Kurume 久留米市 | |
|---|---|
 From the upper left: Nishitetsu Kurume Station, city hall, Suitengu shrine, Kora-taisha shrine, Narita-san temple Ishibashi bunka center, JR Kurume Station | |
 Flag  Emblem | |
 Location of Kurume in Fukuoka Prefecture | |
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  Kurume Location in Japan | |
| Coordinates:33°19′09″N130°30′30″E / 33.31917°N 130.50833°E /33.31917; 130.50833 | |
| Country | Japan |
| Region | Kyushu |
| Prefecture | Fukuoka |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Shingo Haraguchi |
| Area | |
• Total | 229.96 km2 (88.79 sq mi) |
| Population (February 1, 2024) | |
• Total | 295,367 |
| • Density | 1,284.4/km2 (3,326.7/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+09:00 (JST) |
| City hall address | 15-3 Jonan, Kurume-shi, Fukuoka-ken 830-8520 |
| Climate | Cfa |
| Website | Official website |
| Symbols | |
| Flower | Azalea,Cosmos |
| Tree | Cinnamomum camphora,Zelkova serrata,Rhus succedanea,Camellia, Round Leaf Holly |
Kurume (久留米市,Kurume-shi) is acity inFukuoka Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 February 2024[update], the city had an estimatedpopulation of 295,367 in 137,140 households, and apopulation density of 1309 people per km².[1] The total area of the city is 229.96 km2 (88.79 sq mi).
Kurume is located in the Chikugo Plain in southern Fukuoka Prefecture. The urban center is located approximately 40 kilometers from the prefectural capital at Fukuoka City, but due to the incorporation of surrounding municipalities in 2005, the city area has become approximately 32 kilometers east-west and approximately 16 kilometers north-south, making it a municipality with a long east-west direction. TheChikugo River flows from the northeast to the southwest of the city. The boundary is drawn almost along the river, and there are only a few parts of the city where the Chikugo River runs through the city. From the southern part of the city to the southeastern part is a mountain range called the Minou Mountain Range, which includes mountains such as Mt. Takatori, Mt. Hatsushin, and Mt. Mino.
Fukuoka Prefecture
Saga Prefecture
Kurume has ahumid subtropical climate (Köppen:Cfa). The average annual temperature in Kurume is 16.8 °C (62.2 °F). The average annual rainfall is 1,938.4 mm (76.31 in) with July as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 28.2 °C (82.8 °F), and lowest in January, at around 5.6 °C (42.1 °F).[2] The highest temperature ever recorded in Kurume was 39.5 °C (103.1 °F) on 13 August 2018; the coldest temperature ever recorded was −6.5 °C (20.3 °F) on 25 January 2016.[3]
| Climate data for Kurume (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1977−present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 20.0 (68.0) | 23.0 (73.4) | 25.1 (77.2) | 30.7 (87.3) | 35.8 (96.4) | 37.5 (99.5) | 38.5 (101.3) | 39.5 (103.1) | 37.9 (100.2) | 33.7 (92.7) | 27.1 (80.8) | 23.9 (75.0) | 39.5 (103.1) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 10.1 (50.2) | 11.8 (53.2) | 15.4 (59.7) | 21.0 (69.8) | 25.9 (78.6) | 28.2 (82.8) | 31.8 (89.2) | 33.1 (91.6) | 29.3 (84.7) | 24.2 (75.6) | 18.1 (64.6) | 12.3 (54.1) | 21.8 (71.2) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 5.6 (42.1) | 6.9 (44.4) | 10.2 (50.4) | 15.2 (59.4) | 20.0 (68.0) | 23.5 (74.3) | 27.3 (81.1) | 28.2 (82.8) | 24.5 (76.1) | 19.1 (66.4) | 13.2 (55.8) | 7.7 (45.9) | 16.8 (62.2) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 1.7 (35.1) | 2.5 (36.5) | 5.5 (41.9) | 10.1 (50.2) | 15.1 (59.2) | 19.8 (67.6) | 24.0 (75.2) | 24.6 (76.3) | 20.9 (69.6) | 14.8 (58.6) | 8.9 (48.0) | 3.6 (38.5) | 12.6 (54.7) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −6.5 (20.3) | −6.1 (21.0) | −4.9 (23.2) | −0.3 (31.5) | 5.9 (42.6) | 10.8 (51.4) | 16.8 (62.2) | 17.9 (64.2) | 9.9 (49.8) | 3.7 (38.7) | −0.8 (30.6) | −3.9 (25.0) | −6.5 (20.3) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 56.0 (2.20) | 80.2 (3.16) | 122.5 (4.82) | 156.0 (6.14) | 177.7 (7.00) | 339.2 (13.35) | 376.3 (14.81) | 227.7 (8.96) | 165.4 (6.51) | 89.1 (3.51) | 89.3 (3.52) | 59.0 (2.32) | 1,938.4 (76.31) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 1.0 mm) | 8.3 | 9.0 | 10.6 | 9.9 | 9.4 | 13.2 | 12.6 | 10.7 | 9.0 | 6.2 | 8.3 | 7.8 | 115 |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 125.6 | 138.6 | 170.0 | 186.6 | 191.9 | 125.3 | 173.6 | 204.6 | 178.4 | 185.2 | 147.9 | 131.3 | 1,963.9 |
| Source:Japan Meteorological Agency[2][3] | |||||||||||||
Per Japanese census data, the population of Kurume in 2020 is 303,316 people.[4] Kurume has been conducting censuses since 1960.
