Tokushima Prefecture Explained

Tokushima Prefecture
Settlement Type:Prefecture
Translit Lang1:Japanese
Translit Lang1 Type:Japanese
Translit Lang1 Info:Japanese: 徳島県
Translit Lang1 Type1:Rōmaji
Translit Lang1 Info1:Japanese: Tokushima-ken
Flag Size:100px
Image Blank Emblem:Emblem of Tokushima Prefecture.svg
Blank Emblem Size:80px
Blank Emblem Type:Symbol
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:Japan
Subdivision Type1:Region
Subdivision Name1:Shikoku
Subdivision Type2:Island
Subdivision Name2:Shikoku
Seat Type:Capital
Seat:Tokushima
Parts Type:Subdivisions
Parts Style:para
P1:Districts

8

P2:Municipalities

24

Leader Title:Governor
Leader Name:Masazumi Gotoda
Area Total Km2:4146.80
Area Water Percent:1.5
Area Rank:36th
Population Total:728633
Population As Of:October 1, 2019
Population Rank:44th
Population Density Km2:auto
Demographics Type2:GDP
Demographics2 Footnotes:[1]
Demographics2 Title1:Total
Demographics2 Info1:JP¥ 3,222 billion
US$ 29.6 billion (2019)
Iso Code:JP-36
Website: pref.tokushima.jp/english/
Module:
Embedded:yes
Country:Japan
Bird:White heron
Flower:Sudachi (Citrus sudachi)
Tree:Yamamomo (Myrica rubra)
Mascot:Sudachi-kun
Anthem:Tokushima kenmin no uta

is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Shikoku.[2] Tokushima Prefecture has a population of 728,633 (1 October 2019) and has a geographic area of 4,146 km2 (1,601 sq mi). Tokushima Prefecture borders Kagawa Prefecture to the north, Ehime Prefecture to the west, and Kōchi Prefecture to the southwest.

Tokushima is the capital and largest city of Tokushima Prefecture, with other major cities including Anan, Naruto, and Yoshinogawa.[3] Tokushima Prefecture is located on the Kii Channel, connecting the Pacific Ocean and Seto Inland Sea, across from Wakayama Prefecture on the Kii Peninsula of the island of Honshu. Tokushima Prefecture is connected to Awaji Island across the Naruto Strait by the Ōnaruto Bridge as part of the Kobe-Awaji-Naruto Expressway, connecting the prefecture to the city of Kobe and the San'yō Expressway on Honshu.

History

See also: Historic Sites of Tokushima Prefecture.

Until the Meiji Restoration, Tokushima Prefecture was known as Awa Province.[4]

Tokushima Prefecture and Myodo Prefecture

In ancient times, Tokushima City belonged to a region known as Myōdō-gun. In the first wave of government consolidation following the abolishment of the fiefdom system and construction of prefectures in 1871, it became known as Myodo Prefecture. At the time, it included the Awa region to the south and the Awaji Island regions as well. In 1873 it further incorporated the region currently occupied by Kagawa Prefecture in its borders.

In the second wave of government consolidation, on September 5, 1875, the Sanuki Region separated to form the modern day Kagawa Prefecture. On August 21, 1876, Awaji Island separated to join Hyōgo Prefecture and the Awa region separated to form Kochi Prefecture.

On March 2, 1880, Myodo Prefecture fully separated from Kochi Prefecture to be inaugurated as Tokushima Prefecture.

Post-war

Geography

The Sanuki Mountains run along the northern border of the prefecture.

As of April 1, 2012, 9% of the total land area of the prefecture was designated as Natural Parks, namely the Setonaikai National Park; Muroto-Anan Kaigan and Tsurugisan Quasi-National Parks; and Chūbu Sankei, Dochū-Kōtsu, Hashikura, Higashi Sankei, Okumiyagawa-Uchidani, and Ōasayama Prefectural Natural Parks.[5]

Cities

See also: List of cities in Tokushima Prefecture by population. Eight cities are located in Tokushima Prefecture:

Towns and villages

These are the towns and villages in each district:

