is a
city
A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...
located in
Fukuoka Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. Fukuoka Prefecture has a population of 5,109,323 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of 4,986 km2 (1,925 sq mi). Fukuoka Prefecture borders Saga Prefecture to the southwest, K ...
,
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the n ...
. As of June 1, 2019, Kitakyushu has an estimated population of 940,978, making it the second-largest city in both Fukuoka Prefecture and the island of
Kyushu after the city of
Fukuoka
is the sixth-largest city in Japan, the second-largest port city after Yokohama, and the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. The city is built along the shores of Hakata Bay, and has been a center of international commerce since anc ...
. It is one of Japan's 20
designated cities, one of three on Kyushu, and is divided into seven
wards.
Kitakyushu was formed in 1963 from a merger of municipalities centered on the historic city of
Kokura, and its name literally means "North Kyushu City" in Japanese. It is located at the northernmost point of Kyushu on the
Kanmon Straits
The or the Straits of Shimonoseki is the stretch of water separating Honshu and Kyushu, two of Japan's four main islands. On the Honshu side of the strait is Shimonoseki (, which contributed "Kan" () to the name of the strait) and on the Kyushu ...
, separating the island from
Honshu
, historically called , is the largest and most populous island of Japan. It is located south of Hokkaidō across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyūshū across the Kanmon Straits. The island s ...
, across from the city of
Shimonoseki
is a city located in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. With a population of 265,684, it is the largest city in Yamaguchi Prefecture and the fifth-largest city in the Chūgoku region. It is located at the southwestern tip of Honshu facing the Tsush ...
. Kitakyushu and Shimonoseki are connected by numerous transport links including the
Kanmon Bridge and the
Kanmon Tunnels. Kitakyushu's
Urban Employment Area forms part of the
Fukuoka-Kitakyushu Greater Metropolitan Region, which, with a population of 5,738,977 (2005-2006), is the largest
metropolitan area
A metropolitan area or metro is a region that consists of a densely populated urban agglomeration and its surrounding territories sharing industries, commercial areas, transport network, infrastructures and housing. A metro area usually ...
in Japan west of the
Keihanshin region.
History
Kokura Prefecture
Kokura Prefecture was founded separately from
Fukuoka Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. Fukuoka Prefecture has a population of 5,109,323 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of 4,986 km2 (1,925 sq mi). Fukuoka Prefecture borders Saga Prefecture to the southwest, K ...
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
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. It includes theatres, restaurants, a multiplex cin ...
. In 1876, Kokura Prefecture was absorbed by Fukuoka Prefecture. The city of
Kokura was founded in 1900.
World War II
Yahata in Kitakyushu was the target for the beginning of the US bombing raids on the home islands on June 16, 1944, when 75
Boeing B-29 Superfortresses flew out from mainland China.
Kokura was the primary target of the nuclear weapon "
Fat Man
"Fat Man" (also known as Mark III) is the codename for the type of nuclear bomb the United States detonated over the Japanese city of Nagasaki on 9 August 1945. It was the second of the only two nuclear weapons ever used in warfare, the fir ...
" on August 9, 1945. Major
Charles Sweeney
Charles William Sweeney (December 27, 1919 – July 16, 2004) was an officer in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II and the pilot who flew ''Bockscar'' carrying the Fat Man atomic bomb to the Japanese city of Nagasaki on Augu ...
had orders to drop the bomb visually. All three attempts failed due to clouds and smoke from
Yahata, which is only 7 km west of Kokura and had air raids on the previous day, preventing him from identifying the target clearly. Additionally, a smoke screen was created by industrial workers burning barrels of coal tar and/or electric plant workers releasing steam. The bomb was ultimately dropped on the city of
Nagasaki
is the capital and the largest city of Nagasaki Prefecture on the island of Kyushu in Japan.
It became the sole port used for trade with the Portuguese and Dutch during the 16th through 19th centuries. The Hidden Christian Sites in the ...
, the secondary target, at 11:02 JST.
