Sawara-ku, Fukuoka

Sawara-ku (早良区) is one of the wards in Fukuoka-shi, Fukuoka-ken, Kyūshū, Japan.

Data

 * Population: 213,178 people (as of January 1, 2012)
 * Area: 95.88 square kilometers (the largest in Fukuoka-shi)

History
On April 1, 1889, Fukuoka-shi was founded. The northeastern part of Sawara-gun (早良郡) was merged into Fukuoka-shi.

On April 1, 1972, Fukuoka-shi was designated as a government ordinance city. Fukuoka-shi was subdivided into five wards: Hakata-ku, Chūō-ku, Higashi-ku, Minami-ku and the former Nishi-ku. The area of Sawara-ku was the central part of the former Nishi-ku.

On March 1, 1975, Sawara-machi (早良町) was merged into Fukuoka-shi.

On May 10, 1982, the former Nishi-ku was subdivided into three wards: Sawara-ku, Jōnan-ku and Nishi-ku. Sawara-ku was named after what had been the central part of Sawara-gun.

Places

 * Momochihama (百道浜): Fukuoka Tower, Fukuoka City Museum, Fukuoka City Library
 * Nishijin (西新): Nishijin Praliva
 * Fujisaki (藤崎): Sawara Ward Office, Fukuoka Prefecture Sawara Police Station, Fujisaki Bus Terminal
 * Hara (原): Aeon Hara
 * Noke (野芥)
 * Higashiirube (東入部): Sawara Ward Irube Branch Office

Universities and colleges

 * Seinan Gakuin University at Nishijin
 * Fukuoka Dental College at Tamura (田村)

Other schools

 * Seinan Gakuin Junior and Senior High School at Momochihama
 * Fukuoka Prefecture Shūyūkan High School at Nishijin
 * Fukuoka International School at Momochi (百道)
 * Fukuoka Prefecture Kōrinkan High School (the former Nishifukuoka High School) at Arita (有田)

Stations

 * Fukuoka City Subway Kūkō Line: Nishijin, Fujisaki, Muromi (室見)
 * Fukuoka City Subway Nanakuma Line: Noke, Kamo (賀茂), Jirōmaru (次郎丸)

National

 * Route 202 (Imajuku-shindō)
 * Route 202 Bypass (Fukuoka Sotokanjō-dōro)
 * Route 263 (Sawara-gaidō (早良街道))

Prefectural

 * Route 49
 * Route 56
 * Route 136
 * Route 558 (Hara-dōri, the former Sawara-kaidō (旧早良街道))
 * Route 559 (Imajuku-shindō)

Municipal

 * Chiyo-Imajuku Line (Meiji-dōri)
 * Nishijin-Arae Line (Sawara-gaidō)

Rivers

 * Muromi-gawa (室見川)
 * Kanakuzu-gawa (金屑川)
 * Aburayama-gawa (油山川)