is one of the seven wards of Fukuoka City, Japan

Fukuoka, Fukuoka

is the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture and is situated on the northern shore of the island of Kyushu in Japan.Voted number 14 in a 2010 poll of the World's Most Livable Cities, Fukuoka is praised for its green spaces in a metropolitan setting. It is the most populous city in Kyushu, followed by...

. As of November 1, 2004, it had a population of 128,057 people, making up 9.2% of Fukuoka City, with an area of 16.02 km². At the time of Fukuoka City's official designation as a City

City designated by government ordinance (Japan)

A , also known as a or , is a Japanese city that has a population greater than 500,000 and has been designated as such by an order of the cabinet of Japan under Article 252, Section 19 of the Local Autonomy Law.-Overview:...

 in 1972, the area now known as Jōnan-ku was part of the larger ward of Nishi-ku

Nishi-ku, Fukuoka

is one of the seven wards of Fukuoka City, Japan. Meaning literally "west ward," it is bordered to the east by Sawara-ku, and to the west by Maebaru and Shima. As of 2003, it has a population of 173,813 people and an area of 83.81 km2...

. On May 1, 1982, Nishi-ku was subdivided into the three smaller wards of Nishi-ku, Sawara-ku

Sawara-ku, Fukuoka

is one of the seven wards of Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan.-Data:*Population: 211,851 people *Area: 95.88 square kilometers -Profile:...

 and Jōnan-ku.

Located southwest of the downtown area of Tenjin

Tenjin, Fukuoka

refers to the downtown area of Fukuoka City, Japan. It is located in Central ward....

, Jōnan-ku is a primarily residential area. Despite its proximity to downtown Fukuoka, Jōnan-ku has suffered from a lack of transport infrastructure

Infrastructure

Infrastructure is basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society or enterprise, or the services and facilities necessary for an economy to function...

, leading to congested

Traffic congestion

Traffic congestion is a condition on road networks that occurs as use increases, and is characterized by slower speeds, longer trip times, and increased vehicular queueing. The most common example is the physical use of roads by vehicles. When traffic demand is great enough that the interaction...

 roads and difficult access to the rest of the city. The Nanakuma Line of the Fukuoka Subway opened in 2005, improving traffic flow in the area.

Like most of Fukuoka City, the construction in Jōnan-ku is relatively recent, as the area consisted mostly of fields after World War 2

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

, lacking even paved roads. The result has been a crowded jumble of roads, houses, apartment buildings and businesses, with no real centre to the ward. A few large parks help to create a peaceful atmosphere.

Jōnan-ku is home to Fukuoka University

Fukuoka University

is a private university in Fukuoka, Japan. It is the largest general university in western Japan, with more than 20,000 students. It is sometimes mistaken for a national university...

, whose students are everpresent during the school year and help support a growing number of local convenience store

Convenience store

A convenience store, corner store, corner shop, commonly called a bodega in Spanish-speaking areas of the United States, is a small store or shop in a built up area that stocks a range of everyday items such as groceries, toiletries, alcoholic and soft drinks, and may also offer money order and...

s. The St Sulpice

Society of Saint-Sulpice

The Society of Saint-Sulpice is a Catholic Society of Apostolic Life named for Eglise Saint-Sulpice, Paris, in turn named for St. Sulpitius the Pious. Typically, priests become members of the Society of St. Sulpice only after ordination and some years of pastoral work. Uniquely, Sulpicians retain...

 Great Seminary

Seminary

A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...

 of Fukuoka is another notable landmark, having been built in the 1950s and serving to train Japanese Catholic

Catholic

The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...

 priests from Kyūshū

Kyushu

is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....

.

Historical sites include Kikuchi

Kikuchi

Kikuchi, often written 菊池 or 菊地, can refer to:Several places in Japan:* Kikuchi, Kumamoto* Kikuchi River, Kumamoto* Kikuchi District, KumamotoA Japanese surname:* Kan Kikuchi* Kazuhito Kikuchi* Masami Kikuchi* Mika Kikuchi* Naoya Kikuchi...

 Shrine and Yūsentei Park

Yūsentei Park

is a park in Jōnan-ku, Fukuoka, Japan. It was originally built in the mid-Edo period for Kuroda Tsugutaka, the 6th domain head of the Kuroda clan. It was named Yūsentei after a later lord's tanka poetry....

.