Kumamoto

Kumamoto 熊本市
Designated city
Kumamoto City
From top left:Central Kumamoto view from Kumamoto Castle, Kumamoto Castle, Kumamoto City Tramway, Fujisaki hachimangu shrine, Suizenji jojuen
Flag
Location of Kumamoto in Kumamoto Prefecture
Kumamoto Location in Japan
Coordinates: 32°47′N 130°44′E / 32.783°N 130.733°E / 32.783; 130.733Coordinates: 32°47′N 130°44′E / 32.783°N 130.733°E / 32.783; 130.733
Country	Japan
Region	Kyushu
Prefecture	Kumamoto Prefecture
Government
• Mayor	Kazufumi Ōnishi
Area
• Total	389.53 km2 (150.40 sq mi)
Population (March 1, 2010)
• Total	731,286
• Density	1,880/km2 (4,900/sq mi)
Symbols
• Tree	Ginkgo
• Flower	Camellia
• Bird	Great tit
Time zone	Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
City hall address	1-1 Tetorisai-machi, Chūō-ku, Kumamoto-shi, Kumamoto-ken 860-8601
Website	www.city.kumamoto.kumamoto.jp

Kumamoto (熊本市, Kumamoto-shi^?) is the capital city of Kumamoto Prefecture on the island of Kyushu, Japan.

As of March 1, 2010, the city has an estimated population of 731,286 and a population density of 1,880 persons per km². The total area is 389.53 km².

Greater Kumamoto (熊本都市圏) had a population of 1,460,000, as of the 2000 census. As of 2010, Kumamoto Metropolitan Employment Area has a GDP of US$39.8 billion. It is not considered part of the Fukuoka–Kitakyushu metropolitan area, despite their shared border. The city was designated on April 1, 2012 by government ordinance.

Katō Kiyomasa, a contemporary of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, was made daimyo of half of the (old) administrative region of Higo in 1588. After that, Kiyomasa built Kumamoto Castle. Due to its many innovative defensive designs, Kumamoto Castle was considered impregnable, and Kiyomasa enjoyed a reputation as one of the finest castle-builders in Japanese history. After Kiyomasa died in 1611, his son, Tadahiro, succeeded him, but Tadahiro was removed by Tokugawa Iemitsu in 1632, replacing him with the Hosokawa clan.

The current administrative body of the City of Kumamoto was founded on April 1, 1889.