Hyōgo Prefecture

Hyōgo Prefecture is a prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan on the island of Honshu.[1] The capital city is Kobe.[2]

Hyōgo
兵庫県
Prefecture
Japanese transcription(s)
 • RomajiHyōgo-ken
Flag of Hyōgo
Flag
Official seal of Hyōgo
Symbol
Location of Hyōgo in Japan
Location of Hyōgo in Japan
Coordinates: 34°41′26.94″N 135°10′59.08″E
Country Japan
RegionKansai
IslandHonshu
CapitalKobe
Government
 • GovernorMotohiko Saitō
Area
 • Total8,396.13 km2 (3,241.76 sq mi)
 • Rank12th
Population
 (November 1, 2011)
 • Total5,582,978
 • Rank7th
 • Density660/km2 (1,700/sq mi)
ISO 3166 codeJP-28
Prefectural flowerNojigiku (Chrysanthemum japonense)
Prefectural treeCamphor tree (Cinnamomum camphora)
Prefectural birdOriental white stork (Ciconia boyciana)
Number of districts8
Number of municipalities41
Websiteweb.pref.hyogo.lg.jp/fl/english/

History

In the Meiji period, Hyōgo Prefecture was formed by merging the provinces of Harima, Tajima, Awaji, and parts of Tamba and Settsu.[3]

In 1993, Himeji Castle was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is in the city of Himeji.[4]

In 1995, the Great Hanshin earthquake damaged Kobe and neighboring Osaka Prefecture. It caused the deaths of 5,000+ people.[5]

Geography

Hyōgo has coastlines on two seas. The Sea of Japan is north of the prefecture and the Seto Inland Sea is on the south. Awaji Island in the Inland Sea is part of Hyōgo.

Hyōgo shares land borders with Osaka Prefecture, Kyoto Prefecture, Tottori Prefecture and Okayama Prefecture.

Cities

There are twenty-nine cities in Hyōgo Prefecture, including

Chūō-ku
Higashinada-ku
Hyōgo-ku
Kita-ku
Nada-ku
Nagata-ku
Nishi-ku
Suma-ku
Tarumi-ku
  • Nishiwaki
  • Ono
  • Sanda
  • Sasayama
  • Shisō
  • Sumoto
  • Takarazuka
  • Takasago
  • Tamba
  • Tatsuno
  • Toyooka
  • Yabu

National Parks

National Parks are established in about 20% of the total land area of the prefecture.[6]

Shrines and Temples

Izumo daijinju is the chief Shinto shrines (ichinomiya) in the prefecture. [7]

References
  1. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Hyōgo prefecture" in Japan Encyclopedia, pp. 363-365; "Kansai" at p. 477.
  2. Nussbaum, "Kobe" at p. 537.
  3. Nussbaum, "Provinces and prefectures" at p. 780.
  4. Japan-i.jp, Himeji-jo. Retrieved 2012-8-30.
  5. Fukushima, Glen S. "The Great Hanshin Earthquake," Archived 2012-12-18 at the Wayback Machine Japan Policy Research Institute (JPRI), March 1995. Retrieved 2012-8-30.
  6. Japan Ministry of the Environment, "General overview of area figures for Natural Parks by prefecture". Retrieved 2012-3-13.
  7. "Nationwide List of Ichinomiya," p. 2 Archived 2013-05-17 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2012-3-13.

Other websites

Media related to Hyōgo prefecture at Wikimedia Commons

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