Buzen (豊前市, Buzen-shi) is a city located in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. As of 31 December 2023[update], the city had an estimated population of 23,844 in 11794 households, and a population density of 210 persons per km². [1] The total area of the city is 111.10 km2 (42.90 sq mi).
Geography
Buzen is located in the eastern part of Fukuoka Prefecture, approximately halfway between Yukuhashi, Fukuoka and Nakatsu, Ōita. In the southern part of the city is the Chikushi Mountains, which includes mountains such as Mount Kubote and Mount Inugadake. The northern part of the city faces the Gulf of Suo on the Seto Inland Sea. The town is mostly rural and extends nearly 100 km² inland towards more mountainous terrain. The city is roughly 80 kilometers from the prefectural capital at Fukuoka and 43 kilometers from Kitakyushu.
Buzen has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall. The average annual temperature in Buzen is 15.3 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1623 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 26.4 °C, and lowest in January, at around 4.3 °C.[2]
Demographics
Per Japanese census data, the population of Buzen is as shown below
Historical population
Year
Pop.
±%
1940
28,839
—
1950
37,384
+29.6%
1960
34,818
−6.9%
1970
32,049
−8.0%
1980
31,701
−1.1%
1990
31,089
−1.9%
2000
29,133
−6.3%
2010
27,051
−7.1%
2020
25,189
−6.9%
History
The area of Buzen was part of ancient Buzen Province. During the Edo period it was mostly under control of Nakatsu Domain, with smaller areas as tenryō territory under direct control of the Tokugawa Shogunate. After the Meiji restoration, the towns of Hachiya and Ujima were established on May 1, 1889 with the creation of the modern municipalities system. The two towns merged on April 1, 1935 retaining the name of Hachiya. On April 10, 1955, Hachiya merged with the villages of Kakuda, Yamada, Mikekado, Kurotsuchi, Senzoku, Yokobu, Aikawa, and Iwaya to form the city of Ujima. On April 14, 1955 Ujima was renamed Buzen.
Buzen has a mainly rural economy based on rice cultivation and commercial fishing for shrimp. An industrial zone has been formed around Ujima Port, with Daihatsu Auto Body moving into neighorbing Nakatsu City, automobile-related factories have also been built in Buzen. The Kyushu Electric Power Buzen Thermal Power Plant is located in the city
Education
Buzen has ten public elementary schools and four public junior high schools operated by the city government and one public high school operated by the Fukuoka Prefectural Board of Education. The Buzen Chikujo Medical Association Nursing Advanced Vocational School is also located in the city.
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