Ishikawa Prefecture

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Ishikawa Prefecture (石川県 Ishikawa-ken)
Map of Japan with Ishikawa highlighted
Capital Kanazawa
Region Chūbu
Island Honshū
Governor Masanori Tanimoto
Area (rank) 4,185.22 km² (35th)
 - % water  %
Population  (January 1, 2003)
 - Population 1,180,744 (36th)
 - Density 282 /km²
Districts 6
Municipalities 19
ISO 3166-2 JP-17
Website www.pref.ishikawa.jp/
index_e.htm
Prefectural Symbols
 - Flower Black lily (Fritillaria camtschatcensis)
 - Tree Hiba (Thujopsis dolabrata)
 - Bird Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)
Symbol of Ishikawa Prefecture
Symbol of Ishikawa Prefecture

Ishikawa Prefecture (石川県 Ishikawa-ken?) is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshū island. The capital is Kanazawa.

Contents

[edit] History

Ishikawa was formed from the merger of Kaga Province and the smaller Noto Province.

[edit] Geography

Ishikawa is on the Sea of Japan coast. The northern part of the prefecture consists of the narrow Noto Peninsula, while the southern part is wider and consists mostly of mountains, with the prefecture's chief city, Kanazawa, located in the coastal plain. The prefecture also has some islands, including Notojima, Mitsukejima, Hegurajima.

[edit] Cities

Ten cities are located in Ishikawa Prefecture:

[edit] Towns and villages

Towns and villages in each district:

Hōdatsushimizu
Shika
Anamizu
Noto
Nonoichi
Tsubata
Uchinada
Nakanoto
Kawakita
Map of Ishikawa Prefecture.
Map of Ishikawa Prefecture.

[edit] Mergers

[edit] Economy

Ishikawa's industry is dominated by the textile industry, particularly artificial fabrics, and the machine industry, particularly construction machinery.

[edit] Demographics

Ishikawa Prefecture has an area of 4,185 km² and as of April 1, 2006 it has a population of 1,698,539 persons.

Data Unit Statistics
Area km² 4,185
Population Persons 1,698,539
Population Density Persons per km² 405
Number of Households Households 411,341
Income per person Thousand yen 2,707
Power consumed Kwh per household 6,446
# Doctors Physicians per

100,000 people

249

[edit] Culture

Most of the area's culture is made up of traditional arts and crafts. They are listed below:

  • Nō was introduced to the area during the rule of the fifth Maeda lord Tsunanori and was refined into the Kaga hosho style.
  • The tea ceremony arrived in 1666 when Maeda Toshitsune invited Senbiki Soshitsu of urasenke to Kanazawa.
  • Kutani porcelain (Kutani yaki), bright colored glazes not unlike Chinese porcelain.
  • Ohi teaware (Ōhi yaki), a pottery style unique to Kanazawa.
  • Kaga silk (Kaga yūzen), a complicated silk print technique with an intentional rough look (wabi-sabi).
  • Kanazawa lacquerware (Kanazawa shikki), high quality lacquerware traditionally decorated with gold dust.
  • Kanazawa gold leaf (Kanazawa haku), a technique of beating gold into wafer-thin sheets.
  • Kaga mizuhiki, ribbon-like decorations made from glued Japanese paper (washi).
  • Kaga inlay crafts (Kaga zōgan), a combination of thin flat and thread metal inlays.

[edit] Tourism

The most popular destination in Ishikawa is Kanazawa. Tourists can get to Ishikawa by plane via Komatsu.

[edit] Prefectural symbols

[edit] Miscellaneous topics

Hideki Matsui, a current player for the New York Yankees, was born and raised in Neagari Town (now Nomi City), Ishikawa. He gained fame as a baseball player while attending high school in Kanazawa.
Daisuke Nakata, a trampolinist who has competed in the Olympics in the past, is from Ishikawa.

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:


Shadow picture of Ishikawa Prefecture Ishikawa Prefecture
Flag of Ishikawa Prefecture
Cities
Hakui | Hakusan | Kaga | Kahoku | Kanazawa (capital) | Komatsu | Nanao | Nomi | Suzu | Wajima
Districts
Hakui | Hōsu | Ishikawa | Kahoku | Kashima | Nomi
  See also: Towns and villages by district edit

Coordinates: 36°38′N, 136°39′E