Kitakyushu, Fukuoka
Encyclopedia
is a city
located in Fukuoka Prefecture
, Kyūshū
, Japan
. It is midway between Tokyo
and Shanghai
.
Kitakyūshū has a population of just under one million. Together with Shimonoseki
on Honshū
the city is the center of an area known as the or , which has a total population of about 1.5 million (Bureau of Statistics definition).
There are multiple metropolitan area definitions for this area, with population estimates ranging from 1.15 to 2.4 million people. Some estimates include the nearby cities of Shimonoseki
and Ube
in Yamaguchi Prefecture
, but most exclude Ōita
in neighboring Ōita Prefecture
.
(ku):
The city of Nakama
was to become the eighth ward
of Kitakyūshū in 2005 (to be called Nakama-ku). However, the planned merger was rejected on December 24, 2004 by Nakama's city council, despite having been initiated by Nakama city. The reason is that as part of the merger the twenty-one councillors would have been reduced to just three in the enlarged Kitakyūshū.
was founded separately from Fukuoka Prefecture
in 1871 when the clan system was abolished. The old wooden-built Kokura Prefectural Office is still standing, and is being restored. It is opposite Riverwalk Kitakyūshū
. In 1876 Kokura Prefecture was absorbed by Fukuoka Prefecture. The city of Kokura
was founded in 1900.
" on August 9, 1945. Major Charles Sweeney
had orders to drop the bomb visually, but all three attempts failed due to clouds and smoke from Yahata
, which is located only 7 km west of Kokura and had air raids on the previous day, preventing Sweeney from identifying the target clearly. The bomb was ultimately dropped on the city of Nagasaki, the secondary target, at 11:02 JST.
. The city was born from the merger of five municipalities (Moji, Kokura, Tobata, Yahata and Wakamatsu) centered around the ancient feudal city of Kokura. The city's symbol mark is a flower with the character
in the middle and five petals representing the five towns which merged.
of 1,014,608 and the total area is 483.15 km². The average population density
is thus 2,063 persons per square kilometre. The population has steadily decreased in recent years.
The city has a much larger total area than that of Fukuoka
which is only 340.03 km².
Samurai
Writers
Scientists
Radio
Actors
version of the film, which is the story of the friendship of a kitten
and a pug
dog
, was released in America
in 1989 as The Adventures of Milo and Otis
.
in Tobata ward and the Wasshoi Hyakuman matsuri
which brings all the festivals together for a grand parade and finale near the City Hall in Kokura Kita ward.
and Anri Sala
.
karst plateau and in Kokura Minami ward and and in Yahata Higashi ward are all noted walking areas with fine scenery. The area also contains the Sugao and Nanae Waterfalls. Sugao is about 20 meters. Nanae literally means Seven Stages Waterfalls. As you hike up the mountain, you reach the different stages of the waterfall.
company known for its mapping and navigation software is based here, and so is TOTO
, the biggest Japanese bathroom fixture manufacturer. StarFlyer
, an airline, is headquartered on the grounds of Kitakyūshū Airport
in Kokuraminami-ku, Kitakyūshū. Previously the airline's headquarters were in the in Kokura Kita-ku
, Kitakyūshū.
The major department stores in Kokura Kita ward are Kitakyūshū-based Izutsuya by the Murasaki river and Colet Izutsuya, in front of the South exit of Kokura Station
in the former Isetan
department store building.
A smaller scale shopping centre called Cha Cha Town has been created by Nishitetsu railroad and bus company next to the Sunatsu bus depot in Kokura Kita ward. It is of course easily accessible by bus and there are lots of free concerts on the stage in the middle of the complex. "Cha" is part of the local Kitakyūshū dialect, and Cha Cha Town is popular with all ages.
Riverwalk Kitakyūshū
is the newest shopping centre in Kokura. It contains many brand name shops, a Starbucks
restaurant (note - there is another Starbucks near Kokura Station
), the Kitakyūshū studios of NHK
TV, two theatres, a multiplex cinema and a branch of the Kitakyūshū city art museum. It is next to the castle and to Murasaki River which runs through the centre of Kokura Kita ward.
The Kitakyūshū Science and Research Park is home to four universities and nine research organisations. It is aiming to become a center for hi-tech research in Asia.
In 2009 Bridgestone
Corporation opened a plant in Kitakyūshū to produce large and ultralarge off-the-road radial tires for construction and mining vehicles.
, Kitakyūshū is an important transport hub for traffic between Honshū
and Kyūshū
and has a large port.
, the city's central train station, is the penultimate stop on the JR West Sanyō Shinkansen
before the Fukuoka
terminus and all Shinkansen
services stop here. It is also served by local and express trains on JR Kyūshū's Kagoshima
and Nippō
Main Lines. Within the city, transport is provided the Kitakyūshū Monorail
and buses.
Mojikō Station
in Moji-ku is the northern terminus of the Kagoshima Main Line, the most important line in the JR Kyūshū network.
A tram network operated by the Nishi-Nippon Railroad
known as the Kitakyūshū Line once operated within the city, but after dwindling passenger numbers in the 1970s the line was shut down in stages between 1980 and 2000. A railway using tram cars, the Chikuhō Electric Railroad
, runs between and stations, serving Yahatanishi-ku and the neighboring city of Nōgata
.
opened on March 16, 2006. It is larger than the previous airport and supports 24-hour operations thanks to its location on an artificial island in the Seto Inland Sea. It will eventually be connected with Kokura Station
by a new fast rail link. A new airline based in the city called StarFlyer
began operations when the airport opened.
