Hyōgo Prefecture

Hyōgo Prefecture

兵庫県
Hyōgo Prefecture 兵庫県
Prefecture
Japanese transcription(s)
• Japanese	兵庫県
• Rōmaji	Hyōgo-ken
	Rokkō Island and Higashinada District, Kobe City, Hyōgo Prefecture at night, view from Maya Peak
	Flag Symbol
	Anthem: Hyōgo Kenminka
	Coordinates: 34°41′26.94″N 135°10′59.08″E / 34.6908167°N 135.1830778°E
Country	Japan
Region	Kansai
Island	Honshu, Awaji
Capital	Kobe
Subdivisions	Districts: 8, Municipalities: 41
Government
• Governor	Motohiko Saitō (from August 2021)
Area
• Total	8,400.94 km2 (3,243.62 sq mi)
• Rank	12th
Population (1 June 2019)
• Total	5,469,762
• Rank	7th
• Density	650/km2 (1,700/sq mi)
GDP
• Total	JP¥ 22,195 billion; US$ 203.6 billion (2019)
ISO 3166 code	JP-28
Website	web.pref.hyogo.lg.jp/fl/english/
Symbols of Japan
Bird	Oriental white stork (Ciconia boyciana)
Flower	Nojigiku (Chrysanthemum japonense)
Tree	Camphor tree (Cinnamomum camphora)

Hyōgo Prefecture (兵庫県, Hyōgo-ken) is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu.^[3] Hyōgo Prefecture has a population of 5,469,762 (as of 1 June 2019^[update]) and a geographic area of 8,400 square kilometres (3,200 square miles). Hyōgo Prefecture borders Kyoto Prefecture to the east, Osaka Prefecture to the southeast, and Okayama and Tottori prefectures to the west.

Kōbe is the capital and largest city of Hyōgo Prefecture, and the seventh-largest city in Japan, with other major cities including Himeji, Nishinomiya, and Amagasaki.^[4] Hyōgo Prefecture's mainland stretches from the Sea of Japan to the Seto Inland Sea, where Awaji Island and a small archipelago of islands belonging to the prefecture are located. Hyōgo Prefecture is a major economic center, transportation hub, and tourist destination in western Japan, with 20% of the prefecture's land area designated as Natural Parks. Hyōgo Prefecture forms part of the Kobe metropolitan area and Osaka metropolitan area, the second-most-populated urban region in Japan after the Greater Tokyo area and one of the world's most productive regions by GDP.

History

Present-day Hyōgo Prefecture includes the former provinces of Harima, Tajima, Awaji, and parts of Tanba and Settsu.^[5]

In 1180, near the end of the Heian period, Emperor Antoku, Taira no Kiyomori, and the Imperial court moved briefly to Fukuhara, in what is now the city of Kobe. There the capital remained for five months. Himeji Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is in the city of Himeji.

Southern Hyōgo Prefecture was severely devastated by the 6.9 Mw Great Hanshin earthquake of 1995, which destroyed major parts of Kobe and Awaji, as well as Nishinomiya and Ashiya and the neighboring Osaka Prefecture, killing nearly 6,500 people.

Geography

Takarazuka

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1890	1,551,367	—
1903	1,833,957	+1.30%
1913	2,143,791	+1.57%
1920	2,301,799	+1.02%
1925	2,454,679	+1.29%
1930	2,646,301	+1.51%
1935	2,923,249	+2.01%
1940	3,221,232	+1.96%
1945	2,821,892	−2.61%
1950	3,309,935	+3.24%
1955	3,620,947	+1.81%
1960	3,906,487	+1.53%
1965	4,309,944	+1.99%
1970	4,667,928	+1.61%
1975	4,992,140	+1.35%
1980	5,144,892	+0.60%
1985	5,278,050	+0.51%
1990	5,405,040	+0.48%
1995	5,401,877	−0.01%
2000	5,550,574	+0.54%
2005	5,590,601	+0.14%
2010	5,588,133	−0.01%
2015	5,536,989	−0.18%
source:^[6]

Hyōgo has coastlines on two seas: to the north, the Sea of Japan, to the south, the Seto Inland Sea. On Awaji Island, Hyōgo borders the Pacific Ocean coastline in the Kii Channel. The northern portion is sparsely populated, except for the city of Toyooka, The central highlands are only populated by tiny villages. Most of Hyōgo's population lives on the southern coast, which is part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area. Awaji is an island that separates the Inland Sea and Osaka Bay, lying between Honshu and Shikoku.

