is a landlocked prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshū. Nagano Prefecture has a population of 2,052,493 () and has a geographic area of . Nagano Prefecture borders

Niigata Prefecture is a prefecture in the Chūbu region of Honshu of Japan. Niigata Prefecture has a population of 2,227,496 (1 July 2019) and is the fifth-largest prefecture of Japan by geographic area at . Niigata Prefecture borders Toyama Prefecture and ...

to the north,

Gunma Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Gunma Prefecture has a population of 1,937,626 (1 October 2019) and has a geographic area of 6,362 Square kilometre, km2 (2,456 Square mile, sq mi). Gunma P ...

to the northeast, Saitama Prefecture to the east,

Yamanashi Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu. Yamanashi Prefecture has a population of 817,192 (1 January 2019) and has a geographic area of 4,465 km2 (1,724 sq mi). Yamanashi Prefecture borders Saitama Prefecture to the ...

to the southeast, Shizuoka Prefecture and

Aichi Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshū. Aichi Prefecture has a population of 7,552,873 () and a geographic area of with a population density of . Aichi Prefecture borders Mie Prefecture to the west, Gifu Prefectur ...

to the south, and Gifu Prefecture and

Toyama Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu. Toyama Prefecture has a population of 1,044,588 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of 4,247.61 km2 (1,640.01 sq mi). Toyama Prefecture borders Ishikawa Prefecture to the ...

to the west.

Nagano Nagano may refer to: Places * Nagano Prefecture, a prefecture in Japan ** Nagano (city), the capital city of the same prefecture *** Nagano 1998, the 1998 Winter Olympics *** Nagano Olympic Stadium, a baseball stadium in Nagano *** Nagano Universi ...

is the capital and largest city of Nagano Prefecture, with other major cities including

Matsumoto Matsumoto (松本 or 松元, "base of the pine tree") may refer to: Places * Matsumoto, Nagano (松本市), a city ** Matsumoto Airport, an airport southwest of Matsumoto, Nagano * Matsumoto, Kagoshima (松元町), a former town now part of the c ...

, Ueda, and Iida. Nagano Prefecture has impressive

highland Highlands or uplands are areas of high elevation such as a mountainous region, elevated mountainous plateau or high hills. Generally speaking, upland (or uplands) refers to ranges of hills, typically from up to while highland (or highlands) is ...

areas of the Japanese Alps, including most of the Hida Mountains,

Kiso Mountains are a mountain range in Nagano and Gifu prefectures in Japan. They are also called the and they combine with the Hida Mountains ("Northern Alps") and the Akaishi Mountains ("Southern Alps") to form a group collectively known as the Japanese ...

, and Akaishi Mountains which extend into the neighbouring prefectures. The abundance of

mountain ranges 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 arise ...

, natural scenic beauty, and rich history has gained Nagano Prefecture international recognition as a world-class

winter sport Winter sports or winter activities are competitive sports or non-competitive recreational activities which are played on snow or ice. Most are variations of skiing, ice skating and sledding. Traditionally, such games were only played in cold are ...

s tourist destination, including hosting the

1998 Winter Olympics The 1998 Winter Olympics, officially known as the and commonly known as Nagano 1998 ( ja, 長野1998), was a winter multi-sport event held from 7 to 22 February 1998, mainly in Nagano, Japan, with some events taking place in the ...

and a new

Shinkansen The , colloquially known in English as the bullet train, is a network of high-speed railway lines in Japan. Initially, it was built to connect distant Japanese regions with Tokyo, the capital, to aid economic growth and development. Beyond l ...

line to

Tokyo Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 ...

History

Geography

Nagano is an inland prefecture and it borders more prefectures than any other in Japan, bordering

, Saitama Prefecture,

, and Shizuoka Prefecture to the east,

to the north,

and Gifu Prefecture to the west, and

to the south. Nagano contains the point furthest from the sea in the whole of Japan—this point lies within the city of

Saku Saku may refer to: Places *Saku, Nagano, a city in Japan *Saku, Nagano (Minamisaku), a town in Japan *Saku Parish, a rural municipality in Harju County, Estonia **Saku, Estonia, a small borough in Saku Parish, Harju County, Estonia *Saku Constituen ...