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 248,997 | — |
| 1965 | 248,963 | −0.0% |
| 1970 | 255,203 | +2.5% |
| 1975 | 265,132 | +3.9% |
| 1980 | 280,291 | +5.7% |
| 1985 | 288,574 | +3.0% |
| 1990 | 294,665 | +2.1% |
| 1995 | 302,741 | +2.7% |
| 2000 | 304,884 | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 306,434 | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 302,323 | −1.3% |
| 2015 | 304,552 | +0.7% |
| 2020 | 303,316 | −0.4% |
| Kurume population statistics[4] | ||
The area of Kurume was part of ancientChikugo Province, and the location of its ancientprovincial capital and the site of itskokubun-ji andichinomiya. During theEdo Period the area was under the control ofKurume Domain, ruled for most of its history by theArima clan, who developed thejōkamachi aroundKurume Castle into a commercial center due to the clan's policy to promote industries.Bairin-ji, the clan’s family temple was also founded in the relative vicinity of the castle. After theMeiji restoration, the city of Kurume was established on May 1, 1889, with the creation of the modern municipalities system.
During the First World War from 1915 to 1919, over 1,000 German and about 50 Austro-Hungarian soldiers (Prisoners of War) after surrendering at Tsingtao, were allocated to an internment camp in Kurume, which was the largest such camp in Japan. It is a widely accepted historical fact that these prisoners were treated fairly and according to international conventions, as “fellow soldiers”.[citation needed] It is well documented that in Camp Kurume it was allowed to organize various sport activities, musical concerts and theatre performances.[citation needed] The pictures of such activities show POWs in good physical shape and often in good spirits.
The cultural and other exchanges between the Western and Japanese soldiers, as well as local people made a long lasting impact on both the cultural and industrial development of the city. The prisoners’ work and skills contributed to the development of the local rubber industry which served as a basis for the now world-famous tyre manufacturer Bridgestone.[5]
Kurume was a garrison town for theImperial Japanese Army and from 1922, a center for the rubber and chemical industries. During World War II, on August 11, 1945, and just a few days after the atomic attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Kurume air raid (consisting of 53 B-24 bombers operating from US airfields in Okinawa and using M76 incendiary bombs) left 212 people dead and much of the urban center destroyed.[6]
The city area continued to expand throughout the post-war period by annexing surrounding villages and towns. On April 1, 2001, Kurume was designated as aspecial city and on April 1, 2008, it became acore city. On February 5, 2005, the town ofKitano (fromMii District), the towns ofJōjima andMizuma (both fromMizuma District), and the town ofTanushimaru (fromUkiha District) were merged into Kurume.[citation needed]
Kurume has amayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and aunicameral city council of 36 members. Kurume, together with the city of Ukiha contributes five members to the Fukuoka Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of theFukuoka 6th district of thelower house of theDiet of Japan.
Kurume is a regional commercial center. In terms of industry, the city is the birthplace ofBridgestone and is an important production base as the group's original plant remains located here. There are also many factories of various manufacturers of rubber processed products. In recent years, the light vehicle engine factory of Daihatsu Kyushu, a subsidiary of Daihatsu Motor Corporation, and the press parts manufacturing factory of Topre Kyushu, a subsidiary of Topre, have expanded into the area, playing a role in the consolidation of the automobile industry in northern Kyushu.
Traditional products of Kurume arekasuri(絣), or woven indigo-dyed cloth;tonkotsuramen (pork-bone broth noodles); and trays and bowls made fromrantai shikki (籃胎漆器), a composite made fromlacquered bamboo.
Kurume has 45 public elementary schools and 17 public junior high schools and two high school operated by the city government and six public high schools operated by the Fukuoka Prefectural Board of Education. There is also one private combined elementary/junior high school and four private high schools. The city operates one and the prefecture operates two schools for the handicapped.
JR Kyushu -Kagoshima Main Line
Kyushu Expressway
National Route 3
National Route 209
National Route 210
National Route 264
National Route 322
National Route 385Kurume is twinned with the following cities.
Kōriyama, Fukushima, Japan[7]
Modesto, California, United States[8]
Hefei,Anhui, China[9]In chronological order of birth year:
(in Japanese)| Fukuoka |
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