Hiroshima Prefecture

Hiroshima Prefecture
Hiroshima Prefecture
Japanese transcription(s)
• Japanese	広島県
• Rōmaji	Hiroshima-ken
	; Symbol of Hiroshima Prefecture
	; Symbol of Hiroshima Prefecture
Country	Japan
Region	Chūgoku
Island	Honshu
Capital	Hiroshima
Government
• Governor	Hidehiko Yuzaki (since November 2009)
Area
• Total	8,476.95 km2 (3,272.97 sq mi)
Area rank	11th
Population (March 1, 2011)
• Total	2,857,990
• Rank	12th
• Density	337.15/km2 (873.2/sq mi)
ISO 3166 code	JP-34
Districts	5
Municipalities	23
Tree	Japanese maple (Acer palmatum)
Bird	Red-throated diver (Gavia stellata)
Website	pref.hiroshima.lg.jp

Hiroshima Prefecture (広島県, Hiroshima-ken^?) is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region on Honshu island.¹ The capital is the city of Hiroshima.² It has a population of around 2.9 million.

History

The area around Hiroshima was formerly divided into Bingo Province and Aki Province.³ This location has been a center of trade and culture since the beginning of Japan's recorded history. Hiroshima is a traditional center of the Chūgoku region and was the seat of the Mōri clan until the Battle of Sekigahara.

Hiroshima is home to two UNESCO World Heritage sites:

The Atomic Dome in Hiroshima, one of the few remnants of prewar Hiroshima following the atomic bombing in 1945;
The Itsukushima Shrine in Miyajima, famed for filling with water and appearing to "float" during high tide.

Geography

Hiroshima prefecture lies in the middle of Chūgoku. Most of the prefecture consists of mountains leading towards Shimane Prefecture; and rivers produce rich plains near the coast.

The province facing Shikoku across the Seto Inland Sea. Hiroshima Bay opens on the Inland Sea.⁴ The prefecture also includes many small islands.

The sheltered nature of the Inland Sea makes Hiroshima's climate very mild.

Cities

Fourteen cities are located in Hiroshima Prefecture:

Hiroshima (capital)

Towns and villages

Map of Hiroshima Prefecture

These are the towns and villages in each district:

Aki District

Jinseki District

Jinsekikōgen

Sera District

Sera

Toyota District

Ōsakikamijima

Yamagata District

Akiōta

Kitahiroshima

Mergers

Main article: List of mergers in Hiroshima Prefecture

Economy

Hiroshima's main industries include automobiles (Mazda is headquartered in Hiroshima Prefecture) and shipbuilding (Kure was one of the main naval bases of the Imperial Japanese Navy and remains a major commercial yard).

Education

University

Transportation

Railway

People movers

Streetcars

Hiroshima Electric Railway

Roads

Expressways

National highways

Route 2
Route 31
Route 54
Route 182
Route 183
Route 185
Route 186
Route 191
Route 261
Route 313
Route 314
Route 317
Route 375
Route 432
Route 433
Route 434
Route 486
Route 487
Route 488

Ports

Kure Port - Ferry route to Edajima, Matsuyama
Hiroshima Port - Ferry route to Miyajima, Edajima, Matsuyama and Beppu, and also International Container hub port
Mihara Port
Onomichi Port
Fukuyama Port - International Container hub port

Airports

Hiroshima Airport

Sports

The sports teams listed below are based in Hiroshima.

Football

Sanfrecce Hiroshima (Hiroshima city)

Baseball

Hiroshima Toyo Carp (Hiroshima city)

Volleyball

JT Thunders (Hiroshima city)

Tourism

Famous for festival and event

Onomichi Port Festival - held in April
Hiroshima Flower Festival - held from May 3 to 5
Fukuyama Rose Festival - held in May
Enryuji Tokasan Festival - held in June
Gion Festival of Onomichi - held in July
Innoshima Water-naval Festival - held in August
Miyajima Under-water Firework Festival - held on August 14^{citation needed}
Yassa Festival of Mihara - held in August
Saijo Sake Festival - held in October
Onomichi Becher Festival - held on November 3
Hiroshima Ebisu Festival - held from November 18 to 20

Notes

^ Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Hiroshima-ken" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 320 at Google Books; "Chūgoku" at pp. 127 at Google Books.
^ Nussbaum, "Hiroshima" at pp. 319-320 at Google Books.
^ Nussbaum, "Province and prefecture" at p. 780 at Google Books.
^ Nussbaum, "Hiroshima Wan" at p. 320 at Google Books.

References

Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric and Käthe Roth. (2005). Japan encyclopedia. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. 10-ISBN 0-674-01753-6; 13-ISBN 978-0-674-01753-5; OCLC 58053128

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Hiroshima Prefecture

Official Hiroshima Prefecture homepage
Life in Hiroshima and other Japan-related Articles
Hiroshima Weather Forecast
National Archives of Japan ... Hiroshima map (1891)
National Archives of Japan: Itsukushima kakei, illustrated scroll describing Itsukushima, text by Kaibara Ekiken (circa 1720)

Coordinates: 34°26′N 132°45′E / 34.433°N 132.750°E / 34.433; 132.750

[1] Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Hiroshima-ken" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 320 at Google Books; "Chūgoku" at pp. 127 at Google Books.

[2] Nussbaum, "Hiroshima" at pp. 319-320 at Google Books.

[3] Nussbaum, "Province and prefecture" at p. 780 at Google Books.

[4] Nussbaum, "Hiroshima Wan" at p. 320 at Google Books.

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Hiroshima Prefecture Ultimate Study Guide