Kumamoto

History

Early modern period

Shokuhō period

Katō Kiyomasa, a contemporary of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, was made daimyō of half of the (old) administrative region of Higo in 1588. Afterwards, Kiyomasa built Kumamoto Castle. Due to its many innovative defensive designs, Kumamoto Castle was considered impenetrable, and Kiyomasa enjoyed a reputation as one of the finest castle-builders in Japanese history.

Edo period

After Kiyomasa died in 1611, his son, Tadahiro, succeeded him. In 1632, Tadahiro was removed by Tokugawa Iemitsu and replaced with the Hosokawa clan. Hosokawa Tadatoshi, the third lord of Kumamoto, was the patron of the artist and swordsman Miyamoto Musashi

File:Statue of Hosokawa Tadatoshi.jpg|Statue of Hosokawa Tadatoshi within Suizen-ji Jōju-en File:Hidari mitsudomoe.svg|Mon of Miyamoto Musashi, born in Ōhara-chō province of Mimasaka

Late modern period

Meiji period

The current administrative body of the City of Kumamoto was founded on April 1, 1889.

Showa period

On July 1, 1945, near the end of World War II, Kumamoto was bombed in an Allied air raid that destroyed one square mile, which was 20% of the city's area.

Contemporary history

After World War II

After the war, the Japanese Buddhist monk Nichidatsu Fujii decided to construct a Peace Pagoda atop Mount Hanaoka in the city to commemorate all those lost in war and to promote peace. Inaugurated in 1954, it was the first of over 80 Peace Pagodas built by Fujii and his followers all over the world.

Heisei period

On February 1, 1991, the towns of Akita, Kawachi, Tenmei, and Hokubu (all from Hōtaku District) were merged into Kumamoto. On October 6, 2008, the town of Tomiai (from Shimomashiki District) was merged into Kumamoto. On March 23, 2010, the town of Jōnan (also from Shimomashiki District) and the town of Ueki (from Kamoto District) were merged into Kumamoto.

A series of earthquakes struck the area beginning April 14, 2016, including a tremor with moment magnitude 7.1 early in the morning of April 16, 2016.

Geography

Climate

Kumamoto has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) with hot, humid summers and cool winters. There is significant precipitation throughout the year, especially during June and July. The average annual temperature in Kumamoto is 17.2 C. The average annual rainfall is 2007.0 mm with June as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 28.4 C, and lowest in January, at around 6.0 C. The highest temperature ever recorded in Kumamoto was 38.8 C on 17 July 1994; the coldest temperature ever recorded was -9.2 C on 11 February 1929.

|Jan record high C = 22.5 |Feb record high C = 26.4 |Mar record high C = 27.4 |Apr record high C = 30.7 |May record high C = 34.4 |Jun record high C = 36.1 |Jul record high C = 38.8 |Aug record high C = 38.8 |Sep record high C = 37.0 |Oct record high C = 33.7 |Nov record high C = 28.9 |Dec record high C = 24.6 |Jan record low C = -9.2 |Feb record low C = -9.2 |Mar record low C = -6.9 |Apr record low C = -2.5 |May record low C = 1.3 |Jun record low C = 7.1 |Jul record low C = 14.3 |Aug record low C = 15.3 |Sep record low C = 6.7 |Oct record low C = 0.5 |Nov record low C = -3.8 |Dec record low C = -7.9 |script-title=ja:気象庁 / 平年値（年・月ごとの値） | access-date = May 19, 2021}}

Area

Wards

Since April 1, 2012, Kumamoto has five wards (ku):

Surrounding municipalities

; KumamotoKumamoto Prefecture

• Gyokuto
• Kashima
• Kikuchi
• Kikuyō
• Kōsa
• Kōshi
• Mashiki
• Mifune
• Tamana
• Uki
• Uto
• Yamaga

Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Kumamoto in 2020 is 738,865 people. Kumamoto has been conducting censuses since 1920.

| 1920 | 267466 | 1925 | 290729 | 1930 | 312013 | 1935 | 329225 | 1940 | 321622 | 1945 | 389649 | 1950 | 413497 | 1955 | 454514 | 1960 | 474859 | 1965 | 502463 | 1970 | 534228 | 1975 | 574299 | 1980 | 619236 | 1985 | 654348 | 1990 | 680765 | 1995 | 708097 | 2000 | 720816 | 2005 | 727978 | 2010 | 734294 | 2015 | 740822 | 2020 | 738865

Government

Kazufumi Ōnishi has been the city's mayor since December 2014.

