is a

city A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...

located in

Yamaguchi Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region of Honshu. Yamaguchi Prefecture has a population of 1,377,631 (1 February 2018) and has a geographic area of 6,112 km2 (2,359 sq mi). Yamaguchi Prefecture borders Shimane Prefecture t ...

, Japan. With a population of 265,684, it is the largest city in Yamaguchi Prefecture and the fifth-largest city in the

Chūgoku region The , also known as the region, is the westernmost region of Honshū, the largest island of Japan. It consists of the prefectures of Hiroshima, Okayama, Shimane, Tottori, and Yamaguchi. In 2010, it had a population of 7,563,428. History ''C ...

. It is located at the southwestern tip of

Honshu , historically called , is the largest and most populous island of Japan. It is located south of Hokkaidō across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyūshū across the Kanmon Straits. The island se ...

facing the Tsushima Strait at the entrance to the Kanmon Straits (also known as the Straits of Shimonoseki) across from the city of Kitakyushu and the island of Kyushu. It is nicknamed the " Fugu Capital" for the locally caught pufferfish, and is the largest harvester of the pufferfish in Japan.

History

The geographical position of Shimonoseki has given it historical importance. The Heike and Genji fought at Dan-no-ura near the present

Kanmon Bridge The (Asian Highway Network ) is a suspension bridge crossing the Kanmon Straits, a stretch of water separating two of Japan's four main islands. On the Honshū side of the bridge is Shimonoseki (, which contributed ''Kan'' to the name of the s ...

. 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. The

Bombardment of Shimonoseki The refers to a series of military engagements in 1863 and 1864, fought to control the Shimonoseki Straits of Japan by joint naval forces from Great Britain, France, the Netherlands and the United States, against the Japanese feudal domain of ...

occurred in 1864, and the Treaty of Shimonoseki was signed there in 1895, seeing a defeated China hand over

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...

, Penghu, and Port Arthur to the victorious Japanese. An Imperial decree in July 1899 established Shimonoseki as an open port for trading with the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

and the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

On February 13, 2005, Shimonoseki absorbed the towns of Hōhoku, Kikugawa,

Toyota is a Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Toyota City, Aichi, Japan. It was founded by Kiichiro Toyoda and incorporated on . Toyota is one of the largest automobile manufacturers in the world, producing about 10 ...

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 In urban planning, a core city, principal city metropolitan core, or central city, is the largest or most important city or cities of a metropolitan area. A core city is surrounded by smaller satellite cities, towns, and suburbs. A central city ...

by the Japanese Government.

Climate

Shimonoseki has a humid subtropical climate (

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...

''Cfa'') with hot summers and cool winters. Precipitation is significant throughout the year, but is heavier in summer.

Demographics

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

Transportation

Ferries from Shimonoseki Port International Terminal

*The Kanpu ferry to

Busan Busan (), officially known as is South Korea's most populous city after Seoul, with a population of over 3.4 million inhabitants. Formerly romanized as Pusan, it is the economic, cultural and educational center of southeastern South Korea, ...

, South Korea regularly. *The Gwangyang Beech to

Gwangyang Gwangyang () is a city in South Jeolla Province, South Korea. Gwangyang city is the home of POSCO's Gwangyang Steel Works, the largest facility of its kind in the world. The city is also home to K League Classic football side Jeonnam Dragons. G ...

, South Korea regularly. *The Orient ferry to

Shanghai Shanghai (; , , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ) is one of the four direct-administered municipalities of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The city is located on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the Huangpu River flowin ...

, China regularly. *The Orient ferry to Qingdao, China was suspended in November 2015.

Trains

*The main

Shinkansen The , colloquially known in English as the bullet train, is a network of high-speed railway lines in Japan. Initially, it was built to connect distant Japanese regions with Tokyo, the capital, to aid economic growth and development. Beyond l ...

station **

Sanyō Shinkansen , stylized as SANYO, is a Japanese electronics company and formerly a member of the ''Fortune'' Global 500 whose headquarters was located in Moriguchi, Osaka prefecture, Japan. Sanyo had over 230 subsidiaries and affiliates, and was founded by ...

