Akita Prefecture

Akita Prefecture (秋田県, Akita-ken) is a prefecture in the Tōhoku region of Japan on the island of Honshu.[2] The capital city is Akita.[3] Akita prefecture is famous for rice and sake.[4]

Akita
秋田県
Prefecture
Japanese transcription(s)
 • RomajiAkita-ken
Flag of Akita
Flag
Official seal of Akita
Symbol
Location of Akita in Japan
Location of Akita in Japan
Coordinates: 39°43′7″N 140°6′9″E
Country Japan
RegionTōhoku
IslandHonshu
CapitalAkita (city)
Government
 • GovernorNorihisa Satake
Area
 • Total11,612.22 km2 (4,483.50 sq mi)
Area rank6th
Population
 (2010-10-01[1])
 • Total1,106,050
 • Rank37th
 • Density95/km2 (250/sq mi)
ISO 3166 codeJP-05
Prefectural flowerFuki (a kind of butterbur, Petasites japonicus)
Prefectural treeAkita-sugi (Cryptomeria japonica)
Prefectural birdCopper pheasant (Phasianus soemmerringii)
Prefectural birdMasu salmon
Number of districts6
Number of municipalities25
Websitewww.pref.akita.jp/koho/foreign/en/index.html

History

The area of Akita was created from Dewa Province and Mutsu Province.[2]

Historic places
  • Senshu Park is 5 minutes walk from Akita Station.

The site of castle of the Kubota Castle built by Satake, a daimyo from Hitachi. Landscape gardener, Abira Nagaoka, designed the park in 1896. The name "Akita" became established in Tenpyou era.

Geography

Akita Prefecture faces the Sea of Japan. It is bordered by Aomori Prefecture in the north, Iwate Prefecture in the east, Miyagi Prefecture in the southeast, and Yamagata Prefecture in the south.

Mt. Chokai is the second hightest mountain in the Tohoku Region. Shirakami-Sanchi is a large mountain range along the border between Akita and Aomori prefectures.

Cities

There are 13 cities in Akita Prefecture:

National Parks

National Parks cover about 11% of the total land area of the prefecture.[5] including

  • Towada-Hachimantai National Park[6]

Hot Springs
  • Nyuto Hot Spring Village (There are seven hotels.)
    • Tsurunoyu
    • Taenoyu
    • Kuroyu
    • Ganiba
    • Magoroku
    • Oogama
    • National Park Resort Village Nyuto Hot Spring

Shrines and Temples

Ōmonoimi jinja and Tsutsukowake jinja are the chief Shinto shrines (ichinomiya) in the prefecture.[7]

References
  1. National Census 2010 Preliminary Results
  2. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Provinces and prefectures" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 780; "Tōhoku" at p. 970.
  3. Nussbaum, "Akita" at p. 20.
  4. "AKITA CITY - tourist guide". Archived from the original on 2014-04-18. Retrieved 2014-01-14.
  5. Japan Ministry of the Environment, "General overview of area figures for Natural Parks by prefecture"; retrieved 2012-9-4.
  6. Japan Ministry of the Environment, "Towada-Hachimantai National Park" Archived 2006-05-16 at the Wayback Machine; retrieved 2012-9-4.
  7. "Nationwide List of Ichinomiya," p. 2 Archived 2013-05-17 at the Wayback Machine; retrieved 2012-9-4.

Other websites

Media related to Akita prefecture at Wikimedia Commons


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