Kure, Hiroshima

Coordinates: 34°15′N 132°34′E

呉市 Kure ( Kure-shi) is a port and major shipbuilding city situated on the Seto Inland Sea Kure in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. With a strong industrial heritage Kure hosts the second 呉市 oldest naval dockyard in Japan and remains an important base for the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF). Core city

As of 1 May 2015, the city has an estimated population of 228,030 and a population density of 646 persons per km². The total area is 352.80 km².

Contents History Historic timeline Geography Climate Port of Kure seen from Mount Yasumi Transportation Economy Tourism Museums Shrines Historical places Flag Parks and gardens Emblem Mountains Beaches Festivals Sister cities Sister cities Friendship cities Friendship ports

Notable people Musicians Authors Sports See also References External links Location of Kure in Hiroshima Prefecture

History

The Kure Naval District was first established in 1889, leading to the construction of the Kure Naval Arsenal and the rapid growth of steel production and shipbuilding in the city. Kure was formally incorporated on October 1, 1902. From 1889 until the end of World War II, the city served as the headquarters of the Kure Naval District.

Kure dockyards recorded a number of significant engineering firsts including the Kure launching of the first major domestically built capital ship, the battlecruiser Tsukuba (1905)[1] and the launching of the largest battleship ever built, the Y amato (1940).[2]

During the Pacific War, Kure acted as Japan's single largest naval base and arsenal. Most of Location in Japan the city's industry and workforce were employed in the service of the naval installations, Coordinates: 34°15′N 132°34′E munitions factories and associated support functions. In the later stages of the conflict Country Japan Kure came under sustained aerial bombardment culminating in the Bombing of Kure in Region Chūgoku (Sanyō) June and July 1945. Prefecture Hiroshima Prefecture Government From February 1946 until the end of Japan's postwar occupation in 1952, military • Mayor Kazutoshi Komura establishments in Kure served at the operational headquarters for the British Area Commonwealth Occupation Force. • Total 352.80 km2 (136.22 sq mi) Since 2005 Kure has attracted attention as a tourism center with the Y amato Museum Population (May 1, 2015) hosting a 1:10 scale model of the IJN Y amato alongside a waterfront JMSDF museum of • Total 228,030 2 Japanese naval history. • Density 646/km (1,670/sq mi) Symbols The city continues as a major maritime center hosting both the dockyards of Japan • Tree Oak Marine United and numerous shore-based facilities of the JMSDF including training • Flower Camellia centers and a major hospital. The city serves as the home port of an Escort Flotilla Time zone Japan Standard Time (Destroyers), a Submarine Flotilla and the Training Squadron of the JMSDF Regional Kure (UTC+9) District. City hall 4-1-6 Chūō, Kure-shi, address Hiroshima-ken 737-8501 Historic timeline Website www.city.kure.lg.jp (http:// July 1, 1889 — Kure Naval District established. www.city.kure.lg.jp) 1895 — Kure naval shipyard established, initially as a subsidiary of the Onohama Shipyards in Kobe. October 1, 1902 — The towns of Washō and Futagawa and the villages of Miyahara and Sōyamada merge to form the city of Kure. November 10, 1903 — Kure Naval Arsenal established. December 27, 1903 Kure rail line opens providing direct rail access to Hiroshima April 1, 1928 — The towns of Kegoya, Yoshiura, and Aga merge into Kure. April 21, 1941 — The town of Nigata and the village of Hiro incorporated into Kure. May 5, 1945 — Bombing of Hiro Naval Arsenal. June 22, 1945 — Bombing of Kure Naval Arsenal. July 1, 1945 — Kure Air Raid. July 24–28, 1945 — Battle of Kure, American bombers attack the remaining fleet in Kure Naval Base. JMU Kure shipyard in July 2015 July 1, 1954 — Japan Maritime Self Defense Forces founded. October 1, 1956 — The town of Tennō and the village of Shōwa in Aki District, and the village of Gōhara in Kamo District merge into Kure. November 1, 2000 — Kure becomes a Special City April 1, 2003 — The town of Shimokamagari (from Aki District) was merged into Kure. April 1, 2004 —The town of Kawajiri (from Toyota District) was merged into Kure. March 20, 2005 — The towns of Ondo, Kurahashi and Kamagari (all from Aki District), and the towns of Yasuura, Toyohama and Yutaka (all from Toyota District) were merged into Kure.

Geography

Kure is located 20 kilometres (10 mi) south-east of Hiroshima city and faces the Seto Inland JMSDF submarine flotilla in Kure Sea. Surrounded by steep hillsides to the north, the two major commercial and industrial centers of the city are bisected by Mount Y asumi 497 m (1,631 ft). The city is next to the Setonaikai National Park. As well as densely populated urban and industrial centers, the city also incorporates sparsely inhabited outlying islands such as Kurahashi, Shimo-kamagari and Kami-kamagari.

