Hōfu

Quality 0.50 · 1 view · Updated 2 months ago

title: "Hōfu" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["cities-in-yamaguchi-prefecture", "port-settlements-in-japan", "populated-coastal-places-in-japan", "hōfu,-yamaguchi"] topic_path: "geography" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hōfu" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox settlement"]

FieldValue
nameHōfu
native_name防府市
native_name_langja
settlement_typeCity
image_skylineHofu.jpg
image_captionHofu city seen from Hōfu Tenman-gū shrine.
image_flagFlag of Hofu, Yamaguchi.svg
seal_typeEmblem
mapframeyes
mapframe-zoom8
mapframe-pointnone
map_captionLocation of Hōfu in Yamaguchi Prefecture
pushpin_mapJapan
pushpin_map_captionLocation in Japan
coordinates
coordinates_footnotestags --
subdivision_typeCountry
subdivision_nameJapan
subdivision_type1Region
subdivision_name1Chūgoku (San'yō)
subdivision_type2Prefecture
subdivision_name2Yamaguchi
subdivision_type3District
established_title
extinct_titleNow part of
seat_type
government_footnotestags --
leader_titleMayor
leader_nameYutaka Ikeda
leader_title1Vice Mayor
total_type
unit_prefMetric
area_magnitude
area_footnotestags --
area_total_km2189.37
elevation_footnotestags --
population_footnotestags --
population_total114,846
population_as_ofMay 31, 2023
population_density_km2auto
timezone1JST
utc_offset1+09:00
area_code_type
blank_name_sec1City hall address
blank_info_sec17-1, Kotobukichō, Hōfu-shi, Yamaguchi-ken 747-8501
blank_name_sec2Climate
blank_info_sec2Cfa
website
module{{Infobox place symbols
treeSangoju (Viburnum odoratissimum var. awabuki)
flowerScarlet Sage
::

| name = Hōfu | official_name = | native_name = 防府市 | native_name_lang = ja | settlement_type = City | other_name = | image_skyline = Hofu.jpg | imagesize = | image_caption = Hofu city seen from Hōfu Tenman-gū shrine. | image_flag = Flag of Hofu, Yamaguchi.svg | image_seal = | seal_type = Emblem | mapframe = yes | mapframe-zoom = 8 | mapframe-point = none | map_alt = | map_caption = Location of Hōfu in Yamaguchi Prefecture | map_caption1 = | pushpin_map = Japan | pushpin_relief = | pushpin_map_caption = Location in Japan | coordinates = | coordinates_footnotes = tags -- | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = Japan | subdivision_type1 = Region | subdivision_name1 = Chūgoku (San'yō) | subdivision_type2 = Prefecture | subdivision_name2 = Yamaguchi | subdivision_type3 = District | subdivision_name3 = | established_title = | established_date = | extinct_title = Now part of | extinct_date = | founder = | named_for = | seat_type = | seat = | government_footnotes = tags -- | leader_party = | leader_title = Mayor | leader_name = Yutaka Ikeda | leader_title1 = Vice Mayor | leader_name1 = | total_type = | unit_pref = Metric | area_magnitude = | area_footnotes = tags -- | area_total_km2 = 189.37 | area_land_km2 = | area_water_km2 = | area_water_percent = | area_note = | elevation_footnotes = tags -- | elevation_m = | population_footnotes = tags -- | population_total = 114,846 | population_as_of = May 31, 2023 | population_density_km2 = auto | population_est = | pop_est_as_of = | timezone1 = JST | utc_offset1 = +09:00 | postal_code_type = | postal_code = | area_code_type = | area_code = | blank_name_sec1 = City hall address | blank_info_sec1 = 7-1, Kotobukichō, Hōfu-shi, Yamaguchi-ken 747-8501 | blank_name_sec2 = Climate | blank_info_sec2 = Cfa | website = | footnotes = | module = {{Infobox place symbols| embedded=yes | tree = Sangoju (Viburnum odoratissimum var. awabuki) | flower = Scarlet Sage | bird = | butterfly = | fish = | other_symbols = right|thumb|270px| Hōfu City Hall right|thumb|270px|Aerial photograph of central Hōfu right|thumb|270px| Hōfu Tenman-gu

Hōfu is a city located in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 114,846 and a population density of 610 persons per km2. The total area of the city is 92.13 sqkm.

