Kumamoto

Designated city in Kyushu, Japan

This article is about the city in Japan. For the prefecture with the same name where this city is located, see Kumamoto Prefecture. For other uses, see Kumamoto (disambiguation).

Not to be confused with Kumanovo.

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Designated city in Kyushu, Japan

Kumamoto

熊本市

Designated city

Kumamoto City

From top left: Skyline view of Kumamoto City from Kumamoto Castle, Kumamoto Castle, Kumamoto Shintoshin Plaza, Fujisaki Hachimangū shrine, Downtown Shimotori-Shintengai of Kumamoto City [ja], Suizenji Park, Kumamoto Sakuramachi Bus Terminal

Flag

Emblem

Nickname:

The Heart of Kyushu

Location of Kumamoto in Kumamoto Prefecture

Kumamoto

Location in Japan

Coordinates: 32°48′11″N 130°42′28″E﻿ / ﻿32.80306°N 130.70778°E﻿ / 32.80306; 130.70778
Country| Japan
Region| Kyushu
Prefecture| Kumamoto Prefecture
First official recorded| 558 AD[citation needed]
City Settled| April 1, 1889
Government

• Mayor| Kazufumi Ōnishi[1][2]
Area

• Total

| 390.32 km2 (150.70 sq mi)
Population

(January 1, 2025)

• Total

| 737,543
• Density| 1,900/km2 (4,900/sq mi)
Time zone| UTC+09:00 (JST)
Climate| Cfa
Website| www.city.kumamoto.jp
Symbols

Bird| Great tit
Flower| Camellia
Tree| Ginkgo

Kumamoto (熊本市, Kumamoto-shi; Japanese pronunciation: [kɯ.ma.mo.to, -toꜜ.ɕi][3]) is the capital city of Kumamoto Prefecture on the island of Kyushu, Japan. As of June 1, 2019[update], the city has 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[update], Kumamoto Metropolitan Employment Area has a GDP of US$39.8 billion.[4][5] 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

[edit]

See also: History of Kumamoto Prefecture

### Early modern period

[edit]

#### Shokuhō period

[edit]

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

[edit]

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[6] and swordsman Miyamoto Musashi[7]

* Statue of Hosokawa Tadatoshi within Suizen-ji Jōju-en

* Mon of Miyamoto Musashi, born in Ōhara-chō province of Mimasaka[8]

### Late modern period

[edit]

#### Meiji period

[edit]

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

#### Showa period

[edit]

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.[9]

### Contemporary history

[edit]

#### After World War II

[edit]

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.[10] Inaugurated in 1954, it was the first of over 80 Peace Pagodas built by Fujii and his followers all over the world.[11]

#### Heisei period

[edit]

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.[12]

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.[13]

## Geography

[edit]

Downtown of Kumamoto

### Climate

[edit]

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 38.8 °C (101.8 °F) on 17 July 1994; the coldest temperature ever recorded was −9.2 °C (15.4 °F) on 11 February 1929.

Climate data for Kumamoto (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1890−present)

