 Kitakyūshū's location in Fukuoka, Japan. WikipediaWikiProject Japanese prefectures for guidelines --> is a prefecture of Japan located on Kyūshū Island. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. |
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| Location | |
| Country | Japan |
| Region | Kyūshū |
| Prefecture | Fukuoka |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Area | 486. In Political geography and International politics, a country is a Political division of a geographical entity For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. The Regions of Japan are not official administrative units but have been traditionally used as the regional division of Japan in a number of contexts or Kyushu is the third-largest Island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. The prefectures of Japan are the country's 47 sub-national Jurisdictions one "metropolis" (都 to) Tokyo; one " circuit WikipediaWikiProject Japanese prefectures for guidelines --> is a prefecture of Japan located on Kyūshū Island. Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. 81 km² (187. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of 96 sq mi) |
| Population (as of October 2005) | |
| Total | 993,483 |
| Density | 2,040. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume 80 /km² (5,286 /sq mi) |
| Location | |
| Symbols | |
| Tree | Ichiigashi (Japanese beech) |
| Flower | Tsutsuji (Azalea) Himawari (Sunflower) |
 Symbol of Kitakyūshū |
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| Kitakyūshū Government Office | |
| Mayor | Kenji Kitahashi |
| Address | 〒803-8501 1-1 Jōnai, Kokura Kita-ku, Kitakyūshū-shi, Fukuoka-ken |
| Phone number | 093-582-2236 |
| Official website: City of Kitakyūshū | |
Kitakyūshū (北九州市 Kitakyūshū-shi?, literally "Northern Kyūshū") is a city located in Fukuoka prefecture, Kyūshū, Japan. In Geography, location is a position or point in Physical space that something occupies on Earths' surface A tree is a perennial Woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or For the babyfood see Beech-Nut. Beech ( Fagus) is a genus of ten Species of Deciduous Trees in the A flower, also known as a bloom or Blossom, is the reproductive structure found in Flowering plants (plants of the division Magnoliophyta, also Azaleas are flowering Shrubs making up part of the genus Rhododendron. The sunflower ( Helianthus annuus) is an Annual plant in the family Asteraceae and native to the Americas, with a large flowering A mayor (from the Latin māior, meaning "greater" is a modern title used in many countries for the highest ranking officer in a municipal government is the mayor of Kitakyushu Fukuoka in Japan. A graduate of the University of Tokyo, he was elected to the House of Representatives in An address is a Code and abstract concept expressing the fixed location of a home business or other building on the earth's surface is the Service mark of the postal system in Japan. It is also used as a Japanese Postal code mark A telephone number or phone number is a sequence of numbers used to call from one Telephone line to another in a Telephone network. A, also known as a or, is a Japanese city that has a population greater than 500000 and has been designated as such by an order of the Cabinet of Japan under Article WikipediaWikiProject Japanese prefectures for guidelines --> is a prefecture of Japan located on Kyūshū Island. or Kyushu is the third-largest Island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. It is midway between Tokyo and Shanghai. officially, is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan and located on the eastern side of the main island Honshū. Shanghai ( 上[[wikt 海|海]] is the largest city in China in terms of population and one of the largest urban areas in the world with over 20 million Within Japan it is a leading city in anti-pollution measures and recycling with the Ecotown facility in Wakamatsu ward.
Kitakyūshū has a population of just under one million. Together with Shimonoseki on Honshū the city is the major part of the Kanmon Straits area (北九州都市圏, 関門都市圏) which has a total population of about 1. is a city located in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. It is at the southwestern tip of Honshū, facing the Tsushima Strait and also Kitakyushu or Honshu is the largest Island of Japan. The nation's main island, it is south of Hokkaidō across the Tsugaru Strait, north of The Kanmon Straits (関門海峡 Kanmon Kaikyō or the Straits of Shimonoseki is the stretch of water separating two of Japan 's four main islands 5 million (Bureau of Statistics definition).
