:Munakata, Fukuoka

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 Susanoo-no-Mikoto and mentioned in the Kojiki.{{Citation needed|date=May 2025}} It is believed to have been the site of the kingdom of Matsurokoku, one of the countries described in Wajinden, Liangshu and History of the Northern Dynasties, and is the first place where emissaries from China landed on the mainland of Wa.{{Citation needed|date=May 2025}} The area was part of ancient Chikugo Province, and prospered from trade with China and Korea from ancient times.{{Citation needed|date=May 2025}} From the Asuka period through the Sengoku period, Munakata Taisha controlled most of northern Kyūshū, with the Munakata clan ruling as temporal daimyō over what is now Onga in the east, south to Wakamiya and Miyata, and Shingū in the west.{{Citation needed|date=May 2025}} Munakata Ujisada of Munakata Shrine established Tsutagadake castle (Mount Jo) as a defense from invasion by other warlords such as Tachibana Dōsetsu and the Ōtomo clan.{{Citation needed|date=May 2025}} There are also ghost stories connected with the area since the Yamada incident arose.{{Citation needed|date=May 2025}} During the Edo Period much of the area was under the control of Fukuoka Domain.{{Citation needed|date=May 2025}}

After the Meiji restoration, the villages of Akama and Tōgō were established on May 1, 1889 with the creation of the modern municipalities system.{{Citation needed|date=May 2025}} Akama was raised to town status on June 25, 1898 and Tōgō on October 1, 1925.{{Citation needed|date=May 2025}} Both towns merged with the villages of Yoshitake, Nango, and Kawato in Munakata District to form the town of Munakata on April 1, 1954.{{Citation needed|date=May 2025}} Munakata was raised to city status on April 1, 1981. On April 1, 2003, Munakata annexed the town of Gekai, followed by the village of Ōshima on March 28, 2005.{{Citation needed|date=May 2025}}

In the earthquake on March 20, 2005, damage was done in various parts of the city.{{Citation needed|date=May 2025}} The quake registered just under five on the Japan Meteorological Agency seismic intensity scale.{{Citation needed|date=May 2025}}

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.File:Okinoshima 167245807 org.jpg site]]

• Mount Hakuzan
• Mount Joyama (Mount Tsurugatake)
• Mount Kanayama
• Mount Kodaishiyama
• Mount Konomiyama
• Mount Shintateyama
• Mount Yugawayama

• Tsuri river

Fukuoka Prefecture

• Fukutsu
• Koga
• Kurate
• Miyawaka
• Okagaki

Munakata has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen: Cfa). The average annual temperature in Munakata is {{convert|15.9|C}}. The average annual rainfall is {{cvt|1665.2|mm}} with July as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around {{convert|27.0|C}}, and lowest in January, at around {{convert|5.8|C}}. The highest temperature ever recorded in Munakata was {{cvt|37.2|C}} on 21 August 2010; the coldest temperature ever recorded was {{cvt|-9.2|C}} on 19 February 1977.

{{Weather box

|width= auto

|single line = Y

|metric first = Y

|location = Munakata (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1977−present)