Working mother incident

In November 2017, Kumamoto politician Yuka Ogata was forced to leave the Kumamoto municipal assembly because she had brought her baby. The incident was reported by international media as an example of the challenges facing women in Japan.

Transportation

Local public transport is provided by the Kumamoto City Transportation Bureau.

Airways

Airports

Kumamoto Airport is located in nearby Mashiki.

Railways

High-speed rail

On March 12, 2011, work on the shinkansen (high-speed bullet train) network was completed, establishing a direct high-speed rail link to Tokyo via Fukuoka's Hakata station.

;

• Kyushu Shinkansen: Kumamoto Station -

Conventional lines

The JR Kumamoto station provides rail links to Japan's extensive rail network.

;

• Kagoshima Main Line: Tabaruzaka - Ueki - Nishizato - Sōjōdaigakumae - Kami-Kumamoto - Kumamoto - Nishi-Kumamoto - Kawashiri - Tomiai -
• Hōhi Main Line: Kumamoto - Heisei - Minami-Kumamoto - Shin-Suizenji - Suizenji - Tōkai-Gakuen-mae - Tatsutaguchi - Musashizuka - Hikarinomori - ;Kumamoto Electric Railway
• Kikuchi Line: Kami-Kumamoto - Kankanzaka - Ikeda Station - Uchigoshi - Tsuboigawa-kōen - Kita-Kumamoto - Kamei - Hakenomiya - Horikawa -
• Fujisaki Line: Kita-Kumamoto - Kurokamimachi - Fujisakigū-mae

Tramways

Trams run to a few suburbs near the downtown area. ;Kumamoto City Transportation Bureau

Bus

A large bus terminus, called the Kotsu Centre, provides access to both local and intercity destinations.

Taxi

Several local taxi companies serve the Kumamoto metropolitan area and are the only 24-hour public transport in the city.

Roads

Expressways

• [[File:JP Expressway E3.svg|25px|link=|alt=E3]]Kyushu Expressway

Japan National Routes

• [[File:Japanese National Route Sign 0003.svg|25px]]Japan National Route 3
• [[File:Japanese National Route Sign 0057.svg|25px]]Japan National Route 57
• [[File:Japanese National Route Sign 0208.svg|25px]]Japan National Route 208
• [[File:Japanese National Route Sign 0218.svg|25px]]Japan National Route 218
• [[File:Japanese National Route Sign 0219.svg|25px]]Japan National Route 219
• [[File:Japanese National Route Sign 0266.svg|25px]]Japan National Route 266
• [[File:Japanese National Route Sign 0387.svg|25px]]Japan National Route 387
• [[File:Japanese National Route Sign 0443.svg|25px]]Japan National Route 443
• [[File:Japanese National Route Sign 0445.svg|25px]]Japan National Route 445
• [[File:Japanese National Route Sign 0501.svg|25px]]Japan National Route 501

Seaways

Seaports

• Port of Kumamoto

Ferry

• Kyusyu Shosen: Kumamoto - Shimabara
• Kumamoto-Ferry: Kumamoto - Shimabara
• Korean Marine Transport: Kumamoto - Busan

Education

Universities

• Kumamoto Gakuen University
• Kumamoto University
• Kyūshū Lutheran College
• Prefectural University of Kumamoto
• Shokei College
• Shokei Gakuin University
• Sojo University
• Tokai University

Landmarks

Kumamoto Castle

The city's most famous landmark is Kumamoto Castle, a large and once extremely well fortified Japanese castle. The donjon (castle central keep) is a concrete reconstruction built in the 1970s, but several ancillary wooden buildings from the original castle remain. The castle was assaulted during the Satsuma Rebellion and sacked and burned after a 53-day siege. It was during this time that the tradition of eating basashi (raw horse meat) originated. Basashi remains popular in Kumamoto and, to a lesser extent, elsewhere in Japan, although these days it is usually considered a delicacy.