*** Shin-Shimonoseki Station *The main

JR West , also referred to as , is one of the Japan Railways Group (JR Group) companies and operates in western Honshu. It has its headquarters in Kita-ku, Osaka. It is listed in the Tokyo Stock Exchange, is a constituent of the TOPIX Large70 index, an ...

stations ** San'yō Main Line *** Shimonoseki Station *** Hatabu Station - Hatabu Station is a railway station on the San'yō Main Line and the San'in Main Line. *** Shin-Shimonoseki Station - Shin-Shimonoseki Station is a railway station on the Sanyō Shinkansen Line and the San'yō Main Line. *** Chōfu Station *** Ozuki Station ** San'in Main Line *** Hatabu Station *** Ayaragi Station *** Kajikuri-Gōdaichi Station *** Yasuoka Station *** Fukue Station *** Yoshimi Station ***

Umegatō Station is a West Japan Railway Company, JR West train station, railway station located in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi, Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. Railway stations in Japan opened in 1914 Railway stations in Yamaguchi Prefecture Sanin Main ...

*** Kuroimura Station *** Kawatana-Onsen Station *** Kogushi Station *** Yutama Station *** Ukahongō Station *** Nagato-Futami Station *** Takibe Station *** Kottoi Station ***

Agawa Station is a West Japan Railway Company, JR West San'in Main Line train station, railway station located in the Hōhoku, Yamaguchi, Hōhoku area of the city of Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi, Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. It is operated by the West ...

*** Nagato-Awano Station

Buses

Regular bus services are provided by Sanden Kohtsu, as well as by group companies of Sanden Kohtsu. *Bus companies (A loop-line bus in the city.) ** Sanden Kohtsu Co., Ltd. ** Blue Line Kohtsu Co., Ltd. *Intercity bus services (arrival and departure in Shimonoseki city) go to the following destinations:

Tokyo Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and List of cities in Japan, largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, ...

Osaka is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the third most populous city in Japan, following Special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With a population of ...

, Kobe, Hiroshima,

Fukuoka is the sixth-largest city in Japan, the second-largest port city after Yokohama, and the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. The city is built along the shores of Hakata Bay, and has been a center of international commerce since anc ...

Fukuoka Airport , formerly known as Itazuke Air Base, is an international and domestic airport located east of Hakata Station in Hakata-ku, Fukuoka, Japan. Fukuoka Airport is the principal airport on the island of Kyushu and is the fourth busiest passenger ...

, etc.

Roads

Expressway

; Chūgoku Expressway *Shimonoseki interchange *Ozuki interchange

Bypasses

* Ozuki Bypass * Shimonoseki-Kita Bypass

National Highways

* National Route 2 * National Route 9 * National Route 191 * National Route 435 * National Route 491

Airports

Shimonoseki is served by four airports outside the city. * Kitakyūshū Airport * Saga Airport *

Yamaguchi Ube Airport is a domestic airport located southeast of Ube-Shinkawa Station, Ube, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. It is the westernmost airport on the island of Honshu, and is marketed as an alternative to the New Kitakyushu Airport for Yamaguchi prefectur ...

(only for domestic flights) *

Education

Universities and colleges

* (Yoshimi) * Shimonoseki City University (Daigaku-cho) * University of East Asia (Shin-Shimonoseki Station) * Baiko Gakuin University (Higashieki) ** Baiko Gakuin University Women's Junior College (Shimonoseki) * Shimonoseki Junior College (Sakurayama-cho)

Primary and secondary schools

The city has a North Korean school, . It formerly housed two other North Korean schools, Yamaguchi Korean High School and . As a city of a quarter million people, it has some public schools too.

Culture

Festivals

Shimonoseki is home to many festivals that are held throughout the year. Of these, the most famous are the Shimonoseki Kaikyo Festival and Shimonoseki Bakan Festival. *Shimonoseki Fugu (Blowfish) Festival (February) : Haedomari Market *Kawatana Onsen(hot spring) Festival (April) *Shimonoseki Kaikyo Festival (May) : Karato, Ganryujima Island *Suhouteisai Festival (August) : Castle town Chofu *Kanmon Kaikyo

Fireworks Fireworks are a class of low explosive pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. They are most commonly used in fireworks displays (also called a fireworks show or pyrotechnics), combining a large number of devices ...