Kitakyūshū is the largest ferry
port in Kyūshū, Chūgoku
, and Shikoku. Ferry services operate between Kitakyūshū and Shimonoseki, Matsuyama, Tokushima, Kōbe
, Ōsaka
, Tokyo
, Ulsan
(Korea), Busan
(Korea) and isolated islands within the city limits. The main ferry port is at Shin-Moji, but there are also ferries at Moji and near Kokura Station
.
Within the Kanmon-Kitakyūshū area, there are three commuter lines: the Wakato Ferry, the Kanmon Straits Ferry, and the Kanmon Straits Liner.
, the main north-south route on the island of Kyushu. The new Higashikyushu Expressway begins in Kitakyūshū and runs along the eastern coast of Kyushu. North of Kitakyūshū, the Kyushu Expressway crosses the six-lane Kanmonkyo Bridge
and turns into the Chugoku Expressway
, the second longest expressway of Japan, serving western Honshu.
There are several bridges in Kitakyūshū and between the city and other places. The largest ones are the Kanmonkyo Bridge
linking Kitakyūshū and Shimonoseki (on Kyūshū and Honshū respectively) via the Kanmon Straits
and the Wakato Bridge linking the wards of Tobata and Wakamatsu. There are smaller bridges over the Onga River on the western border of the city.
On September 30, 2005, ownership of the Wakato Bridge was transferred from Japan Highway Public Corporation
to Kitakyūshū; on April 1, 2006 the bridge was transferred to the control of the Kitakyūshū City Road Public Corporation.
control and recycling
technology. In the 1960s it saw the birth of environmental protests in Japan, led by a group of housewives in Sanroku-cho, Tobata ward who were concerned that their washing always became dirty while drying on the lines. Now Kitakyūshū advises sister cities such as Dalian
on water purification etc. In 1992, Kitakyūshū was one of twelve world cities given a Local Government Honours Award at the United Nations
Earth Summit
to honour its environmental programs. Within Japan it is a leading city in anti-pollution measures and recycling with the Ecotown facility in Wakamatsu ward.
Kitakyūshū is home to the West Japan Industry and Trade Convention Association, with its Kitakyūshū International Conference Center and the West Japan General Exhibition Center, and is very active in holding and hosting international conferences of various kinds, especially on the environment and education. A theme park called Space World
is in Yahata-Higashi
ward. There is a training centre of the Japan International Cooperation Agency
(JICA) also.
Despite its past as a heavily industrialized city, Kitakyūshū retains many unspoilt and beautiful areas which have never been touched by industry; this is especially true in the southern parts of the area, as it boasts some of the best sightseeing spots in Kyūshū
.
, China
Incheon
, South Korea
Norfolk, Virginia
, United States
Tacoma, Washington
, United States
Ipatinga
, Brazil
Public Universities
Private Universities
Junior Colleges
College of Technology
Cities of Japan
||A is a local administrative unit in Japan. Cities are ranked on the same level as and , with the difference that they are not a component of...
located in Fukuoka Prefecture
Fukuoka Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on Kyūshū Island. The capital is the city of Fukuoka.- History :Fukuoka Prefecture includes the former provinces of Chikugo, Chikuzen, and Buzen....
, Kyūshū
Kyushu
is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....
, 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...
. It is midway between Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
and Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
.
Demographics
- See also Fukuoka-KitakyūshūFukuoka-KitakyushuGreater Metropolitan Region is the most common name given to the region comprising the metropolitan areas of the cities of Fukuoka and Kitakyūshū in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan and in between...
.
Kitakyūshū has a population of just under one million. Together with Shimonoseki
Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi
is a city located in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. It is at the southwestern tip of Honshū, facing the Tsushima Strait and also Kitakyushu across the Kanmon Straits....
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...
the city is the center of an area known as the or , which has a total population of about 1.5 million (Bureau of Statistics definition).
There are multiple metropolitan area definitions for this area, with population estimates ranging from 1.15 to 2.4 million people. Some estimates include the nearby cities of Shimonoseki
Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi
is a city located in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. It is at the southwestern tip of Honshū, facing the Tsushima Strait and also Kitakyushu across the Kanmon Straits....
and Ube
Ube, Yamaguchi
is a city located in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan on the Seto Inland Sea.As of 2010, the city has an estimated population of 179,000 and the density of 622 persons per km². The total area is 287.69 km².The city was founded on November 1, 1921....
in Yamaguchi Prefecture
Yamaguchi Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan in the Chūgoku region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Yamaguchi, in the center of the prefecture. The largest city, however, is Shimonoseki.- History :...
, but most exclude Ōita
Oita, Oita
is the capital city of Ōita Prefecture located on the island of Kyushu, Japan.- Demographics and geography :Ōita is the most populous city in Ōita Prefecture...
in neighboring Ōita Prefecture
Oita Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan on Kyūshū Island. The prefectural capital is the city of Ōita.- History :Around the 6th century Kyushu consisted of four regions: Tsukushi-no-kuni 筑紫国, Hi-no-kuni 肥国, and Toyo no kuni...
.
Wards
Kitakyūshū has seven wardsWards of Japan
A is a subdivision of one of the cities of Japan that is large enough to have been designated by government ordinance. Wards are used to subdivide each city designated by government ordinance...
