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Kumamoto, Kumamoto
 
 
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is the capital city
Cities of Japan

|||}A is a local administrative unit in Japan. Cities are ranked on the same level as and , with the difference that they are not a component of ....
 of Kumamoto Prefecture
Kumamoto Prefecture

is a Prefectures of Japan of Japan located on Kyushu Island. The capital is the city of Kumamoto, Kumamoto....
 on the island
Island

An island or isle is any piece of land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls are called islets....
 of Kyushu
Kyushu

or Kyushu is the third-largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its Japanese Archipelago. Its alternate ancient names include Kyukoku , Chinzei , and Tsukushi-no-shima ....
, Japan
Japan

Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south....
. Greater Kumamoto (:ja:?????) has a population of 1,460,000, as of the 2000 Census. It is never considered part of the Fukuoka-Kitakyushu
Fukuoka-Kitakyushu

is one name given to the area of land that is centered on the cities of Fukuoka, Fukuoka and Kitakyushu in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. Usually these cities are referred to separately,but since they are close, their economic areas sometimes overlap....
 metropolitan area despite both bordering each other.

lass="link1" onMouseover='showByLink("m7758383",this)' onMouseout='hide("m7758383")'href="http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Kato_Kiyomasa">Kato Kiyomasa
Kato Kiyomasa

was a Japanese daimyo of the Sengoku period and Edo period.Origins and early careerKiyomasa was born in Owari Province to Kato Kiyotada....
, a contemporary of Toyotomi Hideyoshi
Toyotomi Hideyoshi

was a Sengoku period daimyo who unified Japan. He succeeded his former liege lord, Oda Nobunaga, and brought an end to the Sengoku period. The period of his rule is often called the Momoyama period, after Hideyoshi's castle....
, was made daimyo
Daimyo

The were powerful territorial lords who ruled most of Japan from their vast, hereditary land holdings. The term derives from a shortening of the title , which literally means "great named land" and originally simply referred to the owner of a large estate....
 of half of the (old) administrative region of Higo in 1588. After that, Kiyomasa built Kumamoto Castle
Kumamoto Castle

Kumamoto Castle is a castle in Kumamoto, Kumamoto, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan that has been opened to the public for tours. A large, and in its day, an extremely well fortified Japanese castle....
. Due to its many innovative defensive designs, Kumamoto Castle was considered impregnable, and Kiyomasa enjoyed a reputation as one of the finest castle-builders in Japanese history.






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is the capital city
Cities of Japan

|||}A is a local administrative unit in Japan. Cities are ranked on the same level as and , with the difference that they are not a component of ....
 of Kumamoto Prefecture
Kumamoto Prefecture

is a Prefectures of Japan of Japan located on Kyushu Island. The capital is the city of Kumamoto, Kumamoto....
 on the island
Island

An island or isle is any piece of land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls are called islets....
 of Kyushu
Kyushu

or Kyushu is the third-largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its Japanese Archipelago. Its alternate ancient names include Kyukoku , Chinzei , and Tsukushi-no-shima ....
, Japan
Japan

Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south....
. Greater Kumamoto (:ja:?????) has a population of 1,460,000, as of the 2000 Census. It is never considered part of the Fukuoka-Kitakyushu
Fukuoka-Kitakyushu

is one name given to the area of land that is centered on the cities of Fukuoka, Fukuoka and Kitakyushu in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. Usually these cities are referred to separately,but since they are close, their economic areas sometimes overlap....
 metropolitan area despite both bordering each other.