Festival (August) : Karato(Aruka Port area) *Shimonoseki Bakan Festival (August) : Along the street from Karato-cho to Shimonoseki Station *TOUR de Shimonoseki (October/November) *Shimonoseki Kaikyo Marathon (November) *Shimonoseki Fish Festival (November) : Shimonoseki Fishing Port *Little

Fest (November) : Green Mall

Architecture

Kōzan-ji , officially , is a Buddhist temple of the Omuro sect of Shingon Buddhism in Umegahata Toganōchō, Ukyō Ward, Kyoto, Japan. Kōzan-ji is also known as Kōsan-ji and Toganō-dera. The temple was founded by the Shingon scholar and monk Myōe ( ...

- The butsuden completed in 1320 is a National Treasure of Japan. * Akama Shrine * Kaikyō Yume Tower

Museums

*Shimonoseki City Art Museum * Shimonoseki City Museum of History *Shimonoseki City Archaeological Museum *Shimonoseki Marine Science Museum (Shimonoseki City Aquarium) (''Kaikyo Kan'') *Doigahama Site Anthropological Museum *The firefly museum of toyota town *The of the Yamaguchi Bank

Monuments

*The in Shimonoseki commemorates the final stage of the Genpei war between the feudal

Taira clan The Taira was one of the four most important clans that dominated Japanese politics during the Heian, Kamakura and Muromachi Periods of Japanese history – the others being the Fujiwara, the Tachibana, and the Minamoto. The clan is divi ...

and

Minamoto clan was one of the surnames bestowed by the Emperors of Japan upon members of the imperial family who were excluded from the line of succession and demoted into the ranks of the nobility from 1192 to 1333. The practice was most prevalent during th ...

(1180–1185). There is a historical monument with cannons.

Sports

Professional Teams

* FC Baleine Shimonoseki ( Football)

Sporting venues

*Shimonoseki

Baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding t ...

Stadium *Shimonoseki Boat Race Stadium (Shimonoseki '' Kyōtei'') *Shimonoseki City

Gym A gymnasium, also known as a gym, is an indoor location for athletics. The word is derived from the ancient Greek term " gymnasium". They are commonly found in athletic and fitness centres, and as activity and learning spaces in educational i ...

nasium *Shimonoseki Track and field stadium *Shimonoseki city swimming pool *Nogihama General Park ( Football stadium)

Crime and safety

The Goda-ikka

yakuza , also known as , are members of transnational organized crime syndicates originating in Japan. The Japanese police and media, by request of the police, call them , while the ''yakuza'' call themselves . The English equivalent for the ter ...

syndicate is headquartered in Shimonoseki. A designated yakuza group, the Goda-ikka is the largest yakuza syndicate in Yamaguchi Prefecture.

Twin towns – sister cities

Shimonoseki is twinned with: * Santos, Brazil (1971) *

Istanbul ) , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = 34000 to 34990 , area_code = +90 212 (European side) +90 216 (Asian side) , registration_plate = 34 , blank_name_sec2 = GeoTLD , blank_i ...

, Turkey (1972) *

, South Korea (1976) * Qingdao, China (1979) * Pittsburg (California), United States (1998)

Notable people

Kinuyo Tanaka was a Japanese actress and film director. She had a career lasting over 50 years with more than 250 acting credits, but was best known for her 15 films with director Kenji Mizoguchi, such as ''The Life of Oharu'' (1952) and ''Ugetsu'' (1953). W ...

Yūsaku Matsuda was a Japanese actor. In Japan, he was best known for roles in action films and a variety of television series in the 1970s as well as a switch to a wider range of roles in the 1980s. His final film appearance was as the villain Sato in Ridley ...

* Atsushi Tamura (Comedian, actor and singer)

References

External links

Shimonoseki City official website

Shimonoseki City official website
in other languages * * *
City Tourism Promotion Film
Shimonoseki City Official Channel {{Authority control Cities in Yamaguchi Prefecture Port settlements in Japan Populated coastal places in Japan