3 Familiar Difficult Place Names in Fukuoka, Including Zassho no Kuma

Fukuoka has a long history and has many place names that have existed for a long time. Some of these place names are difficult to read, and some have unique pronunciations. In this article, we will introduce Familiar and trivia about Fukuoka place names.

Familiar Fukuoka

2020.08.02 (Last updated: 2025.11.22)

Yamada-Zenjido | 2020.08.02 (Last updated: 2025.11.22)

Yamada-Zenjido

Table of contents of this article

1. I'm not sure whether the kanji for "Dazaifu" is "Ta"zaifu or "Dai"zaifu.

I'm not sure whether the kanji for "Dazaifu" is "Ta" or "Dai"

Dazaifu City is famous for Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine.

Do you know the difference between when it is written using the kanji "thick" as in "Tai" Zaifuku and when it is written using the kanji "big" as in "Dai" Zaifuku?

According to the Dazaifu City Cultural Property Information website, if you look at ancient seals, you will see that they are written as "Dai" Zaifuku, using the kanji for "big."

However, in documents from the Nara period, it is written as "Tai" Saifu, using the kanji for "thick."

Therefore, it seems that historically there have been times when "太" has been used and times when "大" has been used.

However, Professor Kagamiyama Takeshi, who conducted archaeological research at Kyushu University in the 1950s, distinguished between using "Taizaifu" for place names and Tenmangu Shrines and "Daizaifu" for ancient government offices and ruins.

In accordance with this, it was decided that even in cities, towns, and villages, place names and Tenmangu shrines should be written as "Taizaifu," and ancient government offices and ruins should be written as "Daizaifu."

So, if you are confused about whether to use "Taizaifu" or "Daizaifu," I think it's a good idea to remember that "the ruins are Dai."

2. People who see it for the first time cannot read or write "Zatsunokuma."

People who see it for the first time cannot read or write "Zatsunokuma."

When looking at maps or route maps of Fukuoka, you may come across difficult-to-read place names that you don't know how to pronounce.

For example, one place name that is often cited as difficult to read is Zasshonokuma Station on the Nishitetsu Tenjin-Omuta Line.

This is pronounced "Zashonokuma."

There are various theories about its origin, but the most popular one is that it was the place where Dazaifu officials called Zassho lived.

"Kuma" means "edge" and is said to be a place name that represents "the region where the zosho live."

"Keiyago" in Minami-ku , Fukuoka City is also a difficult place name to read.

This is pronounced "Keyagou."

The place name was formed in 1887 when the three villages of Yanaga, Kamikego, and Togo merged.

The names are not difficult to read if you are familiar with the names of Yanaga Village, Kamikego Village, and Togo Village, but for future generations who are not familiar with them, the names are extremely difficult to read.

It was formerly known as Keiya-go Village, but now it remains as the district name "Keiya-go."

Tsushima Koji, located in Hakata Ward , Fukuoka City , is often read as "Tsushima Koji," but the correct reading is "Tsumashoji."

The origin of this name is that when the city of Hakata was rebuilt after being burned to the ground during the Sengoku period, the residence of Tsushima feudal lord So Yoshitomo was built here.

It is said that it was previously called "Tsushioji," but over time it became "Tsushioji."

3. Fukuoka residents want to pronounce Befu as "Befu"

Fukuoka residents want to pronounce Befu as "Befu"

When most people across the country see the kanji for "Befu," they probably think of Befu Onsen in Oita Prefecture and read it as "beppu."

However, " Befu " in Fukuoka City is pronounced "Befu" and not "Beppu."

Although the pronunciation is different, the origin of both place names is thought to be "Bechokufuden."

Betsuchofuden was land given to officials who had made outstanding achievements, and it seems that there were many of them in various places.

For this reason, it is said that there are currently about 300 places across the country that have the name "Befu," an abbreviation of Beppu-chofuden.

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Fukuoka has a long history, and it's interesting to learn a lot about it from its place names.

There are many other difficult-to-read and unusual place names, so if you look into them you may discover something new.