History

Kato Kiyomasa
Kato Kiyomasa

was a Japanese daimyo of the Sengoku period and Edo period.Origins and early careerKiyomasa was born in Owari Province to Kato Kiyotada....
, a contemporary of Toyotomi Hideyoshi
Toyotomi Hideyoshi

was a Sengoku period daimyo who unified Japan. He succeeded his former liege lord, Oda Nobunaga, and brought an end to the Sengoku period. The period of his rule is often called the Momoyama period, after Hideyoshi's castle....
, was made daimyo
Daimyo

The were powerful territorial lords who ruled most of Japan from their vast, hereditary land holdings. The term derives from a shortening of the title , which literally means "great named land" and originally simply referred to the owner of a large estate....
 of half of the (old) administrative region of Higo in 1588. After that, Kiyomasa built Kumamoto Castle
Kumamoto Castle

Kumamoto Castle is a castle in Kumamoto, Kumamoto, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan that has been opened to the public for tours. A large, and in its day, an extremely well fortified Japanese castle....
. Due to its many innovative defensive designs, Kumamoto Castle was considered impregnable, and Kiyomasa enjoyed a reputation as one of the finest castle-builders in Japanese history. After Kiyomasa died in 1611, his son, Tadahiro, succeeded him, but Tadahiro was removed by Tokugawa Ieyasu
Tokugawa Ieyasu

Japanese name|Tokugawa}} was the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara  in 1600 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868....
 in 1633, replacing him with the Hosokawa clan
Hosokawa clan

The was a Japanese clan, descended from Emperor Seiwa and a branch of the Minamoto clan, by the Ashikaga clan. It produced many prominent officials in the Ashikaga shogunate's administration....
. Former Prime Minister of Japan
Prime Minister of Japan

The is the usual English-language term used for the head of government of Japan, although the literal translation of the Japanese name for the office is Prime Minister of the Cabinet....
 Hosokawa Morihiro is a direct descendant of the Hosokawa clan of Kumamoto. Another famous politician, former president of Peru Alberto Fujimori
Alberto Fujimori

Alberto Ken'ya Fujimori is a Peruvian politician who served as President of Peru from July 28, 1990 to November 17, 2000. A controversial figure, Fujimori has been credited with uprooting terrorism in Peru and restoring its macroeconomic stability, though his methods have drawn charges of authoritarianism and human rights violations....
, also has roots in Kumamoto; Fujimori's ancestors emigrated from Kumamoto early in the 20th century.

The city absorbed the town of Tomiai
Tomiai, Kumamoto

was a towns of Japan located in Shimomashiki District, Kumamoto, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan. On October 6, 2008, the town was amalgated into the city of Kumamoto, Kumamoto and no longer exists as an independent municipality....
 on October 6, 2008. A planned merger of municipalities
Merger and dissolution of municipalities of Japan

are actions taken, either within one municipality or between multiple municipalities, after making a consensus agreement to do so....
 will be implemented around March 31, 2010; the City of Kumamoto will be merged with the Shimomashiki District
Shimomashiki District, Kumamoto

Shimomashiki is a districts of Japan located in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan.As of the Uki merger but with 2003 population statistics, the district has an estimated population of 35,058 and a population density of 175 persons per km?....
 town of Jonan
Jonan, Kumamoto

is a towns of Japan located in Shimomashiki District, Kumamoto, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 19,885 and the population density of 539.18 persons per km?....
 and the Kamimashiki District
Kamimashiki District, Kumamoto

Kamimashiki is a districts of Japan located in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan.As of the Yamato merger but with 2003 population statistics, the district has an estimated population of 90,315 and a population density of 115.2 persons per km?....
 town of Mashiki
Mashiki, Kumamoto

is a towns of Japan located in Kamimashiki District, Kumamoto, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 32,600 and a population density of 496.42 persons per km?....
.

Landmarks

The city's most famous landmark is Kumamoto Castle
Kumamoto Castle

Kumamoto Castle is a castle in Kumamoto, Kumamoto, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan that has been opened to the public for tours. A large, and in its day, an extremely well fortified Japanese castle....
, a large and, in its day, extremely well-fortified Japanese castle. The donjon (castle central keep) is a concrete reconstruction built in the 1970s, but several ancillary wooden buildings remain of the original castle, which was assaulted during the Satsuma Rebellion
Satsuma Rebellion

The , was a revolt of Satsuma han ex-samurai against the Meiji government from January 29, 1877 to September 24,1877, 11 years into the Meiji Era. It was the last, and the most serious, of a series of armed uprisings against the new government....
 and sacked and burned after a 53-day siege
Siege

