A Look Into The Region

Our cover displays part of the walled-ruins of Fukuoka Castle located in the southern Japanese city of Fukuoka on the northern part of Kyushu island. The feudal lord of Chikuzen, Nagamasa Kuroda, spent 7 years constructing the castle (begun in 1601) which was composed of 47 turrets at the time it was built. The structure pictured is actually a castle gate and turrent, one of only a few that remain today. Fukuoka, a leading commercial, industrial, and political center on Kyushu island, repelled two fierce invasion attempts by Mongols in the 13th century. Surrounding the wall are the traditional Cherry Blossom trees in full flower, part of several attractions which tourists and local inhabitants enjoy every spring. Home to Kyushu University (est. 1910), one of five imperial universities of Japan, Fukuoka hosted the 8th Annual Meeting of the Asian Society for Cardiovascular Surgery in Sept 2000.