Summertime weather throughout Hyōgo is hot and humid. As for winter conditions, the north of Hyōgo tends to receive abundant snow, whilst the south receives only the occasional flurry.

Hyōgo borders on Osaka Prefecture, Kyoto Prefecture, Tottori Prefecture and Okayama Prefecture.

As of 31 March 2008,^[update] 20% of the total land area of the prefecture was designated as Natural Parks, namely the Sanin Kaigan and Setonaikai National Parks; Hyōnosen-Ushiroyama-Nagisan Quasi-National Park; and Asago Gunzan, Harima Chūbu Kyūryō, Inagawa Keikoku, Izushi-Itoi, Kasagatayama-Sengamine, Kiyomizu-Tōjōko-Tachikui, Onzui-Chikusa, Seiban Kyūryō, Seppiko-Mineyama, Tajima Sangaku, and Taki Renzan Prefectural Natural Parks.^[7]

Current municipalities

^Aioi_相生市

^Akashi_明石市

^Akō_赤穂市

^Amagasaki_尼崎市

^Asago_朝来市

^Ashiya_芦屋市

^Awaji_淡路市

^Himeji_姫路市

^Itami_伊丹市

^Kakogawa_加古川市

^Kasai_加西市

^Katō_加東市

^Kawanishi_川西市

^{Kobe (capital)}_神戸市

^Miki_三木市

^Minamiawaji_{南あわじ市}

^Nishinomiya_西宮市

^Nishiwaki_西脇市

^Ono_小野市

^Sanda_三田市

^Shisō_宍粟市

^Sumoto_洲本市

^Takarazuka_宝塚市

^Takasago_高砂市

^{Tamba-Sasayama}_{丹波篠山市}

^Tanba_丹波市

^Tatsuno_たつの市

^Toyooka_豊岡市

^Yabu_養父市

^Fukusaki_福崎町

^Harima_播磨町

^Ichikawa_市川町

^Inagawa_猪名川町

^Inami_稲美町

^Kami_香美町

^Kamigōri_上郡町

^Kamikawa_神河町

^Sayō_佐用町

^Shin'onsen_新温泉町

^Taishi_太子町

^Taka_多可町

class=notpageimage|

Municipalities in Hyōgo Prefecture Government Ordinance Designated City City Town

Islands

Two major artificial islands are located Hyōgo Prefecture:

National parks

Hyōnosen-Ushiroyama-Nagisan Quasi-National Park (Mt. Hyonosen view from Yabu)
Hyōnosen-Ushiroyama-Nagisan Quasi-National Park (Torokawataira in Kami)
Sanin Kaigan National Park (Takeno Beach in Toyooka)
Sanin Kaigan National Park (Tajima-mihonoura of Sanin Coast in Shinonsen)

Mergers

Future mergers

The city of Akō and the only town in Akō District (Kamigōri), were scheduled to merge and the city would still retain the name Akō. Akō District would be defunct if the merger was successful.^[8] However, the merger has not taken place.

Economy

As in all prefectures nationwide, agriculture, forestry, and fisheries play a big role in the economy of Hyogo Prefecture.^[9] Hyōgo Prefecture also has an IT industry, many heavy industries, metal and medical, Kobe Port being one of the largest ports in Japan. Kobe Port also hosts one of the world's fastest supercomputers,^[10] and Hyogo Prefecture passed laws to keep Kobe Port free of nuclear weapons (a nuclear-free zone) since the year 1975.

Hyōgo is a part of the Hanshin Industrial Region. There are two research institutes of Riken, natural sciences research institute in Japan, in Kobe and Harima. "SPring-8", a synchrotron radiation facility, is in Harima.

