Wakayama Prefecture

prefecture of Japan

Wakayama Prefecture (和歌山県, Wakayama-ken) is a prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan on the island of Honshū.[1] The capital is the city of Wakayama.[2] Wakayama Prefecture is surrounded by Osaka Prefecture, Nara Prefecture, Mie Prefecture, Hyogo Prefecture and Tokushima Prefecture.

Wakayama
和歌山県
Japanese transcription(s)
 • RomajiWakayama-ken
Official seal of Wakayama
Location of Wakayama in Japan
Location of Wakayama in Japan
Country Japan
RegionKansai
IslandHonshū
CapitalWakayama
Government
 • GovernorYoshinobu Nisaka
Area
 • Total4,725.67 km2 (1,824.59 sq mi)
Area rank30th
Population
 (April 1, 2012)
 • Total989,983
 • Rank39th
 • Density210/km2 (540/sq mi)
ISO 3166 codeJP-30
Prefectural flowerUme blossom (Prunus mume)
Prefectural treeUbame oak (Quercus phillyraeoides)
Prefectural birdJapanese white-eye (Zosterops japonica)
Number of districts6
Number of municipalities30
Websitewww.wakayama.lg.jp/
english/
Flag

HistoryEdit

In the Meiji period, Wakayama Prefecture was created from the western part of Kii Province.[3]

GeographyEdit

Wakayama's southwestern coastline faces the Seto Inland Sea and its southeastern coastline is on the Pacific Ocean. The northern borders of the prefecture meet Osaka Prefecture, Nara Prefecture, and Mie Prefecture.

CitiesEdit

There are nine cities in Wakayama Prefecture:

Towns and villagesEdit

These are the towns and villages in each district:

National ParksEdit

National Parks are established in about 9% of the total land area of the prefecture.[4]

Shrines and TemplesEdit

Hinokuma-kunikakasu jinjū is the chief Shinto shrine (ichinomiya) in the prefecture.[5]

Related pagesEdit

ReferencesEdit

  1. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Wakayama prefecture" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 1026; "Kansai" at p. 477.
  2. Nussbaum, "Wakayama" at p. 1025.
  3. Nussbaum, "Provinces and prefectures" at p. 780.
  4. Japan Ministry of the Environment, "General overview of area figures for Natural Parks by prefecture"; retrieved 2012-3-13.
  5. "Nationwide List of Ichinomiya," p. 3 Archived 2013-05-17 at the Wayback Machine; retrieved 2012-3-13.

Other websitesEdit

  Media related to Wakayama prefecture at Wikimedia Commons