Hiroshima Prefecture

Hiroshima Prefecture (広島県 Hiroshima-ken)

Capital	Hiroshima (city)
Region	Chugoku
Island	Honshu
Governor	Yuzan Fujita
Area	8,476.95 km² (11th)
- % water	0.3%
Population (October 1, 2000)
- Population	2,878,915 (12th)
- Density	340 /km²
Districts	5
Municipalities	23
ISO 3166-2	JP-34
Web site	www.pref.hiroshima.jp/ index-e.html
Prefectural Symbols
- Flower	n/a
- Tree	Japanese maple (Acer palmatum)
- Bird	Red-throated diver (Gavia stellata)
Symbol of Hiroshima Prefecture

Hiroshima Prefecture (広島県 Hiroshima-ken) is located in the Chugoku region on Honshu island, Japan. The capital is the city of Hiroshima.

Contents 1 History 2 Geography 2.1 Cities 2.2 Towns and villages 2.3 Mergers 3 Economy 4 Demographics 5 Culture 6 Tourism 7 Prefectural symbols 8 Miscellaneous topics 9 External links

History

The area around Hiroshima, formerly divided into Bingo and Aki provinces, has been a center of trade and culture since the beginning of Japan's recorded history. Hiroshima is a traditional center of the Chugoku region and was the seat of the Mori clan until the Battle of Sekigahara.

Hiroshima is home to two UNESCO World Heritage sites:

1. the Atomic Dome in Hiroshima, one of the few remnants of prewar Hiroshima following the atomic bombing of 1945
2. Itsukushima Shrine in Miyajima, famed for filling with water and appearing to "float" during high tide

Geography

Hiroshima prefecture lies in the middle of Chugoku, facing Shikoku across the Seto Inland Sea. Most of the prefecture consists of mountains leading towards Shimane Prefecture, but rivers produce rich plains near the coast, and the prefecture also includes many small islands in the Inland Sea. The sheltered nature of the Inland Sea makes Hiroshima's climate very mild.

Cities

Akitakata Etajima Fuchu Fukuyama Hatsukaichi Higashihiroshima

Hiroshima Aki-ku Asakita-ku Asaminami-ku Higashi-ku Minami-ku Naka-ku Nishi-ku Saeki-ku

Kure Mihara Miyoshi Onomichi Otake Shobara Takehara

Towns and villages

These are the towns and villages in each district.

Aki District Fuchu Kaita Kumano Saka

Jinseki District Jinsekikogen Sera District Sera

Toyota District Osakikamijima Yamagata District Akiota Kitahiroshima

Mergers

• On February 3, 2003, Shin'ichi from Ashina District (dissolved by this action) merged into the expanded city of Fukuyama.

• On March 1, 2003, the town of Saeki and the village of Yoshiwa from Saeki District merged into the expanded city of Hatsukaichi.

• On April 1, 2003, the towns of Osaki, Higashino and Kinoe from Toyota District merged to form the city of Osakikamijima.

• On April 1, 2003, the town of Shimokamigari from Aki District merged into the expanded city of Kure.

• On March 1, 2004, Kōta, Midori, Mukaihara, Takamiya, Yachiyo, and Yoshida from Takata District (dissolved by this action) merged, creating the city of Akitakata.

• On April 1, 2004, Funo, Kimita, Kisa, Mirasaka, Miwa, and Sakugi from Futami District (dissolved by this action) and Konu from Konu District merged into the expanded city of Miyoshi.

• On April 1, 2004, the town of Joge from Konu District merged with the expanded city of Fuchu.

• On April 1, 2004, the town of Kawajiri from Toyota Distrcit merged into the expanded city of Kure.

• On October 1, 2004, the towns of Kozan and Seranishi from Sera District merged into the expanded town of Sera.

• On October 1, 2004, Kake, Togouchi, and Tsutsuga from Yamagata District merged, creating the town of Akiota.

• On November 1, 2004, the town of Etajima from Aki District merged with the towns of Nomi, Ogaki, and Okimi from Saeki District forming the city of Etajima.

• On November 5, 2004, the towns of Jinseki, Sanwa, and Yuki and the village of Toyomatsu from Jinseki District merged, creating the town of Jinsekikogen.

• On February 1, 2005, Chiyoda, Geihoku, Oasa, and Toyohira from Yamagata District merged, creating the town of Kitahiroshima.

• On February 1, 2005, Numakuma from Numakuma District (dissolved by this action) merged with the expanded city of Fukuyama.

• On February 7, 2005, Fukutomi, Kochi, Kurose, and Toyosaka from Kamo District and Akitsu from Toyota District merged into the expanded city of Higashihiroshima.

• On March 20, 2005, the towns of Ondo, Kurahashi, Kamagari from Aki District and the towns of Yasuura, Toyohama and Yutaka from Toyota District merged into the expanded city of Kure.

• On March 22, 2005, the town of Daiwa from the former Kamo District (dissolved by this action), the town of Kui from Mitsugi District, and the town of Hongo from Toyota District merged into the expanded city of Mihara.

• On March 28, 2005, the towns of Mitsugi and Mukaishima from Mitsugi District merged into the expanded city of Onomichi. Mitsugi District was dissolved as a result.

• On March 31, 2005, the towns of Hiwa, Kuchiwa, Saijo, Takano, and Tojo, from the former Hiba District (dissolved by this action) and the town of Souryo from the former Konu District (dissolved by this action) merged into the expanded city of Shobara.

• On April 25, 2005, the town of Yuki from Saeki District merged into the expanded city of Hiroshima.

• On November 3, 2005, the towns of Miyajima and Ono from Saeki District merged into the expanded city of Hatsukaichi. Saeki District was dissolved as a result of this merger.

• On January 10, 2006, the city of Innoshima and the town of Setoda from Toyota District merged into the expanded city of Onomichi.

• On March 1, 2006, the city of Kannabe from Fukayasu District merged into the expanded city of Fukuyama. Fukayasu District was dissolved as a result of this merger.

Economy

Hiroshima's main industries include automobiles (Mazda is headquartered in Hiroshima Prefecture) and shipbuilding (Kure was one of the main naval bases of the Imperial Japanese Navy and remains a major commercial yard).

Demographics

Culture

Tourism

• Hiroshima Peace Memorial
• Hiroshima Castle
• Shukukei Garden
• Mitaki Temple
• Itsukushima Shrine
• Momiji-dani Park
• Mt. Misen
• Miyajima Aquarium
• Senko Temple
• Jodo Temple
• Saikoku Temple
• Onomichi Castle
• Onomichi City Art Museum

Prefectural symbols

Miscellaneous topics

External links

• Official Hiroshima Prefecture homepage
• Life in Hiroshima and other Japan-related Articles
• Hiroshima Weather Forecast

Hiroshima Prefecture
Cities
Akitakata | Etajma | Fuchu | Fukuyama | Hatsukaichi | Higashihiroshima | Hiroshima (capital) | Kure | Mihara | Miyoshi | Onomichi | Otake | Shobara | Takehara
Districts
Aki | Jinseki | Sera | Toyota | Yamagata
See also: Towns and villages by district edit

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The content of this page is retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiroshima_Prefecture under GFDL