Month  | Jan  | Feb  | Mar  | Apr  | May  | Jun  | Jul  | Aug  | Sep  | Oct  | Nov  | Dec  | Year
Record high °C (°F)  | 22.5
(72.5)  | 26.4
(79.5)  | 27.4
(81.3)  | 30.7
(87.3)  | 34.4
(93.9)  | 36.1
(97.0)  | 38.8
(101.8)  | 38.8
(101.8)  | 37.0
(98.6)  | 33.7
(92.7)  | 28.9
(84.0)  | 24.6
(76.3)  | 38.8
(101.8)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)  | 10.7
(51.3)  | 12.4
(54.3)  | 16.1
(61.0)  | 21.4
(70.5)  | 26.0
(78.8)  | 28.1
(82.6)  | 31.8
(89.2)  | 33.3
(91.9)  | 30.1
(86.2)  | 25.0
(77.0)  | 18.8
(65.8)  | 12.9
(55.2)  | 22.2
(72.0)
Daily mean °C (°F)  | 6.0
(42.8)  | 7.4
(45.3)  | 10.9
(51.6)  | 15.8
(60.4)  | 20.5
(68.9)  | 23.7
(74.7)  | 27.5
(81.5)  | 28.4
(83.1)  | 25.2
(77.4)  | 19.6
(67.3)  | 13.5
(56.3)  | 8.0
(46.4)  | 17.2
(63.0)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)  | 1.6
(34.9)  | 2.6
(36.7)  | 5.9
(42.6)  | 10.6
(51.1)  | 15.6
(60.1)  | 20.2
(68.4)  | 24.2
(75.6)  | 24.8
(76.6)  | 21.2
(70.2)  | 14.9
(58.8)  | 8.8
(47.8)  | 3.4
(38.1)  | 12.8
(55.0)
Record low °C (°F)  | −9.2
(15.4)  | −9.2
(15.4)  | −6.9
(19.6)  | −2.5
(27.5)  | 1.3
(34.3)  | 7.1
(44.8)  | 14.3
(57.7)  | 15.3
(59.5)  | 6.7
(44.1)  | 0.5
(32.9)  | −3.8
(25.2)  | −7.9
(17.8)  | −9.2
(15.4)
Average precipitation mm (inches)  | 57.2
(2.25)  | 83.2
(3.28)  | 124.8
(4.91)  | 144.9
(5.70)  | 160.9
(6.33)  | 448.5
(17.66)  | 386.8
(15.23)  | 195.4
(7.69)  | 172.6
(6.80)  | 87.1
(3.43)  | 84.4
(3.32)  | 61.2
(2.41)  | 2,007
(79.02)
Average snowfall cm (inches)  | 1
(0.4)  | 0
(0)  | 0
(0)  | 0
(0)  | 0
(0)  | 0
(0)  | 0
(0)  | 0
(0)  | 0
(0)  | 0
(0)  | 0
(0)  | 0
(0)  | 1
(0.4)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.5 mm) | 8.1  | 9.0  | 11.4  | 10.7  | 10.4  | 15.2  | 13.3  | 11.3  | 10.4  | 7.2  | 8.3  | 8.3  | 123.5
Average relative humidity (%)  | 70  | 67  | 66  | 65  | 67  | 76  | 76  | 72  | 71  | 69  | 72  | 71  | 70
Mean monthly sunshine hours | 133.0  | 141.1  | 169.6  | 184.0  | 194.3  | 130.8  | 176.7  | 206.0  | 176.4  | 187.1  | 153.7  | 143.4  | 1,996.1
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency[14]

### Area

[edit]

Map showing Kumamoto Metropolitan Employment Area

#### Wards

[edit]

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

Wards of Kumamoto

| Place Name  |  | Map of Kumamoto
Rōmaji | Kanji | Color  |
1  | Kita-ku | 北区  | Blue  |

2  | Nishi-ku | 西区  | Yellow
3  | Chuo-ku | 中央区
(administrative center)  | Purple
4  | Higashi-ku | 東区  | Red
5  | Minami-ku | 南区  | Green

### Surrounding municipalities

[edit]

Kumamoto Prefecture

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

### Demographics

[edit]

Kumamoto prefecture population pyramid in 2020

Per Japanese census data, the population of Kumamoto in 2020 is 738,865 people.[15] Kumamoto has been conducting censuses since 1920.

