Kumamoto#Wards

{{See also|History of Kumamoto Prefecture}}

Katō Kiyomasa, a contemporary of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, was made daimyō of half of the (old) administrative region of Higo in 1588. Afterwards, Kiyomasa built Kumamoto Castle. Due to its many innovative defensive designs, Kumamoto Castle was considered impenetrable, 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. In 1632, Tadahiro was removed by Tokugawa Iemitsu and replaced with the Hosokawa clan. Hosokawa Tadatoshi, the third lord of Kumamoto, was the patron of the artist{{Cite web|date=2009|title=Art of Miyamoto Musashi|url=http://www.ecole-miyamoto-musashi.com/liens.html|access-date=August 12, 2020|website=ecole-miyamoto-musashi.com}} and swordsman Miyamoto MusashiWilson, The Lone Samurai, pp. 104–105.

File:Statue of Hosokawa Tadatoshi.jpg|Statue of Hosokawa Tadatoshi within Suizen-ji Jōju-en

File:Hidari mitsudomoe.svg|Mon of Miyamoto Musashi, born in Ōhara-chō province of Mimasaka{{Cite web|date=2018|title=Mimasaka. Musashi Miyamoto|url=https://www.memorial-heiho-niten-ichi-ryu.com/mimasaka|access-date=August 12, 2020|website=Mémorial Heiho Niten Ichi Ryu}}

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

On July 1, 1945, near the end of World War II, Kumamoto was bombed in an Allied air raid that destroyed one square mile, which was 20% of the city's area.{{Cite book|editor-last1=Craven|editor-first1=Wesley|editor-last2=Cate|editor-first2=James|title=The Pacific: Matterhorn to Nagasaki|publisher=The University of Chicago Press|location=Chicago|year=1953|series=The Army Air Forces in World War II. Volume V|url=http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/AAF/V/AAF-V-21.html#page664|page=664|oclc=256469807}}

After the war, the Japanese Buddhist monk Nichidatsu Fujii decided to construct a Peace Pagoda atop Mount Hanaoka in the city to commemorate all those lost in war and to promote peace.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xCvMjYVqkMIC&pg=PA52|pages=52–53|title=Prophets of Peace: Pacifism and Cultural Identity in Japan's New Religions|first=Robert|last=Kisala|publisher=University of Hawaii Press|year=1999|isbn=9780824822675}} Inaugurated in 1954, it was the first of over 80 Peace Pagodas built by Fujii and his followers all over the world.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hzmJjiynUb8C&pg=PA81|page=81|author1-link=Jacqueline Stone|first=Jacqueline I.|last=Stone|title=Action Dharma: New Studies in Engaged Buddhism|editor1-first=Christopher S.|editor1-last=Queen|editor2-first=Charles S.|editor2-last=Prebish|editor3-first=Damien|editor3-last=Keown|publisher=Psychology Press|year=2003|isbn=9780700715947}}

On February 1, 1991, the towns of Akita, Kawachi, Tenmei, and Hokubu (all from Hōtaku District) were merged into Kumamoto. On October 6, 2008, the town of Tomiai (from Shimomashiki District) was merged into Kumamoto. On March 23, 2010, the town of Jōnan (also from Shimomashiki District) and the town of Ueki (from Kamoto District) were merged into Kumamoto."[http://www.kokudo.or.jp/marge/kumamoto.html 都道府県別市町村変更情報：福岡] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100406033446/http://www.kokudo.or.jp/marge/kumamoto.html |date=2010-04-06 }}." kokudo.or.jp. Retrieved on November 22, 2008. {{in lang|ja}}

A series of earthquakes struck the area beginning April 14, 2016, including a tremor with moment magnitude 7.1 early in the morning of April 16, 2016.{{cite news| url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-36059487 |title=Japan earthquake: Powerful new tremor in Kumamoto|date=2016-04-15|access-date=2016-04-15|work=BBC News}}

File:Kumamoto Station west gate2021.jpg

Kumamoto has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) with hot, humid summers and cool winters. There is significant precipitation throughout the year, especially during June and July. The average annual temperature in Kumamoto is {{convert|17.2|C}}. The average annual rainfall is {{cvt|2007.0|mm}} with June as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around {{convert|28.4|C}}, and lowest in January, at around {{convert|6.0|C}}. The highest temperature ever recorded in Kumamoto was {{cvt|38.8|C}} on 17 July 1994; the coldest temperature ever recorded was {{cvt|-9.2|C}} on 11 February 1929.