Kokura Station in Kitakyūshū is 20 minutes by shinkansen from the largest city in Kyūshū, Fukuoka which has a population of about 1. in Kokura Kita ward is the main railway station in Kitakyushu, Japan. The is a Network of High-speed railway lines in Japan operated by four Japan Railways Group companies is the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture and is situated on the northern shore of the island of Kyūshū in Japan, across 4 million, or 2. 6 million in the Greater Fukuoka urban area (福岡都市圏). Kokura Station is Kyūshū's second largest railway station after Hakata station, with about 120,000 users daily. in Kokura Kita ward is the main railway station in Kitakyushu, Japan. Hakata Station (博多駅 Hakata-eki) is the main railway terminal of the city of Fukuoka, Japan.
The New Kitakyushu Airport opened on March 16, 2006 and has stimulated the local economy through tourism and business trips. has been built three kilometres offshore in the Suo Nada area of the Seto Inland Sea on an Artificial island (4th in Japan in the south of Kitakyushu Events 597 BC - Babylonians capture Jerusalem, replace Jehoiachin with Zedekiah as king Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.
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Geography
There are multiple metropolitan area definitions for this area, with populations ranging from 1. 15 million to 2. 4 million people, depending on definition. Please see ja:北九州都市圏. Some estimates include nearby Shimonoseki and Ube cities, but Ōita is definitely not in any definition. is a city located in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. It is at the southwestern tip of Honshū, facing the Tsushima Strait and also Kitakyushu Ube (or ubi) is the Filipino word for purple yam ( Dioscorea alata) is the capital city of Ōita Prefecture located on the island of Kyūshū, Japan. Also, Kitakyūshū, Iizuka, and Greater Fukuoka have coalesced somewhat where suburbs are between the two. is a city located at the confluence of the Honami and Onga rivers in central Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan.
Wards
Kitakyūshū has seven wards (ku):
| Area (km²) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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Kokura Kita-ku | 小倉北区 | 39. List of wards Chiba Chūō-ku Chiba Hanamigawa-ku Chiba Inage-ku Chiba is a ward of Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan. It is the north part of what used to be Kokura City before the merger of five cities to create 27 |
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Kokura Minami-ku | 小倉南区 | 170. is the southern part of what used to be Kokura city which was merged into Kitakyushu city when the latter was created out of the merger of five cities in 1963 25 |
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Moji-ku | 門司区 | 73. in Kitakyushu is the former city of Moji which was one of five cities merged to create Kitakyushu city in 1963 37 |
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Tobata-ku | 戸畑区 | 16. Tobata (戸畑区 -ku is the smallest ward of Kitakyushu city 66 |
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Yahata Higashi-ku | 八幡東区 | 36. is the second smallest ward in Kitakyushu after Tobata ward at only 36 36 |
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Yahata Nishi-ku | 八幡西区 | 83. is a ward of Kitakyushu. It ward covers 8304 square kilometres and had a population of 260318 at January 1 2005 04 |
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Wakamatsu-ku | 若松区 | 67. Wakamatsu ward (若松区 -ku is one of the wards of Kitakyushu city. 86 |
Nakama city was to become the eighth ward of Kitakyūshū in 2005, to be called Nakama-ku, Kitakyūshū. List of wards Chiba Chūō-ku Chiba Hanamigawa-ku Chiba Inage-ku Chiba However, the planned merger was rejected on December 24, 2004 by Nakama city's councillors, despite having been initiated by Nakama city. The reason is that as part of the merger the twenty-one councillors would be reduced to just three in the enlarged Kitakyūshū city.
