Fukuoka, city, Japan, capital of Fukuoka Prefecture, northwestern Kyushu Island, on Hakata Bay. The city, divided by the Naka River, includes Fukuoka, on the western bank, an old castle town of a family of feudal barons dating from 1601; and Hakata, on the eastern bank, the main commercial section, which rose to importance in the 7th century as the gateway to China. The city is the closest large Japanese port to the Asian mainland and is an important manufacturing center for silk products, dolls, porcelain, machinery, paper, metal goods, and electrical equipment. Along parts of Hakata Bay are the remains of a defensive wall, 3 m (10 ft) high, built in the 13th century to protect the city from invading Mongol armies. Kyushu University (1911) and Fukuoka University (1934) are located in the city. Population (1999) 1,270,725.Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2001
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