Fukui (city) explained

Fukui
Image Map1:Fukui in Fukui prefecture Ja.svg
Map Caption1:Location of Fukui in Fukui Prefecture
Pushpin Map:Japan
Pushpin Map Caption: 
Coordinates:36.0641°N 136.2196°W
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:Japan
Subdivision Type1:Region
Subdivision Name1:Chūbu (Hokuriku)
Subdivision Type2:Prefecture
Subdivision Name2:Fukui
Leader Title:- Mayor
Leader Name:Shigeru Saigyō (since December 2023)
Area Total Km2:536.41
Population Total:264217
Population As Of:July 1, 2017
Population Density Km2:auto
Timezone1:Japan Standard Time
Utc Offset1:+9
Blank Name Sec1:Phone number
Blank Info Sec1:0776-20-5111
Blank1 Name Sec1:Address
Blank1 Info Sec1:3-10-1 Ōte, Fukui-shi, Fukui-ken 910-8511
Blank Name Sec2:Climate
Blank Info Sec2:Cfa
Module:
Embedded:yes

is the capital city of Fukui Prefecture, Japan., the city had an estimated population of 255,332 in 107,553 households.[1] Its total area is 536.41sqkm[2] and its population density is about 476 persons per km2. Most of the population lives in a small central area; the city limits include rural plains, mountainous areas, and suburban sprawl along the Route 8 bypass.

Overview

Cityscape

Geography

Fukui is located in the coastal plain in north-central part of the prefecture. It is bordered by the Sea of Japan to the west and the Ryōhaku Mountains to the east. The Kuzuryū River flows through the city.

Climate

Fukui has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) with hot, humid summers and cool winters. Precipitation is high throughout the year, and is especially heavy in December and January.

Neighbouring municipalities

Fukui Prefecture

Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Fukui has remained relatively steady over the past 40 years.

History

Origins

Fukui originally consisted of the old provinces of Wakasa and Echizen, before the prefecture was formed in 1871.[3]

During the Edo period, the daimyō of the region was surnamed Matsudaira, and was a descendant of Tokugawa Ieyasu.[4]

Sengoku Period

In 1471, Asakura had displaced the Shiba clan as the shugo military commander of Echizen Province.[5] The same year, Asakura Toshikage (1428–1481) fortified the Ichijōdani by constructing hilltop fortifications on the surrounding mountains and constructing walls and gates to seal off the northern and southern end of the valley. Within this area, he contracted a fortified mansion, surrounded by the homes of his relatives and retainers, and eventually by the residences of merchants and artisans, and Buddhist temples. He offered refuge to people of culture or skills from Kyoto attempting to escape the conflict of the Ōnin War, and the Ichijōdani became a major cultural, military, and population center, and by the time of Asakura Takakage (1493–1548) it had a peak population of over 10,000 inhabitants. Yoshikage succeeded his father as head of the Asakura clan and castle lord of Ichijōdani Castle in 1548.[6] [7]

The Asakura maintained good relations with the Ashikaga shogunate, and thus eventually came into conflict with Oda Nobunaga. Following Nobunaga's capture of Kyoto, Shōgun Ashikaga Yoshiaki appointed Asakura Yoshikage as regent and requested aid in driving Nobunaga out of the capital.[8] As a result, Nobunaga launched an invasion of Echizen Province. Due to Yoshikage's lack of military skill, Nobunaga's forces were successful at the Siege of Kanegasaki and subsequent Battle of Anegawa in 1570, leaving the entire Asakura Domain open to invasion.[9] [10]

Ichijōdani was razed to the ground by Nobunaga during the 1573 Siege of Ichijōdani Castle.[11]

Kitanosho Castle is known, though that it was built by Shibata Katsuie in 1575. Also, it appears that the tenshu (keep) was nine stories high, making it the largest of the time.

Edo Period

Castle town and centre of Fukui Domain during the Edo period Tokugawa shogunate. Fukui Domain played a key role in the Meiji restoration. The modern city of Fukui was founded with the creation of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889.

Meiji, Taisho & Showa Period

During the pre-war period, Fukui grew to become an important industrial and railroad centre. Factories in the area produced aircraft parts, electrical equipment, machine motors, various metal products and textiles.

Fukui was largely destroyed on June 19, 1945 during the Bombing of Fukui during World War II. Of the city's 1.9sqmi at the time, 84.8% of Fukui was destroyed, per the United States Army Air Forces's Strategic Bombing Survey.

Modern Fukui

Fukui was again devastated by a major earthquake in 1948.

On February 1, 2006, the town of Miyama (from Asuwa District), the town of Shimizu, and the village of Koshino (both from Nyū District) were merged into Fukui.

Fukui's city status was designated a core city on April 1, 2019.[12]

Government

Fukui has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 32 members. The city also contributes 12 members to the Fukui Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, Fukui forms part of Fukui 1st district, a single-member constituency of the House of Representatives in the national Diet of Japan.

