Hōfu — Mediated Wiki

{{Infobox settlement | name = Hōfu | official_name = | native_name = {{nobold|{{nobold|{{lang|ja|防府市}}}}}} | native_name_lang = ja | settlement_type = City | other_name =  | image_skyline = Hofu.jpg | imagesize = | image_caption = Hofu city seen from Hōfu Tenman-gū shrine. | image_flag = Flag of Hofu, Yamaguchi.svg | image_seal = Emblem of Hofu, Yamaguchi.svg | seal_type = Emblem  | mapframe = yes | mapframe-zoom = 8 | mapframe-point = none | map_alt = | map_caption = Location of Hōfu in Yamaguchi Prefecture | map_caption1 = | pushpin_map = Japan | pushpin_relief = | pushpin_map_caption = Location in Japan | coordinates = {{coord|34|3|5|N|131|33|45|E|region:JP|display=inline,title}} | coordinates_footnotes =   | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = Japan | subdivision_type1 = Region | subdivision_name1 = Chūgoku (San'yō) | subdivision_type2 = Prefecture | subdivision_name2 = Yamaguchi | subdivision_type3 = District | subdivision_name3 =  | established_title =  | established_date = | extinct_title = Now part of | extinct_date = | founder = | named_for =  | seat_type =  | seat =  | government_footnotes =  | leader_party = | leader_title = Mayor | leader_name = Yutaka Ikeda | leader_title1 = Vice Mayor | leader_name1 =  | total_type =  | unit_pref = Metric  | area_magnitude =  | area_footnotes =  | area_total_km2 = 189.37 | area_land_km2 = | area_water_km2 = | area_water_percent = | area_note =  | elevation_footnotes =  | elevation_m =  | population_footnotes =  | population_total = 114,846 | population_as_of = May 31, 2023 | population_density_km2 = auto | population_est = | pop_est_as_of =  | timezone1 = JST | utc_offset1 = +09:00  | postal_code_type = | postal_code = | area_code_type =  | area_code =  | blank_name_sec1 = City hall address | blank_info_sec1 = 7-1, Kotobukichō, Hōfu-shi, Yamaguchi-ken 747-8501  | blank_name_sec2 = Climate | blank_info_sec2 = Cfa  | website = {{Official website|1=http://www.city.hofu.yamaguchi.jp/}} | footnotes = | module = {{Infobox place symbols| embedded=yes | tree = Sangoju <small>(Viburnum odoratissimum var. awabuki)</small> | flower = Scarlet Sage | bird = | butterfly = | fish = | other_symbols = }} }} right|thumb|270px| Hōfu City Hall right|thumb|270px|Aerial photograph of central Hōfu right|thumb|270px| Hōfu Tenman-gu

{{nihongo|'''Hōfu'''|防府市|Hōfu-shi}} is a city located in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. {{As of|2023|05|31}}, the city had an estimated population of 114,846 and a population density of 610 persons per km<sup>2</sup>.<ref name="Hōfu-hp">{{cite web |url=https://www.city.hofu.yamaguchi.jp/soshiki/13/nenreibetu.html|title= Hōfu City official statistics|location= Japan|language= ja}}</ref> The total area of the city is {{convert|92.13|sqkm|sqmi}}.

==Geography== Hōfu is located almost in the center of Yamaguchi Prefecture, facing the Seto Inland Sea to the south. The Saba River, a first-class water system, flows from the northwest of the city toward the Seto Inland Sea. On the offshore side, the remains of former salt fields have been reclaimed to form a plain. In the Seto Inland Sea, five islands, Sabajima, Mukaishima, Nojima, Hirashima, and Okishima, belong to the city.

=== Neighbouring municipalities === Yamaguchi Prefecture * Shūnan * Yamaguchi

===Climate=== Hōfu has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification ''Cfa'') with hot summers and cool winters. Precipitation is significant throughout the year, but is much higher in summer than in winter. The average annual temperature in Hōfu is {{convert|15.9|C}}. The average annual rainfall is {{cvt|1653.7|mm}} with July as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around {{convert|27.5|C}}, and lowest in January, at around {{convert|5.0|C}}.<ref name=normals/> The highest temperature ever recorded in Hōfu was {{cvt|37.7|C}} on 11 August 2013; the coldest temperature ever recorded was {{cvt|-8.1|C}} on 22 January 2004.<ref name=extremes/>

