Fukui (city)

For other uses, see Fukui (disambiguation).
Fukui
福井市
Core city
Seen from Mt.Asuwa Fukui City Skyline distant view
Fukui CastleIchijōdani Asakura Family Historic Ruins
Asuwa JinjyaFukui City Water Service Memorial
Cherry trees along the Asuwa RiverEchizen-Kaga Kaigan Quasi-National Park
Flag of Fukui
Flag
Official seal of Fukui
Seal
Map
Location of Fukui in Fukui Prefecture
Location of Fukui in Fukui Prefecture
Fukui is located in Japan
Fukui
Fukui
 
Coordinates: 36°3′50.6″N 136°13′10.5″E / 36.064056°N 136.219583°E / 36.064056; 136.219583
CountryJapan
RegionChūbu (Hokuriku)
PrefectureFukui
Government
 • - MayorShigeru Saigyō (since December 2023)
Area
 • Total536.41 km2 (207.11 sq mi)
Population
 (July 1, 2017)
 • Total264,217
 • Density490/km2 (1,300/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
Phone number0776-20-5111
Address3-10-1 Ōte, Fukui-shi, Fukui-ken 910-8511
ClimateCfa
Websitewww.city.fukui.lg.jp
Symbols
FlowerHydrangea
TreePine

Fukui (福井市, Fukui-shi) is the capital city of Fukui Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 March 2024, the city had an estimated population of 255,332 in 107,553 households.[1] Its total area is 536.41 square kilometres (207.11 sq mi)[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. After suffering devastation during World War 2 and an earthquake in 1948, Fukui was nicknamed 'Phoenix City', symbolising its rebirth from ashes and destruction.[3]

Overview

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Cityscape

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Geography

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Fukui is located on the coastal plain in the 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

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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.

Climate data for Fukui (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1897−present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 19.9
(67.8) 		21.8
(71.2) 		26.2
(79.2) 		32.0
(89.6) 		34.5
(94.1) 		36.4
(97.5) 		38.6
(101.5) 		38.5
(101.3) 		37.7
(99.9) 		32.3
(90.1) 		27.5
(81.5) 		24.6
(76.3) 		38.6
(101.5)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 6.7
(44.1) 		7.8
(46.0) 		12.2
(54.0) 		18.3
(64.9) 		23.3
(73.9) 		26.5
(79.7) 		30.4
(86.7) 		32.2
(90.0) 		27.7
(81.9) 		22.1
(71.8) 		16.0
(60.8) 		9.8
(49.6) 		19.4
(66.9)
Daily mean °C (°F) 3.2
(37.8) 		3.7
(38.7) 		7.2
(45.0) 		12.8
(55.0) 		18.1
(64.6) 		22.0
(71.6) 		26.1
(79.0) 		27.4
(81.3) 		23.1
(73.6) 		17.1
(62.8) 		11.3
(52.3) 		5.9
(42.6) 		14.8
(58.6)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 0.5
(32.9) 		0.3
(32.5) 		2.8
(37.0) 		7.8
(46.0) 		13.4
(56.1) 		18.2
(64.8) 		22.7
(72.9) 		23.7
(74.7) 		19.4
(66.9) 		13.1
(55.6) 		7.3
(45.1) 		2.7
(36.9) 		11.0
(51.8)
Record low °C (°F) −15.1
(4.8) 		−14.3
(6.3) 		−9.9
(14.2) 		−2.6
(27.3) 		1.3
(34.3) 		7.3
(45.1) 		12.8
(55.0) 		13.4
(56.1) 		7.7
(45.9) 		0.5
(32.9) 		−1.5
(29.3) 		−11.2
(11.8) 		−15.1
(4.8)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 284.9
(11.22) 		167.7
(6.60) 		160.7
(6.33) 		137.2
(5.40) 		139.1
(5.48) 		152.8
(6.02) 		239.8
(9.44) 		150.7
(5.93) 		212.9
(8.38) 		153.8
(6.06) 		196.1
(7.72) 		304.0
(11.97) 		2,299.6
(90.54)
Average snowfall cm (inches) 85
(33) 		58
(23) 		14
(5.5) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		31
(12) 		186
(73)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.5 mm) 24.3 20.0 17.4 13.3 12.0 11.9 13.5 9.9 12.4 13.4 17.5 23.5 189.2
Average relative humidity (%) 82 78 71 68 68 74 76 73 76 76 78 81 75
Mean monthly sunshine hours 65.4 88.4 136.3 172.3 191.1 146.8 155.4 205.7 151.2 154.4 114.4 72.2 1,653.7
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency[4]
Climate data for Koshino, Fukui City (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1978−present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 19.8
(67.6) 		21.4
(70.5) 		24.4
(75.9) 		30.5
(86.9) 		33.6
(92.5) 		34.7
(94.5) 		38.2
(100.8) 		37.6
(99.7) 		36.6
(97.9) 		31.1
(88.0) 		26.1
(79.0) 		22.9
(73.2) 		38.2
(100.8)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 8.1
(46.6) 		8.5
(47.3) 		11.9
(53.4) 		17.2
(63.0) 		22.0
(71.6) 		25.0
(77.0) 		29.3
(84.7) 		30.9
(87.6) 		26.8
(80.2) 		21.5
(70.7) 		16.4
(61.5) 		11.1
(52.0) 		19.1
(66.3)
Daily mean °C (°F) 5.5
(41.9) 		5.5
(41.9) 		8.2
(46.8) 		13.1
(55.6) 		17.8
(64.0) 		21.3
(70.3) 		25.7
(78.3) 		27.2
(81.0) 		23.4
(74.1) 		18.3
(64.9) 		13.3
(55.9) 		8.2
(46.8) 		15.6
(60.1)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 2.9
(37.2) 		2.7
(36.9) 		4.8
(40.6) 		9.2
(48.6) 		14.0
(57.2) 		18.3
(64.9) 		22.8
(73.0) 		24.3
(75.7) 		20.6
(69.1) 		15.6
(60.1) 		10.4
(50.7) 		5.5
(41.9) 		12.6
(54.7)
Record low °C (°F) −3.8
(25.2) 		−4.7
(23.5) 		−1.2
(29.8) 		0.6
(33.1) 		6.9
(44.4) 		10.1
(50.2) 		16.2
(61.2) 		17.6
(63.7) 		13.6
(56.5) 		6.9
(44.4) 		1.5
(34.7) 		−1.3
(29.7) 		−4.7
(23.5)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 218.4
(8.60) 		139.8
(5.50) 		156.6
(6.17) 		143.0
(5.63) 		157.6
(6.20) 		157.8
(6.21) 		225.7
(8.89) 		146.7
(5.78) 		230.2
(9.06) 		166.1
(6.54) 		173.6
(6.83) 		253.8
(9.99) 		2,169.4
(85.41)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 23.6 18.3 15.5 12.0 11.3 11.3 12.4 8.7 11.8 11.8 15.7 23.0 175.4
Mean monthly sunshine hours 46.2 72.7 132.9 176.3 194.2 145.9 163.9 215.4 150.4 138.8 96.7 53.8 1,587.3
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency[5][6]

