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Shimonoseki

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Template:Infobox City Japan Shimonoseki (下関市, Shimonoseki-shi) is a city located in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. It is at the southwestern tip of Honshū, facing the Tsushima Strait and also Kitakyushu across the Kanmon Straits.

Description

The city was founded on April 1, 1889. It is known for fugu, as this is where the largest catch of these fish is taken in Japan each year. The city has a population of 290,693 (as of January 1, 2006) with a density of 406.1 persons per km². The total area is 715.89 km².

On February 13, 2005, the city of Shimonoseki merged with the towns of Hōhoku, Kikugawa, Toyota, and Toyoura from Toyoura District to form the new city of Shimonseki. Since October 1, 2005, the city has been designated as a Core city by the Japanese Government.

Captured battery at Shimonoseki, 1864.

The geographical position of Shimonoseki has given it historical importance, especially with the Bombardment of Shimonoseki in 1864 and the Treaty of Shimonoseki, where a defeated China handed over Taiwan, the Pescadores, and Port Arthur to the victorious Japanese in 1895. The Heike and Genji fought at Dan-no-ura near the present Kanmonkyo Bridge.

On January 7, 2006, the wooden station building at Shimonoseki station, which had dated back to 1942, was destroyed in a fire, the cause of which is suspected to be arson.

Main sightseeing spots and institutions

Kanmon Straits seen from space, Shimonoseki on the right, Kitakyushu on the left
The Shimonoseki aquarium (Kaikyokan) with the Kanmon Straits and Moji-ku, Kitakyushu in the background.
Former British Consulate
The last of Richard Henry Brunton's 26 lighthouses at Tsunoshima island, Hohoku, Shimonoseki

JR Shimonoseki station and Karato

  • Kaikyokan (Aquarium)
  • Nagato Market
  • Green Mall shopping street (Korean Town [1])
  • Sea Mall Shimonoseki (largest shopping center in West Japan when it was built)
  • Kaikyo Yume Tower (Kaikyo Messe Shimonoseki)
  • Shimonoseki Port International Terminal
  • Shimonoseki Port
  • Yamaguchi Bank Co., Ltd. (head office)
  • Hayashikane Sangyo Co., Ltd. (main office)
  • Mt. Hinoyama
  • Karato Market
  • Kamon Wharf
  • Former British Consulate (built in 1906)
  • Akama Shrine

Castle town Chofu

  • Streets with earthen walls
  • Kozanji (Temple, National treasure)
  • Shimonoseki City Art Museum
  • Chofu Garden
  • Nogi jinja - a shrine dedicated to the memory of General Nogi Maresuke

Toyoura

  • Kawatana Onsen (Hot spring)

Houhoku

Transportation

Ferries from Shimonoseki Port International Terminal

Trains

  • The main JR Nishi Nihon stations (Sanyō Main Line and San'in Main Line)
    • Shimonoseki station
    • Shin-shimonoseki station
    • Hatabu station
    • Ozuki station
    • Kawatana-onsen station

Buses

  • Bus companies (A loop-line bus in the city.)
    • Sanden Kohtsu Co.,Ltd.
    • Blue Line Kohtsu Co.,Ltd.

Expressway

(Chūgoku jidousyadou)

    • Shimonoseki interchange
    • Ozuki interchange

Airports

Education

Universities and colleges

Sports

Sporting venues

Twin cities

Shimonoseki has one domestic and 5 international sister cities[2]:

Outside Japan

Within Japan

People

(Those written in bold letters are deceased.)

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi.
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