is a
prefectureThe prefectures of Japan are the country's 47 subnational jurisdictions: one "metropolis" , Tokyo; one "circuit" , Hokkaidō; two urban prefectures , Osaka and Kyoto; and 43 other prefectures . In Japanese, they are commonly referred to as...
of
JapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, 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...
in the
Tōhoku RegionThe is a geographical area of Japan. The region occupies the northeastern portion of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. The region consists of six prefectures : Akita, Aomori, Fukushima, Iwate, Miyagi and Yamagata....
on
Honshuis 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
Sendaiis the capital city of Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, and the largest city in the Tōhoku Region. In 2005, the city had a population of one million, and was one of Japan's 19 designated cities...
.
History
Miyagi Prefecture was formerly part of the province of
Mutsuwas an old province of Japan in the area of Fukushima, Miyagi, Iwate and Aomori prefecture and the municipalities of Kazuno and Kosaka in Akita Prefecture...
. Mutsu Province, on northern
Honshuis 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...
, was one of the last provinces to be formed as land was taken from the indigenous
EmishiThe constituted a group of people who lived in northeastern Honshū in the Tōhoku region. They are referred to as in contemporary sources. Some Emishi tribes resisted the rule of the Japanese Emperors during the late Nara and early Heian periods...
, and became the largest as it expanded northward. The ancient capital was in modern Miyagi Prefecture.
In the third month of second year of the
Wadōwas a after Keiun and before Reiki. This period spanned the years from January 708 through September 715. The reigning empress was .-Change of era:...
era (709), there was an uprising against governmental authority in Mutsu Province and in nearby
Echigo Provincewas an old province in north-central Japan, on the shores of the Sea of Japan. It was sometimes called , with Echizen and Etchū Provinces. Today the area is part of Niigata Prefecture, which also includes the island which was the old Sado Province. This province was the northernmost part of the...
. Troops were promptly dispatched to subdue the revolt.
In
Wadō 5 (712), the land of Mutsu Province was administratively separated from
Dewa Provinceis an old province of Japan, comprising modern-day Yamagata Prefecture and Akita Prefecture, except for the city of Kazuno and the town of Kosaka. It was sometimes called .-Historical record:...
.
Empress Gemmei, also known as Empress Genmyō, was the 43rd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Gemmei's reign spanned the years 707 through 715....
's
Daijō-kan continued to organize other cadastral changes in the provincial map of the
Nara periodThe of the history of Japan covers the years from AD 710 to 794. Empress Gemmei established the capital of Heijō-kyō . Except for 5 years , when the capital was briefly moved again, it remained the capital of Japanese civilization until Emperor Kammu established a new capital, Nagaoka-kyō, in 784...
, as in the following year when
Mimasaka Provinceor 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....
was divided from
Bizen Provincewas a province of Japan on the Inland Sea side of Honshū, in what is today the southeastern part of Okayama Prefecture. It was sometimes called , with Bitchu and Bingo Provinces. Bizen borders Mimasaka, Harima, and Bitchū Provinces....
;
Hyūga Provincewas an old province of Japan on the east coast of Kyūshū, corresponding to the modern Miyazaki Prefecture. It was sometimes called or . Hyūga bordered on Bungo, Higo, Ōsumi, and Satsuma Province.The ancient capital was near Saito.-Historical record:...
was sundered from
Osumi Provincewas an old province of Japan in the area that is today the eastern part of Kagoshima Prefecture. It was sometimes called . Ōsumi bordered on Hyūga and Satsuma Provinces.Osumi's ancient capital was near modern Kokubu...
; and
Tamba Provincewas an old province of Japan. The ambit of its borders encompassed both the central part of modern Kyoto Prefecture and the east-central part of Hyōgo Prefecture. It was sometimes called , with Tango Province...
was severed from
Tango Provincewas an old province in the area that is today northern Kyoto Prefecture facing the Sea of Japan. It was sometimes called , with Tamba Province. Tango bordered on Tajima, Tamba, and Wakasa provinces....