Culture

National Treasures of Japan

Himeji Castle in Himeji (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
Jōdo-ji in Ono
Ichijō-ji in Kasai
Kakurin-ji in Kakogawa
Taisan-ji in Kobe
Chōkō-ji in Katō
Chorakuji in Kami, Hyōgo (Mikata)

Jōdo-ji in Ono
Ichijo-ji in Kasai
Kakurin-ji in Kakogawa
Chorakuji-daibutsu

Important Preservation Districts for Groups of Historic Buildings in Japan

Kitano-chō Yamamoto-dōri
Izushi
Sasayama

Museums

Hyōgo Prefectural Museum of Art in Nada Ward, Kobe
Kobe City Museum in Chuo Ward, Kobe
Kobe Maritime Museum in Chuo Ward, Kobe
KOSETSU Museum of Art in Higashinada Ward, Kobe
Hakutsuru Fine Art Museum in Higashinada Ward, Kobe
Himeji City Museum of Art in Himeji
Asago Art Village in Asago
Ashiya City Museum of Art & History in Ashiya
TEKISUI MUSEUM OF ART in Ashiya
Osamu Tezuka Manga Museum in Takarazuka

Education

Universities

Amagasaki

Sonoda Women's University
St. Thomas University (ex-Eichi University) – closed in 2015

Takarazuka

Sanda

Kwansei Gakuin University (Sanda Campus)

Nishinomiya

Ashiya

Ashiya University

Kobe

Himeji

Akō

University of Hyogo

High schools

There are 163 public and 52 private high schools within Hyogo prefecture. Of the public high schools, some are administered by the Hyogo prefectural government, whilst the others are administered by local municipalities.

Ashiya International Secondary School, founded 2003

Sports

The sports teams listed below are based in Hyōgo.

Football (soccer)

Vissel Kobe (Kobe)
INAC Kobe Leonessa (Women's) (Kobe)

Baseball

Orix Buffaloes (Kobe)
Hanshin Tigers (Nishinomiya)

Volleyball

Hisamitsu Springs (Kobe)
JT Marvelous (Nishinomiya)

Rugby

Kobelco Steelers (Kobe)
World Fighting Bull (Kobe)

Basketball

Kobe Storks (Kobe)

Tourism

A popular troupe of Takarazuka Revue plays in Takarazuka.

Arima Onsen in the south of the province in Kita-ku, Kobe is one of the Three Ancient Springs in Japan. The north of Hyogo Prefecture has sightseeing spots such as Kinosaki Onsen, Izushi, and Yumura Onsen. Takeda Castle in Asago is often referred to locally as the "Machu Picchu of Japan". The matsuba crab and Tajima beef are both national delicacies.^[11]

Arima Onsen, Kobe
Million-dollar view, Kobe
Harborland – Meriken Park area in Kobe
Awaji Yumebutai in Awaji
Kuchiganaya in Asago
Kinosaki Onsen
Yumura Onsen
Tonomine highland in Kamikawa
Toyooka Stork Park
Takeda Castle

Festivals and events

Miyuki Street New Year's midnight traditional sale, Himeji
Nishinomiya Shrine's Ebisu Festival in January
Yanagihara Ebisu Festival in January, Kobe
Tada Shrine's Genji Festival in April, Kawanishi
Kobe Festival and Parade in May
Aioi Peron Festival in May
Himeji Yukata Festival in June
Dekansho Bon Dancing Festival in August, Sasayama
Nada Fighting Festival, Himeji
Kobe Luminarie in December
Ako Chushingura Parade

Transportation

Rail

JR West
Hankyu Railway
Nose Railway
- Myoken Line
- Nissei Line
Shintetsu
Kobe Municipal Subway
Hojo Railway (Ao-Hojo)
Hanshin Railway
Sanyo Railway
- Main Line
- Aboshi Line
Chizu Express
Kitakinki Tango Railway
- Miyazu Line

People movers

Kobe New Transit
- Port Liner
- Rokkō Liner

Road

Expressways

Chūgoku Expressway
San'yō Expressway
Kobe-Awaji-Naruto Expressway
Meishin Expressway
Maizuru-Wakasa Expressway
Bantan Expressway
Second Shinmei road
Hanshin Expressway

