture, Japan.As of June 1, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 36,890 with 12,016 households and the density of 42.29 persons per km²...

  • Sabae
    Sabae, Fukui
    is a city located in Fukui, Japan.As of June 1, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 68,703 with 22,229 households and the density of 810.65 persons per km². The total area is 84.75 km².The city was founded on January 15, 1955.-Parks:...

  • Sakai
    Sakai, Fukui
    is a city located in Fukui, Japan. It lies to the north of Fukui City. It was founded on March 20, 2006, by the merger of the towns of Harue, Maruoka, Mikuni, and Sakai of the former Sakai District, which was dissolved in this merger....

  • Tsuruga
    Tsuruga, Fukui
    is a city located in southern Fukui Prefecture, Japan.-Outline:One of city of Wakasa Area, present southern Fukui Prececture. Municipalized on April 1, 1937....


Towns and villages

Towns and villages in each district
Districts of Japan
The was most recently used as an administrative unit in Japan between 1878 and 1921 and is roughly equivalent to the county of the United States, ranking at the level below prefecture and above city, town or village. As of 2008, cities belong directly to prefectures and are independent from...

:
  • Imadate District
    Imadate District, Fukui
    Imadate is a district located in Fukui, Japan.As of October 1, 2005, the district has an estimated population of 3,405 and a density of 17.49 persons per km². The total area is 194.72 km².- Merger :...

    • Ikeda
      Ikeda, Fukui
      is a town located in Imadate District, Fukui, Japan.As of 2003, the town had an estimated population of 3,597 and a density of 18.47 persons per km². The total area is 194.72 km². Ikeda consists mostly of narrow agricultural plains and small villages between steep, 1000-1500 m mountains in a main...

  • Mikata District
    Mikata District, Fukui
    Mikata is a district located in Fukui, Japan.As of October 1, 2005, the district has an estimated population of 11,023 and a density of 72.37 persons per km²...

    • Mihama
      Mihama, Fukui
      is a town located in Mikata District, Fukui, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 11,148 and a density of 73.19 persons per km²...

  • Mikatakaminaka District
    Mikatakaminaka District, Fukui
    Mikatakaminaka is a district located in Fukui, Japan. The district was formed on March 31, 2005 at the same time as the merger of Mikata and Kaminaka forming the town of Wakasa....

    • Wakasa
      Wakasa, Fukui
      is a town located in Mikatakaminaka District, Fukui, Japan.Wakasa was formed on March 31, 2005 by the merger of the former towns of Mikata, from Mikata District, and Kaminaka, from Onyū District....

  • Nanjō District
    Nanjo District, Fukui
    is a district located in Fukui, Japan.As of October 1, 2005, the district has an estimated population of 12,273 and a density of 35.69 persons per km². The total area is 343.84 km².-Towns and villages:...

    • Minamiechizen
      Minamiechizen, Fukui
      is a town located in Nanjō District, Fukui, Japan.Minamiechizen was formed on January 1, 2005 by the merger of the two former towns and one former village in Nanjō District: Imajō, Kōno, and Nanjō....

  • Nyū District
    Nyu District, Fukui
    is a district located in Fukui Prefecture, Japan.As of 2005, the district has an estimated population of 23,995 and a density of 157 persons per km²...

    • Echizen
      Echizen, Fukui (town)
      is a town located in Nyū District, Fukui, Japan.On February 1, 2005 the towns of Asahi and Ota, and the village of Miyazaki, all from Nyū District, were merged into Echizen....

  • Ōi District
    Oi District, Fukui
    is a district located in Fukui, Japan.As of 2003, the district has an estimated population of 18,680 and a density of 133.18 persons per km². The total area is 140.26 km².-Merger:...

    • Ōi
      Oi, Fukui
      is a town located in Ōi District, Fukui, Japan.As of 2005, the town has an estimated population of 9,216 and a density of 43 persons per km². The total area is 212 km²....

    • Takahama
      Takahama, Fukui
      is a town located in Ōi District, Fukui, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 11,757 and a density of 163.09 persons per km². The total area is 72.09 km².-External links:*...

  • Yoshida District
    Yoshida District, Fukui
    Yoshida is a district located in Fukui, Japan.As of October 1, 2005, the district has an estimated population of 20,766 and a density of 220.12 persons per km². The total area is 94.34 km².-Merger:...

    • Eiheiji
      Eiheiji, Fukui
      is a town located in Yoshida District, Fukui, Japan. It is named after the Eihei-ji temple.As of the 2010 national census, the town population is 20,641. The total area is 94.34 km²....


  • Economy

    • Sabae
      Sabae, Fukui
      is a city located in Fukui, Japan.As of June 1, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 68,703 with 22,229 households and the density of 810.65 persons per km². The total area is 84.75 km².The city was founded on January 15, 1955.-Parks:...

       is known for producing 90% of Japan's domestically-made glasses
      Glasses
      Glasses, also known as eyeglasses , spectacles or simply specs , are frames bearing lenses worn in front of the eyes. They are normally used for vision correction or eye protection. Safety glasses are a kind of eye protection against flying debris or against visible and near visible light or...

      .
    • There are several nuclear power plants located along Wakasa Bay in Tsuruga
      Tsuruga, Fukui
      is a city located in southern Fukui Prefecture, Japan.-Outline:One of city of Wakasa Area, present southern Fukui Prececture. Municipalized on April 1, 1937....

       which supply power to the Keihanshin metropolitan region. It has 14 reactors, the most of any prefecture
      Prefecture
      A prefecture is an administrative jurisdiction or subdivision in any of various countries and within some international church structures, and in antiquity a Roman district governed by an appointed prefect.-Antiquity:...

