Designated city

City of Kitakyushu[1]

Clockwise from top, Riverwalk Kitakyushu,Kokura Castle, Mojiko Station, former siteof Higashida blast furnace, night view of

Kokura from Mount Adachi, Tanga Marketin Kokura

Flag

Emblem

KitakyushuKitakyushu (Japanese: 北九州市 Hepburn: Kitakyūshū-

shi, lit. "North Kyushu City") is one of two designated cities

in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan, together with Fukuoka, with

a population of just under 1 million people.

HistoryKokura Prefecture

World War II

City

Wards

Demographics

CultureFestivals

Center for Contemporary Art (CCA) Kitakyushu.

Notable places

Economy

Transportat ionRail

Air

Sea

RoadsExpressways

Bridges

Notable figuresSamurai

Writers

Scientists

Musicians

Competitive eaters

EducationUniversities and colleges

National universities

Public universities

Private universities

Junior colleges

Technology colleges

Vocational colleges

Research Institutes and graduate Schools

SportsProfessional teams

Sporting venues

Sister cit ies

References

External l inks

Kitakyushu北九州市

Coordinates: 33°53′N 130°53′E

Contents

Location of Kitakyushu in Fukuoka Prefecture

Location in Japan

Coordinates: 33°53′N 130°53′E

Country Japan

Region Kyushu

Prefecture Fukuoka Prefecture

Government

 • Mayor Kenji Kitahashi

Area

 • Total 486.81 km2 (187.96 sq mi)

Population (January 1, 2010)

 • Total 983,037

 • Density 2,019.34/km2

(5,230.1/sq mi)

Symbols

 • Tree Ichiigashi (Japanese beech)

 • Flower Tsutsuji (Azalea)Himawari (Sunflower)

Time zone Japan Standard Time(UTC+9)

City hall 1-1 Jōnai, Kokura Kita-ku,

Kokura Prefecture was founded separately from Fukuoka

Prefecture in 187 1 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.

In 187 6, Kokura Prefecture was absorbed by Fukuoka

Prefecture. The city of Kokura was founded in 1900.

Y ahata in Kitakyushu was the target for the beginning of the

US bombing raids on the home islands on June 16, 1944,

when 7 5 Boeing B-29 Superfortresses flew out from

mainland China.[2]

Kokura was the primary target of the nuclear weapon "Fat

Man" on August 9, 1945. Major Charles Sweeney had orders

to drop the bomb visually . All three attempts failed due to

clouds and smoke from Y ahata, which is only 7 km west of

Kokura and had air raids on the previous day, preventing

him from identify ing the target clearly . Additionally , a

smoke screen was created by industrial workers burning

barrels of coal tar and/or electric plant workers releasing

steam.[3][4] The bomb was ultimately dropped on the city of

Nagasaki, the secondary target, at 11:02 JST.

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, Y ahata and

Wakamatsu) centered around the ancient feudal city of

Kokura. The city 's symbol mark is a flower with the

character "north" ( 北 kita) in the middle and five petals

representing the towns that merged.

Kitakyushu

History

Kokura Prefecture

World War II

City

Wards

address Kitakyushu-shi, Fukuoka-ken803-8501

Website www.city.kitakyushu.lg.jp (http://www.city.kitakyushu.lg.jp/)

Kitakyushu has seven wards (ku):

Name Japanese Area (km²)

Kokurakita-ku(administrative center)

小倉北区 39.27

Kokuraminami-ku 小倉南区 170.25

Moji-ku 門司区 73.37

Tobata-ku 戸畑区 16.66

Yahatahigashi-ku 八幡東区 36.36

Yahatanishi-ku 八幡西区 83.04

Wakamatsu-ku 若松区 67.86

The city of Nakama, Fukuoka 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 .

Demographics

As of April 1 , 2014, the city had an estimated population of 963,267 and a total area of 489.60 km².[5] The

average population density is thus 1,967 persons per km². It is now the country 's 15th most populated

city .[5] It has a much larger total area than that of Fukuoka which is only 340.03 km².

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 Y amagasa 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.

