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Iwate Prefecture
 
 
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is a prefecture
Prefectures of Japan

The prefectures of Japan are the country's 47 sub-national jurisdictions: one "metropolis" , Tokyo; one "Circuit #Japan" , Hokkaido; two urban prefectures , Osaka Prefecture and Kyoto Prefecture; and 43 other prefectures ....
 of Japan
Japan

Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south....
 located in the Tohoku region
Tohoku region

The is a geographical area of Japan. Tohoku is Japanese language for "northeast," and the Tohoku region occupies the northeastern portion of Honshu, the largest island of Japan....
 on Honshu
Honshu

or Honshu is the largest island of Japan. The nation's main island, it is south of Hokkaido across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyushu across the Kanmon Strait....
 island. The capital is Morioka
Morioka, Iwate

is the capital cities of Japan of Iwate Prefecture prefecture, Japan.As of 2005, the city has an estimated population of 300,740 and the population density of 588.11 persons per km?....
.

e was historically part of Mutsu Province
Mutsu Province

was an old provinces of Japan of Japan, made up of the present-day Prefectures of Japans of Fukushima Prefecture, Miyagi Prefecture, Iwate Prefecture and Aomori Prefecture, and the municipalities of Kazuno, Akita and Kosaka, Akita in Akita Prefecture....
. It was brought into the empire around 800.

In the Jomon period it was an area abundant in fishing and hunting. There were also Emishi
Emishi

The name Emishi was used by the Japanese to designate people who lived in northeastern Honshu in what is today known as the Tohoku region but appears in contemporary sources as michi no oku ....
 settlements in the Kitakami Basin until the end of the eighth century when the Nara authorities penetrated deeply into Iwate, with Fort Shiwa, to the north of present day Morioka, constructed in 803.

Iwate was struck by a 7.2 magnitude earthquake on June 14, 2008.

e faces the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean

The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. Its name is derived from the Latin name Mare Pacificum, "peaceful sea", bestowed upon it by the Portugal explorer Ferdinand Magellan....
 to the east, and borders Aomori Prefecture
Aomori Prefecture

is a Prefectures of Japan of Japan located in the Tohoku Region. The capital is the city of Aomori, Aomori....
 on the north, Akita Prefecture
Akita Prefecture

is a Prefectures of Japan of Japan located in the Tohoku Region of northern Honshu, the main island of Japan. The capital is the city of Akita, Akita....
 on the west, and Miyagi Prefecture
Miyagi Prefecture

is a Prefectures of Japan of Japan located in the Tohoku Region on Honshu island. The capital is Sendai, Miyagi....
 on the south.






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is a prefecture
Prefectures of Japan

The prefectures of Japan are the country's 47 sub-national jurisdictions: one "metropolis" , Tokyo; one "Circuit #Japan" , Hokkaido; two urban prefectures , Osaka Prefecture and Kyoto Prefecture; and 43 other prefectures ....
 of Japan
Japan

Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south....
 located in the Tohoku region
Tohoku region

The is a geographical area of Japan. Tohoku is Japanese language for "northeast," and the Tohoku region occupies the northeastern portion of Honshu, the largest island of Japan....
 on Honshu
Honshu

or Honshu is the largest island of Japan. The nation's main island, it is south of Hokkaido across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyushu across the Kanmon Strait....
 island. The capital is Morioka
Morioka, Iwate

is the capital cities of Japan of Iwate Prefecture prefecture, Japan.As of 2005, the city has an estimated population of 300,740 and the population density of 588.11 persons per km?....
.

History

Iwate was historically part of Mutsu Province
Mutsu Province

was an old provinces of Japan of Japan, made up of the present-day Prefectures of Japans of Fukushima Prefecture, Miyagi Prefecture, Iwate Prefecture and Aomori Prefecture, and the municipalities of Kazuno, Akita and Kosaka, Akita in Akita Prefecture....
. It was brought into the empire around 800.