{{Weather box

|width = auto

|single line = Y

|metric first = Y

|location = Kumamoto (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1890−present)

|Jan record high C = 22.5

|Feb record high C = 26.4

|Mar record high C = 27.4

|Apr record high C = 30.7

|May record high C = 34.4

|Jun record high C = 36.1

|Jul record high C = 38.8

|Aug record high C = 38.8

|Sep record high C = 37.0

|Oct record high C = 33.7

|Nov record high C = 28.9

|Dec record high C = 24.6

|Jan record low C = -9.2

|Feb record low C = -9.2

|Mar record low C = -6.9

|Apr record low C = -2.5

|May record low C = 1.3

|Jun record low C = 7.1

|Jul record low C = 14.3

|Aug record low C = 15.3

|Sep record low C = 6.7

|Oct record low C = 0.5

|Nov record low C = -3.8

|Dec record low C = -7.9

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation mm = 57.2

|Feb precipitation mm = 83.2

|Mar precipitation mm = 124.8

|Apr precipitation mm = 144.9

|May precipitation mm = 160.9

|Jun precipitation mm = 448.5

|Jul precipitation mm = 386.8

|Aug precipitation mm = 195.4

|Sep precipitation mm = 172.6

|Oct precipitation mm = 87.1

|Nov precipitation mm = 84.4

|Dec precipitation mm = 61.2

|year precipitation mm = 2007.0

|Jan mean C = 6.0

|Feb mean C = 7.4

|Mar mean C = 10.9

|Apr mean C = 15.8

|May mean C = 20.5

|Jun mean C = 23.7

|Jul mean C = 27.5

|Aug mean C = 28.4

|Sep mean C = 25.2

|Oct mean C = 19.6

|Nov mean C = 13.5

|Dec mean C = 8.0

|year mean C = 17.2

|Jan high C = 10.7

|Feb high C = 12.4

|Mar high C = 16.1

|Apr high C = 21.4

|May high C = 26.0

|Jun high C = 28.1

|Jul high C = 31.8

|Aug high C = 33.3

|Sep high C = 30.1

|Oct high C = 25.0

|Nov high C = 18.8

|Dec high C = 12.9

|year high C = 22.2

|Jan low C = 1.6

|Feb low C = 2.6

|Mar low C = 5.9

|Apr low C = 10.6

|May low C = 15.6

|Jun low C = 20.2

|Jul low C = 24.2

|Aug low C = 24.8

|Sep low C = 21.2

|Oct low C = 14.9

|Nov low C = 8.8

|Dec low C = 3.4

|year low C = 12.8

|Jan humidity = 70

|Feb humidity = 67

|Mar humidity = 66

|Apr humidity = 65

|May humidity = 67

|Jun humidity = 76

|Jul humidity = 76

|Aug humidity = 72

|Sep humidity = 71

|Oct humidity = 69

|Nov humidity = 72

|Dec humidity = 71

|year humidity = 70

|Jan sun = 133.0

|Feb sun = 141.1

|Mar sun = 169.6

|Apr sun = 184.0

|May sun = 194.3

|Jun sun = 130.8

|Jul sun = 176.7

|Aug sun = 206.0

|Sep sun = 176.4

|Oct sun = 187.1

|Nov sun = 153.7

|Dec sun = 143.4

|year sun = 1996.1

|Jan snow cm = 1

|Feb snow cm = 0

|Mar snow cm = 0

|Apr snow cm = 0

|May snow cm = 0

|Jun snow cm = 0

|Jul snow cm = 0

|Aug snow cm = 0

|Sep snow cm = 0

|Oct snow cm = 0

|Nov snow cm = 0

|Dec snow cm = 0

|year snow cm = 1

|unit precipitation days = 0.5 mm

|Jan precipitation days = 8.1

|Feb precipitation days = 9.0

|Mar precipitation days = 11.4

|Apr precipitation days = 10.7

|May precipitation days = 10.4

|Jun precipitation days = 15.2

|Jul precipitation days = 13.3

|Aug precipitation days = 11.3

|Sep precipitation days = 10.4

|Oct precipitation days = 7.2

|Nov precipitation days = 8.3

|Dec precipitation days = 8.3

|year precipitation days = 123.5

|source 1 = Japan Meteorological Agency{{cite web

| url = https://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/index.php?prec_no=86&block_no=47819&year=&month=&day=&view=

|script-title=ja:気象庁 / 平年値（年・月ごとの値）

| publisher = Japan Meteorological Agency

| access-date = May 19, 2021}}

}}

File:Kumamoto Metropolitan Employment Area 2010.svg]]

Since April 1, 2012, Kumamoto has five wards (ku):

; {{flagicon|Kumamoto}}Kumamoto Prefecture

• Gyokuto
• Kashima
• Kikuchi
• Kikuyō
• Kōsa
• Kōshi
• Mashiki
• Mifune
• Tamana
• Uki
• Uto
• Yamaga

File:Kumamoto prefecture population pyramid in 2020.svg

Per Japanese census data, the population of Kumamoto in 2020 is 738,865 people. Kumamoto has been conducting censuses since 1920.