Historical population| Year| Pop.| ±%

|
|

1920 | 267,466| —
1925 | 290,729| +8.7%
1930 | 312,013| +7.3%
1935 | 329,225| +5.5%
1940 | 321,622| −2.3%
1945 | 389,649| +21.2%
1950 | 413,497| +6.1%
1955 | 454,514| +9.9%
1960 | 474,859| +4.5%
1965 | 502,463| +5.8%
1970 | 534,228| +6.3%
| Year| Pop.| ±%

|
|

1975 | 574,299| +7.5%
1980 | 619,236| +7.8%
1985 | 654,348| +5.7%
1990 | 680,765| +4.0%
1995 | 708,097| +4.0%
2000 | 720,816| +1.8%
2005 | 727,978| +1.0%
2010 | 734,294| +0.9%
2015 | 740,822| +0.9%
2020 | 738,865| −0.3%
Kumamoto population statistics[15]

## Government

[edit]

Kazufumi Ōnishi has been the city's mayor since December 2014.[16]

### Working mother incident

[edit]

In November 2017, Kumamoto politician Yuka Ogata was forced to leave the Kumamoto municipal assembly because she had brought her baby.[17] The incident was reported by international media as an example of the challenges facing women in Japan.[18]

## Transportation

[edit]

Kumamoto Airport Kumamoto Station Kumamoto City Transportation Bureau Kumamoto city tram Kumamoto Sakuramachi Bus Terminal Kitakumamoto Service Area Port of Kumamoto

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

### Airways

[edit]

#### Airports

[edit]

Kumamoto Airport is located in nearby Mashiki.

### Railways

[edit]

#### High-speed rail

[edit]

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

[edit]

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

[edit]

Trams run to a few suburbs near the downtown area.

Kumamoto City Transportation Bureau

### Bus

[edit]

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

### Taxi

[edit]

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

### Roads

[edit]

#### Expressways

[edit]

* Kyushu Expressway

#### Japan National Routes

[edit]

* 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

[edit]

#### Seaports

[edit]

* Port of Kumamoto

#### Ferry

[edit]

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

## Education

[edit]

### Universities

[edit]

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

## Landmarks

[edit]

### Kumamoto Castle

[edit]

Kumamoto Castle

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.

### Religious sites

[edit]

The first of many peace pagodas around the world was erected by Japanese Buddhist monk Nichidatsu Fujii atop Mount Hanaoka beginning 1947.[19] Inaugurated in 1954, it was the first of over 80 built by Fujii and his followers all over the world.[20]

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

### Suizenji area

[edit]

Suizenji jojuen garden

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.

### Other notable sites

[edit]

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.

## Culture

[edit]

### Sports

[edit]

#### Sports teams

[edit]

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.

* Kumamoto Fujisakidai Baseball Stadium

* Egao Kenko Stadium

* Kumamoto Prefectural Gymnasium

* Kumamoto City Synthesis Gymnasium

#### Sporting events

[edit]

The Kumamoto Castle Marathon is a yearly event in Kumamoto City. It was established in commemoration of Kumamoto becoming a designated city in 2012.[21] The city also hosted the 1997 World Men's Handball Championship and the 2019 World Women's Handball Championship.

## Sister cities

[edit]

Kumamoto is twinned with the following cities.

* Billings, Montana, United States
* Bristol, England, United Kingdom
* Guilin, Guangxi, People's Republic of China
* Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, since 1992[22]
* Helena, Montana, United States
* Rome, Georgia, United States, since 1995
* San Antonio, Texas, United States, since 1987[23]
* Ulsan, South Korea, since 2010
* Kaohsiung, Taiwan, since 2017[24]

## Notable people

[edit]

This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (June 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

|

* 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.[25]
* 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.[26]
* 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.[27]
* 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.

