Hiroshima Prefecture

Hiroshima Prefecture
広島県
Prefecture
Japanese transcription(s)
 • Japanese 広島県
 • Rōmaji Hiroshima-ken

Flag
Symbol
Country Japan
Region Chūgoku (San'yō)
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 2.8 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:

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 faces 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.

As of 1 April 2014, 4% of the total land area of the prefecture was designated as Natural Parks (the lowest percentage of any prefecture), namely Setonaikai National Park; Hiba-Dōgo-Taishaku and Nishi-Chūgoku Sanchi Quasi-National Parks; and six Prefectural Natural Parks.[5]

Cities

Map of Hiroshima Prefecture
Fukuyama
Onomichi
Higashihiroshima
Mihara

Fourteen cities are located in Hiroshima Prefecture:

Towns and villages

These are the towns in each district:

Mergers

Economy

Hiroshima's main industries include automobiles (Mazda is headquartered there) 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

Roads

Expressways

National highways

Ports

Airports

Sports

The sports teams listed below are based in Hiroshima.

Football

Baseball

Volleyball

Tourism

Famous festivals and events

Notes

  1. ↑ Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Hiroshima-ken" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 320, p. 320, at Google Books; "Chūgoku" at pp. 127, p. 127, at Google Books.
  2. ↑ Nussbaum, "Hiroshima" at pp. 319-320, p. 319, at Google Books.
  3. ↑ Nussbaum, "Province and prefecture" at p. 780, p. 780, at Google Books.
  4. ↑ Nussbaum, "Hiroshima Wan" at p. 320, p. 320, at Google Books.
  5. ↑ "General overview of area figures for Natural Parks by prefecture" (PDF). Ministry of the Environment. 1 April 2014. Retrieved 22 February 2015.

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hiroshima Prefecture.

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

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