National highways

Route 2
Route 9
Route 28
Route 29
Route 43
Route 171
Route 173
Route 174 (Sannomiya-Kobe Port)
Route 175
Route 176
Route 178
Route 179
Route 250
Route 312
Route 372
Route 373
Route 426
Route 427
Route 428
Route 429
Route 436
Route 477
Route 482
Route 483

Ports

Kobe Port – Mainly international container hub port
Akashi Port
Shikama Port – Mainly Shōdo Island route ferry

Airport

Notable people

Ume Aoki, manga artist
Mana Ashida, child actress from Nishinomiya
Koichi Domoto, singer of KinKi Kids
Heath, musician, singer-songwriter and bassist of X Japan is from Amagasaki
Hiro Fujiwara, manga artist
Miracle Hikaru, comedian and impersonator is from Toyooka
Kanō Jigorō, founder of the martial art Judo
Jun, musician, singer-songwriter and guitarist of Phantasmagoria is from Kobe
Shinji Kagawa, footballer from Kobe
Tomoya Kanki, drummer of One Ok Rock
Takumi Kawanishi (J-pop idol singer and dancer, member of JO1)
Tomomi Ogawa, bassist of Scandal
Itzuki Yamazaki, professional wrestler from Ieshima
Kaoru, guitarist of Dir En Grey
Ayaka Kimura, actress, former singer of Coconuts Musume is from Kobe
Keiko Kitagawa, actress from Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon and Buzzer Beat was born in Kobe
Miho Komatsu, singer and songwriter from Kobe
Yūji Kuroiwa, politician from Kobe, current governor of Kanagawa Prefecture
Kamui Kobayashi, former Sauber and Toyota Racing driver from Amagasaki
Chisa Maekawa, singer of Girl Next Door
Kiyomatsu Matsubara, ichthyologist, herpetologist and marine biologist
Hitoshi Matsumoto, comedian, from Amagasaki
Aya Matsuura, singer is from Himeji
Ryuto Kazuhara, vocalist of Generations from Exile Tribe is from Amagasaki
Mina Myoui – American-born Japanese singer of South Korean group Twice. Raised in Nishinomiya
Hiro Matsushita – Businessman, former driver in Champ Car series. Chairman of Swift Engineering & Swift Xi
Miyavi, musician, although born in Konohana-ku, Osaka grew up in Kawanishi
Minako Nishiyama, contemporary artist
Rena Nōnen known professionally as Non (のん, Non), actress, singer, fashion model from Kamikawa
Masamune Shirow, manga artist was born in Kobe
So Taguchi, outfielder for the Chicago Cubs
Masahiro Tanaka, pitcher for the New York Yankees
Nagaru Tanigawa, creator of the Haruhi Suzumiya series was born in Kinki
Tsuneko Taniuchi, contemporary performance artist
Fumito Ueda, video game creator of Ico, Shadow of the Colossus, and The Last Guardian
Juri Ueno, Japanese Academy Award-winning actress best known for her performances in Swing Girls and the live-action adaptation of Nodame Cantabile, is from Kakogawa
Shota Yasuda, guitarist of Kanjani Eight is from Amagasaki
Piko, musician, Vocaloid singer born in Kobe, Hyōgo

Sister regions

Hyogo entered a sister state relationship with Washington state in the United States on October 22, 1963, the first such arrangement between Japan and the United States.^[12]^[13]

In 1981, a sister state agreement was drawn up between Hyogo and the state of Western Australia in Australia.^[14] To commemorate the 10th anniversary of this agreement in 1992, the Hyogo Prefectural Government Cultural Centre was established in Perth.^[15]

Notes

^ The Hyōgo Prefectural Government has expressed the view that the "Prefectural song does not exist" and denied the fact that currently, this song has been enacted in 1947.

