Dazaifu, Fukuoka facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dazaifu 太宰府市
City
Dazaifu City Hall
Flag Emblem
Dazaifu Location in Japan
Country	Japan
Region	Kyushu
Prefecture	Fukuoka
Area
• Total	29.60 km2 (11.43 sq mi)
Population  (March 31, 2024)
• Total	71,505
• Density	2,415.7/km2 (6,256.7/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+09:00 (JST)
City hall address	1-1-1 Kanzeon-ji, Dazaifu-shi, Fukuoka-ken 818-0198
Climate	Cfa
Symbols Flower Ume blossom Tree Kusunoki

Dazaifu Tenman-gū

Dazaifu (太宰府市, Dazaifu-shi) is a city located in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. It is a place with a rich history and many beautiful spots. As of March 31, 2024, about 71,505 people live here in 33,204 homes. The city covers an area of 29.60 square kilometers.

Exploring Dazaifu's Location and Surroundings

Dazaifu is found in the middle of Fukuoka Prefecture. It is about 16 kilometers southeast of Fukuoka City. The city is surrounded by mountains. These include Mount Shioji to the north and Mount Hōman to the east. Mount Tenbai is to the southwest. The Mikasa River flows right through the city's center.

The main part of Dazaifu has a busy city area. It also has many old historical sites and famous places. The western and southern parts of the city are commuter towns. This means many people live there and travel to Fukuoka City for work or school.

Nearby Cities and Towns

Dazaifu shares its borders with a few other places in Fukuoka Prefecture:

• Chikushino
• Ōnojō
• Umi

Dazaifu's Weather and Climate

Dazaifu has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has hot, humid summers and mild winters. The average temperature each year is about 16.3 degrees Celsius. The city gets a lot of rain, about 1851.9 millimeters per year. July is usually the wettest month.

The warmest month is August, with temperatures around 27.7 degrees Celsius. January is the coldest, with temperatures around 5.6 degrees Celsius. The highest temperature ever recorded in Dazaifu was 38.6 degrees Celsius. This happened on July 20, 2018, and August 3, 2023. The lowest temperature ever recorded was -5.6 degrees Celsius on January 25, 2016.

People of Dazaifu: Population Over Time

The number of people living in Dazaifu has grown a lot over the years. According to the Japanese census data, the population of Dazaifu was 73,164 people in 2020. The city has been counting its population since 1920.

Dazaifu's Rich History

The area of Dazaifu was once part of an ancient province called Chikuzen Province. It was also the capital of Tsukushi Province during the Kofun period. A special government office was set up here in 663 AD. This office was in charge of governing the entire Kyūshū region. The name "Dazaifu" first appeared in old Japanese records in 671 AD.

Later, around 701 AD, Dazaifu was given two main jobs. It had to oversee all matters in Tsukushi. It also had to welcome visitors from other countries, like Tang China and Korea. A special guesthouse called Kōrokan was built for these foreign guests. This guesthouse was even mentioned in old poems!

A very serious smallpox outbreak happened in Japan from 735 to 737. It is believed to have started in Dazaifu. For many centuries, from the Nara period to the Kamakura period, Dazaifu was an important military and government center in Japan.

During the Heian period, Dazaifu was sometimes used as a place of exile. Important people from the royal court who were sent away would live here. One famous person exiled to Dazaifu was Sugawara no Michizane. His grave is at the famous Dazaifu Tenman-gū shrine.

The government buildings in Dazaifu were burned down in 941 during a rebellion. After this, Dazaifu never became as important as it once was. By the Muromachi period, the main political center of Kyūshū moved to Hakata. In the Edo period, Dazaifu was part of the Fukuoka Domain.

Dazaifu became a village on April 1, 1889, as Japan modernized. It then became a town on March 1, 1955. Finally, Dazaifu became a city on April 1, 1982.

Dazaifu's Economy: How People Make a Living

Even though Dazaifu has many mountains, it also has land for farming. Farmers grow crops in paddy fields and do market gardening. However, the biggest part of Dazaifu's economy is tourism. Many people visit the city because of its many historical sites. Dazaifu is also known as a "college town." This means it has many students who attend its colleges and universities.

Learning in Dazaifu: Schools and Universities

Dazaifu is a great place for education. It has many schools for students of all ages.

Colleges and Universities

There are several colleges and universities in Dazaifu:

• Chikushi Jogakuen University
• Fukuoka International University
• Fukuoka University of Economics
• Fukuoka Social Medical Welfare University

There are also junior colleges:

• Fukuoka Junior College for Kindergarten Teachers
• Fukuoka Women's Junior College

Primary and Secondary Education

Dazaifu has public schools for younger students. There are seven public elementary schools and four public junior high schools. The Fukuoka Prefectural Board of Education runs two public high schools. Dazaifu also has some private schools. These include one private elementary school, one private junior high, and two private high schools.

Getting Around Dazaifu: Transportation

It's easy to travel in and out of Dazaifu thanks to its railway lines and highways.

Railways

JR Kyushu - Kagoshima Main Line

• Tofurōminami

Nishitetsu - Tenjin Ōmuta Line

• Tofurōmae

Nishitetsu - Dazaifu Line

• Nishitetsu Gojō
• Dazaifu

Highways

• Kyushu Expressway
• National Route 3

Friends Around the World: Sister Cities

Dazaifu has a special friendship with another city:

• Buyeo County, South Korea

Fun Places to Visit in Dazaifu: Local Attractions

Stone garden at Kōmyōzen-ji

Dazaifu is famous for its many historical and cultural sites. There's a lot to see and do!

• Kyushu National Museum: This museum opened in 2005. It's a beautiful building made of wood and glass. It holds many Japanese artifacts that tell the story of Kyūshū's history.
• Dazaifu Tenmangū: This is a very famous Shinto shrine. Many people visit it.
• Dazaifu Gakkōin Site: This is a National Historic Site. It shows where an old learning institution once stood.
• Kōmyōzen-ji: This is a Zen temple known for its amazing stone garden. It was built a long time ago, during the Kamakura period. It's right next to Dazaifu Tenmangū.
• Kanzeon-ji: This temple was built in the 8th century. It used to be the most important Buddhist temple on Kyūshū. It has many old and valuable treasures.
• Dazaifu (government) ruins: These are the ruins of the ancient Dazaifu government office. It is also a National Historic Site.
• Chikuzen Kokubun-ji ruins: These are the ruins of an old provincial temple. It is also a National Historic Site.
• There is a small museum about Sugawara no Michizane. He was an important person who died in Dazaifu in 903.

Even the local Starbucks coffee shop in Dazaifu is special! It has a unique design by a famous architect named Kengo Kuma.

Images for kids

• 

  Kyushu National Museum

• 

  View in front of Dazaifu Station

• 

  Kengo Kuma-designed Starbucks coffee shop

See also

In Spanish: Dazaifu (Fukuoka) para niños