History
The city's symbol mark is a flower with the kanji of "Kita" in the middle and five petals representing the five towns which came together to make the city in February 1963. The city was officially designated by government ordinance on April 1, 1963. A, also known as a or, is a Japanese city that has a population greater than 500000 and has been designated as such by an order of the Cabinet of Japan under Article
Kokura Prefecture
Kokura Prefecture was founded separately from Fukuoka Prefecture in 1871 when the clan system was abolished. The short-lived Kokura Prefecture (小倉県 Kokura-ken of Japan was founded separately from Fukuoka prefecture in December 1871 after the clan system was abolished WikipediaWikiProject Japanese prefectures for guidelines --> is a prefecture of Japan located on Kyūshū Island. The old wooden-built Kokura Prefectural Office is still standing, and is being restored. It is opposite Riverwalk Kitakyushu. For other Riverwalks see the Riverwalk disambiguation page is a prestigious shopping centre near the Murasaki river and Kokura Castle In 1876 Kokura Prefecture was absorbed by Fukuoka Prefecture. The city of Kokura was founded in 1900. is an ancient Castle town and the center of Kitakyūshū, Japan, guarding via its suburb Moji, the Straits of Shimonoseki between Honshū
Kitakyūshū city
The city of Kitakyūshū was founded on February 10, 1963 and was designated on April 1, 1963 by government ordinance. Events 1355 - The St Scholastica's Day riot breaks out in Oxford, England, leaving 63 scholars and perhaps 30 locals dead Year 1963 ( MCMLXIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne Year 1963 ( MCMLXIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. A, also known as a or, is a Japanese city that has a population greater than 500000 and has been designated as such by an order of the Cabinet of Japan under Article It resulted from the amalgamation of five cities, Moji, Kokura, Tobata, Yahata and Wakamatsu, centred around the ancient feudal city of Kokura. is an ancient Castle town and the center of Kitakyūshū, Japan, guarding via its suburb Moji, the Straits of Shimonoseki between Honshū Tobata (戸畑区 -ku is the smallest ward of Kitakyushu city was a city in Japan until it was absorbed into the newly created city of Kitakyushu in 1963 Wakamatsu ward (若松区 -ku is one of the wards of Kitakyushu city.
Lucky Kokura
Kokura was the primary target of the nuclear weapon "Fat Man" on August 9, 1945. "Fat Man" is the codename for the Atomic bomb that was detonated over Nagasaki, Japan, by the United States on August 9 Major Charles Sweeney had orders to drop the bomb visually, but the city was obscured by clouds. Major General Charles W Sweeney (27 December 1919 - 16 July 2004 was an officer in the U Hence Nagasaki, the secondary target, was where the bomb was dropped. ( is the Capital and the largest city of Nagasaki Prefecture in Japan. The expression "Kokura's luck" thereafter became common in Japan to refer to occasions when someone avoids something unpleasant without their knowledge.
Demographics
As of October 1, 2005, the city has an estimated population of 1,014,608 and the total area is 483. In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology 15 km². The average population density is thus 2,063 persons per square kilometre. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of The population has steadily decreased in recent years.
The city has a much larger total area than that of Fukuoka which is only 340. is the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture and is situated on the northern shore of the island of Kyūshū in Japan, across 03km².
Notable Figures
- Writers
- The novelist Mori Ōgai lived in Kokura for several years and his house is open to the public in Kokura Kita ward. ( 17 February, 1862 – 8 July, 1922) was a Japanese Physician, translator Novelist and Poet. is an ancient Castle town and the center of Kitakyūshū, Japan, guarding via its suburb Moji, the Straits of Shimonoseki between Honshū is a ward of Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan. It is the north part of what used to be Kokura City before the merger of five cities to create He wrote Kokura Nikki (Kokura diary) here. It is a ten minute walk from Kokura Station. in Kokura Kita ward is the main railway station in Kitakyushu, Japan.
- The writer Matsumoto Seicho [1] was born in Kokura. was a prolific Japanese writer and journalist awarded the Akutagawa Prize in 1952 as well as the Mystery Writers of Japan Prize A museum dedicated to him is located in the city centre near Kokura Castle. in Kitakyushu, Japan was built by Hosokawa Tadaoki in 1602. It was the property of the Ogasawara clan (from Harima) between
- The writer Hino Ashihei was born in Wakamatsu ward and his birthplace can be visited. was born in Wakamatsu (now Wakamatsu ward, Kitakyushu) and in 1937 he received the prestigious Akutagawa Prize for one of his novels.
- Lily Franky the illustrator was born in Kokura.
- Scientists
- Professor Ted Fujita was born in what is now Kokura Minami ward. was a severe storms researcher of the twentieth century Born in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan, he studied at Kyushu Institute of Technology
- Radio
- Cross FM started in Kitakyūshū, and is now also in Fukuoka city.