City
The city of Kitakyushu was founded on February 10, 1963, and was designated on April 1, 1963, by
government ordinance. 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
Character or Characters may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Literature
* ''Character'' (novel), a 1936 Dutch novel by Ferdinand Bordewijk
* ''Characters'' (Theophrastus), a classical Greek set of character sketches attributed to The ...
in the middle and five petals representing the towns that merged.
Geography and administrative divisions
Demographics
, the city had an estimated
population
Population typically refers to the number of people in a single area, whether it be a city or town, region, country, continent, or the world. Governments typically quantify the size of the resident population within their jurisdiction usi ...
of 945,595 and a total area of .
The average
population density
Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...
is . It is now the country's 15th most populated city.
It has a much larger total area than that of
Fukuoka
is the sixth-largest city in Japan, the second-largest port city after Yokohama, and the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. The city is built along the shores of Hakata Bay, and has been a center of international commerce since anc ...
which is only .
Wards
Kitakyushu has seven
wards (''ku''):
The city of
Nakama, Fukuoka
is a city located in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. As of 2016, the city has an estimated population of 41,348 and a population density of 2,600 persons per km². The total area is 15.98 km². It is perhaps best known as the birthplace of acto ...
was to become the eighth
ward of Kitakyushu in 2005 (to be called Nakama-ku). However, the merger was rejected on December 24, 2004 by Nakama's city council, despite having been initiated by Nakama City.
Cityscape
File:KokuraSkylines01.jpg, Skyline
A skyline is the outline or shape viewed near the horizon. It can be created by a city’s overall structure, or by human intervention in a rural setting, or in nature that is formed where the sky meets buildings or the land.
City skylin ...
of Kokura(2021)
File:KokuraStation01.jpg, Kokura Station(2021)
File:West Japan Industrial Club garden side.jpg, West Japan Industrial Club
The West Japan Industrial Club (''Nishi Nihon Kogyo Kurabu'' 西日本工業倶楽部 or former Matsumoto residence) is in Tobata ward, Kitakyushu. It was designed by Tatsuno Kingo and is his only surviving private house. (See Finn, pp. ...
(2020)
File:140721 Mojiko Retro Kitakyushu Japan01s3.jpg, Port of Kitakyushu(2014)
File:1 Chome-1 Asano, Kokurakita-ku, Kitakyūshū-shi, Fukuoka-ken 802-0001, Japan - panoramio (1).jpg, Downtown of Kokura(2014)
File:Wakato Bridge-4.jpg, Wakato Bridge
The , is a suspension bridge in Kitakyūshū, Fukuoka, Japan. The bridge opened on September 26, 1962, and it spans a length of two kilometers and has a main span of 367 meters. The name of the bridge comes from the characters
Character or Chara ...
(2008)
Climate
Economy
Nippon Steel Corporation is a major employer, but the Yahata and Tobata plants are much reduced from their heyday of the 1960s. The
Zenrin company known for its mapping and navigation software is based here and so is
Toto Ltd.
, stylized as TOTO, previously known as Toyo Toki, is a Japanese multinational toilet manufacturer which is known for manufacturing the Washlet (as well as the Warmlet and similar products). TOTO was founded in 1917. The company is based in Ki ...
and
Yaskawa Electric Corporation.
StarFlyer
(), styled as StarFlyer, is a Japanese airline headquartered on the grounds of Kitakyushu Airport in Kokuraminami-ku, Kitakyūshū, Fukuoka Prefecture. It describes itself as a "hybrid airline" providing a higher level of service than low-cost ...
, an airline, is headquartered on the grounds of
Kitakyushu Airport in
Kokuraminami-ku, Kitakyūshū. Previously the airline's headquarters were in the in
Kokurakita-ku, Kitakyūshū
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. JR Kyūshū's Kokura Station is the main rail hub of Kitakyūshū, ...
.
[Company Profile]
" StarFlyer. Retrieved on May 26, 2009. Location Shin-Kokura Bldg., 2-2-1 Komemachi Kokurakita-ku, Kitakyusyu-shi Fukuoka 802-0003 JPN
A smaller scale shopping center known as Cha Cha Town, next to the Sunatsu bus depot in Kokura Kita ward, was created by the
Nishi-Nippon Railroad and bus company.
