Fukui (福井市, Fukui-shi?) is a city (Special city) located in the Hokuriku region within the Chūbu region of Japan, which is on Honshū island. It is the largest city and capital of Fukui Prefecture.
The city is located to the north of Lake Biwa, on the coast of the Sea of Japan.
As of October 1, 2006, the city has an estimated population of 271,417 and the density of 506.21 persons per km². The total area is 536.17 km², although most of the population lives in a small central area; by area the city is mostly agricultural plains and mountainous areas.
The city was incorporated under its present name on April 1, 1889, although it had been an important city in the region for at least 1000 years before that, serving as the capital of Echizen province during the Edo period (1603-1868).
Fukui-shi was devastated by Allied bombing in 1945, and again by a major earthquake in 1948. The city has regained its energy and vitality. Hence, the city's official symbol—the phoenix. The JR (Japan Railways) Hokuriku shinkansen (bullet train) line from Kyoto through Fukui, Kanazawa, Toyama, and Nagano to Tokyo is far along in construction and will be completed in the next few years. |