## See also

[edit]

* Geography portal
* Japan portal

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Kumamoto City". JAPAN SHOWCASE. The Japan Times. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
2. ^ 市長名の検索結果 (in Japanese). Japan Association of City Mayors. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
3. ^ NHK Broadcasting Culture Research Institute, ed. (24 May 2016). NHK日本語発音アクセント新辞典 (in Japanese). NHK Publishing.
4. ^ Yoshitsugu Kanemoto. "Metropolitan Employment Area (MEA) Data". Center for Spatial Information Science, The University of Tokyo. Archived from the original on 2018-06-15. Retrieved 2016-09-29.
5. ^ Conversion rates - Exchange rates \- OECD Data
6. ^ "Art of Miyamoto Musashi". ecole-miyamoto-musashi.com. 2009. Retrieved August 12, 2020.
7. ^ Wilson, The Lone Samurai, pp. 104–105.
8. ^ "Mimasaka. Musashi Miyamoto". Mémorial Heiho Niten Ichi Ryu. 2018. Retrieved August 12, 2020.
9. ^ Craven, Wesley; Cate, James, eds. (1953). The Pacific: Matterhorn to Nagasaki. The Army Air Forces in World War II. Volume V. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press. p. 664\. OCLC 256469807.
10. ^ Kisala, Robert (1999). Prophets of Peace: Pacifism and Cultural Identity in Japan's New Religions. University of Hawaii Press. pp. 52–53\. ISBN 9780824822675.
11. ^ Stone, Jacqueline I. (2003). Queen, Christopher S.; Prebish, Charles S.; Keown, Damien (eds.). Action Dharma: New Studies in Engaged Buddhism. Psychology Press. p. 81\. ISBN 9780700715947.
12. ^ "都道府県別市町村変更情報：福岡 Archived 2010-04-06 at the Wayback Machine." kokudo.or.jp. Retrieved on November 22, 2008. (in Japanese)
13. ^ "Japan earthquake: Powerful new tremor in Kumamoto". BBC News. 2016-04-15. Retrieved 2016-04-15.
14. ^ 気象庁 / 平年値（年・月ごとの値）. Japan Meteorological Agency. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
15. ^ a b Kumamoto population statistics
16. ^ 市長のプロフィール (in Japanese). Kumamoto City. 3 December 2014. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
17. ^ "Japanese politicians force colleague with baby to leave chamber". TheGuardian.com. 24 November 2017.
18. ^ "A Japanese politician took her baby to work. Male colleagues made a fuss. - The Washington Post". The Washington Post.
19. ^ Kisala, Robert (1999). Prophets of Peace: Pacifism and Cultural Identity in Japan's New Religions. University of Hawaii Press. pp. 52–53\. ISBN 9780824822675.
20. ^ Stone, Jacqueline I. (2003). Queen, Christopher S.; Prebish, Charles S.; Keown, Damien (eds.). Action Dharma: New Studies in Engaged Buddhism. Psychology Press. p. 81\. ISBN 9780700715947.
21. ^ Kumamoto Castle Marathon website Information on 2013 Kumamoto Castle Marathon Archived 2012-11-01 at the Wayback Machine
22. ^ "Twinning". City of Heidelberg. Archived from the original on 2011-06-10. Retrieved 2009-11-12.
23. ^ City of San Antonio International Relations Office. Retrieved 12 October 2011
24. ^ "Kumamoto Prefecture - the Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR)".
25. ^ "熊本出身の阪神岩貞７回０封、３戦連続２桁Ｋ実らず" [Kumamoto native Hanshin Iwasada 7 innings 0 shutout, 3 consecutive double-digit K fruitless]. Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). April 16, 2016. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
26. ^ "Destination: Paradise". apricot.com. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
27. ^ "Go Shiozaki". Cagematch. Retrieved June 7, 2024.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kumamoto.

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Kumamoto.

* Kumamoto City official website (in Japanese)
* Kumamoto City official website (in English)
* Geographic data related to Kumamoto at OpenStreetMap

Links to related articles

* v
* t
* e

Kumamoto Prefecture

Kumamoto (capital)

Kumamoto|

| Wards|

* Chūō
* Higashi
* Kita
* Minami
* Nishi

|

Cities|

* Amakusa
* Arao
* Aso
* Hitoyoshi
* Kami-Amakusa
* Kikuchi
* Kōshi
* Minamata
* Tamana
* Uki
* Uto
* Yamaga
* Yatsushiro