Within the outer walls of Kumamoto Castle is the Hosokawa Gyobu-tei, the former residence of the Higo daimyō. This traditional wooden mansion has a fine Japanese garden located on its grounds.

Religious sites

The first of many peace pagodas around the world was erected by Japanese Buddhist monk Nichidatsu Fujii atop Mount Hanaoka beginning 1947. Inaugurated in 1954, it was the first of over 80 built by Fujii and his followers all over the world.

Kumamoto is also the location of Takahashi Inari Shrine and Fujisaki Hachimangū.

Suizenji area

Kumamoto is home to Suizen-ji Jōju-en, a formal garden neighboring Suizenji Temple approximately 3 kilometers southeast of Kumamoto Castle. Suizenji Park is also home to the Suizenji Municipal Stadium, where the city's football team, Roasso Kumamoto, used to play regularly. The team now uses the larger KKWing Stadium in Higashi Ward.

Other notable sites

Miyamoto Musashi lived the last part of his life in Kumamoto. His tomb and the cave where he resided during his final years (known as Reigandō, or "spirit rock cave") are situated close by. He penned the famous Go Rin no Sho (The Book of Five Rings) whilst living here.

The downtown area has a commercial district centred on two shopping arcades, the Shimotori and Kamitori, which extend for several city blocks. The main department stores are located here along with a large number of smaller retailers, restaurants, and bars. Many local festivals are held in or near the arcades.

Cultural venues include the Kumamoto Prefectural Museum of Art and Kumamoto Prefectural Theater.

Culture

Sports

Sports teams

;Baseball

• Hinokuni Salamanders of the baseball Kyusyu Asia League are based in Kumamoto. ;Football
• Roasso Kumamoto in J.League is the local football club. ;Basketball
• Kumamoto Volters of the basketball B.League are based in Kumamoto. ;Volleyball
• Forest Leaves Kumamoto of the Volleyball V.League (V2) are based in Kumamoto.

File:Fujisakidai Baseball Stadium Kumamoto.jpg|Kumamoto Fujisakidai Baseball Stadium File:Kumamoto kkw.JPG|Egao Kenko Stadium File:Kumamoto-pref synthesis gymnasium 1.jpg|Kumamoto Prefectural Gymnasium File:Kumamoto-city synthesis gymnasium 1.jpg|Kumamoto City Synthesis Gymnasium

Sporting events

The Kumamoto Castle Marathon is a yearly event in Kumamoto City. It was established in commemoration of Kumamoto becoming a designated city in 2012. The city also hosted the 1997 World Men's Handball Championship and the 2019 World Women's Handball Championship.

Sister cities

Kumamoto is twinned with the following cities.

• USA Billings, Montana, United States
• UK Bristol, England, United Kingdom
• PRC Guilin, Guangxi, People's Republic of China
• GER Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, since 1992
• USA Helena, Montana, United States
• USA Rome, Georgia, United States, since 1995
• USA San Antonio, Texas, United States, since 1987
• KOR Ulsan, South Korea, since 2010
• TWN Kaohsiung, Taiwan, since 2017