Neighbouring municipalities

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Fukui PrefectureFukui Prefecture

Demographics

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

Census data
YearPop.±%
1873 39,784—    
1970 231,901+482.9%
1980 259,638+12.0%
1990 270,911+4.3%
2000 269,557−0.5%
2010 266,796−1.0%
2020 262,328−1.7%
Source: Fukui population statistics, Japanese Imperial Commission [1] (1873)

History

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Origins

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Fukui originally consisted of the old provinces of Wakasa and Echizen, before the prefecture was formed in 1871.[7]

During the Edo period, the daimyō of the region was surnamed Matsudaira, and was a descendant of Tokugawa Ieyasu.[8]

Sengoku period

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In 1471, Asakura had displaced the Shiba clan as the shugo military commander of Echizen Province.[9] 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.[10][11]

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.[12] 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][13][14]

Ichijōdani was razed to the ground by Nobunaga during the 1573 Siege of Ichijōdani Castle.[15]

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

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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, and Showa periods

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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 1.9 sq mi (4.9 km2) at the time, 84.8% of Fukui was destroyed, per the United States Army Air Forces's Strategic Bombing Survey.

  • Fukui District Court
    Fukui District Court
  • Fukui City Water Service Memorial
    Fukui City Water Service Memorial
  • Fukui Prefectural Office Building (1923)
    Fukui Prefectural Office Building (1923)

Modern Fukui

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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.[16]

Government

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Fukui City Hall

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.

International relations

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Fukui International Activities Plaza

Sister cities

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

International

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Fukui is twinned with:[17]

Sister cities
City Country State since
New Brunswick United StatesUnited States New Jersey May, 1982
Fullerton United StatesUnited States California November, 1989
Friendship cities
City Country State since
China Hangzhou China China China Zhejiang November, 1989
Suwon South Korea South Korea Gyeonggi April, 2001

National

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Sister cities
City Prefecture region since
Kumamoto Kumamoto Prefecture Kumamoto Kyūshū region November, 1994
Friendship cities
City Prefecture region since
Yūki Ibaraki Prefecture Ibaraki Kantō region April, 2002
Partnership cities
City Prefecture region since
Nagano Nagano Prefecture Nagano Chūbu region August 9, 2013

Economy

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Fukui Prefecture Agricultural Cooperatives
Fisheries Cooperative Association of FukuiCity

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

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Agriculture

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Japan Agricultural Cooperatives (JA)
  • Fukui Prefecture Agricultural Cooperatives (JA FukuiPrefecture)

Fishing industry

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Japan Fisheries cooperative (JF)
  • FukuiCity Fisheries cooperative (JF FukuiCity)

Secondary sector of industry

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Manufacturing industry

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Fukui is home to several companies, including:

Tertiary sector of industry

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Service industry

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Education

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University of Fukui

Universities and colleges

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Secondary schools

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See also: List of high schools in Fukui Prefecture
  • Asuwa Senior High School
  • Fujishima Senior High School
  • Fukui Commercial Senior High School
  • Fukui Minami Senior High School
  • Fukui Norin Senior High School
  • Fukui University of Technology - Fukui Senior High School
  • Hokuriku Senior High School
  • Jin-ai Girl's Senior High School
  • Kagaku-Gijutsu Senior High School
  • Keishin Senior High School
  • Koshi Senior High School
  • Michimori Senior High School
  • Usui Senior High School