A siege is a military blockade of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by Battle of attrition and/or assault. The term derives from sedere, Latin for "to sit." A siege occurs when an attacker encounters a city or fortress that cannot be easily taken by a coup de main and refuses to surrender ....
. It was during this time that the tradition of eating basashi (raw horse
Horse

The horse is a hoofed mammal, a subspecies of one of seven extant species of the family Equidae. The horse has evolution of the horse over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, odd-toed ungulate animal of today....
 meat) originated. Basashi remains popular in Kumamoto and, to a lesser extent, elsewhere in Japan, though these days it is usually considered a delicacy.

Within the outer walls of Kumamoto Castle is the Hosokawa Gyobu-tei, the former residence of the Higo daimyo
Daimyo

The were powerful territorial lords who ruled most of Japan from their vast, hereditary land holdings. The term derives from a shortening of the title , which literally means "great named land" and originally simply referred to the owner of a large estate....
. This traditional wooden mansion has a fine Japanese garden
Japanese garden

, that is, gardens in traditional Japanese style, can be found at private homes, in neighborhood or city parks, and at historical landmarks such as Buddhism temples and old Japanese castles....
 located on its grounds.

Miyamoto Musashi
Miyamoto Musashi

, also known as Shinmen Takezo, Miyamoto Bennosuke, or by his Buddhist name Niten Doraku, was a Japanese people swordsman famed for his duels and distinctive style....
 lived the last part of his life in Kumamoto. His tomb and the cave where he resided during his final years (known as Reigando, or "spirit rock cave")is situated close by. He penned the famous Go Rin No Sho (Book of Five Rings) whilst living here.

Kumamoto is also home to Suizenji-Jojuen
Suizenji

Suizen-ji Joju-en is a tsukiyama style Japanese garden located in downtown Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan. The main tsukiyama is a representation of Mount Fuji....
, a formal garden neighboring Suizenji Temple approximately 3 kilometers southeast of Kumamoto Castle. Suizenji Park is considered to be one of the most beautiful gardens in Japan, together with Kenroku-en
Kenroku-en

Kenroku-en , located in Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, is an old private garden developed from the 1620s to 1840s by the Maeda clan, the daimyo who ruled the former Kaga Domain....
 in the city of Kanazawa
Kanazawa, Ishikawa

is the capital cities of Japan of Ishikawa Prefecture in Japan....
, Ishikawa Prefecture
Ishikawa Prefecture

is a Prefectures of Japan of Japan located in the Chubu region on Honshu island. The capital is Kanazawa, Ishikawa....
, Kairaku-en
Kairaku-en

is a Japanese garden located in Mito, Ibaraki, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. Along with Kenroku-en and Koraku-en, it is considered one of the Three Great Gardens of Japan....
 in Ibaraki Prefecture
Ibaraki Prefecture

is a Prefectures of Japan of Japan located in the Kanto region on Honshu island. The capital is Mito, Ibaraki....
 and Koraku-en
Koraku-en

, is a Japanese garden located in Okayama Prefecture. It is one of the Three Great Gardens of Japan, along with Kenroku-en and Kairaku-en. Korakuen was built in 1700 by Ikeda Tsunamasa, lord of Okayama, Okayama....
 in Okayama Prefecture
Okayama Prefecture

is a Prefectures of Japan of Japan located in the Chugoku region on Honshu island. The capital is the city of Okayama....
.

Economy

Asiana Airlines
Asiana Airlines

Asiana Airlines is an airline based in Seoul, South Korea and is one of South Korea's two major airlines, along with Korean Air.Asiana is a member of the Star Alliance and operates services to 12 domestic destinations and 82 international destinations in 21 countries worldwide....
 operates a sales office on the fourth floor of the Asahi Shibun Daiichi Seimei Building in Kumamoto.

Administration

The current administrative body of the "City of Kumamoto" was founded on April 1, 1889.

