Ukiha (うきは市, Ukiha-shi) is a city located in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. As of 31 January 2024, the city had an estimated population of 27,723 in 11449 households, and a population density of 240 persons per km2.[2] The total area of the city is 117.46 km2 (45.35 sq mi).

Ukiha
うきは市
Ukiha city hall
Ukiha city hall
Flag of Ukiha
Official seal of Ukiha
Map
Location of Ukiha in Fukuoka Prefecture
Location of Ukiha
Ukiha is located in Japan
Ukiha
Ukiha
Location in Japan
Coordinates: 33°21′N 130°45′E / 33.350°N 130.750°E / 33.350; 130.750
CountryJapan
RegionKyushu
PrefectureFukuoka
Government
 • MayorHideki Gondo
Area
 • Total
117.46 km2 (45.35 sq mi)
Population
 (January 31, 2024)
 • Total
27,723
 • Density240/km2 (610/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+09:00 (JST)
City hall address316 Niiharu, Yoshii-cho, Ukiha-shi, Fukuoka-ken 839-1393
WebsiteOfficial website
Symbols
BirdCommon kingfisher[1]
FlowerLycoris radiata[1]
TreeDiospyros kaki[1]
Shirokabe street in the historic Chikugo Yoshii district
Tsuzura rice terraces

Geography

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Ukiha is located in southern Fukuoka Prefecture, adjacent to Hita City in Oita Prefecture. It borders Asakura City across the Chikugo River Tanushimaru-cho, Kurume City to the west, and Hoshino-mura, Yame City to the south.

Neighboring municipalities

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Fukuoka Prefecture

Ōita Prefecture

Climate

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Ukiha has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall. The average annual temperature in Ukiha is 13.9 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1875 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 25.0 °C, and lowest in January, at around 2.7 °C.[3]

Demographics

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Per Japanese census data, the population of Ikiha is as shown below

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1950 43,085—    
1960 40,428−6.2%
1970 37,301−7.7%
1980 36,762−1.4%
1990 35,910−2.3%
2000 34,045−5.2%
2010 31,653−7.0%
2020 27,981−11.6%

History

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The area of Ukiha was part of ancient Chikugo Province. During the Edo Period the area was under the control of Kurume Domain. After the Meiji restoration, the village of Ukiha was established on May 1, 1889 with the creation of the modern municipalities system. Ukima merged with the village of Tsubago on April 1, 1929 to form the village of Miyuki, which was raised to town status on January 1, 1951. Three months later, Miyuki merged with the villages of Oishi, Himeji and Yamaharu to form the town of Ukiha. Ukiha absorbed the town of Yoshii and was raised to city status on March 20, 2005.

Government

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Ukiha has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 14 members. Ukiha, collectively with the city of Kurume, contributes five members to the Fukuoka Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of the Fukuoka 6th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

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The economic of Ukiha is overwhelmingly based on agriculture (grapes, strawberries, pears, persimmons, peaches) and food processing.

Education

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Ukiha has seven public elementary schools and two public junior high schools and one public high school operated by the Fukuoka Prefectural Board of Education.

Transportation

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Railways

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  JR Kyushu - Kyūdai Main Line

Chikugo-Yoshii - Ukiha - Chikugo-Ōishi

Highways

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Sister cities

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Local attractions

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National Historic Sites

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Notable people from Ukiha

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  • Ellison Onizuka - His grandfather and mother were born in this city, and he visited there in 1983. There is "Ellison Onizuka Bridge" commemorate him.

References

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  1. ^ a b c "概要・地勢・シンボル". Ukiha city. Retrieved February 23, 2015.
  2. ^ "Ukiha City official statistics" (in Japanese). Japan.
  3. ^ Ukiha climate: Average Temperature, weather by month
  4. ^ a b "福岡県うきは市と友好都市提携を締結しました" (PDF). Esashi town. Retrieved February 23, 2015.
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