.
During the
Sengoku periodThe or Warring States period in Japanese history was a time of social upheaval, political intrigue, and nearly constant military conflict that lasted roughly from the middle of the 15th century to the beginning of the 17th century. The name "Sengoku" was adopted by Japanese historians in reference...
various clans ruled different parts of the province. The
Uesugi clanThe was a Japanese samurai clan, descended from the Fujiwara clan and particularly notable for their power in the Muromachi and Sengoku periods ....
had a castle town at
Wakamatsuis a city located in the Aizu region of Fukushima Prefecture, Japan.As of May 2011, the city has an estimated population of 125,341. The total area is 383.03 km².-History:...
in the south, the Nambu clan at
Moriokais the capital city of Iwate Prefecture, Japan.As of 2005, the city has an estimated population of 300,740 and a population density of 588.11 persons per km². The total area is 489.15 km²....
in the north, and
Date Masamunewas a regional strongman of Japan's Azuchi-Momoyama period through early Edo period. Heir to a long line of powerful daimyo in the Tōhoku region, he went on to found the modern-day city of Sendai...
, a close ally of the
TokugawaThe was a powerful daimyo family of Japan. They nominally descended from Emperor Seiwa and were a branch of the Minamoto clan by the Nitta clan. However, the early history of this clan remains a mystery.-History:...
, established
Sendaiis the capital city of Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, and the largest city in the Tōhoku Region. In 2005, the city had a population of one million, and was one of Japan's 19 designated cities...
, which is now the largest town of the
Tōhoku regionThe is a geographical area of Japan. The region occupies the northeastern portion of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. The region consists of six prefectures : Akita, Aomori, Fukushima, Iwate, Miyagi and Yamagata....
.
In the
Meiji periodThe , also known as the Meiji era, is a Japanese era which extended from September 1868 through July 1912. This period represents the first half of the Empire of Japan.- Meiji Restoration and the emperor :...
, four new provinces were created from parts of Mutsu:
Rikuchūwas an old province in the area of Iwate and Akita prefectures. It was sometimes called , with Rikuzen and Mutsu Provinces.Rikuchu covered most of modern-day Iwate Prefecture, with the exceptions of Kesen District, Rikuzentakata City, Ōfunato City, and Kamaishi City, and also including Kazuno City...
,
Rikuzenis an old province of Japan in the area of Miyagi and some parts of Iwate prefectures. It was sometimes called , with Rikuchū and Mutsu Provinces.-History:...
,
Iwakithumb|Map of the former Japanese provinces with Iwaki highlighted was an old province in the area that is today Fukushima Prefecture. It was sometimes called .-History :This iteration of Iwaki Province was established in Meiji Era...
, and
Iwashirois an old province in the area of Fukushima Prefecture. It was sometimes called .The province occupies the western half of the central part of Fukushima Prefecture; the eastern half is Iwaki Province. More precisely, Date and Adachi Districts in the north belong to Iwashiro and Higashishirakawa and...
.
The area that is now
Aomori Prefectureis a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku Region. The capital is the city of Aomori.- History :Until the Meiji Restoration, the area of Aomori prefecture was known as Mutsu Province....
continued to be part of Mutsu until the
abolition of the han systemThe was an act, in 1871, of the new Meiji government of the Empire of Japan to replace the traditional feudal domain system and to introduce centralized government authority . This process marked the culmination of the Meiji Restoration in that all daimyo were required to return their authority...
and the nation-wide conversion to the prefectural structure of modern Japan.
Date Masamunewas a regional strongman of Japan's Azuchi-Momoyama period through early Edo period. Heir to a long line of powerful daimyo in the Tōhoku region, he went on to found the modern-day city of Sendai...
built a castle at Sendai as his seat to rule Mutsu. In 1871, Sendai Prefecture was formed. It was renamed Miyagi prefecture the following year.
