Shimonoseki

Shimonoseki (Japanese: 下関市, Hepburn: Shimonoseki-shi) is a city located in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. As of 30 June 2023^[update], the city had an estimated population of 248,193 in 128,762 households and a population density of 350 persons per km².^[1] The total area of the city is 716.18 square kilometres (276.52 sq mi). It is the largest city in Yamaguchi Prefecture and the fifth-largest city in the Chūgoku region in terms of population. It is nicknamed the "Fugu Capital" for the locally caught pufferfish, and is the largest harvester of the pufferfish in Japan.^{[citation needed]}

Quick Facts 下関市, Country ...

Shimonoseki 下関市
Core city
Central Shimonoseki and Kanmon Strait
Flag Emblem
Location of Shimonoseki in Yamaguchi Prefecture
Shimonoseki Location in Japan Show map of Yamaguchi Prefecture Shimonoseki Shimonoseki (Japan) Show map of Japan
Coordinates: 33°57′28″N 130°56′29″E
Country	Japan
Region	Chūgoku (San'yō)
Prefecture	Yamaguchi
As Akamagaseki	April 1, 1889
As Shimonoseki	June 1, 1902
Government
• Mayor	Shintaro Maeda (since 2017)
Area
• Total	716.18 km2 (276.52 sq mi)
Population  (June 30, 2023)
• Total	248,193
• Density	350/km2 (900/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+09:00 (JST)
City hall address	1-1 Nanbu, Shimonoseki-shi, Yamaguchi-ken 750-8521
Climate	Cfa
Website	Official website
Symbols
Bird	Penguin
Fish	Fugu
Flower	Rhododendron
Insect	Firefly
Tree	Sakura

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Shimonoseki is part of ancient Nagato Province. It has prospered since ancient times as the gateway to Honshu island from the Asian continent, including Kyushu, China, and the Korean peninsula. According to the Nihon Shoki, the semi-legendary Emperor Chuai constructed a palace at the location of what is now the Shimonoseki city hall during the Kofun period. The name of "Shimonoseki" appears in Heian period documents from 869 AD as the location of a checkpoint controlling maritime access to the Seto Inland Sea; however, by the Kamakura period, the name of "Akamanoseki" was in more common use. During the Genpei War, the Heike and Genji fought at the Battle of Dan-no-ura near the present Kanmon Bridge. During the Muromachi period, the powerful Ōuchi clan was shugo of both Nagato and Buzen Province in Kyushu and thus controlled trade and diplomatic missions from Ming China and Joseon Korea. In the Edo period, the area was part of Chōfu Domain controlled by the Mōri clan. In February 1691, German explorer Engelbert Kaempfer visited the town as part of his two-year stay in Japan, and described it as having around 400 to 500 houses, and as a major port in the region for supplying ship provisions.^[2] During the Bakumatsu period, the Bombardment of Shimonoseki occurred in 1864, and in the early Meiji period, the Treaty of Shimonoseki was signed in 1895, seeing a defeated China hand over Taiwan, Penghu, and Port Arthur to the victorious Japanese at the end of the First Sino-Japanese War. An Imperial decree in July 1899 established Shimonoseki as an open port for trading with the United States and the United Kingdom.^[3]

Akamagaseki city was established on April 1, 1889 with the creation of the modern municipalities system. The city was renamed Shimonoseki on June 1, 1902.

On February 13, 2005, Shimonoseki absorbed the towns of Hōhoku, Kikugawa, Toyota and Toyoura (all from Toyoura District) to create the new and expanded city of Shimonseki. Since October 1, 2005, the city has been designated as a core city by the Japanese government with increased local autonomy.^{[citation needed]}

Shimonoseki is located at the westernmost point of Yamaguchi Prefecture and the westernmost point of Honshu. It borders the Sea of Japan to the west and the Seto Inland Sea to the south across the Kanmon Straits. It is long in the north-south direction and has a fan shape that opens to the Seto Inland Sea. The Asa River flows from the north to the central area, and the Ariho River flows from the northeast to the east, flowing southward into the Seto Inland Sea. The city hall is located on the west bank of the Ariho River mouth.

Shimonoseki has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) with hot summers and cool winters. Precipitation is significant throughout the year, but is heavier in summer.

Per Japanese census data, the population of Shimonoseki in 2020 is 255,051 people.^[8] Shimonoseki has been conducting censuses since 1920.

Shimonoseki has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 34 members. Shimonoseki contributes ten members to the Yamaguchi Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of the Yamaguchi 4th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Having prospered as a port city, Shimonoseki has long had a thriving industry related to shipping, trade, and finance. It is still the center of the prefecture in terms of economy.

Shimonoseki is twinned with:^[12]

The Goda-ikka yakuza syndicate is headquartered in Shimonoseki. A designated yakuza group, the Goda-ikka is the largest yakuza syndicate in Yamaguchi Prefecture.^[13]

• Arata Izumi (Indian footballer)
• Yūsaku Matsuda
• Toshihiro Nagoshi (video game director, game designer and producer)
• Atsushi Tamura (Comedian, actor and singer)
• Kinuyo Tanaka, actress