Okayama Prefecture

Last updated
Okayama Prefecture

岡山県
Prefecture
Japanese transcription(s)
 •  Japanese 岡山県
 •  Rōmaji Okayama-ken
Flag of Okayama Prefecture.svg
Flag
Emblem of Okayama Prefecture.svg
Symbol
Map of Japan with highlight on 33 Okayama prefecture.svg
CountryFlag of Japan.svg  Japan
Region Chūgoku (Sanyō)
Island Honshu
Capital Okayama
Subdivisions Districts: 10, Municipalities: 27
Government
 •  Governor Ryūta Ibaragi
Area
 • Total7,114.50 km2 (2,746.92 sq mi)
Area rank 17th
Population
 (February 1, 2018)
 • Total1,906,464
 • Rank 21st
 • Density270/km2 (690/sq mi)
ISO 3166 code JP-33
Website www.pref.okayama.jp
Symbols
BirdLesser  cuckoo (Cuculus poliocephalus)
Flower Peach   blossom (Prunus persica var. vulgaris)
TreeRed  pine (Pinus densiflora)

Okayama Prefecture (岡山県, Okayama-ken) is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region of Honshu. [1] Okayama Prefecture has a population of 1,906,464 (1 February 2018) and has a geographic area of 7,114 km2 (2,746 sq mi). Okayama Prefecture borders Tottori Prefecture to the north, Hyōgo Prefecture to the east, and Hiroshima Prefecture to the west.

Contents

Okayama is the capital and largest city of Okayama Prefecture, with other major cities including Kurashiki, Tsuyama, and Sōja. [2] [3] [4] Okayama Prefecture's south is located on the Seto Inland Sea coast across from Kagawa Prefecture on the island of Shikoku, which are connected by the Great Seto Bridge, while the north is characterized by the Chūgoku Mountains.

History

Prior to the Meiji Restoration of 1868, the area of present-day Okayama Prefecture was divided between Bitchū, Bizen and Mimasaka Provinces. Okayama Prefecture was formed and named in 1871 as part of the large-scale administrative reforms of the early Meiji period (1868–1912), and the borders of the prefecture were set in 1876. [3] [5]

Geography

Map of Okayama Prefecture Government Ordinance Designated City City Town Map of Okayama Prefecture Ja.svg
Map of Okayama Prefecture
     Government Ordinance Designated City     City     Town

Okayama Prefecture borders Hyōgo Prefecture, Tottori Prefecture, and Hiroshima Prefecture. [3] It faces Kagawa Prefecture in Shikoku across the Seto Inland Sea and includes 90 islands in the sea.

Okayama Prefecture is home to the historic town of Kurashiki. Most of the population is concentrated around Kurashiki and Okayama. The small villages in the northern mountain region are aging and declining in population - more than half of the prefecture's municipalities are officially designated as depopulated. [6]

As of 1 April 2014, 11% of the total land area of the prefecture was designated as Natural Parks, namely the Daisen-Oki and Setonaikai National Parks; the Hyōnosen-Ushiroyama-Nagisan Quasi-National Park; and seven Prefectural Natural Parks. [7]

Cities

Okayama City Okayama city view from Sankunjinja remains.JPG
Okayama City
Tsuyama Tsuyama Castle01s5s5000.jpg
Tsuyama
Takahashi Takahashi -01.jpg
Takahashi
Niimi Niimi city.jpg
Niimi

Fifteen cities are located in Okayama Prefecture:

Towns and villages

These are the towns and villages in each district:

Mergers

Demographics

Per Japanese census data, [8] and, [9] Okayama prefecture has had continual negative population growth since 2005

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1920 1,218,000—    
1930 1,284,000+5.4%
1940 1,329,000+3.5%
1950 1,661,000+25.0%
1960 1,670,000+0.5%
1970 1,707,000+2.2%
1980 1,871,000+9.6%
1990 1,926,000+2.9%
2000 1,950,828+1.3%
2010 1,945,276−0.3%
2020 1,920,739−1.3%

Education

Universities

High schools

Transportation

Rail

Tramways

Roads

Expressways

National highways

Airport

Culture

Association with Momotarō legend

Okayama Prefecture is closely associated with the folklore hero, Momotarō. This tale is said to have roots in the legendary story of Kibitsuhiko-no-mikoto and Ura which explains that the Prince Ura of Kudara used to live in Kinojo (castle of the devil) and was a cause of trouble for the people living in the village. The emperor's government sent Kibitsuhiko-no-mikoto (Momotarō) to defeat Ura. The city of Okayama holds an annual Momotarō-matsuri, or Momotarō Festival. [4] [11]

Sports

City Light Stadium. Momotaro Stadium 01.jpg
City Light Stadium.

The sports teams listed below are based in Okayama.

