| Yamaguchi Prefecture | |||
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| Japanese transcription(s) | |||
| • Japanese | 山口県 | ||
| • Rōmaji | Yamaguchi-ken | ||
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| Country | Japan | ||
| Region | Chūgoku | ||
| Island | Honshū | ||
| Capital | Yamaguchi | ||
| Government | |||
| • Governor | Sekinari Nii | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 6,110.94 km2 (2,359.4 sq mi) | ||
| Area rank | 22nd | ||
| Population (May 1, 2011) | |||
| • Total | 1,445,702 | ||
| • Rank | 25th | ||
| • Density | 236.58/km2 (612.7/sq mi) | ||
| ISO 3166 code | JP-35 | ||
| Districts | 4 | ||
| Municipalities | 19 | ||
| Flower | Bitter summer mandarin blossom (Citrus natsudaidai) | ||
| Tree | Red pine tree (Pinus densiflora) | ||
| Bird | Hooded crane (Grus monacha) | ||
| Fish | Tetraodontidae (Takifugu rubripes) | ||
| Website | www.pref.yamaguchi.lg.jp/foreign/ english/ |
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Yamaguchi Prefecture (山口県 Yamaguchi-ken) is a prefecture of Japan in the Chūgoku region on Honshū island.[1] The capital is the city of Yamaguchi, in the center of the prefecture.[2] The largest city, however, is Shimonoseki.
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Yamaguchi Prefecture was created by the merger of the provinces of Suō and Nagato.[3] During the rise of the samurai class during the Heian and Kamakura Periods (794–1333), the Ouchi family of Suō Province and the Koto family of Nagato Province gained influence as powerful warrior clans. In the Muromachi Period (1336—1573), Ouchi Hiroyo, the 24th ruler of the Ouchi family conquered both areas of Yamaguchi Prefecture. The Ouchi clan imitated the city planning of Kyoto. They gained great wealth through cultural imports from the continent and trade with Korea and Ming Dynasty China. As a result, Yamaguchi came to be known as the "Kyoto of the West," and Ouchi culture flourished. Sue Harutaka defeated the 31st ruler of the Ouchi clan. The Sue clan was then defeated by Mōri Motonari, and the Mōri family gained control of the Chugoku region. Yamaguchi was ruled as part of the Mōri clan domain during the Sengoku period. Mōri Terumoto was then defeated by Tokugawa Ieyasu in the battle of Sekigahara in 1600. He was forced to give up all his land except for the Suō and Nagato areas (current-day Yamaguchi Prefecture), where he built his castle in Hagi. Mōri sought to strengthen the economic base of the region and increase local production with his Three Whites campaign (salt, rice, and paper).
After Commodore Matthew Perry's opening of Japan, clans from Nagato (also called Chōshū) played a key role in the fall of the Tokugawa shogunate and the establishment of the new imperial government. Four years after the Edo Shogunate was overthrown and the Meiji government formed in 1868, the present Yamaguchi Prefecture was established. The Meiji government brought in many new systems and modern policies, and promoted the introduction of modern industry, though the prefecture was still centered around agriculture during this period. In the Taisho period, from 1912 to 1926, shipbuilding, chemical, machinery, and metal working plants were built in Yamaguchi's harbors in the Seto Inland Sea area. During the post-World War II Shōwa Period, Yamaguchi developed into one of the most industrialized prefectures in the country due to the establishment of petrochemical complexes.[4]
There are 13 cities in Yamaguchi:
There are 4 districts and 6 towns in Yamaguchi Prefecture:
For the purposes of development analysis, Yamaguchi is construed to be part of Northern Kyūshū. Although Yamaguchi not part of the island of Kyūshū, it has become a functional satellite of the Kanmon Straits metropolitan area.[5]
The most popular place for tourism is Shimonoseki. One of the major attractions is the famous Kintai Bridge in the town of Iwakuni. This five arched wooden structure is considered a symbol of Western Honshū. The area on the banks of the Nishiki river close to the bridge is considered among the best places in Japan for Hanami, when groups of family and friends gather in early April to view cherry blossoms. Akiyoshidai Quasi-National Park, which includes Japan’s longest cave, the Akiyoshido (秋芳洞), is another popular destination.
| Ube Frontier University | University of East Asia |
| Baiko Gakuin University | Tokyo University of Science, Yamaguchi |
| Yamaguchi Gakugei College | Yamaguchi University of Human Welfare and Culture |
Two ferry services provide regular sea transport from the Shimonoseki Port International Terminal: Kanpu Ferry provides round-trip service to Busan, South Korea; the Orient Ferry provides round-trip service to Qingdao and Shanghai, respectively.
Yamaguchi Ube Airport is a domestic airport with service to Haneda Airport (Tokyo).
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