In the Jomon period it was an area abundant in fishing and hunting. There were also Emishi
Emishi

The name Emishi was used by the Japanese to designate people who lived in northeastern Honshu in what is today known as the Tohoku region but appears in contemporary sources as michi no oku ....
 settlements in the Kitakami Basin until the end of the eighth century when the Nara authorities penetrated deeply into Iwate, with Fort Shiwa, to the north of present day Morioka, constructed in 803.

Iwate was struck by a 7.2 magnitude earthquake on June 14, 2008.

Geography

Iwatemapcurrent
Iwate faces the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean

The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. Its name is derived from the Latin name Mare Pacificum, "peaceful sea", bestowed upon it by the Portugal explorer Ferdinand Magellan....
 to the east, and borders Aomori Prefecture
Aomori Prefecture

is a Prefectures of Japan of Japan located in the Tohoku Region. The capital is the city of Aomori, Aomori....
 on the north, Akita Prefecture
Akita Prefecture

is a Prefectures of Japan of Japan located in the Tohoku Region of northern Honshu, the main island of Japan. The capital is the city of Akita, Akita....
 on the west, and Miyagi Prefecture
Miyagi Prefecture

is a Prefectures of Japan of Japan located in the Tohoku Region on Honshu island. The capital is Sendai, Miyagi....
 on the south. The prefecture has mountains in the west, north and east, with the valley of the Kitakami River
Kitakami River

The Kitakami River is a river in Japan. It is the longest river in Tohoku. It is 249 km long. The Kitakami River is one of the cleanest rivers in all of Japan....
 running from north to south through the center of the province and including the capital. The coast is very rugged, with little in between the mountains and the sea.

Cities

Thirteen cities are located in Iwate Prefecture:
  • Hachimantai
    Hachimantai, Iwate

    Hachimantai is a cities of Japan located in Iwate Prefecture, Japan.The city was founded on September 1, 2005 from the merger of the towns of Ashiro, Iwate and Nishine, Iwate and the village of Matsuo, Iwate, all from Iwate District, Iwate...
  • Hanamaki
    Hanamaki, Iwate

    is a Cities of Japan located in Iwate Prefecture, Japan. As of 2005, the city has an estimated total population of 106,414. Hanamaki is most famous as the birthplace of Kenji Miyazawa and for its onsen....
  • Ichinoseki
    Ichinoseki, Iwate

    is a cities of Japan located towards the south of Iwate Prefecture, Japan and situated on the Iwai River. After Morioka and Oshu, it is the third largest city in the prefecture....
  • Kamaishi
    Kamaishi, Iwate

    Kamaishi is a cities of Japan located in Iwate Prefecture, Japan.As of 2008, the city has an estimated population of 41,022 and the population density of 92.9 persons per km?....
  • Kitakami
    Kitakami, Iwate

    is a cities of Japan located in Iwate Prefecture on Honshu of Japan....
  • Kuji
    Kuji, Iwate

    Kuji is a cities of Japan located in Iwate Prefecture, Japan....
  • Miyako
    Miyako, Iwate

    Miyako is a cities of Japan located in Iwate Prefecture, Japan.On June 6, 2005, the old Miyako absorbed the town of Taro, Iwate and village of Niisato, Iwate from Shimohei District, Iwate to form the new city of Miyako, more than doubling the old city's size....
  • Morioka
    Morioka, Iwate

    is the capital cities of Japan of Iwate Prefecture prefecture, Japan.As of 2005, the city has an estimated population of 300,740 and the population density of 588.11 persons per km?....
     (capital)
  • Ninohe
    Ninohe, Iwate

    is a cities of Japan located in Iwate Prefecture, Japan.On January 1, 2006, the old Ninohe City merged with the neighboring towns of Japan of Joboji, Iwate and formed a new city still named Ninohe....
  • Ofunato
    Ofunato, Iwate

    is a coastal cities of Japan located in Iwate Prefecture, Ordinal direction Japan. It was founded on April 1, 1952.The city became internationally famous when it was hit by a tidal wave in May 1960....
  • Oshu
    Oshu, Iwate

    is a cities of Japan located in Iwate Prefecture, Japan.The city was founded on February 20, 2006, as a result of the merger between the cities of Esashi, Iwate and Mizusawa, Iwate and the municipalities of Maesawa, Iwate, Isawa, Iwate and Koromogawa, Iwate from Isawa District, Iwate....
  • Rikuzentakata
    Rikuzentakata, Iwate

