Miyagi Prefecture

Miyagi Prefecture 宮城県
Prefecture
Japanese transcription(s)
• Japanese	宮城県
• Rōmaji	Miyagi-ken
Flag Symbol
Country	Japan
Region	Tōhoku
Island	Honshu
Capital	Sendai
Subdivisions	Districts: 10, Municipalities: 35
Government
• Governor	Yoshihiro Murai
Area
• Total	7,282.22 km2 (2,811.68 sq mi)
Area rank	16th
Population  (June 1, 2019)
• Total	2,305,596
• Rank	15th
• Density	320/km2 (820/sq mi)
ISO 3166 code	JP-04
Website	www.pref.miyagi.jp
Symbols Bird Wild goose Flower Miyagi bush clover (Lespedeza thunbergii) Tree Japanese zelkova (Zelkova serrata)

Miyagi Prefecture (宮城県, Miyagi-ken) is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region of Honshu.^[1] Miyagi Prefecture has a population of 2,305,596 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of 7,282 km² (2,812 sq mi). Miyagi Prefecture borders Iwate Prefecture to the north, Akita Prefecture to the northwest, Yamagata Prefecture to the west, and Fukushima Prefecture to the south.

Sendai is the capital and largest city of Miyagi Prefecture, and the largest city in the Tōhoku region, with other major cities including Ishinomaki, Ōsaki, and Tome.^[2] Miyagi Prefecture is located on Japan's eastern Pacific coast and bounded to the west by the Ōu Mountains, the longest mountain range in Japan, with 24% of its total land area being designated as Natural Parks. Miyagi Prefecture is home to Matsushima Islands, a group of islands ranked as one of the Three Views of Japan, near the town of Matsushima.

History[]

Miyagi Prefecture was formerly part of the province of Mutsu.^[3]

2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami[]

Wikinews has related news: Death toll rises from Japan quake Japan facing 'most severe crisis since World War II', says prime minister Japan earthquake death toll estimated at over 10,000

On March 11, 2011, a 9.0 magnitude earthquake and a subsequent major tsunami hit Miyagi Prefecture, causing major damage to the area.^[4] The tsunami was estimated to be approximately 10 metres (33 ft) high in Miyagi Prefecture.^[5]

On April 7, 2011, a 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Miyagi, Japan. Workers were then evacuated from the nearby troubled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear facility once again, as a tsunami warning was issued for the coastline. Residents were told to flee for inner land at that time.

Officials from the U.S. Geological Survey later downgraded the magnitude to 7.1 from 7.4.^[6]

In 2013, Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako visited the prefecture to see the progress made since the tsunami.^[7]

Geography[]

Miyagi Prefecture is in the central part of Tōhoku, facing the Pacific Ocean, and contains Tōhoku's largest city, Sendai. There are high mountains on the west and along the northeast coast, but the central plain around Sendai is fairly large.

Matsushima is known as one of the three most scenic views of Japan, with a bay full of 260 small islands covered in pine groves.

Oshika Peninsula projects from the northern coastline of the prefecture.

As of 31 March 2019, 24% of the total land area of the prefecture was designated as Natural Parks, namely the Sanriku Fukkō National Park; Kurikoma and Zaō Quasi-National Parks; and Abukuma Keikoku, Asahiyama, Funagata Renpō, Futakuchi Kyōkoku, Kenjōsan Mangokuura, Kesennuma, Matsushima, and Zaō Kōgen Prefectural Natural Parks.^[8][9]

Cities[]

Fourteen cities are located in Miyagi Prefecture:

Name		Area (km2)	Population	Map
Rōmaji	Kanji
Higashimatsushima	東松島市	101.36	39,580
Ishinomaki	石巻市	554.55	141,766
Iwanuma	岩沼市	60.45	43,946
Kakuda	角田市	147.53	28,539
Kesennuma	気仙沼市	332.44	59,803
Kurihara	栗原市	804.97	66,565
Natori	名取市	98.17	79,459
Ōsaki	大崎市	796.76	128,763
Sendai (capital)	仙台市	786.3	1,091,407
Shiogama	塩竈市	17.37	52,662
Shiroishi	白石市	286.48	33,330
Tagajō	多賀城市	19.69	62,869
Tome	登米市	536.12	77,897
Tomiya	富谷市	49.18	52,433

Towns and villages[]

These are the towns and villages in each district:

Name		Area (km2)	Population	District	Type	Map
Rōmaji	Kanji
Kami	加美町	460.67	22,804	Kami District	Town
Kawasaki	川崎町	270.77	8,637	Shibata District	Town
Marumori	丸森町	273.3	13,092	Igu District	Town
Matsushima	松島町	53.56	13,804	Miyagi District	Town
Minamisanriku	南三陸町	163.4	12,516	Motoyoshi District	Town
Misato	美里町	74.95	24,565	Tōda District	Town
Murata	村田町	78.38	10,675	Shibata District	Town
Ōgawara	大河原町	24.99	23,618	Shibata District	Town
Ōhira	大衡村	60.32	5,918	Kurokawa District	Village
Onagawa	女川町	65.35	6,319	Oshika District	Town
Ōsato	大郷町	82.01	7,972	Kurokawa District	Town
Rifu	利府町	44.89	36,014	Miyagi District	Town
Shibata	柴田町	54.03	37,617	Shibata District	Town
Shichigahama	七ヶ浜町	13.19	18,447	Miyagi District	Town
Shichikashuku	七ヶ宿町	263.09	1,323	Katta District	Town
Shikama	色麻町	109.28	6,723	Kami District	Town
Taiwa	大和町	225.49	28,436	Kurokawa District	Town
Wakuya	涌谷町	82.16	15,763	Tōda District	Town
Watari	亘理町	73.6	33,459	Watari District	Town
Yamamoto	山元町	64.58	12,100	Watari District	Town
Zaō	蔵王町	152.83	11,790	Katta District	Town

Mergers[]

Economy[]

Although Miyagi has a good deal of fishing and agriculture, producing a great deal of rice and livestock, it is dominated by the manufacturing industries around Sendai, particularly electronics, appliances, and food processing.