In 2009
Bridgestone Corporation opened a plant in Kitakyushu to produce large and ultralarge off-the-road radial tires for construction and mining vehicles.
The
GDP in Greater Kitakyushu, Kitakyushu
Metropolitan Employment Area was US$55.7 billion in 2010.
Education
Universities and colleges
National universities
*
Kyushu Institute of Technology
Public universities
*
Kyushu Dental University
*
University of Kitakyushu
The is a public university in Kitakyushu, Japan. The main campus is located next to Keibajomae (lit. Horse Racing course) station on the Kitakyushu monorail. The second campus is in the academic zone of Wakamatsu-ku, Kitakyushu called Gakuju ...
Private universities
*
Kyushu International University
*
Kyushu Kyoritsu University is a private university in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan ...
*
Kyushu Nutrition Welfare University
is a private university in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japa ...
*
Kyushu Polytechnic College
is the third-largest island of Japan's five main islands and the most southerly of the four largest islands ( i.e. excluding Okinawa). In the past, it has been known as , and . The historical regional name referred to Kyushu and its surround ...
*
Kyushu Women's University
*
Nishinippon Institute of Technology is a private university in the city of Kitakyushu in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. It was established in 1967.
External links
Official website
Educational institutions established in 1967
Private universities and colleges in Japan
Univer ...
*
Seinan Women's University
is a private women's college in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka
is a city located in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. As of June 1, 2019, Kitakyushu has an estimated population of 940,978, making it the second-largest city in both Fukuoka Prefecture and the ...
*
University of Occupational and Environmental Health is a private university in Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by ...
Junior colleges
*
Higashi Chikushi Junior College
*
Kyushu Women's Junior College
*
Orio Aishin Junior College
*
Seinan Jo Gakuin University Junior College
Technology colleges
*
Kitakyushu National College of Technology
Vocational colleges
* Kyushu Medical Sports School
Research Institutes and graduate Schools
*
Kitakyushu Science and Research Park
is a city located in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. As of June 1, 2019, Kitakyushu has an estimated population of 940,978, making it the second-largest city in both Fukuoka Prefecture and the island of Kyushu after the city of Fukuoka. It is one o ...
** Graduate School of International Environmental Engineering, The University of Kitakyushu
** Fukuoka University Institute for Recycling and Environmental Control Systems
** Graduate School of Life Science and Systems Engineering, Kyushu Institute of Technology
** Graduate School of Information, Production and Systems/Information, Production and Systems Research Center, Waseda University
Transportation
Located at a strategic position on the south side of the
Kanmon Straits
The or the Straits of Shimonoseki is the stretch of water separating Honshu and Kyushu, two of Japan's four main islands. On the Honshu side of the strait is Shimonoseki (, which contributed "Kan" () to the name of the strait) and on the Kyushu ...
, Kitakyushu is an important transport hub for traffic between
Honshu
, historically called , is the largest and most populous island of Japan. It is located south of Hokkaidō across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyūshū across the Kanmon Straits. The island s ...
and
Kyushu and has a large port.
Air
Airport
The
Kitakyushu Airport opened on March 16, 2006. It is larger than the previous
Kokura 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
(), styled as StarFlyer, is a Japanese airline headquartered on the grounds of Kitakyushu Airport in Kokuraminami-ku, Kitakyūshū, Fukuoka Prefecture. It describes itself as a "hybrid airline" providing a higher level of service than low-cost ...
began operations when the airport opened.
Railways
Kokura Station, the city's central train station, is the penultimate stop on the
JR West
, also referred to as , is one of the Japan Railways Group (JR Group) companies and operates in western Honshu. It has its headquarters in Kita-ku, Osaka. It is listed in the Tokyo Stock Exchange, is a constituent of the TOPIX Large70 index, and i ...