(ku):
| Area (km²) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Kokurakita-ku (administrative center) |
小倉北区 | 39.27 | |
 |
Kokuraminami-ku | 小倉南区 | 170.25 | |
 |
Moji-ku Moji-ku, Kitakyushu is a ward of Kitakyūshū, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. It is the former city of Moji which was one of five cities merged to create Kitakyūshū in 1963. It faces the city of Shimonoseki across the Kanmon Straits between Honshū and Kyūshū.... |
門司区 | 73.37 | |
 |
Tobata-ku Tobata-ku, Kitakyushu is a ward of Kitakyūshū, Fukuoka, Japan. It is the smallest ward of Kitakyūshū city at 16.66 km². The population was 64,330 as of the national census in 2000.-History and Geography:... |
戸畑区 | 16.66 | |
 |
Yahatahigashi-ku | 八幡東区 | 36.36 | |
 |
Yahatanishi-ku | 八幡西区 | 83.04 | |
 |
Wakamatsu-ku Wakamatsu-ku, Kitakyushu is a ward of Kitakyūshū, Fukuoka, Japan. It has an area of 67.86 km² and a population of about 88,594 .Important facilities include: Green Park, Ecotown recycling area, Gakuen Toshi academic area, and Hibiki container terminal... |
若松区 | 67.86 |
The city of Nakama
Nakama, Fukuoka
is a city located in Fukuoka, Japan. It was founded in 1958.-Location:It is located along the Onga River, with Mizumaki to the north, Yahatanishi ward to the east, Nogata to the south, and Kutate to the west.-Education:...
was to become the eighth ward
Wards of Japan
A is a subdivision of one of the cities of Japan that is large enough to have been designated by government ordinance. Wards are used to subdivide each city designated by government ordinance...
of Kitakyūshū in 2005 (to be called Nakama-ku). However, the planned merger was rejected on December 24, 2004 by Nakama's city council, despite having been initiated by Nakama city. The reason is that as part of the merger the twenty-one councillors would have been reduced to just three in the enlarged Kitakyūshū.
Kokura Prefecture
Kokura PrefectureKokura Prefecture
The short-lived Kokura Prefecture of Japan was founded separately from Fukuoka prefecture in December 1871 after the clan system was abolished earlier that year...
was founded separately from Fukuoka Prefecture
Fukuoka Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on Kyūshū Island. The capital is the city of Fukuoka.- History :Fukuoka Prefecture includes the former provinces of Chikugo, Chikuzen, and Buzen....
in 1871 when the clan system was abolished. The old wooden-built Kokura Prefectural Office is still standing, and is being restored. It is opposite Riverwalk Kitakyūshū
Riverwalk Kitakyushu
is a prestigious shopping centre near the Murasaki river and Kokura Castle in Kokura Kita ward, Kitakyushu, Japan. It was opened as part of the Kitakyushu Renaissance policy on April 19, 2003 and includes theatres, restaurants, a multiplex cinema, NHK studios, the head offices of Zenrin Co...
. In 1876 Kokura Prefecture was absorbed by Fukuoka Prefecture. The city of Kokura
Kokura
is an ancient castle town and the center of Kitakyūshū, Japan, guarding, via its suburb Moji, the Straits of Shimonoseki between Honshū and Kyūshū. Kokura is also the name of the penultimate station on the southbound Sanyo Shinkansen line, which is owned by JR Kyūshū and an important part of the...
was founded in 1900.
World War II
Kokura was the primary target of the nuclear weapon "Fat ManFat Man
"Fat Man" is the codename for the atomic bomb that was detonated over Nagasaki, Japan, by the United States on August 9, 1945. It was the second of the only two nuclear weapons to be used in warfare to date , and its detonation caused the third man-made nuclear explosion. The name also refers more...
" on August 9, 1945. Major Charles Sweeney
Charles Sweeney
Major General Charles W. Sweeney was an officer in the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II and the pilot who flew the "Fat Man" atomic bomb to Nagasaki on August 9, 1945...
had orders to drop the bomb visually, but all three attempts failed due to clouds and smoke from Yahata
Yahata
was a city in Japan until it was absorbed into the newly created city of Kitakyushu in 1963. Its former area is as of 2007 part of two distinct wards: Yahata Higashi-ku and Yahata Nishi-ku....
, which is located only 7 km west of Kokura and had air raids on the previous day, preventing Sweeney from identifying the target clearly. The bomb was ultimately dropped on the city of Nagasaki, the secondary target, at 11:02 JST.
City of Kitakyūshū
The city of Kitakyūshū was founded on February 10, 1963 and was designated on April 1, 1963 by government ordinanceCity designated by government ordinance (Japan)
A , also known as a or , is a Japanese city that has a population greater than 500,000 and has been designated as such by an order of the cabinet of Japan under Article 252, Section 19 of the Local Autonomy Law.-Overview:...
. The city was born from the merger of five municipalities (Moji, Kokura, Tobata, Yahata and Wakamatsu) centered around the ancient feudal city of Kokura. The city's symbol mark is a flower with the character
Kanji
Kanji are the adopted logographic Chinese characters hanzi that are used in the modern Japanese writing system along with hiragana , katakana , Indo Arabic numerals, and the occasional use of the Latin alphabet...
in the middle and five petals representing the five towns which merged.
Demographics
As of October 1, 2005, the city has an estimated populationPopulation
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
of 1,014,608 and the total area is 483.15 km². The average population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
is thus 2,063 persons per square kilometre. The population has steadily decreased in recent years.
The city has a much larger total area than that of Fukuoka
Fukuoka, Fukuoka
is the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture and is situated on the northern shore of the island of Kyushu in Japan.Voted number 14 in a 2010 poll of the World's Most Livable Cities, Fukuoka is praised for its green spaces in a metropolitan setting. It is the most populous city in Kyushu, followed by...
which is only 340.03 km².