{{Weather box |width=auto |collapsed = |single line = Y |metric first = Y |location = Hōfu (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1977−present) |Jan record high C = 18.8 |Feb record high C = 21.4 |Mar record high C = 26.1 |Apr record high C = 28.7 |May record high C = 31.8 |Jun record high C = 32.9 |Jul record high C = 37.4 |Aug record high C = 37.7 |Sep record high C = 36.9 |Oct record high C = 32.0 |Nov record high C = 26.5 |Dec record high C = 23.9 |Jan record low C = -8.1 |Feb record low C = -7.2 |Mar record low C = -5.0 |Apr record low C = -0.4 |May record low C = 3.6 |Jun record low C = 9.6 |Jul record low C = 16.2 |Aug record low C = 17.1 |Sep record low C = 8.5 |Oct record low C = 1.8 |Nov record low C = -0.9 |Dec record low C = -6.0 |Jan high C = 9.7 |Feb high C = 10.7 |Mar high C = 14.2 |Apr high C = 19.4 |May high C = 24.0 |Jun high C = 26.7 |Jul high C = 30.4 |Aug high C = 31.8 |Sep high C = 28.5 |Oct high C = 23.5 |Nov high C = 17.7 |Dec high C = 12.1 |Jan mean C = 5.0 |Feb mean C = 5.9 |Mar mean C = 9.1 |Apr mean C = 14.0 |May mean C = 18.8 |Jun mean C = 22.4 |Jul mean C = 26.3 |Aug mean C = 27.5 |Sep mean C = 23.9 |Oct mean C = 18.2 |Nov mean C = 12.5 |Dec mean C = 7.2 |Jan low C = 0.7 |Feb low C = 1.3 |Mar low C = 4.0 |Apr low C = 8.7 |May low C = 13.7 |Jun low C = 18.8 |Jul low C = 23.1 |Aug low C = 24.0 |Sep low C = 20.0 |Oct low C = 13.5 |Nov low C = 7.6 |Dec low C = 2.7 |precipitation colour = green |Jan precipitation mm = 55.6 |Feb precipitation mm = 68.9 |Mar precipitation mm = 119.3 |Apr precipitation mm = 142.8 |May precipitation mm = 184.1 |Jun precipitation mm = 241.8 |Jul precipitation mm = 315.7 |Aug precipitation mm = 147.7 |Sep precipitation mm = 159.6 |Oct precipitation mm = 88.4 |Nov precipitation mm = 75.1 |Dec precipitation mm = 54.9 |year precipitation mm = 1653.7 |unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm |Jan precipitation days = 8.4 |Feb precipitation days = 8.7 |Mar precipitation days = 10.2 |Apr precipitation days = 9.7 |May precipitation days = 8.9 |Jun precipitation days = 11.7 |Jul precipitation days = 10.8 |Aug precipitation days = 8.0 |Sep precipitation days = 9.0 |Oct precipitation days = 6.0 |Nov precipitation days = 7.6 |Dec precipitation days = 8.6 |Jan sun = 139.4 |Feb sun = 143.5 |Mar sun = 174.5 |Apr sun = 190.8 |May sun = 209.5 |Jun sun = 148.6 |Jul sun = 173.9 |Aug sun = 212.7 |Sep sun = 172.1 |Oct sun = 182.2 |Nov sun = 154.6 |Dec sun = 143.6 |year sun = 2045.4 |source 1 = Japan Meteorological Agency<ref name=normals>{{cite web | url = https://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=81&block_no=0775&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 24, 2022}}</ref><ref name=extremes>{{cite web | url = https://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/rank_a.php?prec_no=81&block_no=0775&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 24, 2022}}</ref>}}

===Demographics=== Per Japanese census data, the population of Hōfu in 2020 is 113,979 people.<ref name=zensus/> Hōfu has been conducting censuses since 1920. {{Historical populations | 1920 | 61807 | 1925 | 64395 | 1930 | 65721 | 1935 | 72616 | 1940 | 76389 | 1945 | 89843 | 1950 | 93939 | 1955 | 96821 | 1960 | 94513 | 1965 | 94342 | 1970 | 97009 | 1975 | 105540 | 1980 | 111468 | 1985 | 118067 | 1990 | 117634 | 1995 | 118803 | 2000 | 117724 | 2005 | 116818 | 2010 | 116641 | 2015 | 115942 | 2020 | 113979 |align = none |cols=1 | footnote = Hōfu population statistics<ref name=zensus>[https://www.citypopulation.de/en/japan/yamaguchi/ Hōfu population statistics]</ref> }}