2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
On March 11, 2011, a
9.0 magnitude earthquakeThe 2011 earthquake off the Pacific coast of Tohoku, also known as the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, or the Great East Japan Earthquake, was a magnitude 9.0 undersea megathrust earthquake off the coast of Japan that occurred at 14:46 JST on Friday, 11 March 2011, with the epicenter approximately east...
and a subsequent major
tsunamiA tsunami is a series of water waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, typically an ocean or a large lake...
hit Miyagi Prefecture, causing major damage to the area. The tsunami was estimated to be approximately 10 meters high in Miyagi Prefecture.
On April 7, 2011:
7.4-magnitude earthquake strikes off coast of Miyagi, Japan, Japan's meteorological agency says. 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 this time.
Officials from the U.S. Geological Survey later downgraded the magnitude to 7.1 from 7.4.
Geography
Miyagi Prefecture is in the central part of
TōhokuThe is a geographical area of Japan. The region occupies the northeastern portion of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. The region consists of six prefectures : Akita, Aomori, Fukushima, Iwate, Miyagi and Yamagata....
, facing the
Pacific OceanThe Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
, 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.
Matsushimais a group of islands in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. There are some 260 tiny islands covered in pines – hence the name – and is ranked as one of the Three Views of Japan....
is known as one of the
three most scenic views of JapanThe is the canonical list of Japan's three most celebrated scenic sights, attributed to 1643 and scholar Hayashi Gahō. The views are of the eponymous pine-clad islands of Matsushima in Miyagi Prefecture; the pine-clad sandbar of Amanohashidate in Kyoto Prefecture; and Itsukushima Shrine in...
, with a bay full of 260 small islands covered in pine groves.
Oshika PeninsulaThe Oshika Peninsula is a peninsula which projects southeast into the Pacific Ocean from the coast of Miyagi Prefecture in northeast Honshu, the main island of Japan....
projects from the northern coastline of the prefecture.
Cities
There are thirteen cities are in Miyagi Prefecture:
- Higashimatsushima
is a city located in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.It was created on April 1, 2005, when the towns of Naruse and Yamoto, both formally of Monou District, merged to form the new city....
- Ishinomaki
is a city located in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.As of January 1, 2010, the city had an estimated population of 164,294 and a population density of 295.83 persons per km²...
- Iwanuma
is a city located in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.As of July 1, 2010, the city has an estimated population of 44,379 and a population density of 731 persons per km²...
- Kakuda
is a city located in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. It was founded on October 1, 1958. As of 2010, the city has an estimated population of 31,905 and a population density of 216 persons per km². The total area is 147.58 km².The city's temples include Kōzō-ji....
- Kesennuma
is a city located in the extreme northeast of Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, founded on June 1, 1953. It wraps around the western part of Kesennuma Bay, and also includes the island of Ōshima...
- Kurihara
is a city located in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. As of 2008, the city has an estimated population of 77,012 and a population density of 95.7 persons per km². The total area is 804.93 km². Previously a district consisting of nine towns and one village, on April 1, 2005, the towns and village...
- Natori
is a city located in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.As of 2010, the city has an estimated population of 72,757 and a population density of 727 persons per km². The total area is officially 100.07 km²....
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Ōsakiis a city located in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. Its area is 796.76 km², and its population was 135,129 as of November 1, 2010. The area was hard-hit during the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake.The city was formed on March 31, 2006, when several jurisdictions merged together....
Sendaiis the capital city of Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, and the largest city in the Tōhoku Region. In 2005, the city had a population of one million, and was one of Japan's 19 designated cities...
(capital)
Shiogamais a city located in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.As of 2005, the city has an estimated population of 59,429 and a population density of 3,329 persons per km², making it the most densely populated conurbation in Tōhoku...
Shiroishiis a city located in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.As of 2010, the city has an estimated population of 37,432 and a population density of 131 persons per km². The total area is 286.47 km².The city was founded on April 1, 1954.-Notable locations:...