- Actors
- Gravure idol/model Saaya Irie lives in Kitakyūshū
Festivals
There are several local festivals (matsuri) held in the summer in various parts of the city and including the beautiful Tobata Gion Yamagasa festival 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. is a Japanese Actress, Seiyū, Junior idol and Singer. Her stage name is simply her given name Saaya. The Tobata Gion Yamagasa festival is a popular local Japanese festival (matsuri which takes place annually in Tobata, a ward of Kitakyushu in Tobata (戸畑区 -ku is the smallest ward of Kitakyushu city Kitakyushu is composed of five cities that were unified in 1966 is a ward of Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan. It is the north part of what used to be Kokura City before the merger of five cities to create
Scenic areas
Hiraodai (平尾台) karst plateau and Mount Adachi （足立） in Kokura Minami ward; and Mount Sarakura (皿倉), and Kawachi (河内) reservoir in Yahata Higashi ward are all great walking areas with fine scenery. is the southern part of what used to be Kokura city which was merged into Kitakyushu city when the latter was created out of the merger of five cities in 1963
Hiraodai includes the Shonyudo cave, where in summer you can walk for about one kilometre in freezing cold water.
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 Zenrin company known for its mapping and navigation software is based here, and so is TOTO, the biggest Japanese bathroom fixture manufacturer. Zenrin Co Ltd (株式会社ゼンリン ( is a Japanese Map publisher. This article is about the Japanese toilet manufacturer For the American pop/rock band see Toto (band; for other uses see Toto.
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. in Kokura Kita ward is the main railway station in Kitakyushu, Japan. ( unlisted on March 26 2008) is a Japanese department store. Based in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Isetan has branches throughout Japan and East Asia including
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. The, also called or NNR, is one of Japan 's "Big 16" private railroad companies 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 the newest shopping centre in Kokura. For other Riverwalks see the Riverwalk disambiguation page is a prestigious shopping centre near the Murasaki river and Kokura Castle 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 Kitakyushu city art museum. Starbucks Corporation ( is an international Coffee and coffeehouse chain based in Seattle Washington. in Kokura Kita ward is the main railway station in Kitakyushu, Japan. or Japan Broadcasting Corporation, is Japan 's Public broadcaster. The is located in Tobata-ku Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. It is next to the castle and to Murasaki river which runs through the centre of Kokura Kita ward. is a ward of Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan. It is the north part of what used to be Kokura City before the merger of five cities to create
The Kitakyushu Science and Research Park is home to four universities and nine research organisations. It is aiming to become a centre for hi-tech research in Asia.
Transportation
Located at a strategic position on the south side of the Kanmon Straits, Kitakyūshū is an important transport hub for traffic between Honshū and Kyūshū and has a large port. The Kanmon Straits (関門海峡 Kanmon Kaikyō or the Straits of Shimonoseki is the stretch of water separating two of Japan 's four main islands or Honshu is the largest Island of Japan. The nation's main island, it is south of Hokkaidō across the Tsugaru Strait, north of or Kyushu is the third-largest Island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands.
