Kumamoto
Kumamoto (熊本市; -shi) is the capital city city of Kumamoto prefecture on Kyushu island of Japan.
As of 2003, the city has an estimated population of 669,034 and a density of 2,507.91 persons per km². The total area is 266.77 km².
Kato Kiyomasa, a contemporary of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, was daimyo of the former administrative region of Higo in the 16th Centuary. Kumamoto Castle was established by Kato Kiyomasa.
Later, Tokugawa Ieyasu replaced him with the Hosokawa. Former Prime Minister of Japan Hosokawa Morihiro is a descendant of the Hosokawa of Kumamoto. Former president of Peru Alberto Fujimori's ancestors emigrated from Kumamoto early in the 20th centuary.
The city's most famous landmark is Kumamoto Castle, a large and in its day an extremely well fortified Japanese Castle. The donjon (castle central keep) is a concrete reconstruction built in the 1970s, but several ancilliary wooden buildings remain of the original castle. The castle was beseiged during the Satsuma Rebellion, and was sacked and burned after a 53 day seige.
Within the outer walls of Kumamoto Castle is the Hosokawa Gyobu-tei, the former residence of the Higo daimyo. This traditional wooden mansion has a fine Japanese garden located in its grounds.
Kumamoto city is also home to Suizenji Koen (Park), a formal garden neighbouring the Suizenji Temple approximately 10 kilometres west of Kumamoto Castle. Suizenji Koen is considered to be one of the most beautiful gardens in remaining Japan, together with Kenroku-en in the city of Kanazawa, Ishikawa prefecture, and the gardens Kairaku-en and Koraku-en.
The current administrative body of the "City of Kumamoto" was founded on April 1, 1889.
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