Wakayama Prefecture

Wakayama Prefecture (和歌山県, Wakayama-ken) is a prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan on the island of Honshū.[1] The capital is the city of Wakayama.[2] Wakayama Prefecture is surrounded by Osaka Prefecture, Nara Prefecture, Mie Prefecture, Hyogo Prefecture and Tokushima Prefecture.

Wakayama
和歌山県
Prefecture
Japanese transcription(s)
 • RomajiWakayama-ken
Flag of Wakayama
Flag
Official seal of Wakayama
Symbol
Location of Wakayama in Japan
Location of Wakayama in Japan
Coordinates: 34°13′33.7″N 135°10′3.0″E
Country Japan
RegionKansai
IslandHonshū
CapitalWakayama
Government
 • GovernorYoshinobu Nisaka
Area
 • Total4,725.67 km2 (1,824.59 sq mi)
 • Rank30th
Population
 (April 1, 2012)
 • Total989,983
 • Rank39th
 • Density210/km2 (540/sq mi)
ISO 3166 codeJP-30
Prefectural flowerUme blossom (Prunus mume)
Prefectural treeUbame oak (Quercus phillyraeoides)
Prefectural birdJapanese white-eye (Zosterops japonica)
Number of districts6
Number of municipalities30
Websitewww.wakayama.lg.jp/
english/

History

In the Meiji period, Wakayama Prefecture was created from the western part of Kii Province.[3]

Geography

Wakayama's southwestern coastline faces the Seto Inland Sea and its southeastern coastline is on the Pacific Ocean. The northern borders of the prefecture meet Osaka Prefecture, Nara Prefecture, and Mie Prefecture.

Cities

There are nine cities in Wakayama Prefecture:

Towns and villages

These are the towns and villages in each district:

  • Arida District
    • Aridagawa
    • Hirogawa
    • Yuasa
  • Hidaka District
    • Hidaka
    • Inami
    • Hidakagawa
    • Mihama
    • Minabe
    • Yura
  • Higashimuro District
    • Kitayama
    • Kozagawa
    • Kushimoto
    • Nachikatsuura
    • Taiji
  • Ito District
    • Katsuragi
    • Kōya
    • Kudoyama
  • Kaisō District
    • Kimino
  • Nishimuro District

National Parks

National Parks are established in about 9% of the total land area of the prefecture.[4]

Shrines and Temples

Hinokuma-kunikakasu jinjū is the chief Shinto shrine (ichinomiya) in the prefecture.[5]

References
  1. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Wakayama prefecture" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 1026; "Kansai" at p. 477.
  2. Nussbaum, "Wakayama" at p. 1025.
  3. Nussbaum, "Provinces and prefectures" at p. 780.
  4. Japan Ministry of the Environment, "General overview of area figures for Natural Parks by prefecture"; retrieved 2012-3-13.
  5. "Nationwide List of Ichinomiya," p. 3 Archived 2013-05-17 at the Wayback Machine; retrieved 2012-3-13.

Other websites

Media related to Wakayama prefecture at Wikimedia Commons

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