is a prefecture of

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the n ...

located in the

Tōhoku region The , Northeast region, or consists of the northeastern portion of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. This traditional region consists of six prefectures (''ken''): Akita, Aomori, Fukushima, Iwate, Miyagi, and Yamagata. Tōhoku reta ...

Honshu , historically called , is the largest and most populous island of Japan. It is located south of Hokkaidō across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyūshū across the Kanmon Straits. The island s ...

.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Provinces and prefectures" in ; "Tōhoku" in . Its population is approximately 966,000 (as of 1 October 2019) and its geographic area is 11,637 km² (4,493 sq mi). Akita Prefecture is bordered by

Aomori Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan in the Tōhoku region. The prefecture's capital, largest city, and namesake is the city of Aomori. Aomori is the northernmost prefecture on Japan's main island, Honshu, and is bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the eas ...

to the north,

Iwate Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region of Honshu. It is the second-largest Japanese prefecture at , with a population of 1,210,534 (as of October 1, 2020). Iwate Prefecture borders Aomori Prefecture to the north, Akita Prefectu ...

to the east,

Miyagi Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region of Honshu. Miyagi Prefecture has a population of 2,305,596 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of . Miyagi Prefecture borders Iwate Prefecture to the north, Akita Prefecture to the no ...

to the southeast, and

Yamagata Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region of Honshu. Yamagata Prefecture has a population of 1,079,950 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of 9,325 km² (3,600 sq mi). Yamagata Prefecture borders Akita Prefecture to the nor ...

to the south. Akita is the capital and largest city of Akita Prefecture. Other major cities include

Yokote is a city located in Akita Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 89,574 in 34,240 households, and a population density of 130 persons per km². The total area of the city is . Geography Yokote is located in southeast co ...

, Daisen, and

Yurihonjō is a city located in Akita Prefecture, Japan. , the city has an estimated population of 76,077 in 30,639 households, and a population density of . The total area of the city is . Geography Yurihonjō is located in southwest corner of Akita ...

. Akita Prefecture is located on the coast of the

Sea of Japan The Sea of Japan is the marginal sea between the Japanese archipelago, Sakhalin, the Korean Peninsula, and the mainland of the Russian Far East. The Japanese archipelago separates the sea from the Pacific Ocean. Like the Mediterranean Sea, i ...

and extends east to the Ōu Mountains, the longest

mountain range A mountain range or hill range is a series of mountains or hills arranged in a line and connected by high ground. A mountain system or mountain belt is a group of mountain ranges with similarity in form, structure, and alignment that have ari ...

in Japan, at the border with Iwate Prefecture. Akita Prefecture formed the northern half of the historic Dewa Province with Yamagata Prefecture.

History

The region of Akita was created from the ancient provinces of Dewa and Mutsu. Separated from the principal Japanese centres of commerce, politics, and population by several hundred kilometres and by the Ōu and Dewa mountain ranges to the east, Akita remained largely isolated from Japanese society until after the year 600. Akita was a region of hunter-gatherers and principally nomadic tribes. The first historical record of what is now Akita Prefecture dates to 658, when Abe no Hirafu conquered the native

Ezo (also spelled Yezo or Yeso) is the Japanese term historically used to refer to the lands to the north of the Japanese island of Honshu. It included the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido, which changed its name from "Ezo" to "Hokkaidō" in 18 ...

tribes at what are now the cities of Akita and Noshiro. Abe, then governor of Koshi Province (the northwestern part of Honshū bordering the

), established a fort on the

Mogami River The is a river in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan. Description and history It is 224 km long and has a watershed of 7,040 km2. It is regarded as one of the three most rapid rivers of Japan (along with the Fuji River and the Kuma River). ...