Districts|

* Amakusa District
* Reihoku
* Ashikita District
* Ashikita
* Tsunagi
* Aso District
* Minamioguni
* Oguni
* Takamori
* Minamiaso
* Nishihara
* Ubuyama
* Kamimashiki District
* Kashima
* Kōsa
* Mashiki
* Mifune
* Yamato
* Kikuchi District
* Kikuyō
* Ōzu
* Kuma District
* Asagiri
* Nishiki
* Taragi
* Yunomae
* Itsuki
* Kuma
* Mizukami
* Sagara
* Yamae
* Shimomashiki District
* Misato
* Tamana District
* Gyokutō
* Nagasu
* Nagomi
* Nankan
* Yatsushiro District
* Hikawa

List of mergers in Kumamoto Prefecture

* v
* t
* e

Metropolitan cities of Japan

| Tokyo Metropolis|

* Special wards of Tokyo※
* Adachi
* Arakawa
* Bunkyō
* Chiyoda
* Chūō
* Edogawa
* Itabashi
* Katsushika
* Kita
* Kōtō
* Meguro
* Minato
* Nakano
* Nerima
* Ōta
* Setagaya
* Shibuya
* Shinagawa
* Shinjuku
* Suginami
* Sumida
* Toshima
* Taitō

|

Designated cities|

* Chiba※
* Fukuoka※
* Hamamatsu
* Hiroshima※
* Kawasaki
* Kitakyushu
* Kobe※
* Kumamoto※
* Kyoto※
* Nagoya※
* Niigata※
* Okayama※
* Osaka※
* Sagamihara
* Saitama※
* Sakai
* Sapporo※
* Sendai※
* Shizuoka※
* Yokohama※

Core cities|

* Akashi
* Akita※
* Amagasaki
* Aomori※
* Asahikawa
* Fukui※
* Fukushima※
* Fukuyama
* Funabashi
* Gifu※
* Hachinohe
* Hachiōji
* Hakodate
* Higashiōsaka
* Himeji
* Hirakata
* Ichinomiya
* Iwaki
* Kagoshima※
* Kanazawa※
* Kashiwa
* Kawagoe
* Kawaguchi
* Kōchi※
* Kōfu※
* Kōriyama
* Koshigaya
* Kurashiki
* Kure
* Kurume
* Maebashi※
* Matsue※
* Matsumoto
* Matsuyama※
* Miyazaki※
* Mito※
* Morioka※
* Naha※
* Nagano※
* Nagasaki※
* Nara※
* Neyagawa
* Nishinomiya
* Ōita※
* Okazaki
* Ōtsu※
* Sasebo
* Shimonoseki
* Suita
* Takamatsu※
* Takasaki
* Takatsuki
* Tottori※
* Toyama※
* Toyohashi
* Toyonaka
* Toyota
* Utsunomiya※
* Wakayama※
* Yao
* Yamagata※
* Yokosuka

Special cities|

* Atsugi
* Chigasaki☆
* Fuji☆
* Hiratsuka
* Ibaraki
* Isesaki
* Jōetsu
* Kakogawa
* Kasugai
* Kasukabe
* Kishiwada☆
* Kumagaya
* Nagaoka
* Numazu
* Odawara☆
* Ōta
* Saga※
* Sōka
* Takarazuka
* Tokorozawa☆
* Tsukuba☆
* Yamato
* Yokkaichi☆

Prefectural capitals
without designation|

* Tsu
* Tokushima
* Yamaguchi

※ also a prefectural capital; † eligible for core city status but not yet nominated; ☆ to become core cities

* v
* t
* e

Metropolitan areas in Japan with a population of over a million

Hokkaido region|

* Sapporo (Wikidata)
* Ishikari
* Shiribeshi
* Sorachi

Tōhoku region|

* Sendai (Wikidata)
* Miyagi

Kantō region|

* Utsunomiya (Wikidata)
* Tochigi
* Maebashi (Wikidata)
* Gunma
* Tokyo
* Saitama
* Chiba
* Tokyo
* Kanagawa
* Ibaraki
* Yamanashi