==History== The area of Hōfu was part of an ancient Suō Province, and the name "Hōfu" (防府) means "the capital (国'''府''') of Suō Province (周'''防'''国)". The area has been settled since the Jōmon period. During the Nara period, the Suō Kokubun-ji was located in Hōfu. In the Edo Period, it was part of the holdings of Chōshū Domain. Following the Meiji Restoration, the area was divided into villages within Saba District, Yamaguchi, including the villages of Saba and Mitajiri with the creation of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889. The two villages merged to form the town of Hōfu on January 1, 1902. Hōfu was elevated to city status on August 25, 1936.<ref>{{cite web|title=市の概要・市章(Japanese)|url=http://www.city.hofu.yamaguchi.jp/soshiki/1/shinogaiyou-shisyou.html}}</ref> The city's change over the past fifty years is shown in the animated film Mai Mai Miracle, with its story taking place in the year of 1955 (with flashbacks going 1,000 years further back).<ref>[http://film-yg.com/cinema/movies/sinko_photo1.html Stills from the film juxtaposed with modern photos] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304024052/http://film-yg.com/cinema/movies/sinko_photo1.html |date=2016-03-04 }}{{in lang|ja}}</ref>

==Government== Hōfu has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 25 members. Hōfu contributes four members to the Yamaguchi Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of the Yamaguchi 1st district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

==Economy== Hōfu was a port settlement and noted for its salt production in ancient times. In the early modern period, the area rapidly industrialized, with textile mills and large scale factories established on the site of the former salt farms and coastal areas. There are a large concentration of transportation-related industries in the area. In addition to the large Mazda automobile factory<ref>"[http://www.mazda.com/profile/group/offices.html Offices] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091007211654/http://www.mazda.com/profile/group/offices.html |date=October 7, 2009 }}." Mazda. Retrieved on October 29, 2009.</ref> companies such as Bridgestone, Kyowa Hakko Bio, and Tokai Carbon are in the city. The city is also home to an Japan Air Self-Defense Force training base.

==Education== Hōfu has 17 public elementary school and ten public junior high schools operated by the city government, and three public high schools operated by the Yamaguchi Prefectural Board of Education. There are also one private junior high school and two private high schools. The private Yamaguchi Junior College is located in the city.

== Transportation == === Railway === frameless|20x20px JR West (JR West) - San'yō Main Line * {{STN|Tonomi|x}} - Hōfu Freight Terminal - {{STN|Hōfu|x}} - {{STN|Daidō|x}}

=== Highways === * 25px|link=|alt= San'yō Expressway * {{jct|country=JPN|Route|2}} * {{jct|country=JPN|Route|262}}

==Sister cities== * 25px Akitakata, Hiroshima, Japan since July 16, 1971<ref>{{cite web|title=防府市の姉妹都市（安芸高田市）(Japanese)|url=http://www.city.hofu.yamaguchi.jp/soshiki/5/akitakata-index.html}}</ref> * 25px Chuncheon, Gangwon-do, South Korea since October 29, 1991<ref>{{cite web|title=防府市の姉妹都市（春川市・冬のソナタのロケ地）(Japanese)|url=http://www.city.hofu.yamaguchi.jp/soshiki/5/2chunchon-index.html}}</ref> * 25px Monroe, Michigan, United States, since May 29, 1993<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ci.monroe.mi.us/Hofu_Mayor_Visit.cfm |title=Monroe, MI |access-date=March 12, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100128224700/http://www.ci.monroe.mi.us/Hofu_Mayor_Visit.cfm |archive-date=January 28, 2010 }} Twin towning with Monroe, Michigan</ref>

== Local attractions== * Hōfu Tenman-gū * Mōri Museum * Suō Kokubun-ji, National Historic Site * Tamanooya Shrine, ''ichinomiya'' of Suō Province

== Sports== *Hofu Keirin venue<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hofukeirin.jp/ |title=Home |website=hofukeirin.jp}}</ref>

==Notable people== *Gin Maeda, actor *Kamiyama Mitsunoshin, 11th Governor-General of Taiwan *Taneda Santōka, poet *Hiroki Yasumoto, voice actor

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{Commons category|Hofu, Yamaguchi}} * [http://www.city.hofu.yamaguchi.jp Hōfu City official website] {{in lang|ja}} - [http://www.city.hofu.yamaguchi.jp/soshiki/7/foreign.html Google translation embedded] * {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/*/http://www.city.hofu.yamaguchi.jp/english/|title=Hōfu City official website}} {{in lang|en}} * [http://www.taka21.com/ Oidemase Hōfu website] {{in lang|ja}} * {{osmrelation-inline|4083682}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hofu, Yamaguchi}} Category:Cities in Yamaguchi Prefecture Category:Port settlements in Japan Category:Populated coastal places in Japan Category:Hōfu