Munakata, Fukuoka
Munakata
宗像市 | |
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 Munakata City Hall | |
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Camphor laurel |
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Munakata (宗像市, Munakata-shi) is a city in Japan, located in Fukuoka Prefecture. As of 31 March 2024[update], the city had an estimated population of 96,786 in 44884 households, and a population density of 810 persons per km².[1] The total area of the city is 119.94 km2 (46.31 sq mi).
Geography
Munakata is located in northern Fukuoka Prefecture, approximately halfway between Fukuoka City and Kitakyushu City. It faces the Gulf of Hibiki and the Genkai Sea, and also includes inhabited islands of Oshima and Jijima, and the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Okinoshima offshore.
Mountains
- Mt. Joyama (Mt. Tsurugatake)
- Mt. Konomiyama
- Mt. Hakuzan
- Mt. Kodaishiyama
- Mt. Yugawayama
- Mt. Kanayama
- Mt. Shintateyama
Rivers
- Tsuri river
Neighboring municipalities
Fukuoka Prefecture
Climate
Munakata has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen: Cfa). The average annual temperature in Munakata is 15.9 °C (60.6 °F). The average annual rainfall is 1,665.2 mm (65.56 in) with July as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 27.0 °C (80.6 °F), and lowest in January, at around 5.8 °C (42.4 °F).[2] The highest temperature ever recorded in Munakata was 37.2 °C (99.0 °F) on 21 August 2010; the coldest temperature ever recorded was −9.2 °C (15.4 °F) on 19 February 1977.[3]
| Climate data for Munakata (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1977−present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 20.4 (68.7) |
23.5 (74.3) |
25.2 (77.4) |
30.4 (86.7) |
31.6 (88.9) |
33.7 (92.7) |
35.8 (96.4) |
37.2 (99.0) |
35.6 (96.1) |
32.4 (90.3) |
26.8 (80.2) |
24.8 (76.6) |
37.2 (99.0) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 9.7 (49.5) |
10.7 (51.3) |
13.9 (57.0) |
18.8 (65.8) |
23.5 (74.3) |
26.4 (79.5) |
29.8 (85.6) |
31.0 (87.8) |
27.4 (81.3) |
22.7 (72.9) |
17.5 (63.5) |
12.1 (53.8) |
20.3 (68.5) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 5.8 (42.4) |
6.5 (43.7) |
9.4 (48.9) |
13.8 (56.8) |
18.4 (65.1) |
22.2 (72.0) |
26.2 (79.2) |
27.0 (80.6) |
23.3 (73.9) |
18.0 (64.4) |
12.7 (54.9) |
7.8 (46.0) |
15.9 (60.7) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 1.7 (35.1) |
1.9 (35.4) |
4.4 (39.9) |
8.6 (47.5) |
13.4 (56.1) |
18.6 (65.5) |
23.1 (73.6) |
23.8 (74.8) |
19.7 (67.5) |
13.4 (56.1) |
7.9 (46.2) |
3.3 (37.9) |
11.7 (53.0) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −5.7 (21.7) |
−9.2 (15.4) |
−5.1 (22.8) |
−1.9 (28.6) |
2.8 (37.0) |
5.9 (42.6) |
14.4 (57.9) |
16.3 (61.3) |
6.7 (44.1) |
1.1 (34.0) |
−1.9 (28.6) |
−4.7 (23.5) |
−9.2 (15.4) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 85.7 (3.37) |
76.3 (3.00) |
119.1 (4.69) |
134.4 (5.29) |
137.0 (5.39) |
230.2 (9.06) |
302.4 (11.91) |
177.1 (6.97) |
150.7 (5.93) |
84.9 (3.34) |
91.2 (3.59) |
76.2 (3.00) |
1,665.2 (65.56) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 10.5 | 9.9 | 10.9 | 10.3 | 8.9 | 11.9 | 11.1 | 9.3 | 9.9 | 7.4 | 8.9 | 9.2 | 118.2 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 100.1 | 118.2 | 159.3 | 185.4 | 200.6 | 139.9 | 178.8 | 209.0 | 164.8 | 173.1 | 134.4 | 106.5 | 1,870.1 |
| Source: Japan Meteorological Agency[2][3] | |||||||||||||
Demographics
Per Japanese census data, the population of Munakata in 2020 is 97,095 people.[4] Munakata has been conducting censuses since 1950.
