Hakata-ku, Fukuoka

Hakata-ku is in darker green

Hakata ningyō

Hakata-ku (博多区) is one of the seven wards of Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. It is best known as the location of Fukuoka's main train station, Hakata Station.

Geography

Hakata-ku is a ward of Fukuoka City located on its eastern edge. It is 31.47 km² with a population of 206,629 (current January 1, 2009). Most of the ward is plains where the Mikasa River (御笠川, Mikasagawa) flows. The northwestern end of the ward faces Hakata Bay, which includes the ferry terminal Hakata Harbor (博多港, Hakata kō). The northeast end of the ward is slightly elevated, and is named Higashihirao (東平尾), with nearby Fukuoka Airport. Around Hakata Station is downtown; Nakasu (中洲) is the red-light district in the ward along the Naka River (那珂川, Nakagawa). Hakata-ku also houses the Fukuoka Prefectural office.

History

Formerly, Hakata was an independent city. Hakata, which was closer to the sea, housed the city's merchants. From Heian period to Azuchi-Momoyama period, Hakata's merchants traded with Chinese, Korean, and other overseas merchants. Taira no Kiyomori is said to have built the artificial harbor Sode-no-minato (袖の湊) to gain an increase in commerce. But Hakata city was burnt down by many wars, and Mongol invasions.

In primary Edo period, Kuroda Nagamasa, appointed the lord of Chikuzen Province, and his samurai vassals dwelt on the opposite shore of Hakata on Naka River in Fukusaki. Kuroda Nagamasa, changed the name of the area to Fukuoka in memory of his home town; Okayama. He ordered Tachibana castle dismantled and Fukuoka Castle to be built using the old stones in the new castle town Fukuoka. During the Meiji period, in 1889, Hakata and Fukuoka cities merged. The Fukuoka Prefectural government decided to name the combined city Fukuoka, though the population of Hakata was 25,677 and Fukuoka was 20,410. At that time, the name 'Hakata' vanished from the administration. At the same time a new train station was built, and it was named Hakata Station. In 1972, when Fukuoka City was granted designation status by government ordinance, a ward including the Old Hakata Area was given the name of Hakata-ku.

Economy

Many Japanese companies have established branch offices in Fukuoka City, particularly in Hakata-ku cause of its easy access to Hakata Station and Fukuoka Airport. Therefore, people on business trips often visit and stay in Hakata-ku.^{[citation needed]} The headquarters of JR Kyūshū, Best Denki,^{[citation needed]} and many other companies are in the ward.

Air Next, a subsidiary of All Nippon Airways, is headquartered on the grounds of Fukuoka Airport in Hakata-ku. Prior to its dissolution, Harlequin Air was headquartered on the grounds of the airport in Hakata-ku.

Culture

Hakata Dontaku.

Hakata Gion Yamakasa.

Hakata was the traditional center for the manufacture of Hakata ningyō, which are traditional Japanese dolls that are famous throughout Japan. Today, almost all Hakata ningyō makers (Hakata ningyō shi) have their factories out of the Old Hakata Area, a part of modern Hakata-ku.

Hakata ori is a textile used for obis of kimonos. Recently Hakata ori textile is used for bags and dresses as HAKATA JAPAN brand.

It is also the home of Mentai Rock, named after the popular mentaiko dish served in the region, that spawned numerous J-pop idols during the early 1980s. Neo Mentai Rock is the name given to a recent renewal in activity from local musicians.

Hakata-ben is the local Japanese dialect spoken in Old Hakata Area.

Famous foods

• Mentaiko
• Tonkotsu (pork bone) Ramen, also called simply Hakata Ramen
• Motsunabe
• Mizutaki - Nabemono of chicken
• Hakata Tourimon - a type of cake
• Hakata no Hito - a type of cake

Festivals

• Hakata Dontaku Minato Matsuri - on May 3 and 4
• Hakata Gion Yamakasa - from July 1 to 15

Transportation

Rail

• JR West
  • Sanyō Shinkansen
    • Hakata Station
• JR Kyūshū
  • Kyūshū Shinkansen
    • Hakata Station
  • Kagoshima Main Line
    • Yoshizuka Station - Hakata Station - Takeshita Station - Minami-Fukuoka Station
  • Sasaguri Line
    • Yoshizuka Station
• Nishi-Nippon Railroad
  • Tenjin Ōmuta Line
    • Zasshonokuma Station
• Fukuoka City Subway
  • Kūkō Line
    • Nakasu-Kawabata Station - Gion Station - Hakata Station - Higashi-Hie Station - Fukuokakūkō Station(Fukuoka Airport)
  • Hakozaki Line
    • Nakasu-Kawabata Station - Gofukumachi Station - Chiyo-Kenchōguchi Station

Bus

• Hakata bus terminus (see Nishitetsu)

Airport

• Fukuoka Airport

Harbor

• Bayside place Hakata Futoh (Hakata Pier)
• Chūō Wharf (Central Wharf) - international ferry Beetle and Kobee and New Camellia

Facilities

Commerce

• Canal City Hakata
  • Grand Hyatt Fukuoka
• Hakata Riverain
  • Hakata-za
  • Hotel Ōkura Fukuoka

Culture

• Level-5 stadium (Hakata no mori Stadium)
• Fukuoka Convention Center - Marine Messe Fukuoka, Fukuoka International Congress Center, Fukuoka Kokusai Center
• Hakata Civic Center, Hakata Library
• Hakata South Library
• Nakasu
• Rakusui-en

Religion

• Shinto
  • Kushida Shrine
  • Sumiyoshi Shrine
  • Tōka Ebisu Shrine
• Buddhism
  • Shōfuku Temple
  • Tōchō Temple
  • Jōten Temple
  • Sōfuku Temple
• Christianity
  • Fukuoka Korean Christian Church, Chiyo
  • Hakata New Life Church,
  • Hikarigaoka (Hill of light) Catholic Church [1]
  • Japan Evangelical Lutheran church, Sasaki machi
  • Japan Baptist Church, Aoki

External links

Media related to Hakata-ku, Fukuoka at Wikimedia Commons