    Rikuzentakata is a cities of Japan located in Iwate Prefecture, Japan.As of 2008, the city has an estimated population of 23,687 and the population density of 102 persons per square kilometer....
  • Tono
    Tono, Iwate

    is a cities of Japan located in Iwate Prefecture, Japan.On October 1, 2005 the village of Miyamori, Iwate from Kamihei District, Iwate merged with the city to create the new city of Tono....


    • Towns and villages

    Towns and villages in each district
    Districts of Japan

    The was most recently used as an administrative unit in Japan between 1878 and 1921 and is roughly equivalent to the county of the United States, ranking at the level below prefecture and above Cities of Japan, Towns of Japan or Villages of Japan....
    :
    • Higashiiwai District
      Higashiiwai District, Iwate

      Higashiiwai is a districts of Japan located in Iwate Prefecture, Japan.As of September 1, 2005, the district has an estimated population of 10,026....
    Fujisawa
    Fujisawa, Iwate

    Fujisawa is a towns of Japan located in Higashiiwai District, Iwate, Iwate Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 10,057 and a population density of 81.64 persons per km?....
    • Isawa District
      Isawa District, Iwate

      is a districts of Japan located in Iwate Prefecture, Japan.As of October 31, 2006, the district has an estimated population of 16,433 and a population density of 91 persons per km?....
    Kanegasaki
    Kanegasaki, Iwate

    is a towns of Japan located in Isawa District, Iwate, Iwate Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 16,188 and a population density of 90.05 persons per km?....
    • Iwate District
      Iwate District, Iwate

      Japan>Tohoku region>Iwate Prefecture>Iwate District, Iwate is a districts of Japan located in Iwate Prefecture, Japan. As of 2003, the district has an estimated population of 142,495....
    Iwate
    Iwate, Iwate

    is a towns of Japan located in Iwate District, Iwate, Iwate Prefecture, Japan, 40th parallel north.As of 2003, the town had an estimated population of 18,264 and a population density of 46.36 persons per km?....
    Kuzumaki
    Kuzumaki, Iwate

    Kuzumaki is a towns of Japan located in Iwate District, Iwate, Iwate Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 8,113 and a population density of 18.65 persons per km?....
    Shizukuishi
    Shizukuishi, Iwate

    Shizukuishi is a towns of Japan located in Iwate District, Iwate, Iwate Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 19,353 and a population density of 31.78 persons per km?....
    Takizawa
    Takizawa, Iwate

    Takizawa is a villages of Japan located in Iwate District, Iwate, Iwate Prefecture, Japan., the village has an estimated population of 52,981 and a population density of 290.59 persons per square kilometer....
    • Kamihei District
      Kamihei District, Iwate

      Kamihei is a districts of Japan located in Iwate Prefecture, Japan.Following the Tono, Iwate merger the district consists of the single town of Otsuchi, Iwate....
    Otsuchi
    Otsuchi, Iwate

    is a towns of Japan located in Kamihei District, Iwate, Iwate Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 16,727 and a population density of 83.39 persons per square kilometer....
    • Kesen District
      Kesen District, Iwate

