Osaka Prefecture

prefecture of Japan

Osaka Prefecture (大阪府, Ōsaka-fu) is a prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan on the island of Honshu.[1] The capital city is Osaka.[2]

Osaka
大阪府
Japanese transcription(s)
 • RomajiŌsaka-fu
Flag of Osaka
Official seal of Osaka
Location of Osaka in Japan
Location of Osaka in Japan
Coordinates: 34°41′11″N 135°31′12″E / 34.68639°N 135.52000°E / 34.68639; 135.52000
Country Japan
RegionKansai
IslandHonshu
CapitalOsaka
Government
 • GovernorHirofumi Yoshimura
Area
 • Total1,905.14 km2 (735.58 sq mi)
 • Rank46th
Population
 (April 1, 2018)
 • Total8,819,416
 • Rank3rd
 • Density4,600/km2 (12,000/sq mi)
ISO 3166 codeJP-27
Prefectural flowerJapanese apricot (Prunus mume)
Primrose (Primula sieboldii)
Prefectural treeGinkgo tree (Ginkgo biloba)
Prefectural birdBull-headed shrike (Lanius bucephalus)
Number of districts5
Number of municipalities43
Websitewww.pref.osaka.jp/en/index.html

History

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Osaka prefecture was created by merging the area of Kawachi Province, Izumi Province and Settsu Province.[3]

In 1994, the Kansai International Airport opened. This is one of the main international airport hubs of Japan.[4]

Geography

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Osaka Prefecture has borders with Hyōgo Prefecture and Kyoto Prefecture in the north. Nara is east of Osaka. Wakayama Prefecture shares the prefecture's southern border. The west faces Osaka Bay.

The Yodo River (淀川, Yodo-gawa) flows through the prefecture.[5]

Cities

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Map of Osaka Prefecture.
 
Osaka Pref. Head Office
 
Osaka

Thirty-three cities are located in Osaka Prefecture:

National Parks

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National Parks are established in about 11% of the total land area of the prefecture.[6]

Shrines and Temples

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Hiraoka jinja, Ōtori jina, and Sumiyoshi taisha are the chief Shinto shrines (ichinomiya) in the prefecture.[7]

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Osaka based organizations

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References

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  1. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Osaka-fu" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 759; "Kansai" at p. 477.
  2. Nussbaum, "Osaka" at p. 759.
  3. Nussbaum, "Provinces and prefectures" at p. 780.
  4. Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport (MLIT), Kansai International Airport; retrieved 2012-1-20.
  5. Nussbaum, "Yodo-gawa" at p. 1053.
  6. Japan Ministry of the Environment, "General overview of area figures for Natural Parks by prefecture"; retrieved 2012-3-13.
  7. "Nationwide List of Ichinomiya," p. 2 Archived 2013-05-17 at the Wayback Machine; retrieved 2012-3-13.

Other websites

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  Media related to Osaka prefecture at Wikimedia Commons