Notable Figures
- Miyamoto MusashiMiyamoto Musashi, also known as Shinmen Takezō, Miyamoto Bennosuke or, by his Buddhist name, Niten Dōraku, was a Japanese swordsman and rōnin. Musashi, as he was often simply known, became renowned through stories of his excellent swordsmanship in numerous duels, even from a very young age...
, samurai swordman, author of The Book of Five RingsThe Book of Five Ringsis a text on kenjutsu and the martial arts in general, written by the samurai warrior Miyamoto Musashi circa 1645. There have been various translations made over the years, and it enjoys an audience considerably broader than only that of martial artists: for instance, some business leaders find its...
and founder of the Hyoho Niten Ichi-ryūHyoho Niten Ichi-ryu, which can be loosely translated as "the school of the strategy of two heavens as one", is a koryū , transmitting a style of classical Japanese swordsmanship conceived by the warrior Miyamoto Musashi...
, famous for its use of two swords, lived in the KokuraKokurais an ancient castle town and the center of Kitakyūshū, Japan, guarding, via its suburb Moji, the Straits of Shimonoseki between Honshū and Kyūshū. Kokura is also the name of the penultimate station on the southbound Sanyo Shinkansen line, which is owned by JR Kyūshū and an important part of the...
castle under the patronage of the OgasawaraOgasawara clanThe was a Japanese samurai clan descended from the Seiwa Genji. The Ogasawara acted as shugo of Shinano province in the medieval period The was a Japanese samurai clan descended from the Seiwa Genji. The Ogasawara acted as shugo (governors) of Shinano province in the medieval period The was a...
and HosokawaHosokawa clanThe ' was a Japanese samurai clan, descended from Emperor Seiwa and a branch of the Minamoto clan, by the Ashikaga clan. It produced many prominent officials in the Ashikaga shogunate's administration. In the Edo period, the Hosokawa clan was one of the largest landholding daimyo families in Japan...
clans from 1633 until his death.
Writers
- The novelist Mori ŌgaiMori Ogaiwas a Japanese physician, translator, novelist and poet. is considered his major work.- Early life :Mori was born as Mori Rintarō in Tsuwano, Iwami province . His family were hereditary physicians to the daimyō of the Tsuwano Domain...
lived in KokuraKokurais an ancient castle town and the center of Kitakyūshū, Japan, guarding, via its suburb Moji, the Straits of Shimonoseki between Honshū and Kyūshū. Kokura is also the name of the penultimate station on the southbound Sanyo Shinkansen line, which is owned by JR Kyūshū and an important part of the...
for several years and his house is open to the public in Kokura Kita ward. He wrote Kokura Nikki (Kokura diary) here. It is a ten minute walk from Kokura StationKokura Stationin Kokura Kita ward is the main railway station in Kitakyushu, Japan. It is part of the JR Kyushu network and the Sanyo Shinkansen stops here. It is the second largest station in Kyūshū with 120,000 users daily...
. - The writer Matsumoto Seicho :ja:松本清張 was born in Kokura. A museum dedicated to him is located in the city centre near Kokura CastleKokura Castlein Kitakyushu, Japan was built by Hosokawa Tadaoki in 1602. It was the property of the Ogasawara clan between 1632 and 1860. The castle was burnt down in 1865 in the war between the Kokura and Chōshū clans....
. - The writer Hino AshiheiHino Ashiheiwas born in Wakamatsu and in 1937 he received the prestigious Akutagawa Prize for one of his novels, . At that moment he was a soldier for the Japanese army in China....
was born in Wakamatsu ward and his birthplace can be visited. - The illustrator Lily Franky was born in Kokura.
Scientists
- Professor Ted FujitaTed Fujitawas a prominent severe storms researcher. His research at the University of Chicago on severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, hurricanes and typhoons revolutionized knowledge of each.- Biography :Fujita was born in Kitakyūshū, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan...
was born in what is now Kokura Minami ward.
Radio
- Cross FM started in Kitakyūshū, and is now also in Fukuoka city.
Actors
- Gravure idol/model Saaya IrieSaaya Irieis a Japanese actress, voice actress, junior idol and singer. Her stage name is simply her given name, Saaya.She has recently been appearing in numerous films, radio, and television programs including the recent live action TV drama adaptation of the Jigoku Shoujo series. She has also done voice...
lives in Kitakyūshū.
Culture
The 1986 family movie Koneko Monogatari was filmed here. The EnglishEnglish language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
version of the film, which is the story of the friendship of a kitten
Kitten
A kitten is a juvenile domesticated cat.The young of big cats are called cubs rather than kittens. Either term may be used for the young of smaller wild felids such as ocelots, caracals, and lynx, but "kitten" is usually more common for these species....
and a pug
Pug
The pug is a "toy" breed of dog with a wrinkly, short-muzzled face, and curled tail. The breed has a fine, glossy coat that comes in a variety of colors, and a compact square body with well-developed muscle. They have been described as multum in parvo , referring to the pug's personality and...
dog
Dog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
, was released in America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1989 as The Adventures of Milo and Otis
The Adventures of Milo and Otis
The Adventures of Milo and Otis is a live action Japanese film about an orange tabby cat named Milo and a fawn pug named Otis.The original Japanese version was released on June 27, 1986, and the reworked English language version was released on August 25, 1989.Initially filmed as Koneko Monogatari...
.