      Kesen is a districts of Japan located in Iwate Prefecture, Japan. Kesen consists of the cities of Ofunato, Iwate and Rikuzentakata, Iwate and the town of Sumita, Iwate....
    Sumita
    Sumita, Iwate

    is a towns of Japan located in Kesen District, Iwate, Iwate Prefecture, Japan.As of 2008, the town has an estimated population of 6,452 and a population density of 19.27 persons per square kilometer....
    • Kunohe District
      Kunohe District, Iwate

      is a districts of Japan located in Iwate Prefecture, Japan.The district has two towns and two villages each.*Hirono, Iwate*Karumai, Iwate*Kunohe, Iwate...
    Karumai
    Karumai, Iwate

    Karumai is a towns of Japan located in Kunohe District, Iwate, Iwate Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the town had an estimated population of 11,304 and a population density of 46.00 persons per km?....
    Kunohe
    Kunohe, Iwate

    Kunohe is a villages of Japan located in Kunohe District, Iwate, Iwate Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the village has an estimated population of 7,095 and a population density of 52.93 persons per km?....
    Noda
    Noda, Iwate

    Noda is a villages of Japan located in Kunohe District, Iwate, Iwate Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the village has an estimated population of 4,967 and a population density of 61.45 persons per km?....
    Hirono
    Hirono, Iwate

    Hirono is the northernmost Pacific municipality in Kunohe District, Iwate county, Iwate Prefecture, Honshu island, Japan. It has a population of approximately 20,000....
    • Ninohe District
      Ninohe District, Iwate

      ????? > ??? > ??? > ????? > ??? > ??? is a districts of Japan located in Iwate Prefecture, Japan. As of , The district contains one town....
    Ichinohe
    Ichinohe, Iwate

    is a towns of Japan located in Ninohe District, Iwate, Iwate Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 16,028 and a population density of 53.41 persons per km?....
    • Nishiiwai District
      Nishiiwai District, Iwate

      is a districts of Japan located in Iwate Prefecture, Japan.As of 2005, the district has an estimated population of 8,782. The total area is 63.39km?....
    Hiraizumi
    Hiraizumi, Iwate

    is a towns of Japan located in Nishiiwai District, Iwate, Iwate Prefecture, Japan. It was the home of the Hiraizumi Fujiwaras for about 100 years in the late Heian era and most of the following Kamakura period....
    • Shimohei District
      Shimohei District, Iwate

      Shimohei is a districts of Japan located in Iwate Prefecture, Japan.Following the merger of Taro, Iwate and Niisato, Iwate into Miyako, Iwate and as of 2003 population data, the district has an estimated population of 43,747 and a population density of 21.39 persons per km?....
    Fudai
    Fudai, Iwate

    Fudai is a villages of Japan located in Shimohei District, Iwate, Iwate Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the village has an estimated population of 3,449 and a population density of 49.51 persons per km?....
    Iwaizumi
    Iwaizumi, Iwate

    Iwaizumi is a towns of Japan located in Shimohei District, Iwate, Iwate Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 12,145 and a population density of 12.23 persons per km?....
    Kawai
    Kawai, Iwate

    Kawai is a villages of Japan located in Shimohei District, Iwate, Iwate Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the village has an estimated population of 3,469 and a population density of 6.16 persons per km?....
    Tanohata
    Tanohata, Iwate

    Tanohata is a villages of Japan located in Shimohei District, Iwate, Iwate Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the village has an estimated population of 4,271 and a population density of 27.34 persons per square kilometer....
    Yamada
    Yamada, Iwate

    Yamada is a towns of Japan located in Shimohei District, Iwate, Iwate Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 20,413 and a population density of 77.49 persons per square kilometer....
    • Shiwa District
      Shiwa District, Iwate

      is a districts of Japan located in Iwate Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the district has an estimated population of 60,586 and a population density of 197.79 persons per km?....
    Shiwa
    Shiwa, Iwate

    is a towns of Japan located in Shiwa District, Iwate, Iwate Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 33,744 and a population density of 141.17 persons per km?....
    Yahaba
    Yahaba, Iwate

    Yahaba is a towns of Japan located in Shiwa District, Iwate, Iwate Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 26,842 and a population density of 398.96 persons per square kilometer....
    • Waga District
      Waga District, Iwate

      List of Provinces of Japan > Tosando > Rikuchu Province > Waga DistrictJapan > Tohoku Region > Iwate Prefecture > Waga District'Waga is a districts of Japan located in Iwate Prefecture....
    Nishiwaga
    Nishiwaga, Iwate

    Nishiwaga is a towns of Japan located in Waga District, Iwate, Iwate Prefecture, Japan. The town was founded on November 1, 2005 from the merger of the town of Yuda, Iwate and the village of Sawauchi, Iwate....