. The province's mountains have made it relatively isolated, and many visitors come to Nagano for its mountain resorts and hot springs. Nine of the twelve highest mountains in Japan can be found in Nagano and one of its lakes,

Lake Kizaki is a lake, situated near Ōmachi, Nagano, Japan, and located at the foot of the northern Japanese Alps mountain range. Mesotrophic and subalpine in nature, numerous lakeside attractions surround the lake, with the locale being a popular lakeside ...

, is a beach resort popular for its water attractions and games. The climate is predominantly alpine with warm summers, cold snowy winters and less intense humidity than the lower lying coastal areas. As of 1 April 2014, 21% of the total land area of the prefecture was designated as Natural Parks; namely the Chichibu Tama Kai, Chūbu-Sangaku, Jōshin'etsu Kōgen, and Minami Alps National Parks; Myōgi-Arafune-Saku Kōgen, Tenryū-Okumikawa, and Yatsugatake-Chūshin Kōgen Quasi-National Parks; and Chūō Alps, Enrei Ōjō, Hijiriyama Kōgen, Mibugawa Suikei, Ontake, and Tenryū Koshibu Suikei Prefectural Natural Parks.

Cities

Nineteen cities are located in Nagano Prefecture: *

Azumino is a city located in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 97,761 in 39744 households. and a population density of 290 persons per km2. Its total area is . Etymology of Azumino Azumino is a combination of two wo ...

* Chikuma * Chino * Iida *

Iiyama is a city located in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 20,118 in 7372 households, and a population density of 99 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . It markets itself as "Japan's Hometown" and is ...

* Ina * Komagane * Komoro *

(capital) * Nakano * Okaya * Ōmachi *

* Shiojiri * Suwa *

Suzaka is a city located in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 50,828 in 19,979 households, and a population density of 334 persons per km². The total area of the city is . Geography Suzaka is located in northern Naga ...

* Tōmi * Ueda

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, subdivisions o ...

: * Chiisagata District **

Aoki may refer to: People *Aoki (surname), a list of people with the surname Places *Aoki, Nagano, a village in the Nagano Prefecture Company * Aoki Corporation, a defunct construction company * Aoki (store), a men's clothing store based in Japan Fi ...

** Nagawa * Hanishina District **

Sakaki ''Cleyera japonica'' (sakaki) is a flowering evergreen tree native to warm areas of Japan, Taiwan, China, Myanmar, Nepal, and northern India (Min and Bartholomew 2015). It can reach a height of 10 m. The leaves are 6–10 cm long, smooth, ...

* Higashichikuma District **

Asahi Asahi (朝日, 旭, or あさひ) means "morning sun" in Japanese and may refer to: Cities * Asahi, Chiba (旭市; ''Asahi-shi'') Wards * Asahi-ku, Osaka (旭区; ''Asahi-ku'') * Asahi-ku, Yokohama (旭; ''Asahi-ku'') Towns * Asahi, Aichi (旭� ...

** Chikuhoku ** Ikusaka ** Omi ** Yamagata * Kamiina District ** Iijima ** Minamiminowa ** Minowa ** Miyada ** Nakagawa ** Tatsuno *

Kamiminochi District is a district located in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. As of 2011, the district has an estimated population of 23,774. As a result of mergers the total area of the district is now 282.65 km2. Towns and villages *Iizuna * Shinano * Ogawa M ...

Iizuna is a town located in the Kamiminochi District of norther Nagano Prefecture, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 11,115 in 4187 households, and a population density of 150 persons per km2. the total area of the town is . Geography I ...

Ogawa Ogawa (written: lit. "small river" or in hiragana) is the 30th most common Japanese surname. Less common variants are (also "small river") or ("tail river"). Notable people with the surname include: *, American poet *, Japanese footballer * ...

