 An Imperial decree in July 1899 established Shimonoseki as an open port for trading with the United States and the United Kingdom.On January 7, 2006, the wooden station building at Shimonoseki station, which had dated back to 1942, was destroyed in a fire, the cause of which is suspected to be arson.Shimonoseki has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification "Cfa") with hot summers and cool winters.