Geography

Hōfu is located almost in the center of Yamaguchi Prefecture, facing the Seto Inland Sea to the south. The Saba River, a first-class water system, flows from the northwest of the city toward the Seto Inland Sea. On the offshore side, the remains of former salt fields have been reclaimed to form a plain. In the Seto Inland Sea, five islands, Sabajima, Mukaishima, Nojima, Hirashima, and Okishima, belong to the city.

Neighbouring municipalities

Yamaguchi Prefecture

Climate

Hōfu has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) with hot summers and cool winters. Precipitation is significant throughout the year, but is much higher in summer than in winter. The average annual temperature in Hōfu is 15.9 C. The average annual rainfall is 1653.7 mm with July as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 27.5 C, and lowest in January, at around 5.0 C. The highest temperature ever recorded in Hōfu was 37.7 C on 11 August 2013; the coldest temperature ever recorded was -8.1 C on 22 January 2004.

|width=auto |collapsed = |single line = Y |metric first = Y |location = Hōfu (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1977−present) |Jan record high C = 18.8 |Feb record high C = 21.4 |Mar record high C = 26.1 |Apr record high C = 28.7 |May record high C = 31.8 |Jun record high C = 32.9 |Jul record high C = 37.4 |Aug record high C = 37.7 |Sep record high C = 36.9 |Oct record high C = 32.0 |Nov record high C = 26.5 |Dec record high C = 23.9 |Jan record low C = -8.1 |Feb record low C = -7.2 |Mar record low C = -5.0 |Apr record low C = -0.4 |May record low C = 3.6 |Jun record low C = 9.6 |Jul record low C = 16.2 |Aug record low C = 17.1 |Sep record low C = 8.5 |Oct record low C = 1.8 |Nov record low C = -0.9 |Dec record low C = -6.0 |Jan high C = 9.7 |Feb high C = 10.7 |Mar high C = 14.2 |Apr high C = 19.4 |May high C = 24.0 |Jun high C = 26.7 |Jul high C = 30.4 |Aug high C = 31.8 |Sep high C = 28.5 |Oct high C = 23.5 |Nov high C = 17.7 |Dec high C = 12.1 |Jan mean C = 5.0 |Feb mean C = 5.9 |Mar mean C = 9.1 |Apr mean C = 14.0 |May mean C = 18.8 |Jun mean C = 22.4 |Jul mean C = 26.3 |Aug mean C = 27.5 |Sep mean C = 23.9 |Oct mean C = 18.2 |Nov mean C = 12.5 |Dec mean C = 7.2 |Jan low C = 0.7 |Feb low C = 1.3 |Mar low C = 4.0 |Apr low C = 8.7 |May low C = 13.7 |Jun low C = 18.8 |Jul low C = 23.1 |Aug low C = 24.0 |Sep low C = 20.0 |Oct low C = 13.5 |Nov low C = 7.6 |Dec low C = 2.7 |precipitation colour = green |Jan precipitation mm = 55.6 |Feb precipitation mm = 68.9 |Mar precipitation mm = 119.3 |Apr precipitation mm = 142.8 |May precipitation mm = 184.1 |Jun precipitation mm = 241.8 |Jul precipitation mm = 315.7 |Aug precipitation mm = 147.7 |Sep precipitation mm = 159.6 |Oct precipitation mm = 88.4 |Nov precipitation mm = 75.1 |Dec precipitation mm = 54.9 |year precipitation mm = 1653.7 |unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm |Jan precipitation days = 8.4 |Feb precipitation days = 8.7 |Mar precipitation days = 10.2 |Apr precipitation days = 9.7 |May precipitation days = 8.9 |Jun precipitation days = 11.7 |Jul precipitation days = 10.8 |Aug precipitation days = 8.0 |Sep precipitation days = 9.0 |Oct precipitation days = 6.0 |Nov precipitation days = 7.6 |Dec precipitation days = 8.6 |Jan sun = 139.4 |Feb sun = 143.5 |Mar sun = 174.5 |Apr sun = 190.8 |May sun = 209.5 |Jun sun = 148.6 |Jul sun = 173.9 |Aug sun = 212.7 |Sep sun = 172.1 |Oct sun = 182.2 |Nov sun = 154.6 |Dec sun = 143.6 |year sun = 2045.4 |source 1 = Japan Meteorological Agency{{cite web | url = https://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=81&block_no=0775&year=&month=&day=&view=h0 |script-title=ja:気象庁 / 平年値（年・月ごとの値） | publisher = JMA | access-date = May 24, 2022}}{{cite web | url = https://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/rank_a.php?prec_no=81&block_no=0775&year=&month=&day=&view=h0 |script-title=ja:観測史上1～10位の値（年間を通じての値） | publisher = JMA | access-date = May 24, 2022}}}}

Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Hōfu in 2020 is 113,979 people. Hōfu has been conducting censuses since 1920. | 1920 | 61807 | 1925 | 64395 | 1930 | 65721 | 1935 | 72616 | 1940 | 76389 | 1945 | 89843 | 1950 | 93939 | 1955 | 96821 | 1960 | 94513 | 1965 | 94342 | 1970 | 97009 | 1975 | 105540 | 1980 | 111468 | 1985 | 118067 | 1990 | 117634 | 1995 | 118803 | 2000 | 117724 | 2005 | 116818 | 2010 | 116641 | 2015 | 115942 | 2020 | 113979 |align = none |cols=1 | footnote = Hōfu population statistics

History

The area of Hōfu was part of an ancient Suō Province, and the name "Hōfu" (防府) means "the capital (国府) of Suō Province (周防国)". The area has been settled since the Jōmon period. During the Nara period, the Suō Kokubun-ji was located in Hōfu. In the Edo Period, it was part of the holdings of Chōshū Domain. Following the Meiji Restoration, the area was divided into villages within Saba District, Yamaguchi, including the villages of Saba and Mitajiri with the creation of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889. The two villages merged to form the town of Hōfu on January 1, 1902. Hōfu was elevated to city status on August 25, 1936. The city's change over the past fifty years is shown in the animated film Mai Mai Miracle, with its story taking place in the year of 1955 (with flashbacks going 1,000 years further back).

Government

Hōfu has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 25 members. Hōfu contributes four members to the Yamaguchi Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of the Yamaguchi 1st district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

Hōfu was a port settlement and noted for its salt production in ancient times. In the early modern period, the area rapidly industrialized, with textile mills and large scale factories established on the site of the former salt farms and coastal areas. There are a large concentration of transportation-related industries in the area. In addition to the large Mazda automobile factory companies such as Bridgestone, Kyowa Hakko Bio, and Tokai Carbon are in the city. The city is also home to an Japan Air Self-Defense Force training base.

Education

Hōfu has 17 public elementary school and ten public junior high schools operated by the city government, and three public high schools operated by the Yamaguchi Prefectural Board of Education. There are also one private junior high school and two private high schools. The private Yamaguchi Junior College is located in the city.

Transportation

Railway

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bd/JR_logo_(west).svg" caption="JR West]] (JR West) - [[San'yō Main Line"] ::

Highways

Sister cities

Local attractions

Sports

  • Hofu Keirin venue

Notable people

References

References

  1. "Hōfu City official statistics".
  2. [https://www.citypopulation.de/en/japan/yamaguchi/ Hōfu population statistics]
  3. "市の概要・市章(Japanese)".
  4. [http://film-yg.com/cinema/movies/sinko_photo1.html Stills from the film juxtaposed with modern photos] {{Webarchive. link. (2016-03-04 {{in lang). ja
  5. "[http://www.mazda.com/profile/group/offices.html Offices] {{webarchive. link. (October 7, 2009 ." [[Mazda]]. Retrieved on October 29, 2009.)
  6. "防府市の姉妹都市（安芸高田市）(Japanese)".
  7. "防府市の姉妹都市（春川市・冬のソナタのロケ地）(Japanese)".
  8. "Monroe, MI".
  9. "Home".

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

cities-in-yamaguchi-prefectureport-settlements-in-japanpopulated-coastal-places-in-japanhōfu,-yamaguchi