{{Historical populations

| 1920 | 267466

| 1925 | 290729

| 1930 | 312013

| 1935 | 329225

| 1940 | 321622

| 1945 | 389649

| 1950 | 413497

| 1955 | 454514

| 1960 | 474859

| 1965 | 502463

| 1970 | 534228

| 1975 | 574299

| 1980 | 619236

| 1985 | 654348

| 1990 | 680765

| 1995 | 708097

| 2000 | 720816

| 2005 | 727978

| 2010 | 734294

| 2015 | 740822

| 2020 | 738865

|align = none

|cols = 2

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

}}

Kazufumi Ōnishi has been the city's mayor since December 2014.{{cite web | url = http://www.city.kumamoto.jp/sicho/hpkiji/pub/detail.aspx?c_id=5&id=7065&class_set_id=6&class_id=1862 |script-title=ja:市長のプロフィール | publisher = Kumamoto City | date = 3 December 2014 | language = ja | access-date = 24 October 2015}}

In November 2017, Kumamoto politician Yuka Ogata was forced to leave the Kumamoto municipal assembly because she had brought her baby.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/nov/24/japanese-politicians-force-colleague-baby-leave-chamber-women|title = Japanese politicians force colleague with baby to leave chamber|website = TheGuardian.com|date = 24 November 2017}} The incident was reported by international media as an example of the challenges facing women in Japan.{{cite news| url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/a-japanese-politician-took-her-baby-to-work-the-patriarchy-was-not-impressed/2017/11/24/e5bb695c-d0fc-11e7-8447-3d80b84bebad_story.html| title = A Japanese politician took her baby to work. Male colleagues made a fuss. - The Washington Post| newspaper = The Washington Post}}

File:Kumamoto.airport.jpg]]

File:Amu Plaza Kumamoto04.jpg]]

File:Kumamoto city tram map JA.png]]

File:Kumamoto-castle Type9701.jpg

File:SAKURAMACHI Kumamoto.JPG]]

File:Kita-Kumamoto Service Area of Kyushu Expressway 2.jpg

File:【熊本災害関連】001135546 国交省サイトより.jpg

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

Kumamoto Airport is located in nearby Mashiki.

On March 12, 2011, work on the shinkansen (high-speed bullet train) network was completed, establishing a direct high-speed rail link to Tokyo via Fukuoka's Hakata station.

; {{ric|JR Kyushu|name=y}}

• Kyushu Shinkansen: Kumamoto Station -

The JR Kumamoto station provides rail links to Japan's extensive rail network.

; {{ric|JR Kyushu|name=y}}

• Kagoshima Main Line: Tabaruzaka - Ueki - Nishizato - Sōjōdaigakumae - Kami-Kumamoto - Kumamoto - Nishi-Kumamoto - Kawashiri - Tomiai -
• Hōhi Main Line: Kumamoto - Heisei - Minami-Kumamoto - Shin-Suizenji - Suizenji - Tōkai-Gakuen-mae - Tatsutaguchi - Musashizuka - Hikarinomori -

;Kumamoto Electric Railway

• Kikuchi Line: Kami-Kumamoto - Kankanzaka - Ikeda Station - Uchigoshi - Tsuboigawa-kōen - Kita-Kumamoto - Kamei - Hakenomiya - Horikawa -
• Fujisaki Line: Kita-Kumamoto - Kurokamimachi - Fujisakigū-mae

Trams run to a few suburbs near the downtown area.

;Kumamoto City Transportation Bureau

A large bus terminus, called the Kotsu Centre, provides access to both local and intercity destinations.

Several local taxi companies serve the Kumamoto metropolitan area and are the only 24-hour public transport in the city.