, and thus began the Japanese settlement of the region. In 733, a new military settlement (later renamed Akita Castle) was built in what is now the Takashimizu area of Akita, and more permanent roads and structures were developed. The region was used as a base of operations for the Japanese empire as it drove the native Ezo people from northern Honshū. Governance of the region shifted hands several times. During the

Tokugawa shogunate The Tokugawa shogunate (, Japanese 徳川幕府 ''Tokugawa bakufu''), also known as the , was the military government of Japan during the Edo period from 1603 to 1868. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)"''Tokugawa-jidai''"in ''Japan Encyclopedia ...

it was appropriated to the

Satake clan The was a Japanese samurai clan that claimed descent from the Minamoto clan. Its first power base was in Hitachi Province. The clan was subdued by Minamoto no Yoritomo in the late 12th century, but later entered Yoritomo's service as vass ...

, who ruled the region for 260 years and developed the agriculture and mining industries that are still predominant today. Throughout this period, it was classified as part of Dewa Province. In 1871, during the

Meiji Restoration The , referred to at the time as the , and also known as the Meiji Renovation, Revolution, Regeneration, Reform, or Renewal, was a political event that restored practical imperial rule to Japan in 1868 under Emperor Meiji. Although there were ...

, Dewa Province was reshaped and the old daimyō domains were abolished and administratively reconstructed, resulting in the modern-day borders of Akita. The famous

Heian period The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. It followed the Nara period, beginning when the 50th emperor, Emperor Kanmu, moved the capital of Japan to Heian-kyō (modern Kyoto). means "peace" in Japan ...

waka poet, Ono no Komachi, is said to have been born in Yuzawa City, Ogachi Town, located in the southeast of the prefecture.

Geography

View of Akita city from Kubota Castle 01

View of Yokote City from Akita Museum of Modern Art

Located on the north-western side of Honshu, Akita Prefecture is adjacent to the

to the west and borders four other prefectures:

Aomori is the capital city of Aomori Prefecture, in the Tōhoku region of Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 278,964 in 136,457 households, and a population density of 340 people per square kilometer spread over the city's total are ...

in the north, Iwate in the east, Miyagi in the southeast, and Yamagata in the south. The borders of Akita Prefecture roughly form a rectangle that is 169 kilometres (105 miles) from north to south and 86 kilometres (54 miles) from west to east. The Oga Peninsula is a prominent feature of the western edge, while the Ōu Mountains mark the eastern border and the higher Dewa Mountains run parallel through the center. Like much of northern Japan, the prefecture has cold winters, particularly in areas farther from the sea. As of 31 March 2019, 11% of the total land area of the prefecture is designated as Natural Parks, namely the

Towada-Hachimantai National Park is a national park comprising two separate areas of Aomori, Iwate, and Akita Prefectures, Japan. The Towada-Hakkōda area encompasses Lake Towada, Mount Hakkōda, and most of the Oirase River valley. The Hachimantai area includes Mount H ...

; Chōkai, Kurikoma, and Oga Quasi-National Parks; and Akita Shirakami, Hachimori Iwadate, Kimimachizaka, Magi Mahiru, Moriyoshizan, Taiheizan, Tashirodake, and Tazawako Dakigaeri Prefectural Natural Parks.

Cities

Thirteen cities are located in Akita Prefecture:

Towns and villages

These are the towns and villages in each

district A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivision ...

Mergers

List of governors of Akita Prefecture (from 1947)

Economy and population

Like much of the

Tōhoku Region The , Northeast region, or consists of the northeastern portion of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. This traditional region consists of six prefectures (''ken''): Akita, Aomori, Fukushima, Iwate, Miyagi, and Yamagata. Tōhoku reta ...

, Akita's economy remains dominated by traditional industries such as agriculture, fishing, and forestry. This has led many young people to migrate to Tokyo and other large cities. Akita Prefecture has seen some of the most severe population decline in Japan: it is one of four prefectures in Japan registering declines in population since 1955. Its population also has the lowest percentage of children, at 11.2%. As of October 1, 2019, it has a population of approximately 966,000 people. The high rate of depopulation in Akita Prefecture has led smaller communities to merge with each other, which has affected the smallest of these merged communities. As depopulation in these communities continues, educational and health facilities have closed in some areas, encouraging families to migrate to larger cities for better access to health and educational opportunities and perpetuating the decline in population. This decline, combined with an aging population, has been concerning for rural communities.