NameArea (km2)PopulationDistrictTypeMap
RōmajiKanji
Aizumi藍住町16.2735,054Itano DistrictTown
Higashimiyoshi東みよし町122.4814,025Miyoshi DistrictTown
Ishii石井町28.8525,062Myōzai DistrictTown
Itano板野町36.2213,183Itano DistrictTown
Kaiyō海陽町327.658,578Kaifu DistrictTown
Kamiita上板町34.5811,562Itano DistrictTown
Kamikatsu上勝町109.631,344Katsuura DistrictTown
Kamiyama神山町173.34,724Myōzai DistrictTown
Katsuura勝浦町69.835,131Katsuura DistrictTown
Kitajima北島町8.7422,645Itano DistrictTown
Matsushige松茂町14.2414,819Itano DistrictTown
Minami美波町140.86,433Kaifu DistrictTown
Mugi牟岐町56.62 3,852Kaifu DistrictTown
Naka那賀町694.987,549Naka DistrictTown
Sanagōchi佐那河内村42.282,106Myōdō DistrictVillage
Tsurugiつるぎ町194.847,877Mima DistrictTown

Mergers

See main article: List of mergers in Tokushima Prefecture.

Economy and Industry

Tokushima depends on agriculture, forestry and fisheries. The percentage of agricultural workers and productivity is the second largest in Shikoku next to Kochi. Rice fields occupy the lower region of the Yoshino River and the small, narrow plains along the shore. Much of the remaining land is used for vegetables and flowers. The prefecture is the nation's largest supplier of cauliflower and lotus roots, and the fourth largest producer of carrots. Japanese indigo is only produced here.

Northern Tokushima's growth was accelerated by the completion of the Akashi Channel Bridge, which completes the road connection from Tokushima to Kobe. Industrial development continues around the Tokushima and Naruto districts. In particular, Itano District's Aizumi Town and Kitajima Town have experienced rapid growth, which has led to a proposed merger of the towns of Itano District into Itano City in the future.

[6] In April 2023 a school of tech entrepreneurship - the first of its kind in Japan - was opened in the Tokushima town of Kamiyama. The students, aged from 15 to 20, will be taught engineering, programming and designing, as well as business skills such as marketing. They will also learn how to pitch their business plans to investors in order to raise money.

The man behind it is Chikahiro Terada, the boss of Tokyo-based start-up Sansan, which specialises in the digitalisation of business cards. These still play a huge role in Japan's corporate world.

Agriculture

Tokushima abounds in agricultural resources and is the site of large-scale production of many different types of vegetables. The plains north of the Yoshino River are particularly fertile and the produce here is often shipped to mainland Japan in the areas around Kobe, Osaka and Kyoto. Produce from Tokushima always claims top shares in markets in the Kansai region and particularly prominent are Naruto sweet potatoes, the citrus fruit "sudachi", lotus roots and strawberries.

The lack of goods heading to Tokyo has led to a relatively low national profile for local Tokushima brands. To combat this, the local Tokushima government now sends the "Fresh! Tokushima" moving display about the country with its mobile kitchen set to increase general awareness of the local food available in Tokushima Prefecture.

Culture

Sports

Tokushima hosted the official 2007 Asian Basketball Championship.

Further, the sports teams listed below are based in Tokushima.

Football (soccer)

Baseball

Transportation

Railway

Road

Expressway

Long Distance Bus (from Tokushima)

Airport

Ferry from Tokushima Port

Prefectural symbols

Tokushima's prefectural symbol is a stylized combination of the hiragana for to and ku, the first two characters in the hiragana spelling of the prefecture's name.

Politics

Prefectural Governor (as elected by public vote)

Prefectural Assembly

PartyTotal
Total41
Liberal Democratic Party / Shinsei Club11
Liberal Democratic Party / Koyu Club9
Meisei Club7
Shinpu Democratic Club6
Kaikaku Isshin Club3
Japanese Communist Party3
New Komeito Group2

See also

References

External links

34.0333°N 160°W

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2020年度国民経済計算(2015年基準・2008SNA) : 経済社会総合研究所 - 内閣府 . 2023-05-18 . 内閣府ホームページ . ja.
  2. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Tokushima prefecture" in .
  3. Nussbaum, "Tokushima" at .
  4. Nussbaum, "Awa no Kuni" at ; "Provinces and prefectures" at
  5. Web site: General overview of area figures for Natural Parks by prefecture . . 26 June 2012.
  6. News: 2022-08-21 . Can a sleepy Japanese town become Asia's Silicon Valley? . en-GB . BBC News . 2022-08-22.