Sawara-ku, Fukuoka
# 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

## Schools

### 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)

## Avenues and streets

### 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)
