Aichi Prefecture


Aichi Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshū. Aichi Prefecture has a population of 7,461,111 and a geographic area of with a population density of. Aichi Prefecture borders Mie Prefecture to the west, Gifu Prefecture and Nagano Prefecture to the north, and Shizuoka Prefecture to the east. Nagoya is the capital and largest city of the prefecture.
WWW Official Site

Overview

Nagoya is the capital and largest city of Aichi Prefecture, and the Largest cities in [Japan by population by decade|fourth-largest city in Japan]. Other major cities include Toyota, Okazaki, and Ichinomiya. Aichi Prefecture and Nagoya form the core of the Chūkyō metropolitan area, the third-largest metropolitan area in Japan and one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world. Aichi Prefecture is located on Japan's Pacific Ocean coast and forms part of the Tōkai region, a subregion of the Chūbu region and Kansai region. Aichi Prefecture is home to the Toyota Motor Corporation. Aichi Prefecture had many locations with the Higashiyama Zoo and Botanical Gardens, The Chubu Centrair International Airport, and the Legoland Japan Resort.

Geography

Located near the centre of the Japanese main island of Honshu, Aichi Prefecture faces the Ise and Mikawa Bays to the south and borders Shizuoka Prefecture to the east, Nagano Prefecture to the northeast, Gifu Prefecture to the north, and Mie Prefecture to the west. It measures east to west and south to north and forms a major portion of the Nōbi Plain. With an area of it accounts for approximately 1.36% of the total surface area of Japan. The highest spot is Chausuyama at above sea level.
The western part of the prefecture is dominated by Nagoya, Japan's third largest city, and its suburbs, while the eastern part is less densely populated but still contains several major industrial centres. Due to its robust economy, for the period from October 2005 to October 2006, Aichi was the fastest growing prefecture in terms of population, beating Tokyo, at 7.4% and around with after Saitama Prefecture.
23% of the total land area of the prefecture was designated as Natural Parks, namely the Aichi Kōgen, Hida-Kisogawa, Mikawa Wan, and Tenryū-Okumikawa Quasi-National Parks along with seven Prefectural Natural Parks.

Cities

Thirty-eight cities are located in Aichi Prefecture.

Towns and villages

These are the towns and villages in each district:

Demographics

As of 2001, Aichi Prefecture's population was 50.03% male and 49.97% female. 139,540 residents are of foreign nationality.

History

Originally, the region was divided into two provinces of Owari and Mikawa. After the Meiji Restoration, Owari and Mikawa were united into a single entity. In 1871, after the abolition of the han system, Owari, with the exception of the Chita Peninsula, was established as Nagoya Prefecture, while Mikawa combined with the Chita Peninsula and formed Nukata Prefecture. Nagoya Prefecture was renamed to Aichi Prefecture in April 1872 and was united with Nukata Prefecture on 27 November of the same year.
The government of Aichi Prefecture is located in the Aichi Prefectural Government Office in Nagoya, which is the old capital of Owari. The Aichi Prefectural Police and its predecessor organisations have been responsible for law enforcement in the prefecture since 1871.
The Expo 2005 World Exposition was held in Seto and Nagakute.

Etymology

In the third volume of the Man'yōshū there is a poem by Takechi Kurohito that reads: "The cry of the crane, calling to Sakurada; it sounds like the tide, draining from Ayuchi flats, hearing the crane cry". Ayuchi is the original form of the name Aichi, and the Fujimae tidal flat is all that remains of the earlier Ayuchi-gata. It is now a protected area.
For a time, an Aichi Station existed on the Kansai Line between Nagoya and Hatta stations, but its role was overtaken by Sasashima-raibu Station on the Aonami Line and Komeno Station on the Kintetsu Nagoya Line.

Economy

Gross domestic product is the second largest in Japan, the shipment value of manufactured goods is the first in Japan, annual product sales is the third largest in Japan, and its agricultural output is eighth in Japan. Aichi's agriculture industry and commerce are all ranked high in Japan, and the industrial structure is well-balanced.
;Main industry
Companies headquartered in Aichi include the following.
Companies such as Fuji Heavy Industries, Mitsubishi Motors, Pfizer, Sony, Suzuki, Bodycote, and Volkswagen Group also operate plants or branch offices in Aichi.

International relations

Sister regions

Transport

Rail

; JR Central
; Meitetsu
; Kintetsu
; Aonami Line
; Nagoya Municipal Subway
; Toyohashi Railroad
; Aichi Loop Line

People movers and tramways

  • Linimo
  • Nagoya Guideway Bus
  • Toyohashi Railroad

Road

Expressways and toll roads
National highways

Airports

Ports

Education

Universities

National universities
Public universities
Private universities

Sports

The sports teams listed below are based in Aichi.

Baseball

;Central League

Soccer

;J.League
;JFL
;Tokai Regional League
;L.League

Basketball

;B.League

Volleyball

;V.League

Rugby

;Japan Rugby League One

Futsal

;F.League

Football

;X-League
;AFL

Tourism

Notable sites in Aichi include the Meiji Mura open-air architectural museum in Inuyama, which preserves historic buildings from Japan's Meiji and Taishō periods, including the reconstructed lobby of Frank Lloyd Wright's old Imperial Hotel.
Other popular sites in Aichi include the tour of Toyota car factory in the city by the same name, the monkey park in Inuyama, and the castles in Nagoya, Okazaki, Toyohashi, and Inuyama.
Aichi Prefecture has many wonderful beaches. For example, Himakajima Beach, Shinojima Beach, Akabane Beach and Utsumi Beach.

Notable people from Aichi

Festival and events

;UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage
;Others
  • Nagoya Festival
  • Tsutsui-chō/Dekimachi Tennō Festival
  • Miya Festival
  • Toyohama Sea bream Festival
  • Okkawa Festival
  • Hōnen Matsuri
  • Omanto festival
  • Kōnomiya Hadaka Matsuri
  • Tezutsu Matsuri
  • Nagashino festival
  • Mando festival
  • Isshiki Lantern Festival
  • Toba Fire Festival
  • Owari Tsushima Autumn Festival