There are festivals (matsuri) held in the summer in the city , including the Tobata Gion Y amagasa festival

in Tobata-ku, Kitakyūshū.

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.[6]

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.[7]

Moji Minato Festival (May)

This port-city festival involves colorfully costumed people pulling floats through the streets.[8]

Wakamatsu Minato Festival (July)

This port-city festival celebrates fire, drums, and kappa (mythical amphibious creatures who love

cucumbers).[9]

Wasshoi Hyakuman Festival (August)

Culture

Festivals

The Wasshoi Hyakuman Natsumatsuri brings all the festivals together for a grand parade and finale near

City Hall in Kokura Kita ward. Kitakyushu was formed by the merging of Kokura, Y ahata, 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.[10]

The Center for Contemporary Art opened in May 1997 and has shown works of internationally renowned

artists, e.g., Maurizio Cattelan and Anri Sala.

Kokura Castle (小倉城 Kokura-jō) 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.

Hiraodai (平尾台, lit. Flat Tail Plateau) karst plateau and Mount

Adachi (足立山 Adachi-san) in Kokura Minami ward and Mount

Sarakura (皿倉山 Sarakura-san) and Kawachi Dam (河内貯水池

Kawachi-chosuichi) in Y ahata 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 Y ogun Plain.

Some of the limestone caverns are open to the public.[11] The area contains the Sugao and Nanae

Waterfalls. Sugao is about 20 meters. Nanae means "seven stages."

Nippon Steel Corporation is a major employer, but the Y ahata

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.[12] and

Y askawa Electric Corporation.[13] StarFlyer, an airline, is

headquartered on the grounds of Kitakyushu Airport in

Kokuraminami-ku, Kitakyūshū.[14] Previously the airline's

headquarters were in the Shin Kokura Building (新小倉ビル Shin-

Kokura Biru) in Kokurakita-ku, Kitakyūshū.[15][16]

A smaller scale shopping centre called Cha Cha Town was

created by the Nishi-Nippon Railroad and bus company next to

the Sunatsu bus depot in Kokura Kita ward.

Center for Contemporary Art (CCA) Kitakyushu.

Notable places

Kokura Castle in central Kokura

Economy

Kitakyushu MEA

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.[17][18]

Located at a strategic position on the south side of the Kanmon

Straits, Kitakyushu is an important transport hub for traffic

between Honshu and Kyushu and has a large port.

Kokura Station, the city 's central train station, is the penultimate

stop on the JR West Sanyō Shinkansen before the Fukuoka

terminus and all Shinkansen services stop here. It is served by

local and express trains on JR Kyushu's Kagoshima and Nippō

Main Lines. In the city , transport is provided the Kitakyushu

Monorail and buses.

Mojikō Station 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 197 0s the line was shut down in stages

between 1980 and 2000. A railway using tram cars, the Chikuhō

Electric Railroad, runs between Kurosaki-Ekimae and Chikuhō-

Nōgata stations, serving Y ahatanishi-ku and the neighboring

city of Nōgata.

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 began operations when the airport opened.

Kitakyushu is the largest ferry port in Kyushu, Chūgoku, and Shikoku. Ferry services operate between

Kitakyushu and Shimonoseki, Matsuyama, Tokushima, Kōbe, Ōsaka, Tokyo, Ulsan (Korea), Busan (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.

Colet Izutsuya department store

(formerly Isetan and originally Sogo

department store)

Riverwalk Kitakyūshū and Kokura

Castle moat

Transportation

Rail

Air

Sea

In the Kanmon-Kitakyushu area, there are three commuter

lines: the Wakato Ferry, the Kanmon Straits Ferry, and the

Kanmon Straits Liner.

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, 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 and turns

into the Chūgoku Expressway, the second longest in Japan, serving western Honshu.

There are several bridges in Kitakyushu and between the city

and other places. The largest ones are the Kanmonkyo Bridge

linking Kitakyushu and Shimonoseki (on Kyushu and Honshū

respectively) via the Kanmon Straits and the Wakato Bridge

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.

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 andHosokawa clans from 1633 until his death.