Tagajōis a city located in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.The city was named after Taga Castle, the capital of Mutsu Province.As of 2010, the city has an estimated population of 63,256 and the population density of 3,220 persons per km². The total area is 19.64 km²....
Tomeis a city located in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.Previously a district consisting of eight towns, on April 1, 2005, they, along with the town of Tsuyama formerly of Motoyoshi District, merged to form a new city. As of 2010, Tome city had an estimated population of 84,070 and a population density of...
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Towns and villages
These are the towns and villages in each
districtThe 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 city, town or village. As of 2008, cities belong directly to prefectures and are independent from...
:
- Igu District
is a district located in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the district has an estimated population of 17,139 and a population density of 62.70 persons per km². The total area is 273.34 km².-Towns and villages:*Marumori...
-
- Marumori
is a town located in Igu District, Miyagi, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 17,139 and a population density of 62.70 persons per km². The total area is 273.34 km². Marumori means "circle forest" in Japanese and the town is made up of farmland surrounded by a circular...
- Kami District
is a district located in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.As of 2010, the district has an estimated population of 33,240 and a population density of 58,3 persons per km². The total area is 570.05 km².-History:...
- Kami
is a town located in Kami District, Miyagi, Japan.As of June 1, 2010, the town has an estimated population of 25,709 and a population density of 55.8 persons per km². The total area is 460.82 km²....
- Shikama
is a town located in Kami District, Miyagi, Japan.As of 2010, the town has an estimated population of 7,531 and a population density of 68.9 persons per km². The total area is 109.23 km².-External links:*...
- Katta District
is a district located in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the district has an estimated population of 15,266 and a population density of 36.71 persons per km². The total area is 415.85 km²....
- Shichikashuku
is a town located in Katta District, Miyagi, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 1,906 and a population density of 7.25 persons per km². The total area is 263.00 km².-External links:*...
- Zaō
is a town located in Katta District, Miyagi, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 13,360 and a population density of 87.41 persons per km². The total area is 152.85 km².-Major roads:* Tōhoku Expressway:* Route 4, Route 457...
- Kurokawa District
is a district located in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the district has an estimated population of 80,214 and a population density of 192.39 persons per km². The total area is 416.93 km²....
- Ōhira
is a village located in Kurokawa District, Miyagi, Japan.As of 2010, the village has an estimated population of 5,321 and a population density of 88.4 persons per km²...
- Ōsato
is a town located in Kurokawa District, Miyagi, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 9,555 and a population density of 116.50 persons per km². The total area is 82.02 km².-External links:*...
- Taiwa
is a town located in Kurokawa District, Miyagi, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 24,963 and a population density of 110.66 persons per km². The total area is 225.59 km². The biggest, and the central community among an old town and four old villages consolidated is...
- Tomiya
is a town located in Kurokawa District, Miyagi, Japan.Tomiya was a post station during the feudal age for travelers resting in between the towns of Yoshioka and Sendai.As of 2006, the town has an estimated population of 42,982. The total area is 49.13 km²....
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- Miyagi District
is a district located in past Mutsu Province and today's Miyagi, Japan. The name of the prefecture was from this district.The original territory was east-west long from Ōu Mountains to Pacific Ocean, including current Sendai, Shiogama, Tagajō cities. As of 2003, the district has an estimated...
Matsushimais a town located in Miyagi District, Miyagi, Japan. It is most famous as the location of Matsushima Bay, one of the Three Views of Japan, and is also the site of the Zuigan-ji, one of the most famous Zen temples in Tōhoku, Entsū-in and Kanrantei....
Rifuis a town located in Miyagi District, Miyagi, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 31,832 and a population density of 711.33 persons per km². The total area is 44.75 km²....
Shichigahamais a town located in Miyagi District, Miyagi, Japan.As of January 1, 2011, the town has an estimated population of 20,396. The total area is 13.27 km².-Geography:...
- Motoyoshi District
is a district located in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.As of the Karakuwa merger but with 2010 population estimates, the district has an estimated population of 17,296 and a population density of 106 persons per km²...
