Fukui 福井
—  Special city  —
福井市 · Fukui City
From top left: Ichijōdani Asakura Family Historic Ruins, Kitanosho Castle, Fukui Castle and Fukui Prefectural Government, Cherry trees along the Asuwa River, Echizen-Kaga Kaigan Quasi-National Park
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Location of Fukui in Fukui Prefecture
Fukui
Coordinates: 36°4′N 136°13′E / 36.067°N 136.217°E / 36.067; 136.217Coordinates: 36°4′N 136°13′E / 36.067°N 136.217°E / 36.067; 136.217
Country	Japan
Region	Chūbu
Prefecture	Fukui Prefecture
Government
• Mayor	Shin'ichi Higashimura
Area
• Total	536.17 km2 (207.02 sq mi)
Population (November 1, 2009)
• Total	267,428
• Density	499/km2 (1,290/sq mi)
Time zone	Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
City symbols
- Tree	Pine
- Flower	Hydrangea
Phone number	0776-20-5111
Address	3-10-1 Ōte, Fukui-shi, Fukui-ken 910-8511
Website	City of Fukui

Ichijōdani Asakura Family Historic Ruins

Yōkōkan Garden

Fukui (福井市, -shi^?) is the capital of Fukui Prefecture, Japan. The city is located in the north-central part of the prefecture on the coast of the Sea of Japan.

Demographics [edit]

As of November 1, 2009, the city has an estimated population of 267,428 and a density of 499 persons per km². The total area is 536.17 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 by-pass.

History [edit]

This section requires expansion. (January 2011)

The city was incorporated under its present name on April 1, 1889, although it had been an important city in the region for at least 1000 years before that, serving as the capital of Echizen province during the Edo period (1603–1868).

Fukui was devastated by Allied bombing in 1945. American heavy bombers leveled some 86% of the city during the United States sustained strategic carpet-bombing campaign against the Empire of Japan. Fukui was again devastated by a major earthquake in 1948. The city has regained its energy and vitality. Hence, the city's official symbol—the phoenix.

On February 1, 2006, the towns of Miyama and Shimizu and the village of Koshino merged into the city of Fukui.

Climate [edit]

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.

Industry [edit]

Fukui is home to several companies, including:

• Aoyama Harp, the only harp manufacturer in Japan
• Matsuura Machinery, an international heavy machinery manufacturing company
• Morinaga Hokuriku Dairy, a dairy products subsidiary of Morinaga Milk Industry
• Emori Shoji, a trading house with strong ties to China

Susumu Fujita, the founder of Cyberagent, one of Japan's largest internet companies, is from the city of Sabae in Fukui.^[2]

Transport [edit]

Rail [edit]

Fukui Station is the city's central railway station; it is a major stop on the JR West Hokuriku Main Line. It also serves as the terminus for the JR Etsumi-Hoku Line (Kuzuryū Line), the Fukui Railway Fukubu Line, and the Echizen Railway Mikuni Awara and Katsuyama Eiheiji lines.

The Hokuriku Shinkansen is currently under construction and will ultimately extend from Tokyo via Nagano and Kanazawa when completed.

Bus [edit]

Regular services are primarily provided by Keifuku Bus and Fukui Railway.

Roads [edit]

The Hokuriku Expressway provides access through the city to the north and south; the Fukui and Fukui-Kita interchanges are located within the city limits.

National Route 8, also known as the Fukui Bypass, parallels the Hokuriku Expressway through the city. Other major highways include:

• National Route 158
• National Route 305/365
• National Route 364
• National Route 416

Visitor attractions [edit]

• Ichijōdani Asakura Family Historic Ruins, one of the most important cultural heritage sites in Japan
• Yōkōkan Garden
• Fukui Castle
• Kitanosho Castle
• Asuwa River
• Harmony Hall Fukui
• Fukui International Activities Plaza
• "Yoroppaken", creator of Fukui's trademark dish, sauce katsudon (ソースカツ丼^?)

Education [edit]

Universities and colleges [edit]

• Fukui Prefectural University
• University of Fukui
• Fukui University of Technology
• Jin-ai Women's College
• Fukui College of Health Sciences

Secondary schools [edit]

• Fujishima Senior High School
• Koshi Senior High School
• Fukui Commercial Senior High School
• Usui Senior High School
• Asuwa Senior High School
• Michimori Senior High School
• Kagaku-Gijutsu Senior High School
• Fukui Norin Senior High School
• Hokuriku Senior High School
• Fukui University of Technology - Fukui Senior High School
• Jin-ai Girl's Senior High School
• Keishin Senior High School
• Fukui Minami Senior High School

Other schools [edit]

• Fukui Prefectural School for the Blind
• Fukui Prefectural School for the Deaf

Sister cities [edit]

• New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States (since May 1982)
• Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China (since November 1989)
• Winsen (Luhe), Lower Saxony, Germany
• Fullerton, California, United States (since November 1989)
• Suwon, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea (since December 2001)

Attack on Fukui during WWII [edit]

Fukui was an important military target in the war efforts against Japan during WWII. That was because Fukui was an important industrial and railroad center. 95% percent of known industries were in the target area of the attack; which produced aircraft parts, electrical equipment, machine motors, various metal products and textiles. The attack was meant to destroy industries, disrupt rail communications, and decrease Japan’s recuperative potential. Bombing raids of the city took place on July 19th, 1945. Of the city's 1.9 Sq. Miles at the time, 84.8% of Fukui was destroyed.

Gallery [edit]

• 

  Fukui Castle

• 

  Fukui District Court

• 

  Fukui International Activities Plaza

• 

  Harmony Hall Fukui

References [edit]

1. ^ "Fukui Climate Normals 1961-1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved December 30, 2012. 
2. ^ City of Sabae website (Japanese)

External links [edit]

Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article Fukui.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Fukui, Fukui

“21st Bomber Command Tactical Mission Report 277 to 281, Ocr.pdf”, n.d.

• Official Fukui city website

Wikivoyage has travel information related to: Fukui

v t e Fukui Prefecture Cities Awara Echizen Fukui (capital) Katsuyama Obama Ōno Sabae Sakai Tsuruga Districts Imadate Mikata Mikatakaminaka Nanjō Nyū Ōi Yoshida See also: Towns and villages by district