As of March 2011, the prefecture produced 4.7% of Japan's rice, 23% of oysters, and 15.9% of sauries.^[10]

In July 2011, the Japanese government decided to ban all shipments of beef cattle from northeast Miyagi Prefecture over fears of radioactive contamination.^[11] This has since been rescinded.

Population[]

Per Japanese census data,^[12] and,^[13] Miyagi has had fastest growth between 1940-1950 and continued to exhibit growth up until 21st century. Despite Miyagi Prefecture population overall decreasing, its prefecture capital Sendai continues to have population increase.

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±%
1890	735,100	—
1920	962,000	+30.9%
1930	1,143,000	+18.8%
1940	1,271,000	+11.2%
1950	1,663,000	+30.8%
1960	1,743,000	+4.8%
1970	1,819,000	+4.4%
1980	2,082,000	+14.5%
1990	2,249,000	+8.0%
2000	2,365,320	+5.2%
2010	2,348,165	−0.7%
2020	2,306,000	−1.8%

Education[]

University[]

• Miyagi University
• Miyagi University of Education
• Miyagi Gakuin Women's University
• Sendai University
• Sendai Shirayuri Women's College
• Tohoku University
• Tohoku Gakuin University
• Tohoku Bunka Gakuen University
• Tohoku Institute of Technology
• Tohoku Fukushi University
• Tohoku Seikatsu Bunka College
• Tohoku Pharmaceutical University
• Shokei Gakuin University
• Ishinomaki Senshu University

Transportation[]

Rail[]

• JR East
  • Tōhoku Shinkansen
  • Tohoku Line
  • Jōban Line
  • Senseki Line
  • Senzan Line
  • Ishinomaki Line
  • Rikuu East Line
  • Kesennuma Line
  • Ōfunato Line
• Sendai Municipal Subway
  • Namboku Line
  • Tōzai Line
• Abukuma Express
• Sendai Airport Line

Roads[]

Expressways and toll roads[]

• Tōhoku Expressway
• Yamagata Expressway
• Sanriku Expressway
• Sendai East Road
• Sendai North Road
• Sendai South Road

National highways[]

• National Route 4 (Nihonbashi of Tokyo–Kasukabe–Utsunomiya–Koriyama–Sendai–Furukawa–Ichinoseki–Morioka–Towada–Aomori)
• National Route 6 (Nihonbashi of Tokyo–Mito–Iwaki–Soma–Sendai)
• National Route 45 (Sendai–Ishinomaki–Ofunato–Kamaishi–Kuji–Hachinohe–Towada)
• National Route 47 (Furukawa–Narugo–Shinjyo–Sakata)
• National Route 48 (Sendai–Yamagata)
• National Route 108
• National Route 113
• National Route 286
• National Route 342
• National Route 346
• National Route 347
• National Route 349
• National Route 398
• National Route 399
• National Route 456
• National Route 457

Ports[]

• – Ferry route to Tomakomai, Hokkaido and Nagoya, container hub port
• Ishinomaki Port – Ferry route to Mount Kinka, Tashiro Island and Tashiro Island.
• Matsushima Bay

Airports[]

• Sendai Airport

Sports[]

The sports teams listed below are based in Miyagi Prefecture.

• Baseball
  • Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles (Miyagi Baseball Stadium, Sendai)
• Football (soccer)
  • Vegalta Sendai (Yurtec Stadium Sendai, Sendai)
  • Sony Sendai F.C. (Yurtec Stadium Sendai, Sendai)
  • Vegalta Sendai Ladies (Yurtec Stadium Sendai, Sendai)
• Basketball
  • Sendai 89ERS (Sendai Gymnasium, Sendai)
• Volleyball
• Futsal
  • Voscuore Sendai
• Professional wrestling
  • Sendai Girls' Pro Wrestling

Also, the Sendai Hi-Land Raceway hosts motorsport road races.

Visitor attractions[]

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

Miyagi Prefecture boasts one of Japan's three greatest sights. Matsushima, the pine-clad islands, dot the waters off the coast of the prefecture.

The following are also noted as attractions:

Famous festivals and events[]

• Sendai New Year's traditional Sale on January 2
• Shiroishi Kokeshi Exhibition, May 3–5
• Aoba Festival, Suzume Odori traditional Japanese dance event in May
• Shiogama Port Festival in July
• Sendai Tanabata Festival, August 6–8
• Sendai Pageant of Starlight in December

Popular culture[]

Miyagi Prefecture is one of the main settings of the manga and anime series Haikyū!!. The most well-known fictional schools located there are Karasuno High School, Aoba Johsai High School, Date Tech High and Shiratorizawa Academy, as well as Sendai City Gymnasium.

Notes[]

References[]

• Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric and Käthe Roth. (2005). Japan encyclopedia. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. ISBN 978-0-674-01753-5; OCLC 58053128
• Titsingh, Isaac. (1834). Nihon Odai Ichiran; ou, Annales des empereurs du Japon. Paris: Royal Asiatic Society, Oriental Translation Fund of Great Britain and Ireland. OCLC 5850691

External links[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Miyagi prefecture.

• Miyagi Prefecture Official Website (in Japanese)

Coordinates: 38°21′N 140°58′E / 38.350°N 140.967°E / 38.350; 140.967