Kumamoto, Kumamoto

Kumamoto (熊本市; -shi) is the capital city city of Kumamoto Prefecture on Kyushu island of Japan.

Related Topics:
City - Kumamoto Prefecture - Kyushu - Island - Japan

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As of 2003, the city has an estimated population of 669,034 and a density of 2,507.91 persons per km². The total area is 266.77 km².

Related Topics:
2003 - Population - Density - Km²

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Kato Kiyomasa, a contemporary of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, was daimyo of the former administrative region of Higo in the 16th Centuary. Kumamoto Castle was established by Kato Kiyomasa.

Related Topics:
Toyotomi Hideyoshi - Higo

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Later, Tokugawa Ieyasu replaced him with the Hosokawa clan. Former Prime Minister of Japan Hosokawa Morihiro is a descendant of the Hosokawa clan of Kumamoto. Former president of Peru Alberto Fujimori's ancestors emigrated from Kumamoto early in the 20th centuary.

Related Topics:
Tokugawa Ieyasu - Hosokawa - Prime Minister of Japan - Hosokawa Morihiro - Alberto Fujimori

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The city's most famous landmark is Kumamoto Castle, a large, and in its day, an extremely well fortified Japanese castle. The donjon (castle central keep) is a concrete reconstruction built in the 1970s, but several ancilliary wooden buildings remain of the original castle. The castle was besieged during the Satsuma Rebellion, and was sacked and burned after a 53-day siege.

Related Topics:
Kumamoto Castle - Donjon - Satsuma Rebellion - Siege

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Within the outer walls of Kumamoto Castle is the Hosokawa Gyobu-tei, the former residence of the Higo daimyo. This traditional wooden mansion has a fine Japanese garden located in its grounds.

Related Topics:
Daimyo - Japanese garden

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English-speaking visitors will probably find most useful: Shark Attack bar, Jeff's World Bar, Kumamoto International Centre, and a Kinokuniya book shop which will offer some foreign books. There is also a lively email discussion group for international (for which read English-speaking) residents or visitors to Kumamoto - called Kumamoto-I. One may also notice the town also associates itself with Miyamoto Musashi. Close to the castle is the fairly large Shimontori shopping arcade with the modern type of shops; Levis, coffeehouses, books, records and toys. The streetcar - in the gallery below - will take one from the Kumamoto Station to it.

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Kumamoto city is home to Suizenji Koen (Park), a formal garden neighbouring the Suizenji Temple approximately 10 kilometres west of Kumamoto Castle. Suizenji Koen is considered to be one of the most beautiful gardens in remaining Japan, together with Kenroku-en in the city of Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture, and the gardens Kairaku-en and Koraku-en.

Related Topics:
Suizenji - Kenroku-en - Kanazawa - Ishikawa Prefecture - Kairaku-en - Koraku-en

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

Related Topics:
April 1 - 1889

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