Notable people

• Aimer, pop singer and lyricist.
• Naoichi and Mutsue Inomoto Fujimori, parents of Alberto Fujimori, the 54th President of Peru.
• Yuki Fukushima, Japanese badminton player.
• Lafcadio Hearn, writer, lived in Kumamoto for three years, from 1891.
• Higonoumi Naoya, sumo wrestler.
• Sayaka Hirota, Japanese badminton player.
• Inoue Kowashi, statesman.
• Sayuri Ishikawa, enka singer
• Yuta Iwasada, Japanese baseball player.
• Masahiko Kimura, judoka.
• Kobato Miku, lyricist, rhythm guitarist, singer and creator of the rock band BAND-MAID.
• Noriko Kubo, Japanese female fencer.
• Rie Kugimiya, voice actress.
• Yuri Masuda, vocalist from the group m.o.v.e.
• Musashi Miyamoto, famed swordsman, lived and died in Kumamoto, 1645.
• Yuna Mizumori, professional wrestler
• Chisato Moritaka, pop singer and lyricist.
• Munetaka Murakami, baseball player
• Eiichiro Oda, manga artist, author of One Piece.
• Akari Ogata, judoka.
• Yōko Shimada, actress.
• Go Shiozaki, Japanese professional wrestler, currently signed to the Pro Wrestling Noah promotion and Chairman of the Noah Wrestlers' Association.
• Shōdai Naoya, sumo wrestler.
• Soseki Natsume, writer, lived in Kumamoto, 1896-1900.
• Tochihikari Masayuki, sumo wrestler.
• Momoko Ueda, professional golfer.
• Tadako Urata, ophthalmologist
• Sean Michael Wilson, Scottish manga writer, living in Kumamoto since 2004, his books are often about the city.
• Kaji Yajima, educator, pacifist, president of the WCTU in Japan.
• Yokoi Shōnan, scholar and political reformer.
• Seiki Yoshioka, Japanese professional wrestler
• Isao Yukisada, film director.

References

References

1. "Kumamoto City". The Japan Times.
2. link. Japan Association of City Mayors
3. NHK Publishing. (24 May 2016)
4. Yoshitsugu Kanemoto. "Metropolitan Employment Area (MEA) Data". Center for Spatial Information Science, The [[University of Tokyo]].
5. [https://data.oecd.org/conversion/exchange-rates.htm Conversion rates - Exchange rates] - OECD Data
6. (2009). "Art of Miyamoto Musashi".
7. Wilson, ''The Lone Samurai'', pp. 104–105.
8. (2018). "Mimasaka. Musashi Miyamoto".
9. (1953). "The Pacific: Matterhorn to Nagasaki". The University of Chicago Press.
10. Kisala, Robert. (1999). "Prophets of Peace: Pacifism and Cultural Identity in Japan's New Religions". University of Hawaii Press.
11. Stone, Jacqueline I.. (2003). "Action Dharma: New Studies in Engaged Buddhism". Psychology Press.
12. "[http://www.kokudo.or.jp/marge/kumamoto.html 都道府県別市町村変更情報：福岡] {{webarchive. link. (2010-04-06 ." kokudo.or.jp. Retrieved on November 22, 2008. {{in lang). ja
13. (2016-04-15). "Japan earthquake: Powerful new tremor in Kumamoto". BBC News.
14. [https://www.citypopulation.de/en/japan/kumamoto/ Kumamoto population statistics]
15. link. Kumamoto City. (3 December 2014)
16. (24 November 2017). "Japanese politicians force colleague with baby to leave chamber".
17. "A Japanese politician took her baby to work. Male colleagues made a fuss. - The Washington Post". [[The Washington Post]].
18. Kisala, Robert. (1999). "Prophets of Peace: Pacifism and Cultural Identity in Japan's New Religions". University of Hawaii Press.
19. Stone, Jacqueline I.. (2003). "Action Dharma: New Studies in Engaged Buddhism". Psychology Press.
20. Kumamoto Castle Marathon website [http://kumamotojyo-marathon.jp/outline_en.php Information on 2013 Kumamoto Castle Marathon] {{webarchive. link. (2012-11-01)
21. "Twinning". City of Heidelberg.
22. [http://www.sanantonio.gov/iad/kumamoto.asp City of San Antonio International Relations Office. Retrieved 12 October 2011]
23. "Kumamoto Prefecture - the Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR)".
24. (April 16, 2016). "熊本出身の阪神岩貞７回０封、３戦連続２桁Ｋ実らず". [[Nikkan Sports]].
25. "Destination: Paradise".
26. "Go Shiozaki".