Other schools

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Transport

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Fukui Station
Fukui Railway Fukubu Line
Fukui-kita IC
（Hokuriku Expressway）
Port of Takasu

Railways

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High-speed rail

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West Japan Railway Company (JR West)

Shinkansen service began on 16 March 2024, when the route was extended from Kanazawa in Ishikawa, north of Fukui Prefecture, to Tsuruga in the south of Fukui.[21]

Conventional lines

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West Japan Railway Company (JR West)
Fukui Railway
Echizen Railway

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.[22]

Roads

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Expressways

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Japan National Route

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Seaways

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Sea Port

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  • Port of Takasu

Visitor attractions

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Ichijōdani Asakura Family Historic Ruins
  • Yōkōkan Garden
    Yōkōkan Garden
  • The Yōkōkan Kantei
    The Yōkōkan Kantei
  • Fukui Castle
    Fukui Castle
  • Fukui District Court
    Fukui District Court
  • Fukui International Activities Plaza
    Fukui International Activities Plaza
  • Harmony Hall Fukui
    Harmony Hall Fukui
  • Koshino beach
    Koshino beach

Culture

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Sports

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Baseball

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Handball

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  • Hokuriku Electric Power Company Blue Thunder (JHL)

Soccer

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  • Fukui Phoenix Stadium
    Fukui Phoenix Stadium
  • Fukui Prefectural Gymnasium
    Fukui Prefectural Gymnasium
  • Technoport Fukui Stadium
    Technoport Fukui Stadium
  • Fukui Prefectural sports Park (9.98 Stadium)
    Fukui Prefectural sports Park (9.98 Stadium)
  • Fukui Velodrome
    Fukui Velodrome

References

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  1. ^ "福井市人口統計". Fukui City. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  2. ^ "令和4年度版 福井市統計書". Fukui City. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  3. ^ "Fukui Japan". City of Fullerton.
  4. ^ 気象庁 / 平年値（年・月ごとの値）. Japan Meteorological Agency. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
  5. ^ 観測史上1～10位の値（年間を通じての値）. JMA. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
  6. ^ 気象庁 / 平年値（年・月ごとの値）. JMA. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
  7. ^ Louis-Frédéric (2002). Japan Encyclopedia. Harvard University Press. ISBN 978-0-674-01753-5.
  8. ^ Louis-Frédéric (2002). Japan Encyclopedia. Harvard University Press. ISBN 978-0-674-01753-5.
  9. ^ a b "Asakura Yoshikage". Encyclopedia of Japan. Tokyo: Shogakukan. 2012. OCLC 56431036. Archived from the original on 2007-08-25. Retrieved 2012-08-22.
  10. ^ "朝倉 義景" [Asakura Yoshikage]. Nihon Jinmei Daijiten (日本人名大辞典) (in Japanese). Tokyo: Shogakukan. 2012. Archived from the original on 2007-08-25. Retrieved 2012-08-22.
  11. ^ "朝倉 義景" [Asakura Yoshikage]. Nihon Kokugo Daijiten (in Japanese). Tokyo: Shogakukan. 2012. OCLC 56431036. Archived from the original on 2007-08-25. Retrieved 2012-08-22.
  12. ^ "朝倉 義景" [Asakura Yoshikage]. Kokushi Daijiten (in Japanese). Tokyo: Shogakukan. 2012. OCLC 683276033. Archived from the original on 2007-08-25. Retrieved 2012-08-22.
  13. ^ "朝倉義景" [Asakura Yoshikage]. Dijitaru Daijisen (in Japanese). Tokyo: Shogakukan. 2012. OCLC 56431036. Archived from the original on 2007-08-25. Retrieved 2012-08-22.
  14. ^ Turnbull, Stephen (1987). Battles of the Samurai. Arms and Armour Press. p. 60. ISBN 978-0853688266.
  15. ^ "Ichijodani Asakura Family Site Museum". Retrieved 2017-10-10.
  16. ^ "平成31年4月 中核市『福井市』誕生！". Official website of Fukui. April 1, 2019. Retrieved April 7, 2019.
  17. ^ "市政情報". city.fukui.lg.jp (in Japanese). Fukui. Retrieved 2020-04-11.
  18. ^ "Corporate Profile Archived 2017-12-09 at the Wayback Machine." Kumagai Gumi. Retrieved on August 31, 2017."
  19. ^ "Company Profile". Matsuura Machinery. Retrieved on May 7, 2019.
  20. ^ "Archived copy". www.hks35.ac.jp. Archived from the original on 21 November 2003. Retrieved 11 January 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  21. ^ "Hokuriku Shinkansen's Kanazawa-Tsuruga extension set to open Saturday". The Japan Times. 14 March 2024. Archived from the original on 14 March 2024. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
  22. ^ "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]. Fukui Keizai Shimbun. 16 March 2024. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
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