Miyagi Prefecture

Miyagi Prefecture
宮城県
Prefecture
Flag of Miyagi Prefecture
Flag
Official seal of Miyagi Prefecture
Seal
Miyagi Prefecture in Japan
Miyagi Prefecture in Japan
Country Japan
CapitalSendai
Subdivisions
List
Government
 • GovernorYoshihiro Murai
Area
 • Total7,282 km2 (2,812 sq mi)
Population
 (October 1, 2020)
 • Total2,301,996
 • Density316.1/km2 (819/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+09:00
Area code04000-2
ISO 3166 codeJP-04
WebsiteOfficial website

Miyagi Prefecture (宮城県, Miyagi-ken) is a prefecture of Japan. It is part of the Tōhoku region of the island of Honshu. The capital city is Sendai.

History

Miyagi Prefecture used to be part of Mutsu Province. That province was in the northern part of Honshu. It was made from land taken from the indigenous Emishi. The province became the largest as it expanded to the north. The ancient capital was in modern Miyagi Prefecture.

During the Sengoku period, various clans ruled different parts of the province. Date Masamune was a close ally of the Tokugawa. He established Sendai, which is now the largest town of the Tōhoku region.

In the Meiji period, four new provinces were created from parts of Mutsu: Rikuchū, Rikuzen, Iwaki, and Iwashiro. In 1871, Sendai Prefecture was formed. It was renamed Miyagi prefecture the following year.

2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami

On March 11, 2011, a 9.0-magnitude earthquake and major tsunami hit Miyagi Prefecture. It caused major damage to the area. The tsunami was about 10 meters high in parts of Miyagi Prefecture.

Cities

There are thirteen cities in Miyagi Prefecture:

Towns and villages

These are the towns and villages in each district:

Marumori
Kami
Shikama
Shichikashuku
Zaō
Ōhira
Ōsato
Taiwa
Tomiya
Matsushima
Rifu
Shichigahama
Minamisanriku
Onagawa
Kawasaki
Murata
Ōgawara
Shibata
Misato
Wakuya
Watari

National parks

National parks cover about 23% of the total land area of the prefecture. They include:

Economy

Farming, fishing and sake brewing are all important in Miyagi. As of March 2011, the prefecture made 4.7% of Japan's rice, 23% of its oysters, and 15.9% of its saury fish. Manufacturing around Sendai is a larger part of the economy. The area produces electronics, appliances, and processed food.

Education

Universities

Transportation

Train

Airports

Sight-seeing

Sendai was the castle town of the daimyo Date Masamune. The remains of Sendai Castle are on a hill above the city.

Miyagi Prefecture has one of Japan's Three Great Views. Matsushima Bay is full of small islands with old pine trees on them. Many visitors come here every year and many artists have painted the islands.

The following are also noted as attractions:

Festivals and events

Suzume Dancing Event in Aoba Festival
Aoba Festival of Sendai

Shrines and temples

Shigogama jinja is the main Shinto shrine (ichinomiya) in the prefecture.

References

  1. ↑ Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Miyagi prefecture" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 648.
  2. ↑ Nussbaum, "Sendai" at p. 841.
  3. ↑ Nussbaum, "Mutsu" at p. 676.
  4. ↑ "Japan earthquake: Tsunami hits north-east," BBC. March 11, 2011; retrieved 2012-3-13.
  5. ↑ Williams, Martyn. "Report from Japan: Impact of Tsunami Devastates Nation's Northeast," Voice of America, March 11, 2011; retrieved 2012-3-13.
  6. ↑ Japan Ministry of the Environment, "General overview of area figures for Natural Parks by prefecture"; retrieved 2012-3-14.
  7. ↑ Japan Ministry of the Environment, "Rikuchu Kaigan National Park" Archived 2006-05-16 at the Wayback Machine; retrieved 2012-3-19.
  8. ↑ Schreiber, Mark. "Japan's food crisis goes beyond recent panic buying," Archived 2011-04-20 at the Wayback Machine Japan Times, April 17, 2011; retrieved 2012-3-13.
  9. ↑ "Nationwide List of Ichinomiya," p. 2 Archived 2013-05-17 at the Wayback Machine; retrieved 2012-3-13.

Other websites

Media related to Miyagi prefecture at Wikimedia Commons