Fukuoka
is Kyushu’s largest
city, and the 9th
largest in Japan,
with a population
of about 1,300,000.
The climate of Fukuoka
is generally mild,
with the temperature
rarely rising above
33 in the summer,
and seldom falling
below -3 in the winter.
Since ancient times,
Fukuoka has played
an important role
as the gateway of
exchange between Japan
and the rest of Asia.
Fukuoka also has another
name: Hakata.
Historically
the city area was
divided into two parts
by the Naka River:
the western area of
the river was called
Fukuoka, and the eastern
was called Hakata.
Fukuoka was mainly
inhabited by samurai
while enterprising
merchants lived in
the Hakata area.
People
from this city often
call their town Hakata,
and some major facilities
such as the central
train station still
use this name.
That
is why visitors occationally
get puzzled and wonder
if they have arrived
at the wrong city.
Fukuoka
is blessed with beautiful
natural surroundings.
You can drive to the
beaches for excellent
surfing or to calm
valleys in only about
20 minutes. Fukuoka
also has the most
active, and largest,
business center of
Kyushu: hosting national
and prefectural governmental
offices and many regional
headquarters of major
companies. The Chinese,
Korean, and the United
States consulates
are also located in
Fukuoka.
Fukuoka
is growing fast. It
is common to see a
large number of buildings
under construction
and urban renewal
projects continually
underway.
The
City Museum of Fukuoka
opened in 1990. It
used as the official
exhibition hall when
the Asian Pacific
Exposition Fukuoka
’89 (Yokatopia) was
held in Fukuoka. You
will find entertaining
and fascinating relics
housed there, including
the famous “Gold Seal”
(pictured below),
which shows various
historical developments
of Fukuoka. As part
of the Kyushu Okinawa
2000 Summit Meeting,
hosted by Japan in
July 2000, the finance
ministers of the G8
met in the foyer of
the museum. This marked
the first time that
Japan had hosted a
Summit Meeting outside
of Tokyo. |
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 In
1784 a small
gold seal was
accidentally
unearthed by
a farmer. The
seal was originally
given to a local
lord by the
Chinese Emperor
Guang Wu of
the late Han
Dynasty in the
year 57 A.D. |
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Dental
Science, or Doctor
of Science. In addition
to Fukuoka has flourished
for approximately
2,000 years and the
people’s way of life
is closely related
to tradition, especially
to festivals. Many
international students
of Kyushu University
greatly enjoy joining
these festivals. Hakata
Gion Yamakasa is one
of the representative
festivals of Hakata.
From July 1 to 15,
gorgeous Kazariyama
(decorated floats)
covered with beautiful
Hakata dolls, are
set up all over the
city. On July 15,
at 4:59 a.m., the
festival reaches the
climax with the Oiyama
race. Seven floats,
carried on the shoulders
of 26 men, depart
from Kushida Shrine
and race through the
five kilometer course.
The race attracts
huge crowds and completes
the festival.
People
in Fukuoka are well-known
for their cheerfulness
and kindness. Fukuoka
means literally, Happy
Hill.” Please enjoy
your stay in this
city, which is rich
with natural scenery,
traditions, bustling
businesses and kind
people.
Fukuoka
City is the most exciting,
developing metropolis
in western Japan.
It is the managerial,
administrative, and
commercial center
of Kyushu, whereas
Kitakyushu City (another
metropolis on the
island of Kyushu)
is the industrial
center. Fukuoka is
currently seeking
increased development
through reliance on
rising urban industries
such as the convention
and information industries,
as well as through
diversification and
stratification of
its current industrial
structures. Further,
the City of Fukuoka
has dramatically changed
its appearance with
a number of urban
renewal projects throughout
this decade. The picture
(below) is of Canal
City Hakata known
as “a city within
a city.” Fukuoka truely
provides a unique
combination: a town
amply blessed with
the historical and
traditional, but also
brimming with cutting
edge beauty and modern
convenience. |
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| CANAL
CITY HAKATA 2006(C)FUKUOKAJISHO |
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