Culture

Akita, 秋田, meaning autumn rice paddy, is famous for rice farming and its

sake Sake, also spelled saké ( ; also referred to as Japanese rice wine), is an alcoholic beverage of Japanese origin made by fermenting rice that has been polished to remove the bran. Despite the name ''Japanese rice wine'', sake, and in ...

breweries. It is well known for having the highest consumption of

in Japan and is thought to be the origin of the Akita breed of dog which carries the prefecture's name. The women of the region, referred to as , have also gained widespread renown for their white skin, rounded faces and high voices, all of which are considered highly desirable. Ono no Komachi is a famous example of an ''Akita bijin''.

Food

Akita is known for the following regional specialties ( tokusanhin): * Kiritanpo Nabe * Gakko * Rice – Akita komachi *

Sake Sake, also spelled saké ( ; also referred to as Japanese rice wine), is an alcoholic beverage of Japanese origin made by fermenting rice that has been polished to remove the bran. Despite the name ''Japanese rice wine'', sake, and in ...

Sports

* Akita Northern Happinets, men's basketball team. * Akita Bank Red Arrows, women's basketball team. * Prestige International Aranmare Akita, women's basketball team. *

Akita Northern Bullets Akita Northern Bullets are a Japanese rugby union team that play in the Top Challenge League#History, Top East League. The team is based in Akita, Akita, Japan. In 1958, the :ja:秋田市役所, Akita City Government created a rugby union team. T ...

, rugby union team. *

Blaublitz Akita is a Japanese professional association football team based in Akita, Akita Prefecture. In 2014 they entered the J3 League after previously playing in the Japan Football League, the third tier of the Japanese association football league syste ...

, association football team.

Tourism

Recently there have been efforts to revitalize rural communities facing depopulation with different forms of green tourism and agritourism. These efforts are primarily aimed at attracting urbanites and foreign tourists to Akita Prefecture, advertising its pristine forests, sprawling rice fields, and range of cultures. There has been a push for home stays, farmers markets for locally produced foods, and the integration of outsiders into local cultural practices. The Namahage ritual in Oga on New Year's Eve draws a large number of tourists to Akita Prefecture every year. Near

Lake Tazawa is a caldera lake in the city of Semboku, Akita Prefecture, northern Japan. It is the deepest lake in Japan at . The area is a popular vacation area and several hot spring resorts can be found in the hills above the lake. Akita Prefecture's ...

, there are a number of hot springs resorts (''

onsen In Japan, are the country's hot springs and the bathing facilities and traditional inns around them. As a volcanically active country, Japan has many onsens scattered throughout all of its major islands. There are approximately 25,000 hot ...

''). These are popular with tourists from all over Japan. In addition, numerous seasonal festivals (''

matsuri Japanese festivals are traditional festive occasions often celebrated with dance and music in Japan. Many festivals have their roots in traditional Chinese festivals, but have undergone extensive changes over time to have little resemblance ...

'') offer a glimpse of rural or traditional Japan. Some famous examples are the Akita Kantō, the Omagari Fireworks, Namahage Festival, and the

Kamakura Festivals. Kakunodate, known as the little

Kyoto Kyoto (; Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan. Located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu, Kyoto forms a part of the Keihanshin metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kobe. , the c ...

, features many preserved samurai houses. The Aoyagi house is the former residence of Odano Naotake, who illustrated Japan's first modern guide to human anatomy. The house is now a museum and gallery of medical illustrations and traditional crafts. Starting in 2009, Akita began experiencing a huge surge in Korean tourism after the airing of the popular drama ''Iris'', which featured several scenes shot in Akita, most notably at Lake Tazawa and Oga's GAO Aquarium.

Famous festival and events

* Kariwano Big Tug Festival, Daisen (February) * Amekko Festival, Odate (February) * Kamakura Snow Statue Event, Yokote (February) * Tsuchizaki Shinmei Festival, Akita (July) * Akita Kanto Festival, Akita (August) * Nishimonai Bon Dancing Festival, Ugo (August) * Kemanai Bon Dancing Festival, Daisen (August) * All Japan Firework Competition, Daisen (August) * Kakunodate Festival, Semboku (September)

Transportation

Railroads

JR East The is a major passenger railway company in Japan and is the largest of the seven Japan Railways Group companies. The company name is officially abbreviated as JR-EAST or JR East in English, and as in Japanese. The company's headquarters ar ...