|Jan record high C = 20.4

|Feb record high C = 23.5

|Mar record high C = 25.4

|Apr record high C = 30.4

|May record high C = 31.8

|Jun record high C = 34.6

|Jul record high C = 36.3

|Aug record high C = 38.2

|Sep record high C = 36.4

|Oct record high C = 32.4

|Nov record high C = 27.5

|Dec record high C = 24.8

|Jan record low C = -5.7

|Feb record low C = -9.2

|Mar record low C = -5.1

|Apr record low C = -1.9

|May record low C = 2.8

|Jun record low C = 5.9

|Jul record low C = 14.4

|Aug record low C = 16.3

|Sep record low C = 6.7

|Oct record low C = 1.1

|Nov record low C = -1.9

|Dec record low C = -4.7

|Jan high C = 9.7

|Feb high C = 10.7

|Mar high C = 13.9

|Apr high C = 18.8

|May high C = 23.5

|Jun high C = 26.4

|Jul high C = 29.8

|Aug high C = 31.0

|Sep high C = 27.4

|Oct high C = 22.7

|Nov high C = 17.5

|Dec high C = 12.1

|Jan mean C = 5.8

|Feb mean C = 6.5

|Mar mean C = 9.4

|Apr mean C = 13.8

|May mean C = 18.4

|Jun mean C = 22.2

|Jul mean C = 26.2

|Aug mean C = 27.0

|Sep mean C = 23.3

|Oct mean C = 18.0

|Nov mean C = 12.7

|Dec mean C = 7.8

|Jan low C = 1.7

|Feb low C = 1.9

|Mar low C = 4.4

|Apr low C = 8.6

|May low C = 13.4

|Jun low C = 18.6

|Jul low C = 23.1

|Aug low C = 23.8

|Sep low C = 19.7

|Oct low C = 13.4

|Nov low C = 7.9

|Dec low C = 3.3

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation mm = 85.7

|Feb precipitation mm = 76.3

|Mar precipitation mm = 119.1

|Apr precipitation mm = 134.4

|May precipitation mm = 137.0

|Jun precipitation mm = 230.2

|Jul precipitation mm = 302.4

|Aug precipitation mm = 177.1

|Sep precipitation mm = 150.7

|Oct precipitation mm = 84.9

|Nov precipitation mm = 91.2

|Dec precipitation mm = 76.2

|year precipitation mm = 1665.2

|unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm

|Jan precipitation days = 10.5

|Feb precipitation days = 9.9

|Mar precipitation days = 10.9

|Apr precipitation days = 10.3

|May precipitation days = 8.9

|Jun precipitation days = 11.9

|Jul precipitation days = 11.1

|Aug precipitation days = 9.3

|Sep precipitation days = 9.9

|Oct precipitation days = 7.4

|Nov precipitation days = 8.9

|Dec precipitation days = 9.2

|Jan sun = 100.1

|Feb sun = 118.2

|Mar sun = 159.3

|Apr sun = 185.4

|May sun = 200.6

|Jun sun = 139.9

|Jul sun = 178.8

|Aug sun = 209.0

|Sep sun = 164.8

|Oct sun = 173.1

|Nov sun = 134.4

|Dec sun = 106.5

|year sun = 1870.1

|source 1 = Japan Meteorological Agency{{cite web

| url = https://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=82&block_no=0943&year=&month=&day=&view=h0

|script-title=ja:気象庁 / 平年値(年・月ごとの値)

| publisher = JMA

| access-date = May 21, 2022}}{{cite web

| url = https://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/rank_a.php?prec_no=82&block_no=0943&year=&month=&day=&view=h0

|script-title=ja:観測史上1〜10位の値(年間を通じての値)

| publisher = JMA

| access-date = May 21, 2022}}}}

Per Japanese census data, the population of Munakata in 2020 is 97,095 people. Munakata has been conducting censuses since 1950.

{{Historical populations

| 1950 | 34217

| 1955 | 34942

| 1960 | 33537

| 1965 | 34029

| 1970 | 40309

| 1975 | 56194

| 1980 | 66985

| 1985 | 71389

| 1990 | 78197

| 1995 | 86938

| 2000 | 92056

| 2005 | 94148

| 2010 | 95481

| 2015 | 96516

| 2020 | 97095

|align = none

| footnote = Munakata population statistics[https://www.citypopulation.de/en/japan/fukuoka/ Munakata population statistics]

}}

Munakata has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 20 members. Munakata contributes two members to the Fukuoka Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of the Fukuoka 4th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

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.

• The Japanese Red Cross Kyushu International College of Nursing
• Tokai University Fukuoka Junior College
• University of Teacher Education Fukuoka

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.

{{ric|JR Kyushu|name=y}} - Kagoshima Main Line

:{{JRKSN|JA}} {{STN|Kyōikudaimae|x}} - {{STN|Akama|x}} - {{STN|Tōgō|x}}

• File:JP Expressway E3.svg Kyushu Expressway
• {{jct|country=JPN|Route|3}}
• {{jct|country=JPN|Route|495}}

• {{flagicon|KOR}} Gimhae, Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea, sister city since 1992. At the time of conclusion, former Munakata City.
• {{flagicon|KOR}} Seongsan-eup, Seogwipo, Jeju-do, South Korea, friendship and exchange city since 1991. At the time of conclusion, former Genkai Town and former Seongsan-eup, Namjeju County.
• {{flagicon|BUL}} Kazanlak, Stara Zagora Province, Bulgaria, friendship and exchange city since 2010

• 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.
• Munakata Taisha
• Sakurakyō Kofun, National Historic Site
• Taguma Ishihatake Site, National Historic Site

• Genkai Ground, which hosts the Munakata Sanix Blues rugby team
• Global Arena, which has hosted the Sanix World Rugby Youth Invitational Tournament since 2000

• Toru Abe, actor
• Sazō Idemitsu, entrepreneur
• Takuji Nakamura, painter
• Eri Nobuchika, singer-songwriter

{{reflist}}

{{Commons category}}

• [http://www.city.munakata.lg.jp Munakata City official website] {{in lang|ja}}

{{Fukuoka}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Cities in Fukuoka Prefecture

Category:Populated coastal places in Japan