Shizuoka Prefecture

Shizuoka Prefecture
Japanese: 静岡県
Shizuoka-ken
Map of Japan with Shizuoka highlighted
Capital Shizuoka
Region Chūbu
Island Honshū
Governor Heita Kawakatsu
Area (rank) 7,779.63 km² (13th)
 - % water 2.6%
Population  (October 1, 2005)
 - Population 3,792,457 (10th)
 - Density 487 /km²
Districts 9
Municipalities 42
ISO 3166-2 JP-22
Website www.pref.shizuoka.jp/
a_foreign/english/
Prefectural symbols
 - Flower Azalea (Rhododenron)
 - Tree Sweet Osmanthus (Osmanthus fragrans var. aurantiacus)
 - Bird Japanese Paradise Flycatcher (Terpsiphone atrocaudata)
 - Fish
Symbol of Shizuoka Prefecture
Symbol of Shizuoka Prefecture
Template ■ Discussion ■ WikiProject Japan

Shizuoka Prefecture (静岡県 Shizuoka-ken?) is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Shizuoka.

Contents

History

Shizuoka prefecture was previously divided into Tōtōmi Province, Suruga Province and Izu Province, and it was the home of the first Tokugawa Shogun. Tokugawa Ieyasu held the region until he conquered the lands of the Hōjō clan in the Kantō region and placed land under the stewardship of Oda Nobunaga. After becoming shogun, Tokugawa took the land back for his family and put the area around modern-day Shizuoka city under the direct supervision of the shogunate. With the creation of Shizuoka han in 1868, it once again became the residence of the Tokugawa family.

Geography

Map of Shizuoka Prefecture.

Shizuoka prefecture is an elongated region following the coast of the Pacific Ocean at the Suruga Bay. In the west, the prefecture extends deep into the Japan Alps. In the east, it becomes a narrower coast bounded in the north by Mount Fuji, until it comes to the Izu Peninsula, a popular resort area pointing south into the Pacific.

Tokai earthquakes

Throughout history, every 100 to 150 years, an earthquake of disastrous proportions called the Tokai Earthquake has hit Shizuoka. The most recent earthquake of this scale was in 1854.

Cities

Twenty-three cities are located in Shizuoka:

  • Atami
  • Fuji
  • Fujieda
  • Fujinomiya
  • Fukuroi
  • Gotenba
  • Hamamatsu
Hamakita-ku
Higashi-ku
Kita-ku
Minami-ku
Naka-ku
Nishi-ku
Tenryū-ku
  • Itō
  • Iwata
  • Izu
  • Izunokuni
  • Kakegawa
  • Kikugawa
  • Kosai
  • Makinohara
  • Mishima
  • Numazu
  • Omaezaki
  • Shimada
  • Shimoda
  • Shizuoka (capital)
Shimizu-ku
Aoi-ku
Suruga-ku
  • Susono
  • Yaizu

Towns

Towns in each district:

  • Haibara District
Kawanehon
Yoshida
  • Kamo District
Higashiizu
Kawazu
Matsuzaki
Minamiizu
Nishiizu
  • Shūchi District
Mori
  • Suntō District
Nagaizumi
Oyama
Shimizu
  • Tagata District
Kannami

Mergers

Sports

The sports teams listed below are based in Shizuoka.

Football (soccer)

Volleyball

Rugby

Motorsport

External links

References