Miyagi Prefecture

Miyagi Prefecture (宮城県, Miyagi-ken) is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region of Honshu.[1] Miyagi Prefecture has a population of 2,265,724 (1 August 2023) and has a geographic area of 7,282 km2 (2,812 sq mi). Miyagi Prefecture borders Iwate Prefecture to the north, Akita Prefecture to the northwest, Yamagata Prefecture to the west, and Fukushima Prefecture to the south.

Not to be confused with Miyazaki Prefecture.
Miyagi Prefecture
宮城県
Prefecture
Japanese transcription(s)
 • Japanese宮城県
 • RōmajiMiyagi-ken
Panoramic view of the Sendai plain, spreading to the Sendai metropolitan area in Miyagi Prefecture
Panoramic view of the Sendai plain, spreading to the Sendai metropolitan area in Miyagi Prefecture
Flag of Miyagi Prefecture
Flag
Official logo of Miyagi Prefecture
Symbol
Anthem: Kagayaku Kyōdo
Location of Miyagi Prefecture
Country Japan
RegionTōhoku
IslandHonshu
CapitalSendai
SubdivisionsDistricts: 10, Municipalities: 35
Government
 • GovernorYoshihiro Murai
Area
 • Total7,282.22 km2 (2,811.68 sq mi)
 • Rank16th
Population
 (August 1, 2023)
 • Total2,265,724
 • Rank15th
 • Density310/km2 (810/sq mi)
ISO 3166 codeJP-04
Websitewww.pref.miyagi.jp
Symbols of Japan
BirdWild goose
FlowerMiyagi bush clover (Lespedeza thunbergii)
TreeJapanese zelkova
(Zelkova serrata)

Sendai is the capital and largest city of Miyagi Prefecture, and the largest city in the Tōhoku region, with other major cities including Ishinomaki, Ōsaki, and Tome.[2] Miyagi Prefecture is located on Japan's eastern Pacific coast and bounded to the west by the Ōu Mountains, the longest mountain range in Japan, with 24% of its total land area being designated as Natural Parks. Miyagi Prefecture is home to Matsushima Islands, a group of islands ranked as one of the Three Views of Japan, near the town of Matsushima.

History
See also: List of Historic Sites of Japan (Miyagi)

Miyagi Prefecture was formerly part of the province of Mutsu.[3]

2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
Main article: 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
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On March 11, 2011, a 9.0 magnitude earthquake and a subsequent major tsunami hit Miyagi Prefecture, causing major damage to the area.[4] The tsunami was estimated to be approximately 10 metres (33 ft) high in Miyagi Prefecture.[5]

On April 7, 2011, a magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck off the coast of Miyagi, Japan. 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 that time.

In 2013, Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako visited the prefecture to see the progress made since the tsunami.[6]

Geography
Map of Miyagi Prefecture
     Government Ordinance Designated City      City      Town      Village

Miyagi Prefecture is in the central part of Tōhoku, facing the Pacific Ocean, 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.

Matsushima is known as one of the three most scenic views of Japan, with a bay full of 260 small islands covered in pine groves.

Oshika Peninsula projects from the northern coastline of the prefecture.

As of 31 March 2019, 24% of the total land area of the prefecture was designated as Natural Parks, namely the Sanriku Fukkō National Park; Kurikoma and Zaō Quasi-National Parks; and Abukuma Keikoku, Asahiyama, Funagata Renpō, Futakuchi Kyōkoku, Kenjōsan Mangokuura, Kesennuma, Matsushima, and Zaō Kōgen Prefectural Natural Parks.[7][8]

Cities
See also: List of cities in Miyagi Prefecture by population

Fourteen cities are located in Miyagi Prefecture:

Name Area (km2) Population Population density (per km2) Map
Rōmaji Kanji
Higashimatsushima 東松島市 101.36 39,098 385.73
Ishinomaki 石巻市 554.55 140,151 252.73
Iwanuma 岩沼市 60.45 44,068 729.00
Kakuda 角田市 147.53 27,976 189.63
Kesennuma 気仙沼市 332.44 61,147 183.93
Kurihara 栗原市 804.97 64,637 80.30
Natori 名取市 98.17 78,718 801.85
Ōsaki 大崎市 796.76 127,330 159.81
Sendai (capital) 仙台市 786.3 1,096,704 1394.77
Shiogama 塩竈市 17.37 52,203 3005.35
Shiroishi 白石市 286.48 32,758 114.35
Tagajō 多賀城市 19.69 62,827 3190.81
Tome 登米市 536.12 76,037 141.83
Tomiya 富谷市 49.18 51,651 1050.24

Towns and villages

These are the towns and villages in each district:

