Fukuoka Prefecture (福岡県, Fukuoka-ken) is a prefecture of Japan located on Kyūshū Island. The capital is the city of Fukuoka.

History

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

Shrines and temples

Kōra taisha, Sumiyoshi-jinja, Hakosagi-gū and Usa jinjū are the chief Shinto shrines (ichinomiya) in the prefecture.

Geography

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

As of 1 April 2012, 18% of the total land area of the prefecture was designated as Natural Parks, namely Setonaikai National Park, Genkai, Kitakyūshū, and Yaba-Hita-Hikosan Quasi-National Parks, and Chikugogawa, Chikuhō, Dazaifu, Sefuri Raizan, and Yabegawa Prefectural Natural Parks.

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

Cities

Fukuoka (福岡市, Fukuoka-shi) is the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture and is situated on the northern shore of the island of Kyushu in Japan. It is the most populous city on the island, followed by Kitakyushu. It is the largest city and metropolitan area west of Keihanshin. The city was designated on April 1, 1972, by government ordinance. Greater Fukuoka (福岡都市圏), with 2.5 million people (2005 census), is part of the heavily industrialized Fukuoka–Kitakyushu zone as well as Northern Kyushu.

As of July 2011, Fukuoka is Japan's sixth largest city, having passed the population of Kyoto. Since the founding of Kyoto in 794, this marks the first time that a city west of the Kinki region has a larger population than Kyoto. In ancient times, however, the area near Fukuoka, the Chikushi region, was thought by some historians to have possibly been even more influential than the Yamato region.

Pre-history

Exchanges from the continent and the Northern Kyushu area date as far back as Old Stone Age. It has been thought that waves of immigrants arrived in Northern Kyushu from mainland Asia. Several Kofun exist.

Fukuoka most often refers to the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture.

It can also refer to:

Locations

Buildings and attractions

Fukuoka is a Japanese surname. Notable people with the surname include: