Fukuoka Prefecture (福岡県, Fukuoka-ken^?) is a prefecture of Japan located on Kyūshū Island. The capital is the city of Fukuoka.

[edit] 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.

[edit] 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.

[edit] Cities

Twenty-eight cities are located in Fukuoka Prefecture:

[edit] Towns and villages

These are the towns and villages in each district.

[edit] Mergers

[edit] 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.

[edit] Universities

[edit] Demographics

[edit] Culture

• Fukuoka Art Museum – In Ohori Park; contains a wide selection of contemporary and other art from around the world.
• Fukuoka Asian Art Museum – contains art from various countries of Asia.
• Fukuoka City Museum – displays a broad range of items from the region's history, including a spectacular gold seal.
• Genko Historical Museum (元寇史料館; Museum of the Mongol Invasion) – In Higashi Koen (East Park); displays Japanese and Mongolian arms and armor from the 13th century as well as paintings on historical subjects. Open on weekends.
• Hakata Machiya Folk Museum – Dedicated to displaying the traditional ways of life, speech, and culture of the Fukuoka region.

[edit] Sports

The sports teams listed below are based in Fukuoka.

Football (soccer)

• Avispa Fukuoka (Fukuoka City)

Baseball

• Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks (Fukuoka City)

Basketball

• Fukuoka Rizing (Fukuoka City)

Rugby

• Coca Cola West Red Sparks (Fukuoka City)
• Fukuoka Sanix Blues (Munakata)
• Kyuden Voltex
• Sanix World Rugby Youth Tournament

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]

[edit] 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.

[edit] Transportation

Train

• West Japan Railway Company
  • Sanyō Shinkansen
  • Hakata Minami Line

• JR Kyushu
  • Kagoshima Main Line, Chikuhō Main Line, Nippō Main Line, Kyudai Main Line
  • Chikuhi Line, Gotōji Line, Kashii Line, Hitahikosan Line, Sasaguri Line
• Nishi-Nippon Railroad
  • Tenjin Ōmuta Line, Dazaifu Line, Nishitetsu Amagi Line, Kaizuka Line
• Amagi Railway
  • Amagi Railway Amagi Line
• Heisei Chikuhō Railway
  • Ita Line, Itota Line, Tagawa Line
• Fukuoka City Subway
  • Kūkō Line, Hakozaki Line, Nanakuma Line
• Kitakyushu Monorail

[edit] Sister regions

• Hawaii, United States
• Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China
• Delhi, India
• Bangkok, Thailand
• Hanoi, Vietnam

[edit] Miscellaneous topics

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

• Kokura prefectural office
• New Kitakyushu airport

[edit] 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)

[edit] External links

• Fukuoka Prefecture travel guide from Wikitravel
• Official Fukuoka Prefecture website (English)
• Official Fukuoka Tourism Association website (English)
• Fukuoka information homepage (English)
• Fukuoka Talk (English)
• English labelled map of Fukuoka Prefecture (English)
• National Archives of Japan ... Fukuoka map (1891)

Coordinates: 33°36′N 130°35′E / 33.6°N 130.583°E / 33.6; 130.583