** Akita Shinkansen ** Gono Line **

Hanawa Line The is a railway line in Japan linking Kōma Station in Morioka, Iwate Prefecture and Ōdate Station in Ōdate, Akita Prefecture, Japan. The line extends 106.9 km (66.4 mi) with a total of 27 stations. Also known as the , the Hanawa Line ...

** Kitakami Line ** Ōu Main Line **

Uetsu Main Line The is a railway line in the Tohoku and Chubu regions of Japan. Part of the East Japan Railway Company (JR East) system, it connects Niitsu Station in the city of Niigata and Akita Station in Akita. The name "Uetsu" refers to the ancient ...

** Oga Line **

Tazawako Line The is a railway line operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) connecting Morioka Station in Morioka, Iwate and Ōmagari Station in Daisen, Akita, Japan. Akita Shinkansen '' Komachi'' trains travel over the line, which was regauge ...

* Akita Trans Inland Railway (Akita Nairiku Jyukan Railway) ** Akita Nairiku Line * Yuri Plateau Railway (Yuri Kogen Railway)

Roads

Expressways

* Akita Expressway * Nihonkai-Tohoku Expressway * Tohoku Expressway * Yuzawa-Yokote Road

National highways

* Route 7 (-Nikaho-Yurihonjō-Akita-Katagami-Ikawa-Gojōme-Hachirōgata-Mitane-Noshiro-Kitaakita-Ōdate-) * Route 13 (-Yuzawa-Yokote-Misato-Daisen-Akita) * Route 46 (-Semboku-Daisen-Akita) *

Route 101 Route 101 or Highway 101 can refer to multiple roads: International * European route E101 Argentina * National Route 101 Australia * Southern Ports Highway * Princes Highway (East) Brazil * BR-101 Canada * British Columbia Highway 101 ...

(-Happō-Noshiro-Mitane-Oga-Katagami-Akita) * Route 103 (-Kosaka-Kazuno-Ōdate) * Route 104 (-Kazuno-Ōdate) * Route 105 (Yurihonjō-Daisen-Semboku-Kitaakita) * Route 107 (-Yokote-Yurihonjō) * Route 108 (-Yuzawa-Yurihonjō) * Route 282 (-Kazuno-Kosaka-) * Route 341 (Kazuno-Semboku-Daisen-Akita-Yurihonjō) * Route 342 (Yokote-Higashinaruse-) * Route 397 (-Higashinaruse-Yokote) * Route 398 (-Yuzawa-Ugo-Yurihonjō) * Route 454 (-Kazuno-'' Towada, Aomori''-Kosaka-)

Airports

* Akita Airport * Odate-Noshiro Airport

Education

Universities in Akita Prefecture

* Akita International University *

Akita Prefectural University is a Japanese prefectural university, located in Akita City, Japan. History Akita Prefectural University was established in 1999, annexing the Akita Prefectural Junior College of Agriculture (established in 1973), the same year. The university ...

* Akita University * Akita University of Nursing and Welfare *

North Asia University is a private university located in the city of Akita, Japan. History The school opened as Akita Keizai University in 1964. It changed its name to Akita Keizaihoka University in 1983. The present name was adopted in 2007. Organization *Depar ...

Media

Television

* NHK Akita Broadcasting (NHK) * Akita Asahi Broadcasting (AAB) * Akita Broadcasting System (ABS) * Akita Television (AKT)

Notes

References

* Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric and Käthe Roth. (2005)
''Japan encyclopedia.''
Cambridge:

Harvard University Press Harvard University Press (HUP) is a publishing house established on January 13, 1913, as a division of Harvard University, and focused on academic publishing. It is a member of the Association of American University Presses. After the retir ...

.
OCLC 58053128

External links

Akita Prefecture Official Website
{{Coord, 39, 43, 7, N, 140, 6, 9, E, type:adm1st_region:JP-05, display=title Tōhoku region Prefectures of Japan