** Shinano * Kamitakai District **

Obuse is a town located in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 10,999 in 3832 households, and a population density of 580 persons per km2. The total area of the town is . Geography Obuse is located in northern Nagano Pr ...

** Takayama *

Kiso District is a district located in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. As of November 1, 2005, the district has an estimated population of 34,759. The total area is 1,546.26 km2. Historically, the district was once known as Nishichikuma District (西筑摩郡) ...

** Agematsu ** Kiso (village) ** Kiso (town) **

Nagiso is a town located in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 4,111 in 1751 households, and a population density of 19 persons per km². The total area of the town was . Nagiso is listed as one of The Most Beautiful ...

Ōkuwa is a village located in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. , the village had an estimated population of 3,693 in 1558 households, and a population density of 16 persons per km². The total area of the village is . Geography Ōkuwa is located in the ...

** Ōtaki * Kitaazumi District **

Hakuba is a village located in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. , the village had an estimated population of 9,007 in 4267 households, and a population density of 48 persons per km2. The total area of the village is . Hakuba is an internationally renowned s ...

Ikeda Ikeda may refer to: * Ikeda (surname), a Japanese surname * Ikeda (comics), a character in ''Usagi Yojimbo'' * Ikeda clan, a Japanese clan * Ikeda map, chaotic attractor * ''Ikeda'' (annelid) a genus of the family Ikedidae Places * Ikeda, Osaka i ...

** Matsukawa ** Otari *

Kitasaku District is a district located in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. As of December 1, 2005, the district has an estimated population of 40,041. The district has three towns * Karuizawa *Miyota * Tateshina District Timeline *On April 1, 2004, the village of ...

** Karuizawa **

Miyota is a town located in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 15,562 in 6897 households, and a population density of 260 persons per km². The total area of the town is . Geography Miyota is located on the eastern ...

** Tateshina * Minamisaku District ** Kawakami ** Kitaaiki ** Koumi ** Minamiaiki ** Minamimaki ** Sakuho * Shimoina District ** Achi ** Anan ** Hiraya ** Matsukawa ** Neba ** Ōshika ** Shimojō ** Takagi ** Takamori ** Tenryū ** Toyooka ** Urugi ** Yasuoka *Shimominochi District, Nagano, Shimominochi District **Sakae, Nagano, Sakae *Shimotakai District, Nagano, Shimotakai District **Kijimadaira, Nagano, Kijimadaira **Nozawaonsen, Nagano, Nozawaonsen **Yamanouchi, Nagano, Yamanouchi *Suwa District, Nagano, Suwa District **Fujimi, Nagano, Fujimi **Hara, Nagano, Hara **Shimosuwa, Nagano, Shimosuwa Nagano Prefecture is famous for having the largest number of villages in Japan.

Mergers

Demographics

The life expectancy in Nagano prefecture is the longest nationwide with the average life expectancy of 87.18 years for women and 80.88 years for men.

Transportation

Railway

*East Japan Railway Company **Hokuriku Shinkansen **Shin'etsu Main Line **Chūō Main Line (east line) **Shinonoi Line **Ōito Line (from to ) **Koumi Line *Central Japan Railway Company **Chūō Main Line (west line) **Iida Line *West Japan Railway Company **Ōito Line (from Minami-Otari to ) *Shinano Railway **Shinano Railway Line *Nagano Electric Railway **Nagano Line *Matsumoto Electric Railway **Kamikōchi Line *Ueda Electric Railway Bessho Line, Ueda Dentetsu **Ueda Electric Railway Bessho Line, Bessho Line

Road

Expressways

*Chuo Expressway *Nagano Expressway *Joshinetsu Expressway *Sanen-nanshin Expressway *Chubu-jukan Expressway *Chubu-odan Expressway

