Kumamoto (熊本市, Kumamoto-shi; Japanese pronunciation: [kɯ.ma.mo.to, -toꜜ.ɕi]) is the capital city of Kumamoto Prefecture on the island of Kyushu, Japan. As of June 1, 2019, the city had an estimated population of 738,907 and a population density of 1,893 people per km2. The total area is 390.32 km2. Greater Kumamoto (熊本都市圏) had a population of 1,461,000, as of the 2000 census. As of 2010, Kumamoto Metropolitan Employment Area has a GDP of US$39.8 billion. It is not considered part of the Fukuoka–Kitakyushu metropolitan area, despite their shared border. The city was designated on April 1, 2012, by government ordinance.
History
Early modern period
==== Shokuhō period ==== 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.
==== Edo period ==== 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 and swordsman Miyamoto Musashi.
Late modern period
==== Meiji period ==== The current administrative body of the City of Kumamoto was founded on April 1, 1889.
==== Showa period ==== 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.
Contemporary history
==== After World War II ==== 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. Inaugurated in 1954, it was the first of over 80 Peace Pagodas built by Fujii and his followers all over the world.
==== Heisei period ==== 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. 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.
Geography
=== Climate === 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 17.2 °C (63.0 °F). The average annual rainfall is 2,007.0 mm (79.02 in) with June as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 28.4 °C (83.1 °F), and lowest in January, at around 6.0 °C (42.8 °F). The highest temperature ever recorded in Kumamoto was 40.3 °C (104.5 °F) on 3 August 2026; the coldest temperature ever recorded was −9.2 °C (15.4 °F) on 26 January 1904 and 11 February 1929.
Area
==== Wards ==== Since April 1, 2012, Kumamoto has five wards (ku):
=== Surrounding municipalities === Kumamoto Prefecture Gyokuto Kashima Kikuchi Kikuyō Kōsa Kōshi Mashiki Mifune Tamana Uki Uto Yamaga
Demographics
Per Japanese census data, the population of Kumamoto in 2020 is 738,865 people. Kumamoto has been conducting censuses since 1920.
== Government == Kazufumi Ōnishi has been the city's mayor since December 2014.
=== Working mother incident === In November 2017, Kumamoto politician Yuka Ogata was forced to leave the Kumamoto municipal assembly because she had brought her baby. The incident was reported by international media as an example of the challenges facing women in Japan.
Transportation
Local public transport is provided by the Kumamoto City Transportation Bureau.
Airways
==== Airports ==== Kumamoto Airport is located in nearby Mashiki.
Railways
==== High-speed rail ==== 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.
JR Kyushu Kyushu Shinkansen: Kumamoto Station -
==== Conventional lines ==== The JR Kumamoto station provides rail links to Japan's extensive rail network.
JR Kyushu 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
=== Tramways === Trams run to a few suburbs near the downtown area.
Kumamoto City Transportation Bureau
=== Bus === A large bus terminus, called the Kotsu Centre, provides access to both local and intercity destinations.
=== Taxi === Several local taxi companies serve the Kumamoto metropolitan area and are the only 24-hour public transport in the city.
Roads
==== Expressways ==== Kyushu Expressway
==== Japan National Routes ==== Japan National Route 3 Japan National Route 57 Japan National Route 208 Japan National Route 218 Japan National Route 219 Japan National Route 266 Japan National Route 387 Japan National Route 443 Japan National Route 445 Japan National Route 501
Seaways
==== Seaports ==== Port of Kumamoto
==== Ferry ==== Kyusyu Shosen: Kumamoto - Shimabara Kumamoto-Ferry: Kumamoto - Shimabara Korean Marine Transport: Kumamoto - Busan