Minamisanriku, also spelled Minami Sanriku, is a resort town on a coastline of wooded islands and mountainous inlets. The town is in Motoyoshi District, Miyagi, Japan. It has an area of , and as of October 1, 2004 the population of the area was 19,170...
- Oshika District
is a district located in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the district has an estimated population of 16,069 and a population density of 115.80 persons per km²...
Onagawais a town located in Oshika District, Miyagi, Japan. The town was formed in 1926. The town takes pride in the fact that it still has beaches with "squeaking sand", which has apparently become rare in Japan due to human induced environmental changes. Onagawa is a port town, and right at the...
- Shibata District
is a district located in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the district has an estimated population of 86,405 and a population density of 201.79 persons per km². The total area is 428.20 km².- Towns and villages :*Kawasaki*Murata*Ōgawara*Shibata...
Kawasakiis a town located in Shibata District, Miyagi, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 10,512 and a population density of 38.82 persons per km². The total area is 270.80 km².The town was the site of a major battle of the Zenkunen War, in 1057....
Muratais a town located in Shibata District, Miyagi, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 12,913 and a population density of 164.69 persons per km². The total area is 78.41 km².-Major roads:...
Ōgawarais a town located in Shibata District, Miyagi, Japan.As of 30 September 2011, the town has an estimated population of 23,615. The total area is 25.01 km².-External links:...
Shibatais a town located in Shibata District, Miyagi, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 39,800 and a population density of 737.31 persons per km². The total area is 53.98 km².-Train stations:* Tōhoku Main Line: Funaoka - Tsukinoki...
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- Tōda District
is a district located in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.As of the Tajiri merger but with 2003 population estimates, the district had an estimated population of 45,374 and a population density of 289 persons per km²...
Misatois a town located in Tōda District, Miyagi, Japan.The town was formed on January 1, 2006 by the merger of the towns of Kogota and Nangō. As of 2005, the town has an estimated population of 26,322 and a population density of 351 persons per km²...
Wakuyais a town located in Tōda District, Miyagi, Japan.As of 2010, the town has an estimated population of 17,417 and a population density of 212 persons per km².-Train stations:* Ishinomaki Line: Kami-Wakuya - Wakuya* Kesennuma Line: Nonodake-External links:...
- Watari District
is a district located in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the district has an estimated population of 53,076 and a population density of 385.47 persons per km². The total area is 137.69 km².- Towns and villages :*Watari*Yamamoto...
Watariis a town located in Watari District, Miyagi, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 35,132 and a population density of 479.88 persons per km². The total area is 73.21 km²....
Yamamotois a town located in Watari District, Miyagi, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 17,944 and a population density of 278.29 persons per km². The total area is 64.48 km²....
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Future mergers
- Both towns within Watari District are planning to merge and create a new city under the name of Watari. Watari District will dissolve if the city is created.
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
saurySauries are fish of the family Scomberesocidae. There are two genera, each containing two species. The name Scomberesocidae is derived from the Greek, skombros = tuna/mackerel, and esox = nursery of salmon....
fish.
As of July 2011, the Japanese government has decided to ban all shipments of beef cattle from northeast Miyagi Prefecture over fears of radioactive contamination.
University
- Miyagi University
is a public university located in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. Established in 1997, the university has currently two campuses in Miyagi prefecture, after merging with Miyagi Agricultural College in 2005. The university is often called "MYU" or "Miya-Dai" for an abbreviation.- History :In 1997, Miyagi...
- Miyagi University of Education
is a national university at Sendai, Miyagi, Japan. The predecessor of the school was founded in 1873, and it was chartered as a university in 1965. It is accredited by the Japanese Ministry of Education, as a public co-educational institute and is ranked in Japan's first tier of leading schools...
- Miyagi Gakuin Women's University
is a private university in Sendai, Miyagi, Japan. The predecessor of the school was founded in 1886, and it was chartered as a university in 1949.-External links:*...