Festivals
There are several local festivals (matsuri) held in the summer in various parts of the city and including the beautiful Tobata Gion Yamagasa festivalTobata Gion Yamagasa festival
is a popular local Japanese festival which takes place annually in Tobata, a ward of Kitakyushu in Fukuoka prefecture, Kyūshū, Japan. It is held for three days before and after the fourth Saturday of July...
in Tobata ward and the Wasshoi Hyakuman matsuri
Wasshoi Hyakuman matsuri
is a matsuri in Kokura Kita-ku, Kitakyūshū, Fukuoka, Japan. It is a summer festival that spans two days, usually the first weekend in August. It is Kitakyūshū's largest festival, having been created to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the creation of the city...
which brings all the festivals together for a grand parade and finale near the City Hall in Kokura Kita ward.
Center for Contemporary Art (CCA) Kitakyushu
The Center for Contemporary Art opened in May 1997 and has during the past years shown works of internationallly renowned artists e.g. Maurizio CattelanMaurizio Cattelan
Maurizio Cattelan is an Italian artist based in New York. He is known for his satirical sculptures, particularly La Nona Ora , depicting the Pope John Paul II struck down by a meteorite....
and Anri Sala
Anri Sala
Anri Sala is a contemporary artist whose primary medium is video. He studied art at the Albanian Academy of Arts from 1992 to 1996. He also studied video at the Ecole Nationale des Arts Décoratifs, Paris and film direction in Le Fresnoy-Studio National des Arts Contemporains, Tourcoing...
.
Notable places
Economy
Nippon Steel Corporation is still a major employer but the Yahata and Tobata plants are much reduced from the heyday of the 1960s. The ZenrinZenrin
Zenrin Co. Ltd. is a Japanese map publisher. Founded in 1948, the company is known as a maker of residential maps and software used in personal computers and Automotive navigation systems...
company known for its mapping and navigation software is based here, and so is TOTO
TOTO (company)
was founded in 1917. It is a company based in Kitakyushu, Japan. It is the world's largest toilet manufacturer.The name "TOTO" is an abbreviation of the two Japanese words forming its full name, . The company invented and patented the Washlet. Plants outside Japan are:*Beijing Toto, China*Taiwan...
, the biggest Japanese bathroom fixture manufacturer. StarFlyer
StarFlyer
is a Japanese airline headquartered on the grounds of Kitakyushu Airport in Kokuraminami-ku, Kitakyūshū, Fukuoka Prefecture. It is modeled after JetBlue Airways as a "low-cost, high-quality" carrier aimed at business and leisure travelers. The airline began operations on March 16, 2006 and is one...
, an airline, is headquartered on the grounds of Kitakyūshū Airport
Kitakyushu Airport
Kokura Airport , previously called until 2005, was a small airport in Kokura Minami-ku, Kitakyūshū, Japan. There used to be four flights to and from Tokyo International Airport every day. The runway was long, so large jets could not use it...
in Kokuraminami-ku, Kitakyūshū. Previously the airline's headquarters were in the in Kokura Kita-ku
Kokura Kita-ku, Kitakyushu
is a ward of Kitakyūshū, Fukuoka, Japan. It is the north part of what used to be Kokura City before the merger of five cities to create the new city of Kitakyūshū in 1963...
, Kitakyūshū.
Kokura Station
in Kokura Kita ward is the main railway station in Kitakyushu, Japan. It is part of the JR Kyushu network and the Sanyo Shinkansen stops here. It is the second largest station in Kyūshū with 120,000 users daily...
in the former Isetan
Isetan
is a Japanese department store. Based in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Isetan has branches throughout Japan and East Asia, including Bangkok, Jinan, Kaohsiung, Kuala Lumpur, Shanghai, Singapore and Tianjin and formerly in Hong Kong, London and Vienna....
department store building.
A smaller scale shopping centre called Cha Cha Town has been created by Nishitetsu railroad and bus company next to the Sunatsu bus depot in Kokura Kita ward. It is of course easily accessible by bus and there are lots of free concerts on the stage in the middle of the complex. "Cha" is part of the local Kitakyūshū dialect, and Cha Cha Town is popular with all ages.
Riverwalk Kitakyushu
is a prestigious shopping centre near the Murasaki river and Kokura Castle in Kokura Kita ward, Kitakyushu, Japan. It was opened as part of the Kitakyushu Renaissance policy on April 19, 2003 and includes theatres, restaurants, a multiplex cinema, NHK studios, the head offices of Zenrin Co...
is the newest shopping centre in Kokura. It contains many brand name shops, a Starbucks
Starbucks
Starbucks Corporation is an international coffee and coffeehouse chain based in Seattle, Washington. Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse company in the world, with 17,009 stores in 55 countries, including over 11,000 in the United States, over 1,000 in Canada, over 700 in the United Kingdom, and...
restaurant (note - there is another Starbucks near Kokura Station
Kokura Station
in Kokura Kita ward is the main railway station in Kitakyushu, Japan. It is part of the JR Kyushu network and the Sanyo Shinkansen stops here. It is the second largest station in Kyūshū with 120,000 users daily...
), the Kitakyūshū studios of NHK
NHK
NHK is Japan's national public broadcasting organization. NHK, which has always identified itself to its audiences by the English pronunciation of its initials, is a publicly owned corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee....
TV, two theatres, a multiplex cinema and a branch of the Kitakyūshū city art museum. It is next to the castle and to Murasaki River which runs through the centre of Kokura Kita ward.
