Fukui, Fukui
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- This article is about the city of Fukui. For the prefecture, see: Fukui Prefecture
Fukui (福井市; -shi) is a city located in the Hokuriku region within the Chubu region of Japan, which is on Honshu island. It is the largest city and capital of Fukui Prefecture. Fukui is proud of its sister city relationships with Fullerton, California, and New Brunswick, New Jersey, in the United States.
The city is located to the north of Lake Biwa, on the coast of the Sea of Japan.
The people to the north of Tsuruga (reihoku), a city found in the center of the prefecture, speak a provincial dialect called Fukui-ben. However, residents to the south of Tsuruga (reinan) in towns such as Mihama, Obama, and Takahama speak Kansai-ben. This dividing line in the prefecture has cultural and political connotations as well; those in the south feel a kinship with Kansai culture, whereas those to the north feel a cultural and political affinitity with the Hokuriku region.
As of 2003, the city has an estimated population of 252,285 and the density of 740.71 persons per km². The total area is 340.60 km², although most of the population lives in a small central area; by area the city is mostly agricultural plains and mountainous areas.
The city was founded on April 1, 1889.
Fukui shi was devastated by Allied bombing in 1945, and again by a major earthquake in 1948. The city has regained its energy and vitality. Hence, the city's official symbol—the phoenix. The JR (Japan Railways) Hokuriku shinkansen (bullet train) line from Kyoto through Fukui, Kanazawa, Toyama, and Nagano to Tokyo is far along in construction and will be completed in the next few years.
Fukui has one of the largest concentrations of nuclear power plants (15) in Japan. In December 1995, a plant in Tsuruga was shut down due to a sodium leak. Another accident occurred in Mihama in August of 2004. The legal outcomes of these cases are ongoing as of 2005. Governors of Fukui have argued that the large number of nuclear power plants should be rewarded with central government-funded projects such as the construction of a shinkansen line through the prefecture.
Obama in Wakasa (southern region of Fukui) is notable historically for its large number of 7th and 8th century Shingon temples. It also is the counterpart of the Omizutori festival in Nara. The rite of Omizuokuri (water-sending), is held at Jinguji Temple in Obama City on March 2 to "deliver" the clear water from the nearby Unose (Cormorant Rapids) of the Onyu River to Nara and present it to Nigatsudo's principal image. Omizutori (water-drawing), a spring event of Nigatsudo Hall at Todaiji Temple, Nara City, is held in early February of the lunar calendar to pray for protection against evil and for happiness, abundant harvests and peace in the new year. Recently, Obama has often been in the news due to being the site of the abduction of Yasushi and Fumie Chimura to North Korea and their return to Japan in 2003.
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Template:Fukui Template:Fukui-geo-stubcs:Fukui de:Fukui eo:Fukui (urbo) fr:Fukui ko:후쿠이 시 ja:福井市 pl:Fukui pt:Fukui (cidade) zh:福井市