Sanyō Shinkansen before the
Fukuoka
is the sixth-largest city in Japan, the second-largest port city after Yokohama, and the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. The city is built along the shores of Hakata Bay, and has been a center of international commerce since anc ...
terminus and all
Shinkansen services stop here. It is served by local and express trains on
JR Kyushu
The , also referred to as , is one of the seven constituent companies of Japan Railways Group (JR Group). It operates intercity rail services within Kyushu, Japan and the JR Kyushu Jet Ferry Beetle hydrofoil service across the Tsushima Str ...
's
Kagoshima
, abbreviated to , is the capital city of Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. Located at the southwestern tip of the island of Kyushu, Kagoshima is the largest city in the prefecture by some margin. It has been nicknamed the "Naples of the Eastern wor ...
and
Nippō Main Lines. In the city, transport is provided the
Kitakyushu Monorail
The is a monorail system in the city of Kitakyushu in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan, operated by .
The is the only line. It runs the 8.8 km (5.5 mi) between Kokura station and Kikugaoka station in Kokura Minami ward in about 18 minutes. I ...
and buses.
Mojikō Station
is a railway station on the Kagoshima Main Line in Moji-ku, Kitakyushu, Japan, operated by the Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu).
Lines
Mojikō Station is served by the Kagoshima Main Line. The station is located close to Kyushu Railway Hi ...
in
Moji-ku is the northern terminus of the Kagoshima Main Line, the most important line in the JR Kyushu network.
A tram network operated by the
Nishi-Nippon Railroad known as the Kitakyushu Line once operated in the city; 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.
Roads
Expressways
The metropolitan area of Kitakyushu is covered by the
Kitakyushu Expressway, which has five routes serving the city, totaling 53 kilometers of four-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 Kitakyushu Expressway network, serving most of the city from north to south. Route 5 is a short link serving the inner port area.
In addition, Kitakyushu is bypassed by the
Kyushu Expressway
(Asian Highway Network ) is one of the Expressways of Japan from Kitakyūshū (and the bridge to Honshū) to west of Kagoshima linking with the Higashikyushu Expressway and the Ibusuki Skyline. It runs through the prefectures of Fukuoka, the ...
, the main north–south route on the island of Kyushu. The new
Higashikyushu Expressway begins in Kitakyushu and runs along the eastern coast of Kyushu. North of Kitakyushu, the Kyushu Expressway crosses the six-lane
Kanmonkyo Bridge
The (Asian Highway Network ) is a suspension bridge crossing the Kanmon Straits, a stretch of water separating two of Japan's four main islands. On the Honshū side of the bridge is Shimonoseki (, which contributed ''Kan'' to the name of th ...
and turns into the
Chūgoku Expressway
The (part of Asian Highway Network ) is an expressway in Japan, which extends from Suita, Osaka to Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi. It connects Kansai and Chūgoku regions in western Honshu, Japan's main island. Other major cities along the expressw ...
, the second longest in Japan, serving western Honshu.
Bridges
There are several bridges in Kitakyushu and between the city and other places. The largest ones are the
Kanmonkyo Bridge
The (Asian Highway Network ) is a suspension bridge crossing the Kanmon Straits, a stretch of water separating two of Japan's four main islands. On the Honshū side of the bridge is Shimonoseki (, which contributed ''Kan'' to the name of th ...
linking Kitakyushu and Shimonoseki (on Kyushu and Honshū respectively) via the
Kanmon Straits
The or the Straits of Shimonoseki is the stretch of water separating Honshu and Kyushu, two of Japan's four main islands. On the Honshu side of the strait is Shimonoseki (, which contributed "Kan" () to the name of the strait) and on the Kyushu ...
and the
Wakato Bridge
The , is a suspension bridge in Kitakyūshū, Fukuoka, Japan. The bridge opened on September 26, 1962, and it spans a length of two kilometers and has a main span of 367 meters. The name of the bridge comes from the characters
Character or Chara ...
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 Kitakyushu; on April 1, 2006, the bridge was transferred to the control of the
Kitakyushu City Road Public Corporation.