The novelist Mori Ōgai lived in Kokura for years and his house is open to the public in Kokura Kita ward. Hewrote Kokura Nikki (Kokura diary) here. It is a ten-minute walk from Kokura Station.

The writer Seichō Matsumoto was born in Kokura. A museum dedicated to him is in the city centre near

Kokura Castle.

Wakato Ferry

Roads

Expressways

Bridges

Wakato Bridge

Notable figures

Samurai

Writers

Kokura Castle.The writer Ashihei Hino was born in Wakamatsu ward and hisbirthplace can be visited.

Professor Ted Fujita, called "Mr. Tornado" in America, was bornin Kikugaoka in what is now Kokura Minami ward.

175R, a Japanese punk band from Kitakyushu[19]

1000 Travels of Jawaharlal (emo punk)[20]

Yuka Kinoshita, competitive eater and YouTuber.

Kyushu Institute of Technology

Kyushu Dental University

University of Kitakyushu

Kyushu International University

Kyushu Kyoritsu University

Kyushu Nutrition Welfare University

Kyushu Polytechnic College

Kyushu Women's University

Nishinippon Institute of Technology

Seinan Women's University

University of Occupational and Environmental Health

Higashi Chikushi Junior College

Kyushu Women's Junior College

Orio Aishin Junior College

Seinan Jo Gakuin University Junior College

Mori Ōgai's house in Kokura Kita ward

Scientists

Musicians

Competitive eaters

Education

Universities and colleges

National universit ies

Public universit ies

Pr ivate universit ies

Junior col leges

Kitakyushu National College of Technology

Kyushu Medical Sports School

Kitakyushu Science and Research Park

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 ResearchCenter, Waseda University

Giravanz Kitakyushu - Soccer, J3

Anō Dome

Honjō Athletic Stadium - Home stadium for Giravanz Kitakyushu

Kitakyushu Media Dome - Indoor Keirin stadium

Kitakyushu Municipal Baseball Stadium

Kitakyushu Municipal Gymnasium

JRA Kokura Racecourse

Sayagatani Stadium

Wakamatsu Kyōteijō - Wakamatsu Boat Races

Kitakyushu is twinned with the following cities outside Japan.[21]

Surabaya, Indonesia (Since 1992)

Dalian, China

Incheon, South Korea

Norfolk, Virginia, United States

Tacoma, Washington, United States

Haiphong, Vietnam

One city in Japan is twinned with Kitakyushu city .

Minamikyushu, Kagoshima, Japan[22]

Technology col leges

Vocational col leges

Research Institutes and graduate Schools

Sports

Professional teams

Sporting venues

Honjo stadium.Sister cities

References

City of Kitakyushu (English) (http://www.city.kitakyushu.lg.jp/english/index.html)

1. Kitakyushu's official English name (http://www.city.kitakyushu.jp/pcp_portal/PortalServlet?DISPLAY_ID=DIRECT

&NEXT_DISPLAY_ID=U000000&LANG_ID=2) Archived (https://www.webcitation.org/67aCEW54r?url=http://www.

city.kitakyushu.lg.jp/index_oshirase.html) 2012-05-11 at WebCite

2. Shigeru Mizuki, A History of Japan Vol 3 Showa 1944-1953, p.152

3. "Steel mill worker reveals blocking view of U.S. aircraft on day of Nagasaki atomic bombing" (http://mainichi.jp/

english/english/features/news/20140726p2a00m0na014000c.html). Mainichi. Mainichi Japan. 26 July 2014.

Retrieved 29 July 2014.

4. "Nagasaki: The Last Bomb" (http://www.newyorker.com/tech/elements/nagasaki-the-last-bomb). The New

Yorker. The New Yorker. 7 August 2015. Retrieved 8 August 2015.

5. http://www.city.yokohama.lg.jp/ex/stat/jinko/city/new-j.html

6. Kurosaki Gion Yamakasa (Float) Festival | Event Information | Fukuoka Prefecture Sightseeing Information

Crossroad Fukuoka (http://www.crossroadfukuoka.jp/en/event/?mode=detail&id=4000000001372).