Citations

^ 金旻革 (2015-01-01). "布く新憲法ゆくては明かるし…幻の兵庫県民歌". Kobe Shimbun. Archived from the original on 2016-03-09. Retrieved 2015-01-09.
^ "2020年度国民経済計算（2015年基準・2008SNA） : 経済社会総合研究所 - 内閣府". 内閣府ホームページ (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-05-18.
^ Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Hyōgo prefecture" in Japan Encyclopedia, pp. 363-365, p. 363, at Google Books; "Kansai" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 477, p. 477, at Google Books.
^ Nussbaum, "Kobe" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 537, p. 537, at Google Books.
^ Nussbaum, "Provinces and prefectures" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 780, p. 780, at Google Books.
^ Statistics Bureau of Japan
^ "General overview of area figures for Natural Parks by prefecture" (PDF). Ministry of the Environment. Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 April 2012. Retrieved 4 February 2012.
^ City.ako.hyogo.jp Archived 2006-07-08 at the Wayback Machine
^ "XII Income of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries" (PDF). Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2015-09-19. Retrieved 2017-10-02.
^ "RIKEN Advanced Institute for Computational Science". Archived from the original on 2017-09-26. Retrieved 2017-10-02.
^ "JAL Guide to Japan – Matsuba Crab". Archived from the original on 2015-04-05. Retrieved 2015-04-02.
^ Camden, Jim (August 20, 2013). "Washington, Japan celebrate 50 years". Spokesman-Review. Archived from the original on March 11, 2018. Retrieved March 11, 2018.
^ "Celebrating 50 years with Hyogo, Japan". Washington State Library. August 19, 2013. Archived from the original on March 11, 2018. Retrieved March 11, 2018.
^ "Sister Cities – City of Perth". Archived from the original on 2015-05-30.
^ Hyogo.com.au Archived 2015-04-02 at the Wayback Machine

General references

Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric and Käthe Roth (2005). Japan Encyclopedia. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press. ISBN 978-0-674-01753-5. OCLC 58053128.

External links

[1] The Hyōgo Prefectural Government has expressed the view that the "Prefectural song does not exist" and denied the fact that currently, this song has been enacted in 1947.

[2] 金旻革 (2015-01-01). "布く新憲法ゆくては明かるし…幻の兵庫県民歌". Kobe Shimbun. Archived from the original on 2016-03-09. Retrieved 2015-01-09.

[3] "2020年度国民経済計算（2015年基準・2008SNA） : 経済社会総合研究所 - 内閣府". 内閣府ホームページ (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-05-18.

[4] Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Hyōgo prefecture" in Japan Encyclopedia, pp. 363-365, p. 363, at Google Books; "Kansai" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 477, p. 477, at Google Books.

[5] Nussbaum, "Kobe" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 537, p. 537, at Google Books.

[6] Nussbaum, "Provinces and prefectures" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 780, p. 780, at Google Books.

[7] Statistics Bureau of Japan

[8] "General overview of area figures for Natural Parks by prefecture" (PDF). Ministry of the Environment. Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 April 2012. Retrieved 4 February 2012.

[9] City.ako.hyogo.jp Archived 2006-07-08 at the Wayback Machine

[10] "XII Income of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries" (PDF). Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2015-09-19. Retrieved 2017-10-02.

[11] "RIKEN Advanced Institute for Computational Science". Archived from the original on 2017-09-26. Retrieved 2017-10-02.

[12] "JAL Guide to Japan – Matsuba Crab". Archived from the original on 2015-04-05. Retrieved 2015-04-02.

[13] Camden, Jim (August 20, 2013). "Washington, Japan celebrate 50 years". Spokesman-Review. Archived from the original on March 11, 2018. Retrieved March 11, 2018.

[14] "Celebrating 50 years with Hyogo, Japan". Washington State Library. August 19, 2013. Archived from the original on March 11, 2018. Retrieved March 11, 2018.

[15] "Sister Cities – City of Perth". Archived from the original on 2015-05-30.

[16] Hyogo.com.au Archived 2015-04-02 at the Wayback Machine

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Hyōgo Prefecture

History

Geography

Current municipalities

Islands

National parks

Mergers

Future mergers

Economy

Culture

National Treasures of Japan

Important Preservation Districts for Groups of Historic Buildings in Japan

Museums

Education

Universities

Amagasaki

Takarazuka

Sanda

Nishinomiya

Ashiya

Kobe

Kato

Akashi

Kakogawa

Himeji

Akō

High schools

Sports

Tourism

Festivals and events

Transportation

Rail

People movers

Road

Expressways

National highways

Ports

Airport

Notable people

Sister regions

See also

Notes

Citations

General references

External links

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