The Kitakyūshū Science and Research Park is home to four universities and nine research organisations. It is aiming to become a center for hi-tech research in Asia.
In 2009 Bridgestone
Bridgestone
The is a multinational rubber conglomerate founded in 1931 by in the city of Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan. The name Bridgestone comes from a calque translation and transposition of ishibashi, meaning "stone bridge" in Japanese....
Corporation opened a plant in Kitakyūshū to produce large and ultralarge off-the-road radial tires for construction and mining vehicles.
Transportation
Located at a strategic position on the south side of the Kanmon StraitsKanmon Straits
The Kanmon Straits or the Straits of Shimonoseki is the stretch of water separating two of Japan's four main islands. On the Honshū side of the water is Shimonoseki and on the Kyūshū side is Kitakyūshū, whose former city and present ward, Moji , gave the strait its "mon"...
, Kitakyūshū is an important transport hub for traffic between 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...
and Kyūshū
Kyushu
is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....
and has a large port.
Rail
Kokura StationKokura Station
in Kokura Kita ward is the main railway station in Kitakyushu, Japan. It is part of the JR Kyushu network and the Sanyo Shinkansen stops here. It is the second largest station in Kyūshū with 120,000 users daily...
, the city's central train station, is the penultimate stop on the JR West Sanyō Shinkansen
Sanyō Shinkansen
The is a line of the Japanese Shinkansen high-speed rail network, connecting Shin-Ōsaka in Osaka with Hakata Station in Fukuoka, the two largest cities in western Japan...
before the Fukuoka
Hakata Station
Hakata Station , located in Hakata-ku, is the main railway terminal of the city of Fukuoka, Japan. It is the largest and busiest station on Kyūshū, and is a gateway to other cities in Kyūshū for travellers from Honshū. The Sanyō Shinkansen from Osaka ends at this station...
terminus and all Shinkansen
Shinkansen
The , also known as THE BULLET TRAIN, is a network of high-speed railway lines in Japan operated by four Japan Railways Group companies. Starting with the Tōkaidō Shinkansen in 1964, the network has expanded to currently consist of of lines with maximum speeds of , of Mini-shinkansen with a...
services stop here. It is also served by local and express trains on JR Kyūshū's Kagoshima
Kagoshima Main Line
The is a major railway line operated by the Kyushu Railway Company between Mojikō in Kitakyūshū, and Kagoshima Station in Kagoshima City, at the southern end of Kyushu...
and Nippō
Nippo Main Line
frame|Nippō Main LineThe is a railway line in Kyūshū, in southern Japan. Part of the Kyushu Railway Company system, it follows the east coast of the island. The line originates at Kokura Station in Kokura, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka...
Main Lines. Within the city, transport is provided the Kitakyūshū Monorail
Kitakyushu monorail
The Kitakyushu monorail is a monorail in Kitakyūshū, Fukuoka, Japan, run by the Kitakyushu Urban Monorail Co. Ltd. ....
and buses.
Mojikō Station
Mojiko Station
in Moji ward, Kitakyūshū, Japan is the oldest station on the Kagoshima Main Line in Kyūshū and the terminus for those going to and from Honshū by boat...
in Moji-ku is the northern terminus of the Kagoshima Main Line, the most important line in the JR Kyūshū network.
A tram network operated by the Nishi-Nippon Railroad
Nishi-Nippon Railroad
The , also called or NNR, is one of Japan's "Big 16" private railroad companies. With headquarters in Fukuoka, it operates local and highway buses, supermarkets, real-estate and travel agencies, as well as railways in Fukuoka Prefecture. In addition, from 1950 to 1972, the company owned the Lions...
known as the Kitakyūshū Line once operated within the city, but after dwindling passenger numbers in the 1970s the line was shut down in stages between 1980 and 2000. A railway using tram cars, the Chikuhō Electric Railroad
Chikuho Electric Railroad Line
The is a Japanese railway line of in Fukuoka Prefecture between Kurosaki-Ekimae in Kitakyūshū and Chikuhō-Nōgata in Nōgata. The line does not have an official name. The company or the line is also called . The company is a subsidiary of Nishi-Nippon Railroad...
, runs between and stations, serving Yahatanishi-ku and the neighboring city of Nōgata
Nogata, Fukuoka
is a city located in Fukuoka prefecture, Japan, on the island of Kyushu in southern Japan. Located near Kitakyūshū and Iizuka, Nōgata is in the center of the Chikuhō region of Fukuoka....
.
Air
The present Kitakyūshū AirportKitakyushu Airport
Kokura Airport , previously called until 2005, was a small airport in Kokura Minami-ku, Kitakyūshū, Japan. There used to be four flights to and from Tokyo International Airport every day. The runway was long, so large jets could not use it...
opened on March 16, 2006. It is larger than the previous airport and supports 24-hour operations thanks to its location on an artificial island in the Seto Inland Sea. It will eventually be connected with Kokura Station
Kokura Station
in Kokura Kita ward is the main railway station in Kitakyushu, Japan. It is part of the JR Kyushu network and the Sanyo Shinkansen stops here. It is the second largest station in Kyūshū with 120,000 users daily...
by a new fast rail link. A new airline based in the city called StarFlyer
StarFlyer
is a Japanese airline headquartered on the grounds of Kitakyushu Airport in Kokuraminami-ku, Kitakyūshū, Fukuoka Prefecture. It is modeled after JetBlue Airways as a "low-cost, high-quality" carrier aimed at business and leisure travelers. The airline began operations on March 16, 2006 and is one...
began operations when the airport opened.