- Sendai University
is a private university in Shibata, Miyagi, Japan, established in 1967. The predecessor of the school was founded in 1879.- Alumni :* Masaru Inada, skeleton racer* Hideki Uchidate, footballer* Kazuhiro Koshi, skeleton racer* Takumi Obara, Triathlete...
- Sendai Shirayuri Women's College
is a private women's college in Sendai, Miyagi, Japan, established in 1996. The predecessor of the school was founded in 1893.-External links:*...
- Tohoku University
, abbreviated to , located in the city of Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture in the Tōhoku Region, Japan, is a Japanese national university. It is the third oldest Imperial University in Japan and is a member of the National Seven Universities...
- Tohoku Gakuin University
is a private university in Sendai, Japan. It was founded under a Christian background is a private university in Sendai, Japan. It was founded under a Christian background is a private university in Sendai, Japan. It was founded under a Christian background (specifically the German Reformed...
- Tohoku Bunka Gakuen University
is a private university in Sendai, Miyagi, Japan, established in 1999. The predecessor of the school was founded in 1978.-External links:*...
- Tohoku Institute of Technology
is a private university in Sendai, Miyagi, Japan, established in 1964....
- Tohoku Fukushi University
is a Japanese private university in Sendai.-Sports:*Baseball**Mamoru Kishida**Takashi Saito**Kazuhiro Sasaki**Kazuhiro Wada**Ken Kadokura**Tomoaki Kanemoto*Figure skating**Akiko Suzuki*Golf**Hidemasa Hoshino**Yūsaku Miyazato**Hideto Tanihara...
- Tohoku Seikatsu Bunka College
is a private university in Sendai, Miyagi, Japan. The predecessor of the school, a law school, was founded in 1900. In 1947 it was promoted to a women's vocational school. A year later, an attached women's high school was established. It was re-established as a women's junior college in 1951. In...
- Tohoku Pharmaceutical University
is a private university in Sendai, Miyagi, Japan, established in 1949. The predecessor of the school was founded in 1939.-External links:*...
- Shokei Gakuin University
is a private university in Natori, Miyagi, Japan, established in 2003. The predecessor of the school was founded in 1892.-External links:*...
- Ishinomaki Senshu University
, an affiliated university of Senshu University, is a private university in Ishinomaki, Miyagi, Japan, established in 1989. The predecessor Senshu University was founded in 1880.-External links:*...
Train
- JR East
- Tohoku Shinkansen
The is a Japanese high-speed Shinkansen rail line, connecting Tokyo with Aomori in Aomori Prefecture for a total length of 674 km, Japan's longest Shinkansen line. It runs through the more sparsely populated Tōhoku region of Japan's main island Honshu. It has two spur lines, Yamagata...
- Tohoku Line
- Joban Line
The is a railway line in Japan operated by East Japan Railway Company . It begins at Nippori Station in Taitō, Tokyo and follows the Pacific coasts of Chiba, Ibaraki, and Fukushima Prefectures before the line officially ends at Iwanuma Station in Iwanuma, Miyagi...
- Senseki Line
The is a rail line in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. Part of the East Japan Railway Company system, it runs from Aoba-dōri Station in Sendai to Ishinomaki Station in Ishinomaki, and provides access to the central coast areas of Miyagi Prefecture, significantly the Matsushima area...
- Senzan Line
The is a railway line in Japan. Part of the East Japan Railway Company system, it runs from Sendai Station in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture to Yamagata Station in Yamagata, acting as a connector between the Tōhoku Main Line/Tōhoku Shinkansen and the Ōu Main Line in southern Tōhoku. It also provides...
- Ishinomaki Line
The is a rail line in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. Part of the East Japan Railway Company system, it runs from Kogota Station in Misato to Onagawa Station in Onagawa, acting as a spur line from the Tōhoku Main Line to the central coast of Miyagi Prefecture...