Name Area (km2) Population Population density (per km2) District Type Map
Rōmaji Kanji
Kami 加美町 460.67 21,943 47.63 Kami District Town
Kawasaki 川崎町 270.77 8,637 31.90 Shibata District Town
Marumori 丸森町 273.3 13,092 47.90 Igu District Town
Matsushima 松島町 53.56 13,804 257.73 Miyagi District Town
Minamisanriku 南三陸町 163.4 12,516 76.60 Motoyoshi District Town
Misato 美里町 74.95 24,565 327.75 Tōda District Town
Murata 村田町 78.38 10,675 136.20 Shibata District Town
Ōgawara 大河原町 24.99 23,618 945.10 Shibata District Town
Ōhira 大衡村 60.32 5,918 98.11 Kurokawa District Village
Onagawa 女川町 65.35 6,319 96.69 Oshika District Town
Ōsato 大郷町 82.01 7,972 97.31 Kurokawa District Town
Rifu 利府町 44.89 36,014 802.27 Miyagi District Town
Shibata 柴田町 54.03 37,617 696.22 Shibata District Town
Shichigahama 七ヶ浜町 13.19 18,447 1398.56 Miyagi District Town
Shichikashuku 七ヶ宿町 263.09 1,323 5.03 Katta District Town
Shikama 色麻町 109.28 6,723 61.52 Kami District Town
Taiwa 大和町 225.49 28,436 126.11 Kurokawa District Town
Wakuya 涌谷町 82.16 15,763 191.86 Tōda District Town
Watari 亘理町 73.6 33,459 454.61 Watari District Town
Yamamoto 山元町 64.58 12,100 187.36 Watari District Town
Zaō 蔵王町 152.83 11,790 77.14 Katta District Town

Mergers
Main article: List of mergers in Miyagi Prefecture

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 sauries.[9]

In July 2011, the Japanese government decided to ban all shipments of beef cattle from northeast Miyagi Prefecture over fears of radioactive contamination.[10] This has since been rescinded.

Demographics
Miyagi prefecture population pyramid in 2020

According to Japanese census data, Miyagi prefecture experienced its greatest period of growth from 1940 to 1950 and continued to exhibit growth up until the 21st century.[11] Nevertheless, like the majority of Japan, the population of Miyagi has begun to slowly decline. The prefectural capital of Sendai, however, has seen a moderate, but steady rise in population over the past twenty years.[12]

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1890 735,100—    
1920 962,000+30.9%
1930 1,143,000+18.8%
1940 1,271,000+11.2%
1950 1,663,000+30.8%
1960 1,743,000+4.8%
1970 1,819,000+4.4%
1980 2,082,000+14.5%
1990 2,249,000+8.0%
2000 2,365,320+5.2%
2010 2,348,165−0.7%
2020 2,301,996−2.0%

Education

University

Transportation
Sendai Station in August 2010

Rail

Expressways and toll roads

National highways

Ports
Sendai Airport

Airports

Sports
Rakuten Seimei Park Miyagi.

The sports teams listed below are based in Miyagi Prefecture.

Also, the Sendai Hi-Land Raceway hosts motorsport road races.

Visitor attractions

Sendai was the castle town of the daimyō Date Masamune. The remains of Sendai Castle stand on a hill above the city.

Miyagi Prefecture boasts one of Japan's three greatest sights. Matsushima, the pine-clad islands, dot the waters off the coast of the prefecture.

The following are also noted as attractions:

Famous festivals and events
Suzume Dancing Event in Aoba Festival
Aoba Festival of Sendai
View of Traditional New Year's sale in Sendai
  • Sendai New Year's traditional Sale on January 2
  • Shiroishi Kokeshi Exhibition, May 3–5
  • Aoba Festival, Suzume Odori traditional Japanese dance event in May
  • Shiogama Port Festival in July
  • Sendai Tanabata Festival, August 6–8
  • Sendai Pageant of Starlight in December

Miyagi Prefecture is one of the main settings of the manga and anime series Haikyū!!. The most well-known fictional schools located there are Karasuno High School, Aoba Johsai High School, Date Tech High and Shiratorizawa Academy, as well as Sendai City Gymnasium. Another anime series Wake Up, Girls! is also set in Miyagi Prefecture.

Notes
  1. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Miyagi prefecture" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 648, p. 648, at Google Books; "Tōhoku" in p. 970, p. 970, at Google Books.
  2. Nussbaum, "Sendai" in p. 841, p. 841, at Google Books.
  3. Nussbaum, "Provinces and prefectures" in p. 780, p. 780, at Google Books
  4. "Japan earthquake: Tsunami hits north-east". BBC News. March 11, 2011. Archived from the original on March 12, 2011.
  5. Williams, Martyn (10 March 2011). "Report from Japan: Impact of Tsunami Devastates Nation's Northeast". voanews.com. Archived from the original on 9 January 2012. Retrieved 28 April 2018.
  6. "Crown Prince Naruhito, Princess Masako visit tsunami victims in Miyagi". Japan Daily Press. Archived from the original on 2013-08-24. Retrieved 2013-08-22.
  7. 自然公園都道府県別面積総括 [General overview of area figures for Natural Parks by prefecture] (PDF) (in Japanese). Ministry of the Environment. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
  8. 宮城県の自然公園 [Natural Parks in Miyagi Prefecture] (in Japanese). Miyagi Prefecture. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
  9. Schreiber, Mark, "Japan's food crisis goes beyond recent panic buying Archived 2011-04-20 at the Wayback Machine", Japan Times, 17 April 2011, p. 9.
  10. "Japan suspends shipment of Miyagi beef over contamination - Home » Other Sections » Breaking News". www.philstar.com. Archived from the original on 8 September 2012. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  11. "Japan Prefectures Population from 1920 and Area". www.demographia.com. Retrieved 2021-12-24.
  12. "Sendai (City (-shi), Miyagi, Japan) - Population Statistics, Charts, Map and Location". www.citypopulation.de. Retrieved 2021-12-24.

References
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