Fukui Prefecture

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Fukui Prefecture (福井県 Fukui-ken)
Map of Japan with Fukui highlighted
Capital Fukui
Region Chūbu
Island Honshū
Governor Issei Nishikawa
Area (rank) 4,188.99 km² (34th)
 - % water 0.2%
Population  (2005)
 - Population 821,589 (43rd)
 - Density 198 /km²
Districts 7
Municipalities 17
ISO 3166-2 JP-18
Website www.pref.fukui.jp/english/
Prefectural Symbols
 - Flower Narcissus (Narcissus tazetta)
 - Tree Pine tree (Pinus)
 - Bird Dusky thrush (Turdus naumanni)
Symbol of Fukui Prefecture
Symbol of Fukui Prefecture
Map of Fukui Prefecture.
Map of Fukui Prefecture.
Row of sakura, Asuwa River, Fukui, Fukui
Row of sakura, Asuwa River, Fukui, Fukui
Kehi Matsubara beach, Tsuruga, Fukui
Kehi Matsubara beach, Tsuruga, Fukui
Myotsu-ji Temple, Obama, Fukui
Myotsu-ji Temple, Obama, Fukui

Fukui Prefecture (福井県 Fukui-ken?) is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Fukui.

Contents

[edit] History

Fukui originally consisted of the old provinces of Wakasa and Echizen, before the prefecture was formed in 1871.

During the Edo period, the daimyō of the region was surnamed Matsudaira, and was a descendant of Tokugawa Ieyasu.

[edit] Geography

The province faces the Sea of Japan, and has a western part (formerly Wakasa) which is a narrow plain between the mountains and the sea, and a larger eastern part (formerly Echizen) with wider plains including the capital and most of the population. The mountain side of the eastern part has much snow in winter.

[edit] Cities

Nine cities are located in Fukui Prefecture:

[edit] Towns and villages

Towns and villages in each district:

Ikeda
Mihama
Wakasa
Minamiechizen
Echizen
Ōi
Takahama
Eiheiji

[edit] Mergers

[edit] Economy

[edit] Demographics

[edit] Culture

  • Fukui Prefecture is home to Maruoka-jō, the oldest castle still standing in Japan. It was built in 1572.
  • Eihei-ji is a serene temple offering training and education to Buddhist monks. Founded by Dogen Zenji in 1244, Eiheiji is located on a plot of land of about 330,000 m².
  • Many dinosaur fossils have been excavated in Fukui and they can been seen at the Fukui Dinosaur Museum.
  • Residents of Fukui Prefecture have a distinctive accent, Fukui-ben.

[edit] Tourism

  • Echizen Kaigan Coast
  • Eiheiji Temple
  • Tōjinbō, a scenic piece of coastline.
  • Visitors to Fukui can enjoy eating echizen-kani crabs prepared by local residents. Male crabs are called zuwai and female ones are called seiko. Another traditional sea-side Fukui dish is genge, a small guppy-like fish, that when eaten raw as sashimi, gives the body a brief tingling sensation.
  • In Fukui City, a trademark dish of Fukui prefecture (sauce katsudon) was created at Yoroppaken, a restaurant that started making the simple, inexpensive dish during the Taisho Period. By the 1940s, sauce katsudon became known throughout Japan as one of Fukui's trademark dishes.
  • Awara is a famous onsen in the north of the prefecture.

[edit] External links

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Coordinates: 35°59′N, 136°11′E