Transport

Local public transport is provided by the Kumamoto City Transportation Bureau
Kumamoto City Transportation Bureau

The is is a public transportation authority of Kumamoto, Kumamoto, Japan. The bureau operates trams and bus lines.The city government has operated tram lines since 1924 and bus lines since 1927, but the current transportation bureau was formed in 1944....
.

Kumamoto Airport
Kumamoto Airport

is an airport in Mashiki, Kumamoto, Japan, near the city of Kumamoto, Kumamoto .A planned Merger and dissolution of municipalities of Japan will be implemented around March 31, 2010; the City of Kumamoto will be merged with the Shimomashiki District, Kumamoto town of Jonan, Kumamoto and Mashiki....
 is located in nearby Mashiki
Mashiki, Kumamoto

is a towns of Japan located in Kamimashiki District, Kumamoto, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 32,600 and a population density of 496.42 persons per km?....
.

Sports

Roasso Kumamoto
Roasso Kumamoto

are a Japanese football club based in Kumamoto, Kumamoto, the capital city of Kumamoto Prefecture. Kumamoto were promoted to J. League Division 2 for the first time at the end of the J....
 represents the city in J. League
J. League

The , or , is the top professional football league in Japan and one of the most successful leagues in Asian club football. Currently, J. League Division 1 and 2 are the first and second levels of the Japanese football league system....
 professional football
Football (soccer)

Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of eleven players, and is widely considered to be the most popular sport in the world....
. They play at KKWing Stadium
KKWing Stadium

KKWing Stadium is a multi-use stadium in Kumamoto, Japan. It is currently used mostly for football matches and sometimes for Top League rugby games....
.

Education

  • Kumamoto University
    Kumamoto University

    is a university located in Kumamoto, Japan. It was established on May 31, 1949, at which time the following institutions were subsumed into it; Kumamoto Teachers College , Kumamoto Pharmaceutical College , The Fifth High School , Kumamoto Medical College , and Kumamoto Technical College ....
  • Kumamoto Gakuen University
    Kumamoto Gakuen University

    Called Gakudai or Shodai , it is a private Japanese university in Kumamoto, Japan. It was established in 1942, at which time Eastern Language Vocational College was subsumed into it....
  • Kyushu Lutheran College
    Kyushu Lutheran College

    has its roots in Kyushu Jo-Gakuin , originally established as a girl's high school in 1926. A women's junior college opened in 1975 and the current four-year college opened its doors to women and men in 1997....
  • Hilltop International School
  • Souzyou University
  • Prefectural University of Kumamoto
    Prefectural University of Kumamoto

    is a public university in the city of Kumamoto, Kumamoto, Japan. The predecessor of the school was founded in 1947.External links...


Sister cities

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Heidelberg

Heidelberg is a city in Baden-W?rttemberg, Germany. As of 2006, over 140,000 people live within the city's area. The town of Heidelberg is an administrative district of its own....
, Germany
Germany

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Guilin

Guilin is a city in People's Republic of China, situated in the northeast of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on the west bank of the Lijiang River....
, China
China

China is a Culture of China, an ancient civilization, and, depending on perspective, a national or multinational entity extending over a large area in East Asia....
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San Antonio, Texas

San Antonio is the second-largest city in the state of Texas and the List of United States cities by population. Located in , the city is a cultural and geographical gateway into the ....
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Billings, Montana

Billings is the largest city in the U.S. state of Montana, located in the south-central portion of the state. Billings is rapidly growing; as of the United States Census, 2000, the city had a total population of 89,847, while the Census Bureau's 2007 estimate listed the city's population at 101,876....
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Helena, Montana

Helena is the Capital city of the United States U.S. state of Montana and the county seat of Lewis and Clark County, Montana. The population was 25,780 at the 2000 United States Census, and had been estimated to rise to 27,885 by 2006....
, USA Bristol
Bristol

Bristol is a City status in the United Kingdom, unitary authority area and Ceremonial counties of England in South West England, west of London, and east of Cardiff....
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom , the UK or Britain,is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe....


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