Prefecture/City:	Fukuoka City
Capital/Prefecture:	Fukuoka Prefecture
Governor/Mayor:	Soichiro Takashima
Area:	341.7 square km (131.9 square miles)
Population:	1.51 million as of January 2014
Flower:	Sasanqua, cotton rosemallow
Tree:	Round leaf holly, camphor laurel
Bird:	Meadow bunting, black-headed gull

Business & Industry:

For visitors, the city, home to Fukuoka airport and Hakata port, is the gateway to Kyushu. The city is the center of business and financial services in Kyushu, with more than half of the international organizations in all of Kyushu located there.

Tourism & Culture:

The Hakata Dontaku, a two-day parade in May, and the Hakata Gion Yamakasa are the prefecture’s major festivals. The latter, running two weeks in early July, is listed as one of Japan’s Important Intangible Folk Cultural Properties. The climax of the festival, a race of lavishly-decorated floats, shouldn’t be missed.

Famous for:

Yatai, or street side food and liquor carts, are prevalent in the Hakata area and its suburbs. They are popular with locals and are an irresistible finish to your day.