- Rikuu East Line
- Ofunato Line
The is a local rail line in Japan. Part of the East Japan Railway Company system, it runs as a spur line from Ichinoseki Station in Ichinoseki, Iwate, in central Japan to Sakari Station in Ōfunato, Iwate, on the coast...
- Sendai Municipal Subway
The consists of a single line, the Nanboku Line, which opened in 1987. Construction of a second line, the Tōzai Line, began in 2004 with a planned opening date of 2015...
Nanboku Line
- Abukuma Express Railway
- Sendai Airport Railway
Expressways and toll roads
- Tohoku Expressway
The is a national expressway in Japan. It is owned by Japan Expressway Holding and Debt Repayment Agency and operated by East Nippon Expressway Company.-Naming:Tōhoku refers to the Tōhoku region, the northernmost region on the island of Honshū....
- Yamagata Expressway
The is a national expressway in the Tōhoku region of Japan. It is owned and operated by East Nippon Expressway Company.-Naming:The expressway is officially referred to as the Tōhoku Ōdan Expressway Sakata Route...
- Sanriku Expressway
- Sendai East Road
- Sendai North Road
- Sendai South Road
National highways
- Route 4 (Nihonbashi
, or Nihombashi, is a business district of Chūō, Tokyo, Japan which grew up around the bridge of the same name which has linked two sides of the Nihonbashi River at this site since the 17th century. The first wooden bridge was completed in 1603, and the current bridge made of stone dates from 1911...
of Tokyo–Kasukabe–Utsunomiya–Koriyama–Sendai–Furukawa–Ichinoseki–Morioka–Towada–Aomori)
- Route 6 (Nihonbashi of Tokyo–Mito–Iwaki–Soma
Soma , or Haoma , from Proto-Indo-Iranian *sauma-, was a ritual drink of importance among the early Indo-Iranians, and the subsequent Vedic and greater Persian cultures. It is frequently mentioned in the Rigveda, whose Soma Mandala contains 114 hymns, many praising its energizing qualities...
–Sendai)
- Route 45 (Sendai–Ishinomaki–Ofunato–Kamaishi–Kuji–Hachinohe–Towada)
- Route 47 (Furukawa–Narugo–Shinjyo–Sakata)
- Route 48 (Sendai–Yamagata)
- Route 108
- Route 113
- Route 286
- Route 342
- Route 346
- Route 347
- Route 349
- Route 398
- Route 399
- Route 456
- Route 457
Ports
- Sendai Port – Ferry route to Tomakomai, Hokkaido
is a city and port located in Iburi, Hokkaido, Japan. Though its name implies a small, idyllic town, it is the largest city in the Iburi Subprefecture. As of 2008, it had an estimated population of 173,504 and a population density of 310 persons per km²...
and Nagoya, container hub port
- Ishinomaki Port – Ferry route to Mount Kinka
is a small sacred island in Miyagi Prefecture in north-eastern Japan. It is considered one of the Three Holiest Places of the Tōhoku region, along with Dewa Sanzan and Osorezan. It lies in the Pacific Ocean off the Oshika Peninsula....
, Tashiro Island and Tashiro Island. Many fishing boats base in Miyagi.
- Matsushima Bay
Sports
The sports teams listed below are based in Miyagi Prefecture.
- Football (soccer)
- Vegalta Sendai
is a Japanese professional football club, currently playing in J. League Division 1. The team is located in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture. Their home stadium is Yurtec Stadium Sendai, in Izumi-ku, Sendai, although a few home games have also been played at nearby Miyagi Stadium.-History:Founded in 1988...
(Yurtec StadiumYurtec Stadium Sendai is a football stadium in the Nanakita Park, Izumi-ku, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. It was built in 1997 and is home to the J. League club Vegalta Sendai and the Japan Football League club Sony Sendai F.C.. The stadium was specifically designed for football, and the...
, Sendai)
- Sony Sendai F.C.
are a football club based in Tagajo, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. They play in the Japan Football League. Their team colour is navy.-History:...