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 34,217 | — |
| 1955 | 34,942 | +2.1% |
| 1960 | 33,537 | −4.0% |
| 1965 | 34,029 | +1.5% |
| 1970 | 40,309 | +18.5% |
| 1975 | 56,194 | +39.4% |
| 1980 | 66,985 | +19.2% |
| 1985 | 71,389 | +6.6% |
| 1990 | 78,197 | +9.5% |
| 1995 | 86,938 | +11.2% |
| 2000 | 92,056 | +5.9% |
| 2005 | 94,148 | +2.3% |
| 2010 | 95,481 | +1.4% |
| 2015 | 96,516 | +1.1% |
| 2020 | 97,095 | +0.6% |
| Munakata population statistics[4] | ||
History
The origin of the name Munakata is said to be from "Minokatachi" or "Minokata" from the enshrinement of three Munakata goddesses, descended from sword of
After the
In the earthquake on March 20, 2005, damage was done in various parts of the city. The quake registered just under five on the Japan Meteorological Agency seismic intensity scale.
Government
Munakata has a
Economy
Agriculture, commercial fishing and commerce are the mainstays of the local economy. Munakata belongs to both the Fukuoka metropolitan area and the Kitakyushu metropolitan area, and the commuter percentage is within 10% of both metropolitan areas. It continues to develop as a commuter town, and the population is increasing because it is located halfway between the two cities and has good transportation links. The city is rich in tourist resources, and is also home to Munakata Taisha, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is said to be the guardian deity of maritime and traffic safety.
Education
Colleges and Universities
- University of Teacher Education Fukuoka
- The Japanese Red Cross Kyushu International College of Nursing
- Tokai University Fukuoka Junior College
Primary and secondary education
Munakata has 14 public elementary schools and six public junior high schools operated by the city government and one public combined middle/high schools operated by the Fukuoka Prefectural Board of Education. There is also one private high school.
Transportation
Railways
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JR Kyushu - Kagoshima Main Line
- JA
Highways
Twin towns – sister cities
Gimhae city(South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea)(1992, sister city concluded. At the time of conclusion, former Munakata City.)- Seongsan-eup, Seogwipo city(Jeju Province, South Korea)(1991, Friendship and Exchange City concluded. At the time of conclusion, former Genkai Town. At the time of conclusion, it was seongsan-eup, Namjeju County)
Kazanlak(Stara Zagora Province, Bulgaria)(2010, Friendship and Exchange City concluded.)
Local attractions
- Akama, historical district and city center of Munakata. It contains rows of old houses belonging, along two now-ruined castles: Hakusan Castle and Tsutagadake Castle.
- Taguma Ishihatake Site, National Historic Site
- Sakurakyō Kofun, National Historic Site
- Munakata Taisha
Sports facilities
- Global Arena, which has hosted the Sanix World Rugby Youth Invitational Tournament since 2000
- Genkai Ground, which hosts the Munakata Sanix Blues rugby team
Notable people from Munakata
- Toru Abe, actor
- Sazō Idemitsu, entrepreneur
- Takuji Nakamura, painter
- Eri Nobuchika, singer-songwriter
References
- ^ "Munakata City official statistics" (in Japanese). Japan.
- ^ a b 気象庁 / 平年値（年・月ごとの値）. JMA. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
- ^ a b 観測史上1～10位の値（年間を通じての値）. JMA. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
- ^ a b Munakata population statistics
External links
- Munakata City official website (in Japanese)
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