National highways

*Route 18 *Route 19 (Nagano-Matsumoto-Shioriri-Nagiso-Nakatsugawa-Tajimi-Nagoya) *Route 20 (Matsumoto-Suwa-Kofu-Ōtsuki, Yamanashi, Otsuki-Hachioji-Nihonbashi of Tokyo) *Route 117 *Route 141 *Route 142 *Route 143 (Matsumoto-Azumino-Ueda) *Route 144 *Route 147 (Matsumoto-Omachi) *Route 148 (Omachi-Itoigawa) *Route 151 (Iida-Shinshiro-Toyohashi) *Route 152 *Route 153 (Nagoya-Toyota, Aichi, Toyota-Iida-Shioriri) *Route 158 (Fukui, Fukui, Fukui-Gujo-Takayama, Gifu, Takayama-Matsumoto) *Route 254 *Route 256 (Gifu, Gifu, Gifu-Gujo-Gero-Nakatsugawa-Nagiso-Iida) *Route 403 *Route 406 (Omachi-Hakuba-Nagano-Susaka-Tsumagoi-Takasaki) *Route 418 (Ono, Fukui, Ono-Seki, Gifu, Seki-Ena, Gifu, Ena-Iida)

Airports

*Matsumoto Airport

Education

Universities

Public

*Shinshu University (National) *Nagano College of Nursing (Prefectural) *University of Nagano, The University of Nagano (Prefectural) *Nagano University [Municipal (Ueda City)] *Tokyo University of Science, Suwa, Suwa Tokyo University of Science [Municipal (Chino City)]

Private

*Matsumoto University (Private) *Matsumoto Dental University (Private) *Saku University (Private) *Seisen Jogakuin College (Private)

Economy

Nagano Prefecture has a large and diversified economy, with a strong focus on electronics, information technology, precision machinery, agriculture and food products, and tourism, with a total GDP of about trillion (2017). Several large Japanese groups have production facilities in Nagano Prefecture, such as Citizen Watch (Citizen Group), MinebeaMitsumi, Seiko Epson and Vaio.

Tourism

*Kamikochi *

*Lake Suwa *Mount Kirigamine *Suwa Taisha, one of the oldest shrines in Japan *Matsumoto Castle, one of Japan's national treasures *One of the world's highest geysers (about 40 to 50 meters) in Suwa *Zenkō-ji temple in Nagano, Nagano, Nagano city *Five Mountains of Northern Shinshu

Sports

There are two local J.League clubs: AC Nagano Parceiro and Matsumoto Yamaga FC.

Prefectural symbols

* Siberian Silver Birch * Gentian * rock ptarmigan, Ptarmigan * Japanese Serow * Shinano no Kuni (song), Shinano no Kuni (prefecture song)

Sister regions

*Changhua County, Taiwan (2008) *Hebei, China *Colorado, USA

Personalities

* Nagano's former governor, Yasuo Tanaka (politician), Yasuo Tanaka, is an independent who has made a reputation internationally for attacking Japan's status quo. Among other issues, he has refused national government money for construction projects that he deems unnecessary, such as dams, and has overhauled (locally) the press club system that is blamed for limiting government access to journalists who give favorable coverage. Tanaka was voted out from office on August 6, 2006 and was replaced by Jin Murai. * Tatsumi Yoda (aka Tom Yoda), former chairman of avex Group, Avex, is from Chikuma, Nagano, Chikuma-shi. * Glim Spanky, the members of the rock band are from Nagano Prefecture * Yuto Adachi, of Korean boy group Pentagon (South Korean band), Pentagon is from Nagano Prefecture * Yasuyuki Kazama, a professional drift driver, is from Shimosuwa, Nagano, Shimosuwa in Nagano Prefecture. * Keiichi Tsuchiya, a professional racing driver, is from Tōmi in Nagano Prefecture. * ZUN (video game developer), Jun'ya Ota (aka ZUN), video game developer best known for the ''Touhou Project'' series is from Nagano Prefecture.

Notes

References

* Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric and Käthe Roth. (2005)
''Japan encyclopedia.''
Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
OCLC 58053128

External links

*
Nagano Prefecture Official Website

Nagano Prefecture Tourism Website
{{Authority control Nagano Prefecture, Chūbu region Prefectures of Japan Japan campaign