(Tagajōis a city located in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.The city was named after Taga Castle, the capital of Mutsu Province.As of 2010, the city has an estimated population of 63,256 and the population density of 3,220 persons per km². The total area is 19.64 km²....
)
- Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
- Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles
The is a baseball team founded in 2004; it played its first season in the Japanese Pacific League in 2005. It is simply called Rakuten . The team was created to fill the void left by the merger of the Orix Blue Wave and the Kintetsu Buffaloes, after the 2004 season due to financial difficulties,...
(Miyagi Baseball Stadium, Sendai)
- Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
- Sendai 89ERS
The Sendai 89ers are a Japanese basketball team playing in the Eastern Conference of the bj league. They are based in Sendai, in Miyagi Prefecture....
(Sendai Gymnasiumis an indoor sporting arena located in Sendai, Miyagi, Japan. The capacity of the arena is 7,000. It hosted preliminary round games for the Basketball World Championship 2006, and is also the home arena of the Sendai 89ers of the Japan professional basketball Bj league.The gymnasium is also the...
, Sendai)
Visitor attractions
Sendai was the
castle townA castle town is a settlement built adjacent to or surrounding a castle. Castle towns are common in Medieval Europe. Good example include small towns like Alnwick and Arundel, which are still dominated by their castles...
of the
daimyois a generic term referring to the powerful territorial lords in pre-modern Japan who ruled most of the country from their vast, hereditary land holdings...
Date Masamunewas a regional strongman of Japan's Azuchi-Momoyama period through early Edo period. Heir to a long line of powerful daimyo in the Tōhoku region, he went on to found the modern-day city of Sendai...
. The remains of Sendai Castle stand on a hill above the city.
Miyagi Prefecture boasts one of Japan's three greatest sights.
Matsushimais a group of islands in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. There are some 260 tiny islands covered in pines – hence the name – and is ranked as one of the Three Views of Japan....
, the pine-clad islands, dot the waters off the coast of the prefecture.
The following are also noted as attractions:
- Aoba Castle
', also known as Sendai Castle , was the castle of the Date family. Built by Date Masamune atop Mount Aoba, it commanded a highly defensible strategic position overlooking the city of Sendai. The castle was one of the nerve centers of the Ōuetsu Reppan Dōmei during the Boshin War, when Date...
- Ichibanchō
- Akiu Hot Spring
An is a term for hot springs in the Japanese language, though the term is often used to describe the bathing facilities and inns around the hot springs. As a volcanically active country, Japan has thousands of onsen scattered along its length and breadth...
- Iwai Point
- Kinkasan Islet
is a small sacred island in Miyagi Prefecture in north-eastern Japan. It is considered one of the Three Holiest Places of the Tōhoku region, along with Dewa Sanzan and Osorezan. It lies in the Pacific Ocean off the Oshika Peninsula....
- Matsushima Bay
- Naruko Hot Spring
is a former town located in Tamatsukuri District, Miyagi, Japan.On March 31, 2006, Naruko was merged with the town of Iwadeyama, from Tamatsukuri District, the towns of Kashimadai, Matsuyama and Sanbongi, all from Shida District, the town of Tajiri, from Tōda District, and the city of Furukawa to...
- Rikuchu Coast
- Okama Crater Lake
- Zao Botanical Garden
- Zao Hot Spring
Famous festivals and events
- Sendai New Year's traditional Sale on January 2
- Shiroishi Kokeshi Exhibition, May 3–5
- Aoba Festival, Suzume Dancing event in May
- Shiogama Port Festival in July
- Sendai Tanabata
is a Japanese star festival, originating from the Chinese Qixi Festival. It celebrates the meeting of the deities Orihime and Hikoboshi . According to legend, the Milky Way separates these lovers, and they are allowed to meet only once a year on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month of the...
Festival, August 6–8
- Narugo Kokeshi Festival in September
- Sendai Pageant of Starlight in December
External links