Fukuoka prefecture

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is located on Kyushu Island, Japan. The capital is the city of Fukuoka.

History

Fukuoka Prefecture includes the former provinces of Chikugo, Chikuzen, and Buzen.

Geography

Fukuoka Prefecture faces the sea on three sides, bordering on Saga, Oita, and Kumamoto prefectures and facing Yamaguchi Prefecture across the Kanmon Straits.

Fukuoka includes the two largest cities on Kyushu, Fukuoka and Kitakyushu, and much of Kyushu's industry. It also includes a number of small islands near the north coast of Kyushu.

Cities

26 cities are located on Fukuoka Prefecture.

Asakura Buzen Chikugo Chikushino Dazaifu Fukuoka (capital) *Chuo-ku *Hakata-ku *Higashi-ku *Jonan-ku *Minami-ku *Nishi-ku *Sawara-ku

Fukutsu Iizuka Kama Kasuga Kitakyushu *Kokurakita-ku *Kokuraminami-ku *Moji-ku *Tobata-ku *Wakamatsu-ku *Yahatahigashi-ku *Yahatanishi-ku Koga

Kurume Maebaru Munakata Nakama Nogata Ogori Okawa Omuta Onojo Tagawa Ukiha Yame Yanagawa Yukuhashi

Towns and villages

These are the towns and villages in each district.

Asakura District *Chikuzen *Toho Chikujo District *Chikujo *Koge *Shinyoshitomi Chikushi District *Nakagawa Itoshima District *Nijo *Shima Kaho District *Keisen Kasuya District *Hisayama *Kasuya *Sasaguri *Shime *Shingu *Sue *Umi

Kurate District *Kotake *Kurate *Miyawaka Mii District *Tachiarai Miike Districtǂ *Takataǂ Miyako District *Kanda *Miyako Mizuma District *Oki Onga District *Ashiya *Mizumaki *Okagaki *Onga

Tagawa District *Aka *Fukuchi *Itoda *Kawara *Kawasaki *Oto *Soeda Yamato Districtǂ *Setakaǂ *Yamakawaǂ Yame District *Hirokawa *Hoshino *Joyoǂ *Kurogi *Tachibana *Yabe

ǂScheduled to dissolve after the mergers.

Mergers

(as of March 27, 2006)

• On April 1, 2003, the town of Genkai from Munakata District and the old city of Munakata merged to create the new city of Munakata.
• On January 24, 2005, the former towns of Fukuma and Tsuyazaki (from Munakata District) merged, forming the city of Fukutsu.
• On February 5, 2005, the towns of Kitano (from Mii District), Jojima and Mizuma (from Mizuma District), and Tanushimaru (from Ukiha District) merged into the city of Kurume.
• On March 20, 2005, the towns of Ukiha and Yoshii from Ukiha District merged to form the new city of Ukiha. Ukiha District was dissolved as a result of this merger.
• On March 21, 2005, the towns of Yamato and Mitsuhashi from Yamato District and the old city of Yanagawa merged to form the new city of Yanagawa.
• On March 22, 2005, the towns of Miwa and Yasu from Asakura District merged to form the new town of Chikuzen.
• On March 28, 2005, the villages of Koishiwara and Hoshuyama from Asakura District merged to form the new village of Toho.
• On March 28, 2005, the village of Oshima merged into the city of Munakata. Munakata District was dissolved as a result of this merger.
• On October 11, 2005, the villages of Taihei and Yoshitomi from Chikujo District merged to form the new town of Koge.
• On January 10, 2006, the towns of Tsuiki and Shiida from Chikujo District merged to form the new town of Chikujo.
• On February 11, 2006, the towns of Miyata and Wakamiya from Kurate District merged to form the new town of Miyawaka.
• On March 6, 2006, the towns of Akaike, Hojo and Kanada from Tagawa District merged to form the new town of Fukuchi.
• On March 20, 2006, the municipalities of Asakura and Haki from Asakura District merged with the city of Amagi to form the new city of Asakura.
• On March 20, 2006, the towns of Katsuyama, Saigawa and Toyotsu from Miyako District merged to form the new town of Miyako.
• On March 26, 2006, the municipalities of Chikuho, Honami, Kaita, and Shonai (all from Kaho District) merged with the city of Iizuka to form the new city, also called Iizuka.
• On March 27, 2006, the municipalities of Inatsuki, Kaho, and Usui (all from Kaho District) merged with the city of Yamada to form the new city of Kama.

Future mergers

• The city of Yame is scheduled to merge with the town of Joyo from Yame District on October 1, 2006.
• Yamato District and Miike District are scheduled to merge to form the new city of Miyama on January 29, 2007. Both districts will become extinct after the merger.

Economy

Fukuoka prefecture's main cities form one of Japan's main industrial centers, accounting for nearly 40% of the economy of Kyushu. Major industries include automobiles, semiconductors, and steel. There are separate economic areas (toshiken) around Fukuoka and Kitakyushu, and very rarely the term "Fukuoka-Kitakyushu" is also used.

Universities

• Fukuoka University (Fukuoka)
• Kurume University (Kurume)
• Kyushu Institute of Technology
• Kyushu University (Fukuoka)
• Seinan Gakuin University (Fukuoka)

Demographics

Culture

Tourism

Fukuoka is not well-known as a tourist center. The most popular place for tourists is Fukuoka City, although Kitakyushu has also tried to attract tourists.

• Kyushu National Museum

Prefectural symbols

Miscellaneous topics

• Kokura prefectural office
• New Kitakyushu airport

External links