Chūbu region|

* Niigata (Wikidata)
* Niigata
* Toyama (Wikidata)
* Toyama
* Hamamatsu (Wikidata)
* Shizuoka
* Nagoya (Wikidata)
* Gifu
* Aichi
* Mie

Kinki region|

* Kyoto (Wikidata)
* Shiga
* Kyoto
* Osaka (Wikidata)
* Kyoto
* Osaka
* Hyogo
* Nara
* Wakayama
* Kobe (Wikidata)
* Hyogo

Chūgoku region|

* Okayama (Wikidata)
* Okayama
* Hiroshima (Wikidata)
* Hiroshima

Kyushu region|

* Kitakyushu (Wikidata)
* Fukuoka
* Fukuoka (Wikidata)
* Fukuoka
* Kumamoto (Wikidata)
* Kumamoto

* v
* t
* e

Cities in Japan with a population of 200,000+

2,000,000 and more|

* Tokyo (capital)
* Yokohama
* Osaka
* Nagoya

1,000,000–1,999,999|

* Sapporo
* Fukuoka
* Kobe
* Kyoto
* Kawasaki
* Saitama
* Hiroshima
* Sendai

500,000–999,999|

* Kitakyushu
* Chiba
* Setagaya
* Sakai
* Niigata
* Hamamatsu
* Shizuoka
* Sagamihara
* Nerima
* Okayama
* Ōta
* Kumamoto
* Edogawa
* Adachi
* Kagoshima
* Funabashi
* Hachiōji
* Kawaguchi
* Himeji
* Suginami
* Itabashi
* Matsuyama
* Higashiōsaka
* Utsunomiya

200,000–499,999|

* Matsudo
* Nishinomiya
* Kurashiki
* Ichikawa, Chiba
* Oita
* Fukuyama
* Amagasaki
* Kanazawa
* Nagasaki
* Kōtō
* Katsushika
* Yokosuka
* Toyama
* Toyota
* Takamatsu
* Machida
* Gifu
* Hirakata
* Fujisawa
* Kashiwa
* Toyonaka
* Nagano
* Toyohashi
* Ichinomiya
* Wakayama
* Okazaki
* Miyazaki
* Nara
* Suita
* Takatsuki
* Shinagawa
* Asahikawa
* Iwaki
* Kochi
* Takasaki
* Kōriyama
* Tokorozawa
* Kawagoe
* Kita
* Akita
* Ōtsu
* Koshigaya
* Maebashi
* Naha
* Nakano, Tokyo
* Shinjuku
* Yokkaichi
* Aomori
* Kurume
* Kasugai
* Morioka
* Akashi
* Fukushima
* Tsu
* Shimonoseki
* Nagaoka
* Ichihara
* Hakodate
* Yao
* Ibaraki, Osaka
* Fukui
* Meguro
* Kakogawa
* Tokushima
* Mito
* Hiratsuka
* Toshima
* Yamagata
* Sasebo
* Fuchū, Tokyo
* Kure, Hiroshima
* Hachinohe
* Saga
* Neyagawa
* Sōka
* Sumida
* Fuji
* Kasukabe
* Chigasaki
* Matsumoto
* Atsugi
* Yamato
* Ageo
* Takarazuka
* Chōfu
* Ōta, Gunma
* Tsukuba
* Numazu
* Joetsu
* Shibuya
* Minato
* Kumagaya
* Isesaki
* Nishitokyo
* Kishiwada
* Tottori

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF
* FAST
* WorldCat

National|

* Germany
* United States
* France
* BnF data
* Japan
* Czech Republic
* Spain
* Israel

Geographic|

* MusicBrainz area

Academics|

* CiNii

Other|

* IdRef
* Yale LUX

*[Pop.]: Population
*[±%]: Percent change
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