      .http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/04/08/us-japan-nuclear-debate-idUSTRE73719020110408

    Culture

    • Ichijōdani Asakura Family Historic Ruins
      Ichijodani Asakura Family Historic Ruins
      The are historic ruins located in the Kidonouchi section of Fukui, Fukui Prefecture, Japan. This area was controlled by the Asakura clan for 103 years during the Sengoku period....

       is one of the most important cultural heritages in Japan.
    • Eiheiji is a serene temple offering training and education to Buddhist monks. Founded by Dogen Zenji in 1244, Eiheiji is located on a plot of land of about 330,000 m².
    • Myōtsū-ji's Three-storied Pagoda and Main Hall are National Treasures of Japan
      National treasures of Japan
      National Treasures are the most precious of Japan's Tangible Cultural Properties, as determined and designated by the Agency for Cultural Affairs...

      .
    • Fukui is home to Maruoka Castle
      Maruoka Castle
      is a Japanese castle, located in Maruoka, Fukui, and famous for its donjon , the oldest in Japan. Built in 1576 by order of Shibata Katsutoyo, only the central tower remains; the grounds are used by the local populace for festivals such as hanami and traditional parades...

      , the oldest standing castle in Japan. It was built in 1576.
    • Many dinosaur fossils have been excavated in Fukui and they can been seen at the Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum
      Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum
      The is a dinosaur museum located in the city of Katsuyama, Fukui Prefecture, Japan. In addition to being the only dedicated dinosaur museum in all of Japan, it is one of the "World's Three Great Dinosaur Museums" along with the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology in Canada and the Zigong...

      .
    • Residents of Fukui Prefecture have a distinctive accent, Fukui-ben.
    • Fukui has long been a center for papermaking in Japan (along with Kyoto). Its Echizen Papermaking Cooperative is a world-famous collection of papermakers making paper in the traditional Echizen style.

    University

    • Fukui University
    • Fukui Technology University
      Fukui University of Technology
      The is a private university founded in 1950 and located in Fukui, Fukui Prefecture, Japan.-External links:*...

    • Fukui Prefectural University
      Fukui Prefectural University
      The is a public prefectural university founded in 1992 and located in Eiheiji, Yoshida, Fukui Prefecture, Japan.-External links:*...

    • Jinai University

    Railroad

    • JR West
      • Hokuriku Line
      • Obama Line
        Obama Line
        The is a railway line on the Sea of Japan coast of central Japan. It is operated by West Japan Railway Company .The long single track railway connects Tsuruga Station on the Hokuriku Main Line in Tsuruga, Fukui Prefecture and Higashi-Maizuru Station on the Maizuru Line in Maizuru, Kyoto Prefecture...

      • Kuzuryu Line
    • Echizen Railway
      Echizen Railway
      is a railway company located in Fukui, Fukui Prefecture, Japan. It owns and operates the Katsuyama Eiheiji Line between Fukui and Katsuyama and the Mikuni Awara Line between Fukui and Sakai.-History:...

      • Katsuyama-Eiheiji Line
      • Mikuni-Awara Line
    • Fukui Railway
      • Fukubu Line

    Expressway and Toll Road

    • Hokuriku Expressway
      Hokuriku Expressway
      The ,The ,The ,(abbreviated as , is a 4-laned national expressway in Japan. It is owned and managed by East Nippon Expressway Company and Central Nippon Expressway Company.-Overview:...

    • Maizuru-Wakasa Expressway
    • Chubu Jukan Expressway
    • Mikata Lake Rainbow Road
    • Mount Hoonji Toll Road

    National Highway

    • Route 8
    • Route 27
    • Route 157
    • Route 158
    • Route 161
    • Route 162
    • Route 303
    • Route 305
    • Route 364
    • Route 365
    • Route 367
    • Route 416
    • Route 417
    • Route 418
    • Route 476

    Port

    • Tsuruga Port - Fery route to Niigata, Akita
      Akita, Akita
      is the capital city of Akita Prefecture in the Tohoku region of Japan.As of June 11, 2005, with the merger of the former Kawabe District , the city has an estimated population of 323,310 and density of...

      , Tomakomai, Otaru and International container hub
    • Fukui Port


    Tourism

    • Ichijōdani Asakura Family Historic Ruins
      Ichijodani Asakura Family Historic Ruins
      The are historic ruins located in the Kidonouchi section of Fukui, Fukui Prefecture, Japan. This area was controlled by the Asakura clan for 103 years during the Sengoku period....

    • Eiheiji Temple
    • Tōjinbō, a scenic piece of coastline, which is also a notorious spot for suicide.
    • Echizen crabs
      Chionoecetes
      Chionoecetes is a genus of crabs that live in the northern Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.Other names for crabs in this genus include "queen crab" and "spider crab" – they are known by different names in different areas of the world....

       are a local delicacy available year-round, though the crabbing season is during the winter.
    • Another traditional sea-side Fukui dish is genge, a small guppy-like fish, that when eaten raw as sashimi, gives the body a brief tingling sensation.
    • Awara
      Awara, Fukui
      is a city located in Fukui, Japan.As of October 1, 2005, the city has an estimated population of 31,080 and the density of 265.66 persons per km². The total area is 116.99 km²....

       is a famous onsen
      Onsen
      An is a term for hot springs in the Japanese language, though the term is often used to describe the bathing facilities and inns around the hot springs. As a volcanically active country, Japan has thousands of onsen scattered along its length and breadth...

      in the north of the prefecture.

    External links

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