Shimonoseki

Shimonoseki City Hall
Shimonoseki-shi ; 下関市
Geographical location in Japan
Region :	Chūgoku
Prefecture :	Yamaguchi
Coordinates :	33 ° 57 ' N , 130 ° 56' E Coordinates: 33 ° 57 '28 " N , 130 ° 56' 29" E
Basic data
Surface:	715.83 km²
Residents :	257,038 ; (October 1, 2019)
Population density :	359 inhabitants per km²
Community key :	35201-2
Symbols
Flag / coat of arms:
Tree :	Camphor tree
Flower :	Crinum asiaticum
Tree blossom:	Azalea , cherry blossom
Fish :	Puffer fish
Insect :	Firefly
town hall
Address :	Shimonoseki City Hall ; 1 - 1 , Nabe-chō; Shimonoseki -shi ; Yamaguchi 750-8521
Website URL:	http://www.city.shimonoseki.lg.jp/
Location Shimonosekis in Yamaguchi Prefecture

Shimonoseki ( Japanese 下関市 - shi ) is the southwesternmost city on Honshū , the main island of Japan , and belongs to Yamaguchi Prefecture .

geography

Shimonoseki is north of the Kammon Strait opposite the town of Kitakyushu on the island of Kyushu , to which it is connected by tunnels, a ferry and the Kammon Bridge .

The island of Futaoi is 30 minutes by boat to the northwest .

history

Until modern times the place was called Akamagaseki ( 赤間関 / 赤馬関 ) or Bakan for short ( 馬関 ).

In the city on April 17, 1895 the signing of the Treaty of Shimonoseki took place, which ended the Sino-Japanese War (from 1894 to 1895).

On June 1, 1902, the name was changed to Shimonoseki. The March 26, 1937 incorporated Chofu was formerly the capital of Nagato Province and the daimyate of Chofu .

The population has been declining with an increasing trend since the 1980s. In 1980 there were still 325,000 people living in Shimonoseki.

traffic

The ferry connections to Busan ( Korea ) and Qingdao ( China ) are also important .

Street:
- Chūgoku Highway
- San'yō Highway
- National Road 2 , to Osaka or Kitakyushu
- National Road 9 , to Kyoto
Train:
- JR San'yō-Shinkansen , to Tokyo , Kyoto , Osaka and Hakata
- JR San'yō Main Line , to Kobe
- JR San'in Main Line , to Kyoto

economy

Manhole cover with Fugu motif

Shimonoseki is an important fishing port. It is particularly considered the traditional home port of the Japanese whaling fleet .

In addition to fish processing (especially fugu ), the following are economically important: shipyards, chemical factories, engineering offices and tourism . The biggest tourist attraction is the Akama-jingū , which is dedicated to the Japanese child emperor Antoku .

Shimonoseki is also an important traffic port. As early as 1905–1945, rail ferries ran daily to Busan / Korea with a direct connection to the Trans-Siberian Railway: Busan – Seoul – Uiju (China), Andong – Mukden (Russia / USSR), Manchurija, etc. From 1967, regular passenger traffic with the Asian neighbors began gradually resumed. Today, there are again daily ferries to Busan / Korea and twice a week to Qingdao / China.