Sea
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
port in Kyūshū, Chūgoku
Chugoku region
The , also known as the , is the westernmost region of Honshū, the largest island of Japan. It consists of the prefectures of Hiroshima, Okayama, Shimane, Tottori and Yamaguchi. It has a population of about 7.8 million.- History :...
, and Shikoku. Ferry services operate between Kitakyūshū and Shimonoseki, Matsuyama, Tokushima, Kōbe
Kobe
, pronounced , is the fifth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture on the southern side of the main island of Honshū, approximately west of Osaka...
, Ōsaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
, Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Ulsan
Ulsan
Ulsan , officially the Ulsan Metropolitan City, is South Korea's seventh largest metropolis with a population of over 1.1 million. It is located in the south-east of the country, neighboring Busan to the south and facing Gyeongju to the north and the Sea of Japan to the east.Ulsan is the...
(Korea), Busan
Busan
Busan , formerly spelled Pusan is South Korea's second largest metropolis after Seoul, with a population of around 3.6 million. The Metropolitan area population is 4,399,515 as of 2010. It is the largest port city in South Korea and the fifth largest port in the world...
(Korea) and isolated islands within the city limits. The main ferry port is at Shin-Moji, but there are also ferries at Moji and near Kokura Station
Kokura Station
in Kokura Kita ward is the main railway station in Kitakyushu, Japan. It is part of the JR Kyushu network and the Sanyo Shinkansen stops here. It is the second largest station in Kyūshū with 120,000 users daily...
.
Within the Kanmon-Kitakyūshū area, there are three commuter lines: the Wakato Ferry, the Kanmon Straits Ferry, and the Kanmon Straits Liner.
Expressways
The metropolitan area of Kitakyūshū is covered by the Kitakyūshū Expressway, which has 5 routes serving the city, totaling 53 kilometers of 4-lane expressways. Some of these expressways are elevated, especially around the city center. Route 1 serves the city center, while route 2 serves the port area. Route 3 is a short connector between routes 1 and 2, and route 4 is the longest of the Kitakyūshū Expressway network, and serving most of the city from north to south. The final route 5 is a short link serving the inner port area. In addition, Kitakyūshū is bypassed by the Kyushu ExpresswayKyushu Expressway
' is one of the Expressways of Japan from Kitakyūshū to west of Kagoshima linking with the Higashi Kyushu Expressway and the Ibusuki Skyline. It runs through the prefectures of Fukuoka, the eastern half of the Saga, Kumamoto, Miyazaki and the Kagoshima prefectures. The freeway runs entirely on...
, the main north-south route on the island of Kyushu. The new Higashikyushu Expressway begins in Kitakyūshū and runs along the eastern coast of Kyushu. North of Kitakyūshū, the Kyushu Expressway crosses the six-lane Kanmonkyo Bridge
Kanmonkyo Bridge
The Kanmonkyo Bridge is a suspension bridge crossing the Kanmon Straits, a stretch of water separating two of Japan's four main islands...
and turns into the Chugoku Expressway
Chugoku Expressway
The is an expressway in Japan from Suita, Osaka to Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi. It connects Kansai and Chūgoku regions in the western Honshū, Japan's largest island. Other major cities on the expressway are Tsuyama, Kobe and Hiroshima...
, the second longest expressway of Japan, serving western Honshu.
Bridges
Kanmonkyo Bridge
The Kanmonkyo Bridge is a suspension bridge crossing the Kanmon Straits, a stretch of water separating two of Japan's four main islands...
linking Kitakyūshū and Shimonoseki (on Kyūshū and Honshū respectively) via the Kanmon Straits
Kanmon Straits
The Kanmon Straits or the Straits of Shimonoseki is the stretch of water separating two of Japan's four main islands. On the Honshū side of the water is Shimonoseki and on the Kyūshū side is Kitakyūshū, whose former city and present ward, Moji , gave the strait its "mon"...
and the Wakato Bridge linking the wards of Tobata and Wakamatsu. There are smaller bridges over the Onga River on the western border of the city.
On September 30, 2005, ownership of the Wakato Bridge was transferred from Japan Highway Public Corporation
Japan Highway Public Corporation
, or JH, was a public company established after World War II to construct and manage highway networks in Japan, founded in 1956.On October 1, 2005, JH was divided into three private enterprises, East Nippon Expressway Co., Ltd. , Central Nippon Expressway Co., Ltd. , and West Nippon Expressway...
to Kitakyūshū; on April 1, 2006 the bridge was transferred to the control of the Kitakyūshū City Road Public Corporation.
A modern city
Kitakyūshū is now the most advanced city in Japan with regard to pollutionPollution
Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into a natural environment that causes instability, disorder, harm or discomfort to the ecosystem i.e. physical systems or living organisms. Pollution can take the form of chemical substances or energy, such as noise, heat or light...
control and recycling
Recycling
Recycling is processing used materials into new products to prevent waste of potentially useful materials, reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reduce energy usage, reduce air pollution and water pollution by reducing the need for "conventional" waste disposal, and lower greenhouse...
technology. In the 1960s it saw the birth of environmental protests in Japan, led by a group of housewives in Sanroku-cho, Tobata ward who were concerned that their washing always became dirty while drying on the lines. Now Kitakyūshū advises sister cities such as Dalian
Dalian
Dalian is a major city and seaport in the south of Liaoning province, Northeast China. It faces Shandong to the south, the Yellow Sea to the east and the Bohai Sea to the west and south. Holding sub-provincial administrative status, Dalian is the southernmost city of Northeast China and China's...
on water purification etc. In 1992, Kitakyūshū was one of twelve world cities given a Local Government Honours Award at the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Earth Summit
Earth Summit
The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development , also known as the Rio Summit, Rio Conference, Earth Summit was a major United Nations conference held in Rio de Janeiro from 3 June to 14 June 1992.-Overview:...
to honour its environmental programs. Within Japan it is a leading city in anti-pollution measures and recycling with the Ecotown facility in Wakamatsu ward.