    Mergers


    Economy

    Iwate's industry is concentrated around Morioka and specializes in semiconductor and communications manufacturing.

    Demographics


    Culture

    Of the several theories about the origin of the name ‘Iwate’, the most well known tale, 'Oni no tegata,' is that associated with Mitsuishi Shrine in Morioka. (The Mitsuishi, literally ‘three rocks’, are said to have been thrown down into Morioka by an eruption of Mt Iwate.) According to the legend, there was once a devil who often tormented and harassed the local people. When the people prayed to the spirits of Mitsuishi for protection, the devil was immediately shackled to the rocks and made to promise never to trouble the people again. As a sign of this promise the devil left a handprint on one of the rocks, thus giving rise to the name Iwate, literally meaning ‘rock hand’. Even now after a rainfall it is said that the devil’s hand print can still be seen.

    Poet and author Kenji Miyazawa
    Kenji Miyazawa

    was a poet and author of children's literature in early Showa period Japan. He was also known as a devout Buddhist, vegetarian and social activist....
     was born in Iwate and lived much of his life there.

    Basho

    Basho
    Matsuo Basho

    was the most famous poet of the Edo period in Japan. During his lifetime, Basho was recognized for his works in the collaborative Renku form; today, after centuries of commentary, he is recognized as a master of brief and clear haiku....
     visited and wrote about Iwate in the journey described in Oku no Hosomichi
    Oku no Hosomichi

    meaning "Narrow road to/of the interior", translated alternately as The Narrow Road to the Deep North and The Narrow Road to the Interior) is a major work by the Japanese poet, Matsuo Basho . ...
    . Hiraizumi in particular inspired him.

    Tourism

    • Chuson-ji
      Chuson-ji

      Chuson-ji s a Buddhist temple in Hiraizumi, Iwate Prefecture Japan. It is the head temple of the Tendai sect in Tohoku . The Tendai sect claims that the temple was founded in 850 by Ennin, the third chief abbot of the sect but most scholars believe that Chuson-ji was founded by Fujiwara no Kiyohira in about 1100....
    • Motsu-ji
      Motsu-ji

      Motsu-ji efers to the Buddhist temple of the Tendai sect in Hiraizumi and to the historic area surrounding it containing the ruins of two older temples, Enryu-ji and Kasho-jin a Jodo garden....
    • Muryoko-ji
    • Takadachi-gikei-do
    • Iwate Park
    • Morioka Hashimoto Museum of Art
    • Ryusen Cave
    • Tono City Museum


    Prefectural symbols

    Bird Pheasant
    Pheasant

    Pheasants are a group of large birds in the order Galliformes.Pheasants are characterised by strong sexual dimorphism, with males being highly ornate with bright colours and adornments such as wattle and long tails....
    - Paulownia
    Paulownia

    Paulownia is a genus of between 6?17 species of plants in the monogeneric family Paulowniaceae, related to and sometimes included in the Scrophulariaceae....
    Tree Nambu Red Pine
    Japanese Red Pine

    The Japanese Red Pine has a home range that includes Japan, Korea, northeastern China and the extreme southeast of Russia . This pine has become a popular ornamental and has several cultivars, but in the winter it becomes yellowish....
    Fish Nambu Salmon
    Salmon

    Salmon is the common name for several species of fish of the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the family are called trout,the difference is often attributed to the migratory life of the salmon as compared to the residential behaviour of trout, this holds true for the Atlantic salmon....


    External links