Hakata

Located on the right bank of the Nakagawa River in Fukuoka City, this is Kyushu's most central commercial district. It is one of the five wards established when Fukuoka became a designated city in 1972 (Showa 47). It is an ancient place that was once called "Natsu" and is thought to have been the port of Nakoku, known from the Gishiwajinden (Records of the Wa People). During the Ritsuryo period, it flourished as the outer port of Dazaifu, known as Dazaihakata-no-tsu, and envoys to Sui and Tang dynasties also departed from here. After that, due to attacks by the Toi and Mongolian forces, the Chinzei Tandai was established in Hakata, and Hakata replaced Dazaifu as the center of domestic and foreign affairs in Kyushu. In the 15th century, the Ouchi clan moved in and promoted trade with Ming China, which led to the area developing into a trading and commercial area and becoming one of the three great capitals of Japan. It was around this time that the foundations of Hakata merchants, who enjoyed autonomy alongside Sakai, were established. Later, the area was reduced to burnt ruins in the Warring States period, but in 1587 (Tensho 15), Toyotomi Hideyoshi entered Kyushu and began the restoration of Hakata by dividing the area into 10 blocks per side, completing the original form of the current Hakata district and once again developing as a merchant town. During the Edo period, Hakata faced Fukuoka, the castle town of the Fukuoka domain, across the Naka River, but was eventually incorporated into the castle town.

In 1872 (Meiji 5) when the Meiji era began, Fukuoka became the first district and Hakata became the second district, but in 1878 they were merged into the first district, and in 1889 they became Fukuoka City. Although the city name is Fukuoka, there are many things that have Hakata in their names, such as the train station, the port, dolls, textiles, Niwaka, and Dontaku, which are familiar to the locals and remain as district names. In the current Hakata district, the wholesale district developed around the five Hakata towns, Hakata Station developed into the largest station in Kyushu, and the surrounding areas were lined with government offices, banks, trading company buildings, hotels, etc., and together with the Tenjin district, it functioned as a city center. At the northern end is the central wharf, the hub of Hakata Port, and Hakata Wharf, where sea routes to Tsushima, Iki, Goto, Okinawa, etc. depart and arrive, and at the eastern end is Fukuoka Airport, which is also a transportation hub for Fukuoka Prefecture. Fukuoka Airport and Hakata Station are connected by the city subway. Near the pier are Marine Messe Fukuoka, Fukuoka International Center, and Fukuoka International Congress Center. Higashi Park, located at the northeastern end, was where the prefectural government office and prefectural police headquarters were relocated in 1981, and has since begun to develop as the administrative center of the prefecture. Meanwhile, Nakasu, located at the western end, is Kyushu's number one entertainment district, known nationwide and bustling with people. Points of interest include the Yayoi ruins, represented by the Itazuke Ruins (a national historic site), as well as famous shrines and temples such as Sumiyoshi Shrine, Kushida Shrine, Jotenji Temple, Shofukuji Temple (the grounds of which are a national historic site), Sofukuji Temple, Tochoji Temple, and Tokoin Temple. Together with famous annual events such as Dontaku, Hakata Gion Yamagasa (a national important intangible folk cultural property), and Okunchi, the area attracts large numbers of tourists.

[Masaaki Ishiguro]

"Hakata 2000 Years" edited by Tokio Murase (1961, Ibunsha)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

福岡市の那珂川(なかがわ)右岸に位置する九州一の商業中心地区。1972年（昭和47）の政令指定都市発足により設けられた5区の一つでもある。古くは「那津(なのつ)」ともいわれたように『魏志倭人伝(ぎしわじんでん)』で知られる奴国(なこく)の港であったと考えられる歴史の古い場所で、律令(りつりょう)時代には大宰博多津(だざいはかたのつ)という大宰府の外港として栄え、遣隋使(けんずいし)、遣唐使もここから出発した。その後、刀伊(とい)、蒙古(もうこ)の来襲を受けたので鎮西探題(ちんぜいたんだい)が博多に置かれ、博多は大宰府にかわって九州の内政・外交の中心となった。15世紀に入ると大内氏が進出して対明(みん)貿易を推進したため貿易・商業地として発達、日本三津(しん)の一つに数えられるに至った。堺(さかい)と並んで自治権を有した博多商人の基礎が築かれたのはこのころである。その後、戦国時代の戦乱により焼け野原と化したが、1587年（天正15）九州入りした豊臣秀吉(とよとみひでよし)により方10町の町割による博多の復興が着手され、現在の博多地区の原形が完成、ふたたび商人の町として発展を始めた。江戸時代には福岡藩の城下町である福岡と、那珂川を挟んで対峙(たいじ)したが、城下町に組み込まれることになった。

　明治に入って1872年（明治5）福岡が第一大区、博多は第二大区となったが、1878年に第一大区に合体され、1889年には福岡市となった。市名は福岡であるが、鉄道の駅、港、人形、織物、俄(にわか)、どんたくなど博多の名を冠したものが多く、市民に親しまれており、区名として残っている。現在の博多区は、博多5町を中心に問屋街が発達するとともに、博多駅が九州最大の駅として発展、周辺地区には官公庁や銀行、商社ビル、ホテルなどが建ち並んで天神地区とともに都心としての機能を備えてきた。北端には博多港の中枢である中央埠頭(ふとう)と、対馬(つしま)、壱岐(いき)、五島(ごとう)、沖縄などへの航路が発着する博多埠頭が、東端には福岡空港があり、福岡県における交通の拠点でもある。福岡空港と博多駅は市営地下鉄で結ばれている。また、埠頭近くにはマリンメッセ福岡、福岡国際センター、福岡国際会議場などが集まっている。北東端にある東公園には、1981年（昭和56）県庁と県警本部が移転し、県行政の中心として発展を始めている。一方、西端に位置する中洲(なかす)は全国的に知られる九州一の歓楽街で人出も多い。見どころとしては板付遺跡(いたづけいせき)（国史跡）に代表される弥生(やよい)遺跡や、住吉(すみよし)神社、櫛田(くしだ)神社、承天(じょうてん)寺、聖福寺(しょうふくじ)（境内は国史跡）、崇福(そうふく)寺、東長(とうちょう)寺、東光(とうこう)院など著名な社寺に富んでおり、どんたく、博多祇園山笠(ぎおんやまがさ)（国の重要無形民俗文化財）、おくんちなどの有名な年中行事とあわせ多数の観光客を集めている。

［石黒正紀］

『村瀬時男編『博多二千年』（1961・以文社）』

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