Crossroadfukuoka.jp. Retrieved on 2013-12-09.

7. Kokura Gion | Fukuoka Internet TV (http://webtv.pref.fukuoka.lg.jp/en/movies/detail/291).

Webtv.pref.fukuoka.lg.jp. Retrieved on 2013-12-09.

8. 北九州ぐるりん観光ナビ【門司みなと祭】 (http://www.kitakyushu-area.jp/point/a0e045/index.html). Kitakyushu-

area.jp. Retrieved on 2013-12-09.

9. Festivals (http://kqkicks.antazi.com/festivals.htm). Kqkicks.antazi.com. Retrieved on 2013-12-09.

10. フリーマーケット出店者の皆様へお知らせ - グリーンパーク【響灘緑地】 (http://www.kpfmmf.jp/green/free_marke

t/). Kpfmmf.jp. Retrieved on 2013-12-09.

11. Kyushu's Must-See Tourist Spots. 2010. |first1= missing |last1= in Authors list (help); Missing or empty

|title= (help)

12. "Corporate Data (http://www.toto.co.jp/company/profile_en/outline/index.htm)." TOTO. Retrieved on April 9,

2014.

13. "Corporate Data (http://www.yaskawa.co.jp/en/company/outline02.html) Archived (https://web.archive.org/we

b/20141211045817/http://www.yaskawa.co.jp/en/company/outline02.html) 2014-12-11 at the Wayback

Machine.." Yaskawa Electric Corporation. Retrieved on April 9, 2014.

14. "会社概要 (http://www.starflyer.jp/starflyer/company_profile.html)." StarFlyer. Retrieved on December 20,

2010. "本社 〒800-0306 福岡県北九州市小倉南区空港北町6番 北九州空港スターフライヤー本社ビル"

15. "Company Profile (https://web.archive.org/web/20080208174121/http://www.starflyer.jp/english/starflyer/st

arflyer.html)." StarFlyer. Retrieved on May 26, 2009. Location Shin-Kokura Bldg., 2-2-1 Komemachi

Kokurakita-ku, Kitakyusyu-shi Fukuoka 802-0003 JPN

16. "会社概要 (https://web.archive.org/web/20080324205403/http://www.starflyer.jp/starflyer/company_profile.h

tml)." StarFlyer. March 24, 2008. Retrieved on December 20, 2010. "本社 〒802-0003 福岡県北九州市小倉北

区米町二丁目2番1号　新小倉ビル JR小倉駅より徒歩10分."

17. Yoshitsugu Kanemoto. "Metropolitan Employment Area (MEA) Data" (http://www.csis.u-tokyo.ac.jp/UEA/uea_d

ata_e.htm). Center for Spatial Information Science, The University of Tokyo.

18. Conversion rates - Exchange rates (https://data.oecd.org/conversion/exchange-rates.htm) - OECD Data

19. 175R – Free listening, concerts, stats, & pictures at (http://www.last.fm/music/175R). Last.fm. Retrieved on

2013-12-09.

20. "1000 Travels of Jawaharlal" (http://www.last.fm/music/1000+Travels+of+Jawaharlal). Last.fm.

21. http://www.city.kitakyushu.lg.jp/soumu/file_0233.html Kitakyushu Sister Cities. Retrieved 25 January 2015/ (in

Japanese)

22. "姉妹都市・交流都市" (http://www.city.minamikyushu.lg.jp/cgi-bin/hpViewContent.cgi?pID=20090206113013&p

Lang=ja). Minamikyushu city official site. Minamikyushu city. Retrieved 23 February 2015.

External links

City of Kitakyushu City (Japanese) (http://www.city.kitakyushu.lg.jp)

Newsletter Kitakyushu Bridges (http://www.city.kitakyushu.lg.jp/english/e20100007.html)

Kitakyushu city travel guide (http://www.gururich-kitaq.com/en/)

Kitakyushu Science and Research Park (http://www.ksrp.or.jp/e/index.html)

CCA Kitakyushu (http://cca-kitakyushu.org/?lang=en)

Kitakyushu travel guide from Wikivoyage

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