Planes
The new 24-hour New Kitakyushu Airport opened on March 16, 2006. has been built three kilometres offshore in the Suo Nada area of the Seto Inland Sea on an Artificial island (4th in Japan in the south of Kitakyushu It is much larger than the previous Kitakyushu Airport and offshore on an artificial island in the Suo Nada gulf in the Seto Inland Sea, near Kanda town. was a small airport in Kokura Minami-ku Kitakyūshū, Japan. There used to be four flights to and from Tokyo International Airport (Haneda every day An inland sea is a shallow Sea that covers central areas of continents during high stands of Sea level that result in marine transgressions In modern days See also Kanda Tokyo and the disambiguation page for Kanda. is a town located in Miyako District, Fukuoka It will eventually be connected with Kokura Station by a new fast rail link. in Kokura Kita ward is the main railway station in Kitakyushu, Japan. A new airline based in the city called StarFlyer began operations when the airport opened. is an airline based in Kitakyushu, Japan. It is modeled after JetBlue Airways as a "low-cost high-quality" carrier aimed at business and leisure travelers
Trains
Kokura Station owned by JR Kyushu is the penultimate stop on the Sanyo Shinkansen before the Hakata Station terminus and all Shinkansen services stop here. in Kokura Kita ward is the main railway station in Kitakyushu, Japan. The, also referred to as, is one of the constituent companies of Japan Railways Group (JR Group The is one of the lines of the Shinkansen High speed rail network in Japan. Hakata Station (博多駅 Hakata-eki) is the main railway terminal of the city of Fukuoka, Japan. The is a Network of High-speed railway lines in Japan operated by four Japan Railways Group companies It is also served by local and express trains on the Kagoshima and the Nippo main lines. The Kagoshima Main Line (鹿児島本線 is a major part of the JR Kyūshū rail network and runs between Mojikō in Kitakyūshū, and Kagoshima Station The is a railway line on Kyūshū, in southern Japan. Part of the Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu system it follows the east coast of the island Within the city transport is provided by buses and a monorail line.
Mojiko Station is the northern terminus of the Kagoshima Main Line (J: Kagoshima honsen) which is the most important line on the JR Kyushu network. in Moji ward, Kitakyūshū, Japan is the oldest station on the Kagoshima Main Line in Kyūshū and the terminus for those going to The Kagoshima Main Line (鹿児島本線 is a major part of the JR Kyūshū rail network and runs between Mojikō in Kitakyūshū, and Kagoshima Station The, also referred to as, is one of the constituent companies of Japan Railways Group (JR Group
The Kitakyushu Monorail links Kokura station efficiently and cheaply with residents and commuters in Kokura Minami ward. is the southern part of what used to be Kokura city which was merged into Kitakyushu city when the latter was created out of the merger of five cities in 1963
Boats
Kitakyūshū is the largest ferry port in Western Japan. Wakamatsu ward (若松区 -ku is one of the wards of Kitakyushu city. Tobata (戸畑区 -ku is the smallest ward of Kitakyushu city See also Merchant ship A ferry is a form of transport usually a Boat or Ship, used to carry (or ferry) passengers and Ferry services operate between Kitakyūshū and Shimonoseki, Matsuyama, Tokushima, Kōbe, Ōsaka, Tōkyō, Ulsan (Korea), Busan (Korea) and city's isolated islands. is a city located in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. It is at the southwestern tip of Honshū, facing the Tsushima Strait and also Kitakyushu is the capital city of Tokushima Prefecture on Shikoku island of Japan. is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture and a prominent port city in Japan with a population of about 1 is a city in Japan, located at the mouth of the Yodo River on Osaka Bay, in the Kansai region of the main island of Honshū officially, is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan and located on the eastern side of the main island Honshū. Ulsan is a metropolitan city in the south-east of South Korea, facing the East Sea The main ferry port is at Shin-Moji, but there are also ferries at Moji-ko and in Kokura near the station.
Within the Kanmon-Kitakyūshū area, there are three commuter lines: Trans-Dokaiwan (Waka-To) Ferry, The Kanmon Straits Ferry, and The Kanmon Straits Liner.
Bridges
There are several bridges in Kitakyūshū and between the city and other places. The largest ones are the Kanmon Straits' Kanmonkyo Bridge (J: Kanmon Kyo) between Kitakyūshū and Shimonoseki (on Kyūshū and Honshū respectively) and the Waka-To Ō-hashi bridge linking Tobata and Wakamatsu wards. The Kanmon Straits (関門海峡 Kanmon Kaikyō or the Straits of Shimonoseki is the stretch of water separating two of Japan 's four main islands The Kanmonkyo Bridge (関門橋 Kanmonkyō Kanmon bridge ( Asian Highway Network) is a Suspension bridge crossing the Kanmon Straits, a The, literally translated as "The Great Bridge between Wakamatsu and Tobata" is a Suspension bridge in Kitakyushu, Japan. But there are also bridges over the Onga river (J: Onga-gawa) on the western border of the city.