Climate

Kure has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) with hot summers and cool winters. Precipitation is significant throughout the year and is heaviest in summer. Exterior view of the Yamato Museum and adjacent JMSDF Kure Museum Climate data for Kure, Hiroshima Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year Average high 8.8 9.2 12.5 18.2 22.4 25.5 29.7 31.2 27.3 22.1 16.8 11.7 19.6 °C (°F) (47.8) (48.6) (54.5) (64.8) (72.3) (77.9) (85.5) (88.2) (81.1) (71.8) (62.2) (53.1) (67.3) Daily mean 5.3 5.5 8.4 13.8 18.1 21.8 26.1 27.4 23.7 18.1 12.7 7.8 15.7 °C (°F) (41.5) (41.9) (47.1) (56.8) (64.6) (71.2) (79) (81.3) (74.7) (64.6) (54.9) (46) (60.3) Average low 1.8 1.9 4.3 9.8 14.2 18.6 23.2 24.3 20.5 14.3 8.8 3.9 12.1 °C (°F) (35.2) (35.4) (39.7) (49.6) (57.6) (65.5) (73.8) (75.7) (68.9) (57.7) (47.8) (39) (53.8) Average 45.1 59.8 98.5 149.6 138.9 258.4 206.1 113.5 182.0 100.1 68.9 35.3 1,456.2 precipitation (1.776) (2.354) (3.878) (5.89) (5.469) (10.173) (8.114) (4.469) (7.165) (3.941) (2.713) (1.39) (57.332) mm (inches) Average 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 snowfall cm (0.4) (0.4) (0) (0) (0) (0) (0) (0) (0) (0) (0) (0) (0.8) (inches) Average relative 63 64 64 67 70 76 77 74 72 67 67 65 69 humidity (%) Mean monthly 140.9 135.2 173.7 178.3 199.5 155.9 183.7 213.2 157.7 172.6 148.8 138.8 1,998.3 sunshine hours

Source: NOAA (1961-1990)[3]

Transportation

Kure is served by the Kure Line, operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West). It leads to Hiroshima, which is a terminal station.

There has been a municipal bus since December 1, 1942. The Kure City Transportation Bureau (Kure City Bus) started using natural gas in 2002. There is a bus route run by Hiroshima Electric Railway, too. In addition, there is Bōyo Kisen, which operates the San'yō Bus and Setouchi Sankō which runs two bus enterprises.

National Route 31 spreads out from Kure to Kaita, but the distance of the road is short. National Route 185 is connected from Kure to Mihara. This road has a view of the Inland Sea. Kure station National Route 37 5 is a 165-kilometre-long (103 mi) road to be connected from Kure to Ōda, Shimane. U.S. forces can use this way for their ammunition transportation. National Route 487 spreads out from Kure to the city of Hiroshima. This road crosses the Ondo Bridge, and goes around Etajima.

Though they are independent roads, separate from National Routes, there are a series of access roads toward the archipelago of the city. The Akinada Islands series of bridges conclude at Shimokamagari island, Kamikamagari island, Toyoshima, Osakishimojima, Herashima, Nakanoshima at seven bridges. Toyoshima Bridge, concluding at Toyoshima regards traffic of a ship as Kamikamagari island, and is 50 m high from the surface of the sea. Ondono-Seto Bridge, Kure, Hiroshima Economy

Japan Marine United, formerly IHI Marine United, has a shipyard in the city[4] Nisshin Steel Yodogawa Steel Works Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems Sailor Pen Company Disco Corporation has three manufacturing plants in Kure[5] Mitutoyo[6] Oji Paper Company

Tourism Museums

Kure Municipal Museum of Art and Museum Avenue Irifuneyama Memorial Museum Sannose Gohonjin Art and Culture Rantokaku Art Museum Kurahashi-cho Nagato Museum of Shipbuilding History JMSDF Kure Museum (Displaying Yūshio-class submarine Akishio), nicknamed Iron Whale Museum Yamato Museum

Shrines

Kameyama Shrine

Historical places

Former Kure-chinjufu Mitarai Former House of Prince Takamatsu House of Kimiyo Fujii

Parks and gardens

Rekishi-no-mieru-Oka and Park Nagasako Park Allay Karasu Kojima Park Ondono-seto and Park Setonaikai National Park Kure Port-pia Park Nikokyo Park

Mountains

Mount Noro Haiga-mine Mount Yasumi Nikyu-kyo Honjo Suigenchi

Beaches

Romantic Beach Karuga Kajigahama Beach

Festivals

Kure Port Festival Kure Fireworks above the Sea (late July or early August) Kameyama Shrine Festival (2nd Sunday in October, and the day before)

Sister cities

As of September 2017 , Kure has sister city agreements with the following cities.[7]

Sister cities

Bremerton, Washington, USA (since August 1970) Marbella, Spain (since December 1990) Jinhae-gu, South Korea (since October 1999) Keelung, Taiwan (since April 2017)

Friendship cities

Daisen, Tottori, Japan (since September 1995) Friendship ports

Wenzhou, China (since May 2001)

Notable people

Musicians

Michiru Jo Miyu Matsuki Akira Sakata Hitomi Shimatani

Authors

Hiromu Ono Shinji Wada

Sports

Fumio Fujimura Shinji Hamazaki Tatsuro Hirooka