Kitakyūshū is home to the West Japan Industry and Trade Convention Association, with its Kitakyūshū International Conference Center and the West Japan General Exhibition Center, and is very active in holding and hosting international conferences of various kinds, especially on the environment and education. A theme park called Space World
Space World
is a theme park in Yahatahigashi-ku, Kitakyūshū, Japan. Created in 1990 by Nippon Steel when the company was downsizing its steel plant in the ward, it is currently operated by Space World Inc., a subsidiary of Kamori Kankō....
is in Yahata-Higashi
Yahata Higashi-ku, Kitakyushu
is a ward of Kitakyūshū, Fukuoka, Japan. It is the second smallest ward in Kitakyūshū after Tobata ward at only 36.36 square kilometres. Residents have a very high average age, one of the highest in Japan. The population was 77,077 at the end of September 2003....
ward. There is a training centre of the Japan International Cooperation Agency
Japan International Cooperation Agency
The Japan International Cooperation Agency is an independent governmental agency that coordinates official development assistance for the government of Japan...
(JICA) also.
An unfortunate reputation
Kitakyūshū has suffered unfairly from an unfortunate image and reputation, both domestically and overseas, of a heavily polluted and industrial city with many smokestacks. Indeed, in the 1960s, rapid post-war development prompted the construction of many manufacturing plants which made it a major engine of the Japanese economy. As a result of this, pollution and smog associated with the factories began to pervade the city. Local people even took pride in the multi-coloured rainbows of smoke created by the reflection of sunlight on the smog. As a result, some guidebooks have described the city as "hideous" and "ugly," among other descriptions. However, this is becoming more and more outdated as, in the 1970s, the Municipality started adopting measures to decrease the pollution. Nowadays, Kitakyūshū is making great efforts to show itself as an environmentally-friendly city.Despite its past as a heavily industrialized city, Kitakyūshū retains many unspoilt and beautiful areas which have never been touched by industry; this is especially true in the southern parts of the area, as it boasts some of the best sightseeing spots in Kyūshū
Kyushu
is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....
.
Sister cities
DalianDalian
Dalian is a major city and seaport in the south of Liaoning province, Northeast China. It faces Shandong to the south, the Yellow Sea to the east and the Bohai Sea to the west and south. Holding sub-provincial administrative status, Dalian is the southernmost city of Northeast China and China's...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
Incheon
Incheon
The Incheon Metropolitan City is located in northwestern South Korea. The city was home to just 4,700 people when Jemulpo port was built in 1883. Today 2.76 million people live in the city, making it Korea’s third most populous city after Seoul and Busan Metropolitan City...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma is a mid-sized urban port city and the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. The city is on Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, and northwest of Mount Rainier National Park. The population was 198,397, according to...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Ipatinga
Ipatinga
Ipatinga is a city and municipality located in eastern Minas Gerais state, Brazil. The city was founded in 1962 and covers a total area of 166.5 km². Its population is 240,338 . It is part of the Vale do Aço Metropolitan Area .Ipatinga is located at the site where the Piracicaba River flows into...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
Universities / Colleges
National UniversityPublic Universities
Private Universities
Junior Colleges
College of Technology
Colleges of technology in Japan
College of technology is the word used in Japan today for the English translation of kōsen school system, a 5-year college, while some traditional 4-year colleges have been using the word for their specific names, and some kōsen schools have their own English names that differ from college of...
Research Institutes / Graduate Schools
-
- Fukuoka University Institute for Recycling and Environmental Control Systems
- Graduate School of Life Science and Systems Engineering, Kyūshū Institute of Technology
- Graduate School of Information, Production and Systems/Information, Production and Systems Research Center, Waseda University
Sporting Venues
- Anō Dome
- Honjō StadiumHonjo Stadiumis a small athletic and multi-purpose stadium , opened in 1990 at Honjō Park in Ohiraki, Yahata Nishi-ku, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka prefecture, Japan.-Association football:...
- Home stadium for Giravanz Kitakyūshū - Kitakyūshū Media Dome - Indoor KeirinKeirinis a track cycling event in which racing cyclists sprint for victory. Keirin originated in Japan in 1948; the first Olympic competitions in the sport occurred in 2000....
stadium - Kitakyūshū Municipal Baseball Stadium
- Kitakyūshū Municipal Gymnasium
- JRAJapan Racing AssociationThe Japan Racing Association is a public company established to operate Chūō Keiba and to manage racecourses, betting facilities, and horse-training facilities....
Kokura Race Course - Sayagatani Stadium
- Wakamatsu Kyōteijō - Wakamatsu Boat Races
External links
- Official website in Japanese
- Official website in English
- Kitakyūshū page of Fukuoka Prefecture Tourism Association website
- KITAKYUSHU BIENNIAL
- Kitakyūshū Science and Research Park
- CCA Kitakyushu
- Kitakyushu Film Commission
- Kitakyushu International Association produces Himawari - a monthly newsletter
- Kitakyushu Kicks - an unofficial English language website about Kitakyushu