Sea
Port
Kitakyushu is the largest
ferry
A ferry is a ship, watercraft or amphibious vehicle used to carry passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo, across a body of water. A passenger ferry with many stops, such as in Venice, Italy, is sometimes called a water bus or water ta ...
port in
Kyushu,
Chūgoku, and
Shikoku. Ferry services operate between Kitakyushu and
Shimonoseki
is a city located in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. With a population of 265,684, it is the largest city in Yamaguchi Prefecture and the fifth-largest city in the Chūgoku region. It is located at the southwestern tip of Honshu facing the Tsush ...
,
Matsuyama,
Tokushima,
Kōbe
Kobe ( , ; officially , ) is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture Japan. With a population around 1.5 million, Kobe is Japan's seventh-largest city and the third-largest port city after Tokyo and Yokohama. It is located in Kansai region, which ...
,
Ōsaka,
Tokyo
Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.46 ...
,
Ulsan
Ulsan (), officially the Ulsan Metropolitan City is South Korea's seventh-largest metropolitan city and the eighth-largest city overall, with a population of over 1.1 million inhabitants. It is located in the south-east of the country, neighboring ...
(Korea),
Busan
Busan (), officially known as is South Korea's most populous city after Seoul, with a population of over 3.4 million inhabitants. Formerly romanized as Pusan, it is the economic, cultural and educational center of southeastern South Korea ...
(Korea) and isolated islands in the city limits. The main ferry port is at Shin-Moji, and there are ferries at Moji and near
Kokura Station.
In the Kanmon-Kitakyushu area, there are three commuter lines: the Wakato Ferry, the Kanmon Straits Ferry, and the Kanmon Straits Liner.
Notable places
* was built by Hosokawa Tadaoki in 1602. It was the property of the Ogasawara clan (from Harima) between 1632 and 1860. The castle was burnt down in 1865 in the war between the Kokura and Choshu clans.
* karst plateau and in Kokura Minami ward and and in Yahata Higashi ward are noted walking areas with fine scenery.
The limestone outcroppings on Hiraodai are said to resemble grazing sheep, so the plateau, the highest in Kyushu at 400–600 meters, is also known as the Yogun Plain.
Some of the limestone caverns are open to the public. The area contains the Sugao and Nanae Waterfalls. Sugao is about 20 meters. Nanae means "seven stages."
Culture
The 1986 family movie ''
Koneko Monogatari'' was filmed here. The English 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''.
The 1958 comedy ''
Rickshaw Man'' is based on a local folk hero of Kokura called Muhomatsu or "Wild Pine" and has been called the Japanese "Desperado". He is celebrated in the Kokura Gion Yamagasa festival. Toshiro Mifune plays the taiko drum in this movie.
Kitakyushu is featured in the late 2012 ''
Call of Duty: Black Ops II'' game developed by
Treyarch and published by
Activision as a DLC map called ''Magma''. In the map the city has been abandoned due to a volcanic eruption, and parts of the city are completely covered in lava.
Festivals
There are festivals (matsuri) held in the summer in the city, including the
Tobata Gion Yamagasa festival in
Tobata-ku, Kitakyūshū
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
In 1899 Tobata-cho (Tobata town) was created, and in ...
.
; Kurosaki Gion (July)
It has been designated as an intangible cultural asset of Fukuoka Prefecture. People spin highly decorated “battle floats” as they pull them through the streets.
; Tobata Gion (July)
People carry yamagasa (tiered floats decorated with flags by day and lanterns by night) on their shoulders.
; Kokura Gion (July)
People pull ''yamagasa'' parade floats along the street.
All the Gion festivals date back about 400 years. They were instituted to celebrate surviving an epidemic.
; Moji Minato Festival (May)
This port-city festival involves colorfully costumed people pulling floats through the streets.
; Wakamatsu Minato Festival (July)
This port-city festival celebrates fire, drums, and ''
kappa
Kappa (uppercase Κ, lowercase κ or cursive ; el, κάππα, ''káppa'') is the 10th letter of the Greek alphabet, representing the voiceless velar plosive sound in Ancient and Modern Greek. In the system of Greek numerals, has a value ...
'' (mythical amphibious creatures who love cucumbers).
