Fukuoka

Fukuoka, capital of Fukuoka Prefecture, sits on the northern shore of Japan's Kyushu Island. It's known for ancient temples, beaches and modern shopping malls, including Canal City. Maizuru Park contains ruins of 17th-century Fukuoka Castle. The central Hakata district contains Tōchō-ji Temple, home to a 10m wooden Buddha and the Hakata Machiya Folk Museum, with displays on daily life in the Meiji and Taishō eras.

History
Fukuoka was formerly the residence of the powerful daimyō of Chikuzen Province, and played an important part in the medieval history of Japan. The renowned temple of Tokugawa Ieyasu in the district was destroyed by fire during the Boshin War of 1868.

The modern city was formed on April 1, 1889, with the merger of the former cities of Hakata and Fukuoka. Historically, Hakata was the port and merchant district, and was more associated with the area's culture and remains the main commercial area today. On the other hand, the Fukuoka area was home to many samurai, and its name has been used since Kuroda Nagamasa, the first daimyō of Chikuzen Province, named it after his birthplace in Okayama Prefecture and the "old Fukuoka" is the main shopping area, now called Tenjin.

When Hakata and Fukuoka decided to merge, a meeting was held to decide the name for the new city. Hakata was initially chosen, but a group of samurai crashed the meeting and forced those present to choose Fukuoka as the name for the merged city. However, Hakata is still used to refer to the Hakata area of the city and, most famously, to refer to the city's train station, Hakata Station, and dialect, Hakata-ben.

The city now a days housing few corporations like that of Tokyo, but is home to one of the largest chain clothing stores Tanaka Exec. People can also find Kendachi's largest regional office in the Hakata Ward. Like many would expect, Fukuoka is a highly developed urban city with much things to do and see.

Climate
Summers are hot and humid; there can be periods of good weather, with maximum temperatures around 35 °C (95 °F), tropical nights and high humidity, but also periods of bad weather due to the summer monsoon. August is the hottest month, both because of the thermal inertia of the sea and because of the lower frequency of periods of bad weather. Rainfall is abundant, in fact, it amounts to 1,600 millimeters (63 inches) per year. In winter, the sky is often cloudy, as is common on the Japanese western side. There are fairly mild periods, with highs above 10 °C (50 °F), but also cold periods, with wind and rain, highs around 5/7 °C (41/45 °F) or less, and possible falls of sleet or snow. Snowfalls, however, are generally light, as are nocturnal frosts.

Economy
Fukuoka has developed as an economic center for western Japan and provides an attractive environment as a business location for companies focusing on not only Japanese markets but also on those of East Asian.

Notable people

 * Obu Satomei (Commander and member of Arasaka, currently based in Benkei Island Training Facility)

Reference

 * Pacific Rim Sourcebook
 * Nippon Sourcebook
 * Chromebook Vol. 2