The previous mayor Mr. Koichi Sueyoshi was very keen on building bridges and other major construction projects, having been formerly employed by the Construction ministry (Kensetsusho).
On September 30, 2005 ownership of the Waka-To Ō-hashi bridge was transferred from Japan Highway Public Corporation to Kitakyūshū city, and on April 1, 2006 to the Kitakyushu City Road Public Corporation. The, literally translated as "The Great Bridge between Wakamatsu and Tobata" is a Suspension bridge in Kitakyushu, Japan. or JH, was a public company established to construct and manage highway networks in Japan, founded in 1956
 Kanmon Straits bridge from the Moji-ku, Kitakyushu side |
 Tokiwa bashi in Kokura Kita ward |
Miscellaneous
A modern city
Kitakyūshū is now the most advanced city in Japan with regard to pollution control and recycling technology. The Kanmon Straits (関門海峡 Kanmon Kaikyō or the Straits of Shimonoseki is the stretch of water separating two of Japan 's four main islands in Kitakyushu is the former city of Moji which was one of five cities merged to create Kitakyushu city in 1963 is a ward of Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan. It is the north part of what used to be Kokura City before the merger of five cities to create Tobata (戸畑区 -ku is the smallest ward of Kitakyushu city Wakamatsu ward (若松区 -ku is one of the wards of Kitakyushu city. Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into an environment that causes instability disorder harm or discomfort to the physical systems or living organisms they are in Recycling involves processing used materials into new products in order to prevent the waste of potentially useful materials reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials reduce 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. Tobata (戸畑区 -ku is the smallest ward of Kitakyushu city Now Kitakyūshū advises sister cities such as Dalian on water purification etc. Dalian (;; Japanese: Dairen Russian: Далянь Dalian or Дальний Dalny is the governing Sub-provincial city in the eastern Liaoning 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. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security
Kitakyūshū has an international conference centre 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 East Yahata ward. Theme park is the generic term for a collection of rides and other Entertainment attractions assembled for the purpose of entertaining a large group is a Theme park in Yahata Higashi ward, Kitakyushu, Japan created in 1990 by Nippon Steel when the company was Downsizing its steel is the second smallest ward in Kitakyushu after Tobata ward at only 36 There is a training centre of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) also. The Japan International Cooperation Agency (独立行政法人国際協力機構 dokuritsu gyōseihōjin kokusai kyōryoku kikō) is an independent governmental agency that coordinates
The previous Mayor (Koichi Sueyoshi) was the third since the city's foundation, and was elected in 1987. The Kitakyushu Renaissance [2] project began in December 1988 and is to finish in 2006.
An unfortunate reputation
Kitakyūshū has suffered unfairly from the unfortunate image and reputation - both domestically and overseas - of an industrial and heavily polluted city with many smokestacks, which it indeed was back in the 1960s when it was a major engine of the Japanese economy and local people took pride in the multi-coloured rainbows of smoke. As a result some superficial and ill-informed guidebooks have described the city as "hideous", "ugly" etc. - but nowadays this is becoming more and more outdated, and it was in any case never the whole story.
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 place.
The city covers a vast area - it is the largest in Kyūshū - and there are many unspoilt and beautiful areas which have never been touched by industry, especially in the southern part. or Kyushu is the third-largest Island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. It has some of the best sightseeing spots in Kyūshū.