; Wasshoi Hyakuman Festival (August)
The
Wasshoi Hyakuman Natsumatsuri
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 ...
brings all the festivals together for a grand parade and finale near City Hall in
Kokura Kita ward
is an ancient castle town and the center of Kitakyushu, Japan, guarding the Straits of Shimonoseki between Honshu and Kyushu with its suburb Moji. Kokura is also the name of the penultimate station on the southbound San'yō Shinkansen line, ...
. Kitakyushu was formed by the merging of Kokura, Yahata, Wakamatsu, Moji, and Tobata. As a result, the city began, on its tenth anniversary, to combine these local festivals into one. On the 25th anniversary, it was renamed Wasshoi Hyakuman because the city population had reached one million.
; Green Park Flea Market (monthly, except August and December)
There are over 200 shops.
Center for Contemporary Art (CCA) Kitakyushu.
The Center for Contemporary Art opened in May 1997 by former
Japan Foundation chief curator Nobuo Nakamura and Akiko Miyake. The centre has shown works of internationally renowned artists such as
Maurizio Cattelan and
Anri Sala, and runs an internationally acclaimed studio programme for emerging artists.
Sports
Kitakyushu was selected as the host of the
2021 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships
The 2021 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships were held in Kitakyushu, Japan from October 18–24, 2021. The competition took place at the Kitakyushu City General Gymnasium. It was the third time that Japan hosted the event, following the 199 ...
and the
2021 Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships, both of which will take place in October 2021. The artistic gymnastics championship will take place in
Kitakyushu City General Gymnasium
Kitakyushu City General Gymnasium is an arena in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the w ...
, while the rhythmic competition will be contested in the West Japan Exhibition Centre.
Professional teams
*
Giravanz Kitakyushu -
Football,
J3
Sporting venues
* Anō Dome
*
Mikuni World Stadium Kitakyushu
is an association football and rugby union stadium located in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. It has a capacity of 15,300, and it opened on 18 February 2017 with a rugby union match. Giravanz Kitakyushu have been tenants since 2017. It h ...
- Home stadium for Giravanz Kitakyushu
*
Honjō Athletic Stadium
*
Kitakyushu City General Gymnasium
Kitakyushu City General Gymnasium is an arena in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the w ...
*
Kitakyushu Media Dome - Indoor
Keirin stadium
*
Kitakyushu Municipal Baseball Stadium
*
Kitakyushu Municipal Gymnasium
*
JRA Kokura Racecourse
is located in Kokura Minami-ku Kitakyushu, Japan. It is used for horse racing. It was built in 1994. It has a capacity of 20,000. It has 1,192 seats.
Physical attributes
Kokura Racecourse has grass courses and a dirt course.
The turf measure ...
* Sayagatani Stadium
*
Wakamatsu Kyōteijō - Wakamatsu Boat Races
Sister cities
Kitakyushu is twinned with the following cities outside Japan.
*
Surabaya
Surabaya ( jv, ꦱꦸꦫꦧꦪ or jv, ꦯꦹꦫꦨꦪ; ; ) is the capital city of the Indonesian province of East Java and the second-largest city in Indonesia, after Jakarta. Located on the northeastern border of Java island, on the M ...
, Indonesia (Since 1992)
*
Dalian
Dalian () is a major sub-provincial port city in Liaoning province, People's Republic of China, and is Liaoning's second largest city (after the provincial capital Shenyang) and the third-most populous city of Northeast China. Located on ...
,
Liaoning, China
*
Incheon, South Korea
*
Norfolk, Virginia, United States
*
Tacoma, Washington, United States
*
Haiphong, Vietnam
*
Davao City
Davao City, officially the City of Davao ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Dabaw; ), is a first class highly urbanized city in the Davao Region, Philippines. The city has a total land area of , making it the largest city in the Philippines in terms of land ...
, Philippines
*
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
* –
Ipatinga,
Minas Gerais
Minas Gerais () is a state in Southeastern Brazil. It ranks as the second most populous, the third by gross domestic product (GDP), and the fourth largest by area in the country. The state's capital and largest city, Belo Horizonte (literall ...
, Brazil (since July 24, 1978)
One city in Japan is twinned with Kitakyushu city.
