Nagano Prefecture
| Nagano Prefecture | ||
|---|---|---|
| Japanese transcription(s) | ||
| • Japanese | 長野県 | |
| • Rōmaji | Nagano-ken | |
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| Country | Japan | |
| Region | Chūbu | |
| Island | Honshu | |
| Capital | Nagano | |
| Government | ||
| • Governor | Shuichi Abe | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 13,585.22 km2 (5,245.28 sq mi) | |
| Area rank | 4th | |
| Population (February 1, 2011) | ||
| • Total | 2,148,425 | |
| • Rank | 16th | |
| • Density | 158.14/km2 (409.6/sq mi) | |
| ISO 3166 code | JP-20 | |
| Districts | 14 | |
| Municipalities | 77 | |
| Flower | Gentian (Gentiana scabra var. buergeri) | |
| Tree | White birch (Betula platyphylla var. japonica) | |
| Bird | Rock ptarmigan (Lagopus muta) | |
| Website | www.pref.nagano.lg.jp/gaikokugo/index.htm | |
Nagano Prefecture (長野県 Nagano-ken) is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of the island of Honshu.[1] The capital is the city of Nagano.[2] Due to the abundance of mountain ranges in this area, the land available for inhabitance is relatively limited.
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History [edit]
Nagano was formerly known as the province of Shinano.[3] This province was divided among many local daimyo during the Sengoku period.
Nagano was host to the 1998 Winter Olympics, which gained the prefecture international recognition and a Shinkansen line to Tokyo.
Geography [edit]
Nagano is an inland prefecture and it borders more prefectures than any other in Japan. Nagano contains the point furthest from the sea in the whole of Japan - this point lies within the city of Saku. 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 beach resort popular for its water attractions and games.
As of 1 April 2012, 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.[4]
Cities [edit]
Nineteen cities are located in Nagano Prefecture:
Towns and villages [edit]
These are the towns and villages in each district:
Mergers [edit]
Transportation [edit]
Railway [edit]
- East Japan Railway Company
- Nagano Shinkansen
- Shin'etsu Main Line
- Chūō Main Line (east line)
- Shinonoi Line
- Ōito Line (from Matsumoto to Minami-Otari)
- Koumi Line
- Central Japan Railway Company
- Chūō Main Line (west line)
- Iida Line
- West Japan Railway Company
- Ōito Line (from Minami-Otari to Itoigawa)
- Shinano Railway
- Nagano Electric Railway
- Nagano Line
- Yashiro Line
- Matsumoto Electric Railway
- Kamikōchi Line
- Ueda Dentetsu
Road [edit]
Expressways [edit]
- Chuo Expressway
- Nagano Expressway
- Joshinetsu Expressway
- Sanen-nanshin Expressway
- Chubu-jukan Expressway
- Chubu-odan Expressway
National highways [edit]
- Route 18
- Route 19 (Nagano-Matsumoto-Shioriri-Nagiso-Nakatsugawa-Tajimi-Nagoya)
- Route 20 (Matsumoto-Suwa-Kofu-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-Iida-Shioriri)
- Route 158 (Fukui-Gujo-Takayama-Matsumoto)
- Route 254
- Route 256 (Gifu-Gujo-Gero-Nakatsugawa-Nagiso-Iida)
- Route 403
- Route 406 (Omachi-Hakuba-Nagano-Susaka-Tsumagoi-Takasaki)
- Route 418 (Ono-Seki-Ena-Iida)
Airports [edit]
Education [edit]
Universities [edit]
- Nagano University
- Nagano College of Nursing
- Shinshu University
- Matsumoto University
- Matsumoto Dental University
- Saku University
- Seisen Jogakuin College
- Suwa Tokyo University of Science
Tourism [edit]
- Lake Kizaki
- 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 city
Prefectural symbols [edit]
- Siberian Silver Birch
- Gentian
- Ptarmigan
- Japanese Serow
- Shinano no Kuni (prefecture song)
Sister cities [edit]
 |
This section does not cite any references or sources. (November 2012) |
Changhua County, Taiwan (2008)
Hebei, China
Missouri, USA
Personalities [edit]
- Nagano's former governor, 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.
- Sasuke competitor Shinji Kobayashi, who works as a garbage man, is from Matsumoto in Nagano Prefecture.
- Tatsumi Yoda (aka Tom Yoda), former chairman of Avex, is from Chikuma-shi.
Notes [edit]
- ^ Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Nagano prefecture" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 682 at Google Books; "Chūbu" at p. 126 at Google Books
- ^ Nussbaum, "Nagano" at p. 682 at Google Books
- ^ Nussbaum, "Provinces and prefectures" in p. 780 at Google Books
- ^ "General overview of area figures for Natural Parks by prefecture". Ministry of the Environment. Retrieved 25 April 2012.
References [edit]
- Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric and Käthe Roth. (2005). Japan encyclopedia. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. 10-ISBN 0-674-01753-6; 13-ISBN 978-0-674-01753-5; OCLC 58053128
External links [edit]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Nagano Prefecture |
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Wikivoyage has travel information related to: Nagano (prefecture) |
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