Soccer

Volleyball

Tourism

Okayama Korakuen Park and Okayama Castle Okayama Korakuen Garden01.jpg
Okayama Korakuen Park and Okayama Castle
Hiruzen Plateau and Hiruzen Joyful Park in Maniwa Joyful Park 01.jpg
Hiruzen Plateau and Hiruzen Joyful Park in Maniwa
Hinase Island and Seto Inlandsea in Bizen Harbor View Park Hinase Bizen Okayama Pref Japan03bs.jpg
Hinase Island and Seto Inlandsea in Bizen

Some tourist attractions are:

Notable people

Shin Koyamada, Hollywood actor from The Last Samurai Koyamada in Malibu May 2015.jpg
Shin Koyamada, Hollywood actor from The Last Samurai

Notes

  1. ↑ Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Okayama-ken" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 745 , p. 745, at Google Books; "Chūgoku" at p. 127 , p. 127, at Google Books.
  2. ↑ Nussbaum, "Okayama" at p. 745 , p. 745, at Google Books.
  3. 1 2 3 "Okayama Prefecture". Encyclopedia of Japan. Tokyo: Shogakukan. 2012. OCLC   56431036. Archived from the original on August 25, 2007. Retrieved 2012-08-01.
  4. 1 2 "岡山（県）" [Okayama Prefecture]. Nihon Daihyakka Zensho (Nipponika) (in Japanese). Tokyo: Shogakukan. 2012. OCLC   153301537. Archived from the original on August 25, 2007. Retrieved 2012-08-15.
  5. ↑ Nussbaum, "Provinces and prefectures" at p. 780 , p. 780, at Google Books.
  6. ↑ Okayama official website Archived 2013-01-02 at the Wayback Machine accessed Nov. 2007
  7. ↑ "General overview of area figures for Natural Parks by prefecture" (PDF). Ministry of the Environment. 1 April 2014. Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 April 2012. Retrieved 19 February 2015.
  8. ↑ Okayama 1995-2020 population statistics
  9. ↑ Okayama 1920-2000 population statistics
  10. ↑ "岡山県作陽高等学校". www.sakuyo-h.ed.jp. Archived from the original on 11 January 2018. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
  11. ↑ "Okayama History". Archived from the original on 22 May 2012. Retrieved 24 June 2012.
  12. ↑ "Shin Koyamada's IMDB Biography". Archived from the original on 2013-03-27.
  13. ↑ "Yuko Arimori's profile".
  14. ↑ "Masashi Kishimoto's Biography on TV.com". Archived from the original on 2013-08-17.

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Tsuyama City in Chūgoku, Japan

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Niimi City in Chūgoku, Japan

Niimi is a city located in northwestern Okayama Prefecture, Japan.

Mimasaka Province Former province of Japan

Mimasaka Province or Sakushu was a province of Japan in the part of Honshū that is today northeastern Okayama Prefecture. Mimasaka bordered Bitchū, Bizen, Harima, Hōki, and Inaba Provinces.

Bitchū Province Former province of Japan

Bitchū Province was a province of Japan on the Inland Sea side of western Honshū, in what is today western Okayama Prefecture. It was sometimes called Bishū (備州), with Bizen and Bingo Provinces; those three provinces were settled in the late 7th Century, dividing former Kibi Province. Bitchu bordered Hōki, Mimasaka, Bizen, and Bingo Provinces.

Ochiai, Okayama Former municipality in Chūgoku, Japan

Ochiai was a town located in Maniwa District, Okayama Prefecture, Japan.

Mimasaka, Okayama City in Chūgoku, Japan

Mimasaka is a city located in Okayama Prefecture, Japan. As of March 31, 2017, the city has an estimated population of 28,502 and a population density of 66 persons per km2. The total area is 429.19 km2.

Sakutō, Okayama Former municipality in Chūgoku, Japan

Sakutō was a town located in Aida District, Okayama Prefecture, Japan.

Sanyo Broadcasting Television station in Okayama and Kagawa

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Maniwa City in Chūgoku, Japan

Maniwa is a city located in north-central Okayama Prefecture, Japan. Its northernmost border meets that of Tottori Prefecture.

Sanyō region

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Okayama Station Railway station in Okayama, Japan

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Okayama Designated city in Chūgoku, Japan

Okayama is the capital city of Okayama Prefecture in the Chūgoku region of Japan. The city was founded on June 1, 1889. As of February 2017, the city has an estimated population of 720,841 and a population density of 910 persons per km2. The total area is 789.88 square kilometres.

Sanyōdō

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Hakubi Line Railway line in Japan

The Hakubi Line is a railway line operated by West Japan Railway Company in the mountainous area of the Chūgoku region of Japan. It begins at the south end of Okayama Prefecture at Kurashiki Station in Kurashiki, passing through Niimi Station on the west side of Niimi, and terminating at Hōki-Daisen Station in Yonago, Tottori Prefecture, linking Okayama Prefecture and Yonago across the Chūgoku Mountains. The Hakubi Line follows the Takahashi River between Kurashiki and Niimi, and the Hino River between Shōyama and Hōki-Daisen.

Kurashiki Station Railway station in Kurashiki, Okayama Prefecture, Japan

Kurashiki Station is a JR West Sanyō Main Line and Hakubi Line railway station located in 1-1 1-chōme, Achi, Kurashiki, Okayama Prefecture, Japan. All Sanyō Main Line and Hakubi Line express and limited express trains stop at this station. The Mizushima Coastal Railway Kurashiki-shi Station is near the station.

Minagi Station Railway station in Sōja, Okayama Prefecture, Japan

Minagi Station is a JR West Hakubi Line station. It is located in Minagi, Sōja, Okayama Prefecture, Japan.

References

Coordinates: 34°42′N133°51′E / 34.700°N 133.850°E / 34.700; 133.850

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