*
Minamikyushu, Kagoshima, Japan
Notable figures
Samurai
*
Miyamoto Musashi, samurai swordsman, author of ''
The Book of Five Rings'' and founder of the
Hyoho Niten Ichi-ryū, famous for its use of two swords, lived in the
Kokura castle under the patronage of the
Ogasawara and
Hosokawa clans from 1633 until his death.
Writers
* The novelist
Mori Ōgai lived in
Kokura for years and his house is open to the public in
Kokura Kita ward
is an ancient castle town and the center of Kitakyushu, Japan, guarding the Straits of Shimonoseki between Honshu and Kyushu with its suburb Moji. Kokura is also the name of the penultimate station on the southbound San'yō Shinkansen line, ...
. He wrote ''Kokura Nikki'' (''Kokura Diary'') here. It is a ten-minute walk from
Kokura Station.
* The writer
Seichō Matsumoto
was a Japanese writer, credited with popularizing detective fiction in Japan.
Matsumoto's works broke new ground by incorporating elements of human psychology and ordinary life. His works often reflect a wider social context and postwar nihil ...
was born in Kokura. The
Matsumoto Seicho Memorial Museum
The is a literature museum in Kitakyushu, Japan. It is dedicated to Seichō Matsumoto, who spent the first half of his life in Kitakyusyu. The museum is located next to Kokura Castle.
Features of the Museum
The museum displays exhibits and g ...
dedicated to his work is located in the city center near
Kokura Castle.
* The writer
Ashihei Hino
(born 玉井勝則, ''Tamai Katsunori''; 25 January 1907 – 24 January 1960) was a Japanese writer, whose works included depictions of military life during World War II. He was born in Wakamatsu (now Wakamatsu ward, Kitakyūshū) and in 1937 ...
was born in Wakamatsu ward and his birthplace can be visited.
Scientists
* Professor
Ted Fujita
was a Japanese-American meteorologist whose research primarily focused on severe weather. His research at the University of Chicago on severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, hurricanes, and typhoons revolutionized the knowledge of each. Although ...
, popularly known as "Mr. Tornado" in America, was born in Kikugaoka in what is now Kokura Minami ward.
Sportspeople
*
Masanobu Fuchi, Japanese
professional wrestler
Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring o ...
(
All Japan Pro-Wrestling
(AJPW/AJP) or simply All Japan is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion established on October 21, 1972 when Giant Baba split away from the Japanese Wrestling Association and created his own promotion. Many wrestlers had left with Baba, w ...
)
Musicians
*
175R
is a Japanese ska punk band from Kitakyūshū, Fukuoka Prefecture.
Debuting in 2001, 175R has released seven singles, seven albums and four DVDs. The band's members include Shogo on Vocals, Kazya on guitar, Isakick on bass and Yoshiaki on drums ...
, a Japanese punk rock band
175R – Free listening, concerts, stats, & pictures at
Last.fm. Retrieved on 2013-12-09.
* Ena Fujita, Japanese musician and gravure idol
* Ayaka Umeda
is a former Japanese idol and singer from the girl group NMB48, in which she is the co-captain of Team BII. She was also a member of the AKB48 and its subunit DiVA.
Biography
2004–2007: Early career, debut, injury
In 2004–2005, Umeda t ...
, former Japanese idol and singer (AKB48
AKB48 (pronounced ''A.K.B. Forty-Eight'') is a Japanese idol girl group named after the Akihabara (''Akiba'' for short) area in Tokyo, where the group's theater is located. AKB48's producer, Yasushi Akimoto, wanted to form a girl group with i ...
, the subunit DiVA and NMB48
NMB48 (read "N.M.B. Forty-eight") is a Japanese idol group that debuted in 2011 as the second sister group to AKB48, produced by Yasushi Akimoto. NMB48 is named after the Namba district in Osaka city of Osaka Prefecture, where the group is base ...
)
Film directors
* Yamazaki Tokujirō
Yamazaki or Yamasaki (written: lit. "mountain promontory") is the 22nd most common Japanese surname. Less common variants are and . Notable people with the surname include:
*Amy Yamazaki, British actress
* Arturo Yamasaki, Peruvian-Mexican foo ...