Sister cities
Dalian, China
Incheon, South Korea
Norfolk, Virginia, United States- Tacoma, Washington, United States
Education
Research Institutes / Graduate Schools
- Kitakyushu Science and Research Park(北九州学術研究都市)
- Fukuoka University Institute for Recycling & Environmental Control System(福岡大学大学院工学研究科 資源循環・環境制御システム研究所)
- Graduate School of Life Science and Systems Engineering, Kyushu Institute of Technology(九州工業大学 大学院生命体工学研究科)
- The Graduate School of Information, Production and Systems/Information, Production and Systems Research Center, Waseda University(早稲田大学大学院 情報生産システム研究科 情報生産システム研究センター)
Universities / Colleges
- National University
- Kyushu Institute of Technology (九州工業大学)
- Public Universities
- Kyushu Dental College(九州歯科大学)
- University of Kitakyushu(北九州市立大学)
- Private Universities
- Kyushu International University(九州国際大学)
- Kyushu Kyoritsu University(九州共立大学)
- Kyushu Nutrition Welfare University(九州栄養福祉大学)
- Kyushu Polytechnic College(九州職業能力開発大学校)
- Kyushu Women's University(九州女子大学)
- Seinan Women's University(西南女学院大学)
- The University of Environmental & Occupational Health Japan(産業医科大学)
- Colleges
- Higashi Chikushi Junior College(東筑紫短期大学)
- Kyushu Women’s Junior College(九州女子短期大学)
- Orio Aishin Junior College(折尾愛真短期大学)
- Seinan Jo Gakuin University Junior College(西南女学院大学短期大学部)
Sports
Professional Teams
Sporting Venues
- Adventure Pool
- Anō Dome
- Cultural Memorial swimming pool
- Honjō Stadium - Home stadium for New Wave Kitakyushu
- Katsuki Sports Center
- Kitakyushu Media Dome - Indoor Keirin stadium
- Kitakyushu Municipal Baseball Stadium
- Kitakyushu Municipal Gymnasium
- Kokura Race course (Kokura keibajo)
- Momozono civic swimming pool
- Orio Sports Center
- Sayagatani Stadium
Notable people from Kitakyūshū
People from old Kokura, Moji, Tobata, Wakamatsu, and Yahata cities are also included. is a small multi-purpose Stadium (capacity approximately 10000 in Yahata Nishi-ku, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka prefecture, Japan. is a Track cycling event in which racing Cyclists sprint for victory
- Shinji Aoyama: Film director
- Wataru Aso: Incumbent governor of Fukuoka Prefecture
- Chage (Chage and Aska): Singer
- Ted Fujita: Meteorologist
- Ashihei Hino: Novelist
- Keiichiro Hirano: Novelist
- Hideyuki Hirayama: Film director
- Sota Hirayama: Football player
- Tsukasa Hojo: Mangaka
- Yasuto Honda: Retired football player
- Mochiru Hoshisato: Mangaka
- Tsuyoshi Ihara: Actor
- Kenji Kimihara: Long distance runner, silver medalist at the 1968 Summer Olympics
- Yōichi Masuzoe: Politician, incumbent Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare
- Reiji Matsumoto: Mangaka
- Seichō Matsumoto: Novelist
- Futoshi Matsunaga: Serial killer
- Takuro Miuchi: Rugby football player
- Masashi Motoyama: Football player
- Seiko Noda: Politician, current member of House of Representatives
- Katsuya Onizuka: retired boxer, former WBA Super Flyweight champion
- Kenichi Ohmae: Economic and business strategist
- Oku Yasukata: field marshal of Imperial Japanese Army
- Ryuzo Saki: Novelist
- Yoshinori Suematsu: Politician, current member of House of Representatives
- Hajime Sugiyama: Former Field Marshal of Imperial Army General Staff Office
- Yoshie Takeshita: captain of the Japanese women's volleyball team
External links
- Kitakyushu travel guide from Wikitravel
- Official website in Japanese
- Official website in English
- Kitakyushu page of Fukuoka Prefecture Tourism Association website
- Kitakyushu 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
- www.e-you.biz - a website for foreigners in Kitakyushu
- Kitakyushu weather
- Kitakyushu guide - some tourist maps about Kitakyushu
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| Cities | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Asakura | Buzen | Chikugo | Chikushino | Dazaifu | Fukuoka (capital) | Fukutsu | Iizuka | Kasuga | Kama | Kitakyūshū | Koga | Kurume | Maebaru | Miyama | Miyawaka | Munakata | Nakama | Nōgata | Ogōri | Ōkawa | Ōmuta | Ōnojō | Tagawa | Ukiha | Yame | Yanagawa | Yukuhashi | |||
| Districts | |||
| Asakura | Chikujō | Chikushi | Itoshima | Kaho | Kasuya | Kurate | Mii | Miyako | Mizuma | Onga | Tagawa | Yame | |||
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