• File:JP Expressway E3.svgKyushu Expressway

• 25pxJapan National Route 3
• 25pxJapan National Route 57
• 25pxJapan National Route 208
• 25pxJapan National Route 218
• 25pxJapan National Route 219
• 25pxJapan National Route 266
• 25pxJapan National Route 387
• 25pxJapan National Route 443
• 25pxJapan National Route 445
• 25pxJapan National Route 501

• Port of Kumamoto

• Kyusyu Shosen: Kumamoto - Shimabara
• Kumamoto-Ferry: Kumamoto - Shimabara
• Korean Marine Transport: Kumamoto - Busan

• Kumamoto Gakuen University
• Kumamoto University
• Kyūshū Lutheran College
• Prefectural University of Kumamoto
• Shokei College
• Shokei Gakuin University
• Sojo University
• Tokai University

File:Kumamoto Castle 02n3200.jpg

The city's most famous landmark is Kumamoto Castle, a large and once extremely well fortified Japanese castle. The donjon (castle central keep) is a concrete reconstruction built in the 1970s, but several ancillary wooden buildings from the original castle remain. The castle was assaulted during the Satsuma Rebellion and sacked and burned after a 53-day siege. It was during this time that the tradition of eating basashi (raw horse meat) originated. Basashi remains popular in Kumamoto and, to a lesser extent, elsewhere in Japan, although 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 daimyō. This traditional wooden mansion has a fine Japanese garden located on its grounds.

The first of many peace pagodas around the world was erected by Japanese Buddhist monk Nichidatsu Fujii atop Mount Hanaoka beginning 1947.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xCvMjYVqkMIC&pg=PA52|pages=52–53|title=Prophets of Peace: Pacifism and Cultural Identity in Japan's New Religions|first=Robert|last=Kisala|publisher=University of Hawaii Press|year=1999|isbn=9780824822675}} Inaugurated in 1954, it was the first of over 80 built by Fujii and his followers all over the world.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hzmJjiynUb8C&pg=PA81|page=81|first=Jacqueline I.|last=Stone|title=Action Dharma: New Studies in Engaged Buddhism|editor1-first=Christopher S.|editor1-last=Queen|editor2-first=Charles S.|editor2-last=Prebish|editor3-first=Damien|editor3-last=Keown|publisher=Psychology Press|year=2003|isbn=9780700715947}}

Kumamoto is also the location of Takahashi Inari Shrine and Fujisaki Hachimangū.

File: Suizenji_jojuen_garden.jpg

Kumamoto is home to Suizen-ji Jōju-en, a formal garden neighboring Suizenji Temple approximately 3 kilometers southeast of Kumamoto Castle. Suizenji Park is also home to the Suizenji Municipal Stadium, where the city's football team, Roasso Kumamoto, used to play regularly. The team now uses the larger KKWing Stadium in Higashi Ward.

Miyamoto Musashi lived the last part of his life in Kumamoto. His tomb and the cave where he resided during his final years (known as Reigandō, or "spirit rock cave") are situated close by. He penned the famous Go Rin no Sho (The Book of Five Rings) whilst living here.

The downtown area has a commercial district centred on two shopping arcades, the Shimotori and Kamitori, which extend for several city blocks. The main department stores are located here along with a large number of smaller retailers, restaurants, and bars. Many local festivals are held in or near the arcades.

Cultural venues include the Kumamoto Prefectural Museum of Art and Kumamoto Prefectural Theater.

;Baseball

• Hinokuni Salamanders of the baseball Kyusyu Asia League are based in Kumamoto.

;Football

• Roasso Kumamoto in J.League is the local football club.

;Basketball

• Kumamoto Volters of the basketball B.League are based in Kumamoto.

;Volleyball

• Forest Leaves Kumamoto of the Volleyball V.League (V2) are based in Kumamoto.

File:Fujisakidai Baseball Stadium Kumamoto.jpg|Kumamoto Fujisakidai Baseball Stadium

File:Kumamoto kkw.JPG|Egao Kenko Stadium

File:Kumamoto-pref synthesis gymnasium 1.jpg|Kumamoto Prefectural Gymnasium

File:Kumamoto-city synthesis gymnasium 1.jpg|Kumamoto City Synthesis Gymnasium

The Kumamoto Castle Marathon is a yearly event in Kumamoto City. It was established in commemoration of Kumamoto becoming a designated city in 2012.Kumamoto Castle Marathon website [http://kumamotojyo-marathon.jp/outline_en.php Information on 2013 Kumamoto Castle Marathon] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121101145122/http://kumamotojyo-marathon.jp/outline_en.php |date=2012-11-01 }} The city also hosted the 1997 World Men's Handball Championship and the 2019 World Women's Handball Championship.