, director of '' Call of the Foghorn'' and the Jiken Kisha series
* Aoyama Shinji, director of '' Eureka'' and '' Sad Vacation''
* Oda Motoyoshi, director of '' Godzilla Raids Again''
* Hirayama Hideyuki, director of '' Forget me Not''
Actors
* Kazuhisa Kawahara, '' Aibō'', '' Initial D'' and '' Kamen Rider Decade''
* Takahiro Fujimoto
is an actor and a retired male medley swimmer from Japan, who represented his native country in two consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1988. His best Olympic result was the 8th place (4:23.86) in the Men's 400m Individual Medley event at ...
, ''Saka no Ue no Kumo
, or "Clouds Above the Hill" is a Japanese historical novel by Shiba Ryōtarō originally published serially from 1968 to 1972 in eight volumes. A three-year NHK television special drama series based on the novel and also entitled '' Saka no U ...
'', '' Jin'' and '' Segodon''
* Saaya Irie, '' God's Left Hand, Devil's Right Hand''
* Tsuyoshi Ihara
is a Japanese actor, martial artist, and writer of Korean descent.
Biography
Ihara is a Japanese person of Korean descent, born on November 6, 1963, in Kitakyūshū as Yun Yu-gu (윤유구/尹惟久) and who grew up in Ikuno-ku, Osaka. He is a ...
, ''Ninja
A or was a covert agent or mercenary in feudal Japan. The functions of a ninja included reconnaissance, espionage, infiltration, deception, ambush, bodyguarding and their fighting skills in martial arts, including ninjutsu.Kawakami, pp. 2 ...
'', ''Dirty Hearts
is a 2011 Japanese/Brazilian drama-thriller film directed by Vicente Amorim, based on the book of the same name by Fernando Morais. The film was premiered at Festival do Rio on October 13, 2011, and was released in Brazil on August 17, 2012.
Th ...
'', '' Letters from Iwo Jima'' and ''Samurai Hustle
is a 2014 Japanese jidaigeki comedy film directed by Katsuhide Motoki and starring Kuranosuke Sasaki, Kyoko Fukada and Tsuyoshi Ihara. It was released on 21 June 2014.
It featured in the Japanese Film Festival in Australia in 2014 under the n ...
'' (real name: Yun Yu-gu, Hangul
The Korean alphabet, known as Hangul, . Hangul may also be written as following South Korea's standard Romanization. ( ) in South Korea and Chosŏn'gŭl in North Korea, is the modern official writing system for the Korean language. The l ...
: 윤유구)
* Junichi Haruta
is a Japanese actor from Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture. His real name is . Haruta joined the J.A.C (Japan Action Club), a theater troupe founded by Sonny Chiba, after leaving high school.
Filmography
* '' The Yagyu Conspiracy'' (1978) - Harut ...
, ''Dai Sentai Goggle-V
is a Japanese tokusatsu television series. It was the sixth installment in Toei Company's Super Sentai metaseries of tokusatsu television dramas. It aired on TV Asahi from February 6, 1982 to January 29, 1983, replacing ''Taiyo Sentai Sun Vulcan ...
'', '' Kagaku Sentai Dynaman'', '' Kamen Rider Blade'', ''Kamen Rider W Returns
is a set of two V-Cinema (direct-to-video) releases that serve as spin-offs for characters from the ''Kamen Rider W'' television series and films. These films focus on the characters of List of Kamen Rider W characters#Ryu Terui, Ryu Terui / Kame ...
'' and '' Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger''
References
External links
City of Kitakyushu (English)
City of Kitakyushu City (Japanese)
Kitakyushu city travel guide
CCA Kitakyushu
Introduction to Kitakyushu (YouTube)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kitakyushu
Cities designated by government ordinance of Japan
Cities in Fukuoka Prefecture
Environmental model cities
Populated coastal places in Japan
Port settlements in Japan
Populated places established in 1963
1963 establishments in Japan