Ibaraki Prefecture

For the city, see Ibaraki, Osaka.
Ibaraki Prefecture
茨城県
Prefecture
Japanese transcription(s)
 • Japanese 茨城県
 • Rōmaji Ibaraki-ken

Flag
Symbol of Ibaraki Prefecture
Country Japan
Region Kantō
Island Honshu
Capital Mito
Government
 • Governor Masaru Hashimoto
Area
 • Total 6,095.58 km2 (2,353.52 sq mi)
Area rank 23rd
Population (September 1, 2010)
 • Total 2,964,141
 • Rank 11th
 • Density 486.28/km2 (1,259.5/sq mi)
ISO 3166 code JP-08
Districts 7
Municipalities 44
Flower Rose (Rosa)
Tree Ume tree (Prunus mume)
Bird Eurasian Skylark (Alauda arvensis)
Website www.pref.ibaraki.jp

Ibaraki Prefecture (茨城県 Ibaraki-ken) is a prefecture of Japan, located in the Kantō region on the main island of Honshu.[1] The capital is Mito.[2]

History

Ibaraki Prefecture was previously known as Hitachi Province. In 1871, the name of the province became Ibaraki.

Geography

Map of Ibaraki Prefecture
Mito
Tsukuba
Tsuchiura
Kashima

Ibaraki Prefecture is the northeastern part of the Kantō region, stretching between Tochigi Prefecture and the Pacific Ocean and bounded on the north and south by Fukushima Prefecture and Chiba Prefecture. It also has a border on the southwest with Saitama Prefecture. The northernmost part of the prefecture is mountainous, but most of the prefecture is a flat plain with many lakes.

As of 1 April 2012, 15% of the total land area of the prefecture was designated as Natural Parks, namely Suigo-Tsukuba Quasi-National Park and nine Prefectural Natural Parks.[3]

Cities

Thirty-two (32) cities are located in Ibaraki Prefecture:

Towns and villages

These are the towns and villages in each district:

Mergers

Economy

Ibaraki's industries include energy, particularly nuclear energy, production, as well as chemical and precision machining industries. The Hitachi company was founded in the Ibaraki city of the same name.

As of March 2011, the prefecture produced 25% of Japan's bell peppers and Chinese cabbage.[5]

Demographics

Ibaraki's population is increasing modestly as the Greater Tokyo region spreads out.

Culture

Ibaraki is known for nattō, or fermented soybeans, in Mito, watermelons in Kyōwa (recently merged into Chikusei), and chestnuts in the Nishiibaraki region.

Ibaraki is famous for the martial art of Aikido founded by Ueshiba Morihei, also known as Osensei. Ueshiba spent the latter part of his life in the town of Iwama, now part of Kasama, and the Aiki Shrine and dojo he created still remain.

There are castle ruins in many cities, including Mito, Kasama, and Yūki.

Kasama is famous for Shinto, art culture and pottery.

The capital Mito is home to Kairakuen, one of Japan's three most celebrated gardens, and famous for its over 3,000 Japanese plum trees of over 100 varieties.

Education

University

Sports

The sports teams listed below are based in Ibaraki.

Football (soccer)

Volleyball

Rugby

Baseball

Puroresu

Tourism

Transportation and access

Railways

Cable cars

Roads

Expressways

National highways

Ports

Airports

Pronunciation

The prefecture is often mispronounced "Ibaragi". However, the correct pronunciation is "Ibaraki". According to the author of "Not Ibaragi, Ibaraki",[6] this is most likely due to a mishearing of the softening of the "k" sound in Ibaraki dialect.

Notes

  1. ↑ Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Ibaraki-ken" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 367, at Google Books; "Kantō" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 479, at Google Books.
  2. ↑ Nussbaum, "Mito" at Japan Encyclopedia, p. 642, at Google Books.
  3. ↑ "General overview of area figures for Natural Parks by prefecture" (PDF). Ministry of the Environment. 1 April 2012. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
  4. ↑ Nussbaum, "Ibaraki" at Japan Encyclopedia, p. 367, at Google Books.
  5. ↑ Schreiber, Mark, "Japan's food crisis goes beyond recent panic buying", The Japan Times, 17 April 2011, p. 9.
  6. ↑ いばらぎじゃなくていばらき [Ibaragi ja Nakute Ibaraki]

References

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Ibaraki.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ibaraki Prefecture.

Coordinates: 36°14′N 140°17′E / 36.233°N 140.283°E / 36.233; 140.283

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