Kumamoto is twinned with the following cities.

• {{Flagicon|USA}} Billings, Montana, United States
• {{Flagicon|UK}} Bristol, England, United Kingdom
• {{Flagicon|PRC}} Guilin, Guangxi, People's Republic of China
• {{Flagicon|GER}} Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, since 1992{{cite web|url=http://www.heidelberg.de/servlet/PB/menu/1123762_l1/index.html|title=Twinning|publisher=City of Heidelberg|access-date=2009-11-12|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110610082945/http://www.heidelberg.de/servlet/PB/menu/1123762_l1/index.html|archive-date=2011-06-10}}
• {{Flagicon|USA}} Helena, Montana, United States
• {{Flagicon|USA}} Rome, Georgia, United States, since 1995
• {{Flagicon|USA}} San Antonio, Texas, United States, since 1987[http://www.sanantonio.gov/iad/kumamoto.asp City of San Antonio International Relations Office. Retrieved 12 October 2011]
• {{Flagicon|KOR}} Ulsan, South Korea, since 2010
• {{Flagicon|TWN}} Kaohsiung, Taiwan, since 2017{{Cite web|url=http://www.clair.or.jp/e/exchange/shimai/prefectures/detail/43|title = Kumamoto Prefecture - the Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR)}}

{{More citations needed section|date=June 2024}}

• Aimer, pop singer and lyricist.
• Naoichi and Mutsue Inomoto Fujimori, parents of Alberto Fujimori, the 54th President of Peru.
• Yuki Fukushima, Japanese badminton player.
• Lafcadio Hearn, writer, lived in Kumamoto for three years, from 1891.
• Higonoumi Naoya, sumo wrestler.
• Sayaka Hirota, Japanese badminton player.
• Inoue Kowashi, statesman.
• Sayuri Ishikawa, enka singer
• Yuta Iwasada, Japanese baseball player.{{cite web |url=https://www.nikkansports.com/baseball/news/1632823.html |date=April 16, 2016 |title=熊本出身の阪神岩貞７回０封、３戦連続２桁Ｋ実らず |trans-title=Kumamoto native Hanshin Iwasada 7 innings 0 shutout, 3 consecutive double-digit K fruitless |language=ja |work=Nikkan Sports |access-date=June 7, 2024}}
• Masahiko Kimura, judoka.
• Kobato Miku, lyricist, rhythm guitarist, singer and creator of the rock band BAND-MAID.
• Noriko Kubo, Japanese female fencer.
• Rie Kugimiya, voice actress.
• Yuri Masuda, vocalist from the group m.o.v.e.
• Musashi Miyamoto, famed swordsman, lived and died in Kumamoto, 1645.
• Yuna Mizumori, professional wrestler
• Chisato Moritaka, pop singer and lyricist.
• Munetaka Murakami, baseball player
• Eiichiro Oda, manga artist, author of One Piece.{{cite web |url=https://apricot.com/~fuu/paradise3/oda/index.html |title=Destination: Paradise |website=apricot.com |access-date=June 7, 2024}}
• Akari Ogata, judoka.
• Yōko Shimada, actress.
• Go Shiozaki, Japanese professional wrestler, currently signed to the Pro Wrestling Noah promotion and Chairman of the Noah Wrestlers' Association.{{cite web |url=https://www.cagematch.net/?id=2&nr=1871 |title=Go Shiozaki |website=Cagematch |access-date=June 7, 2024}}
• Shōdai Naoya, sumo wrestler.
• Soseki Natsume, writer, lived in Kumamoto, 1896-1900.
• Tochihikari Masayuki, sumo wrestler.
• Momoko Ueda, professional golfer.
• Tadako Urata, ophthalmologist
• Sean Michael Wilson, Scottish manga writer, living in Kumamoto since 2004, his books are often about the city.
• Kaji Yajima, educator, pacifist, president of the WCTU in Japan.
• Yokoi Shōnan, scholar and political reformer.
• Seiki Yoshioka, Japanese professional wrestler
• Isao Yukisada, film director.

• {{Portal inline|Geography}}
• {{Portal inline|Japan}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category|Kumamoto, Kumamoto|Kumamoto}}

{{Wikivoyage|Kumamoto}}

• [http://www.city.kumamoto.jp/ Kumamoto City official website] {{in lang|ja}}
• [http://www.city.kumamoto.jp/html/foreign_language/en/menu-e.html Kumamoto City official website] {{in lang|en}}
• {{osmrelation-inline|4000503}}

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