External relations

Twin towns – sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Japan.

International

Fukui is twinned with:[13]

Sister Cities
CityCountryStatesince
New BrunswickUnited StatesNew JerseyMay, 1982
FullertonUnited StatesCaliforniaNovember, 1989
Friendship Cities
CityCountryStatesince
HangzhouChinaZhejiangNovember, 1989
SuwonSouth KoreaGyeonggiApril, 2001

National

Sister Cities
Friendship cities
Partnership cities

Economy

The economy of Fukui is mixed. The city is a regional commercial and finance centre; however, manufacturing, agriculture and commercial fishing also are contributors to the local economy.

Primary sector of the economy

Agriculture

Japan Agricultural Cooperatives (JA)

Fishing industry

Japan Fisheries cooperative (JF)

Secondary sector of industry

Manufacturing industry

Fukui is home to several companies, including:

Tertiary sector of industry

Service industry

Education

Universities and colleges

Secondary schools

See also: List of high schools in Fukui Prefecture.

Other schools

Transport

Railways

High-speed rail

West Japan Railway Company (JR West)Shinkansen service began on 16 March 2024.[17]

Conventional lines

West Japan Railway Company (JR West)
Fukui Railway

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Echizen Railway

- - - - - - - - - - - Jin'ai Ground-Mae -

- - - - - - - Hapi Line Fukui

Service on the third-sector line formerly belonging to JR West began operations on 16 March 2024 when the Hokuriku Shinkansen was extended to Tsuruga.[18]

Roads

Expressways

Japan National Route

Seaways

Sea Port

Visitor attractions

Culture

Sports

Baseball

Handball

Soccer

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 福井市人口統計. Fukui City . 19 March 2024.
  2. Web site: 令和4年度版 福井市統計書 . Fukui City . 19 March 2024.
  3. Web site: Japan Encyclopedia .
  4. Web site: Japan Encyclopedia .
  5. Encyclopedia: Encyclopedia of Japan . Asakura Yoshikage . 2012-08-22 . 2012 . Shogakukan . Tokyo . 56431036 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070825113418/http://rekishi.jkn21.com/ . 2007-08-25 .
  6. Encyclopedia: Nihon Jinmei Daijiten (日本人名大辞典). 朝倉 義景. 2012-08-22. 2012. Shogakukan. Tokyo. Japanese. Asakura Yoshikage. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20070825113418/http://rekishi.jkn21.com/. 2007-08-25.
  7. Encyclopedia: Nihon Kokugo Daijiten. 朝倉 義景. Asakura Yoshikage. 2012-08-22. 2012. Shogakukan. Tokyo. Japanese. 56431036. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20070825113418/http://rekishi.jkn21.com/. 2007-08-25.
  8. Encyclopedia: Kokushi Daijiten . 朝倉 義景 . 2012-08-22 . 2012 . Shogakukan . Tokyo . Japanese . Asakura Yoshikage . 683276033 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070825113418/http://rekishi.jkn21.com/ . 2007-08-25 .
  9. Encyclopedia: Dijitaru Daijisen . 朝倉義景 . 2012-08-22 . 2012 . Shogakukan . Tokyo . Japanese . Asakura Yoshikage . 56431036 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070825113418/http://rekishi.jkn21.com/ . 2007-08-25 .
  10. Book: Turnbull, Stephen . Battles of the Samurai . Arms and Armour Press . 1987 . 978-0853688266 . 60.
  11. Web site: Ichijodani Asakura Family Site Museum. 2017-10-10.
  12. Web site: 平成31年4月 中核市『福井市』誕生!. April 1, 2019. Official website of Fukui. April 7, 2019.
  13. Web site: 市政情報. city.fukui.lg.jp. Fukui. ja. 2020-04-11.
  14. "Company Profile". Matsuura Machinery. Retrieved on May 7, 2019.
  15. "Corporate Profile ." Kumagai Gumi. Retrieved on August 31, 2017."
  16. Web site: Archived copy . www.hks35.ac.jp . 11 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20031121113413/http://www.hks35.ac.jp/ . 21 November 2003 . dead.
  17. Web site: 14 March 2024 . Hokuriku Shinkansen's Kanazawa-Tsuruga extension set to open Saturday . https://web.archive.org/web/20240314095236/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/03/14/japan/hokuriku-shinkansen-open-saturday/ . 14 March 2024 . 16 March 2024 . The Japan Times . en.
  18. Web site: 16 March 2024 . 並行在来線「ハピラインふくい」開業 記念グッズに目輝かせるファンも . Parallel conventional line "Hapi-Line Fukui" opens as commemorative goods go on sale . 16 March 2024 . Fukui Keizai Shimbun.