Miyagi Prefecture

Miyagi Prefecture

宮城県
Miyagi Prefecture 宮城県
Prefecture
Japanese transcription(s)
• Japanese	宮城県
• Rōmaji	Miyagi-ken
	Matsushima Okama Crater Lake in Mount Zao Sendai Street Tanabata on August Narugo Kokeshi Museum First Glance Thousand Tree of Cherry blossoms in Ōkawara Autumn color in Mount Kurikoma Zunda sweets Kinkasan
	Flag Symbol
	Anthem: Kagayaku Kyōdo
Country	Japan
Region	Tōhoku
Island	Honshu
Capital	Sendai
Subdivisions	Districts: 10, Municipalities: 35
Government
• Governor	Yoshihiro Murai
Area
• Total	7,282.22 km2 (2,811.68 sq mi)
• Rank	16th
Population (August 1, 2023)
• Total	2,265,724
• Rank	15th
• Density	310/km2 (810/sq mi)
GDP
• Total	JP¥ 9,829 billion; US$ 90.2 billion (2019)
ISO 3166 code	JP-04
Website	www.pref.miyagi.jp
Symbols of Japan
Bird	Wild goose
Flower	Miyagi bush clover (Lespedeza thunbergii)
Tree	Japanese zelkova; (Zelkova serrata)

Miyagi Prefecture (宮城県, Miyagi-ken) is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region of Honshu.^[2] Miyagi Prefecture has a population of 2,265,724 (1 August 2023) and has a geographic area of 7,282 km² (2,812 sq mi). Miyagi Prefecture borders Iwate Prefecture to the north, Akita Prefecture to the northwest, Yamagata Prefecture to the west, and Fukushima Prefecture to the south.

Sendai is the capital and largest city of Miyagi Prefecture, and the largest city in the Tōhoku region, with other major cities including Ishinomaki, Ōsaki, and Tome.^[3] Miyagi Prefecture is located on Japan's eastern Pacific coast and bounded to the west by the Ōu Mountains, the longest mountain range in Japan, with 24% of its total land area being designated as Natural Parks. Miyagi Prefecture is home to Matsushima Islands, a group of islands ranked as one of the Three Views of Japan, near the town of Matsushima.

History

Miyagi Prefecture was formerly part of the province of Mutsu.^[4]

2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami

On March 11, 2011, a 9.0 magnitude earthquake and a subsequent major tsunami hit Miyagi Prefecture, causing major damage to the area.^[5] The tsunami was estimated to be approximately 10 metres (33 ft) high in Miyagi Prefecture.^[6]

On April 7, 2011, a magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck off the coast of Miyagi, Japan. Workers were then evacuated from the nearby troubled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear facility once again, as a tsunami warning was issued for the coastline. Residents were told to flee for inner land at that time.

In 2013, Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako visited the prefecture to see the progress made since the tsunami.^[7]

Geography

Miyagi Prefecture is in the central part of Tōhoku, facing the Pacific Ocean, and contains Tōhoku's largest city, Sendai. There are high mountains on the west and along the northeast coast, but the central plain around Sendai is fairly large.

Matsushima is known as one of the three most scenic views of Japan, with a bay full of 260 small islands covered in pine groves.

Oshika Peninsula projects from the northern coastline of the prefecture.

As of 31 March 2019, 24% of the total land area of the prefecture was designated as Natural Parks, namely the Sanriku Fukkō National Park; Kurikoma and Zaō Quasi-National Parks; and Abukuma Keikoku, Asahiyama, Funagata Renpō, Futakuchi Kyōkoku, Kenjōsan Mangokuura, Kesennuma, Matsushima, and Zaō Kōgen Prefectural Natural Parks.^[8]^[9]

In addition, Miyagi Prefecture is a prefecture that is particularly prone to earthquakes even in Japan, which is an earthquake-prone country. Large earthquakes occur frequently Miyagi offshore, and earthquakes also occur frequently inland. In the 2011 Tohoku earthquake that occurred Miyagi offshore, Miyagi Prefecture suffered the most damage nationwide.

Cities

Fourteen cities are located in Miyagi Prefecture:

Name		Area (km²)	Population	Population density (per km²)	Map
Rōmaji	Kanji	Area (km²)	Population	Population density (per km²)	Map
Higashimatsushima	東松島市	101.36	39,098	385.73
Ishinomaki	石巻市	554.55	140,151	252.73
Iwanuma	岩沼市	60.45	44,068	729.00
Kakuda	角田市	147.53	27,976	189.63
Kesennuma	気仙沼市	332.44	61,147	183.93
Kurihara	栗原市	804.97	64,637	80.30
Natori	名取市	98.17	78,718	801.85
Ōsaki	大崎市	796.76	127,330	159.81
Sendai (capital)	仙台市	786.3	1,096,704	1394.77
Shiogama	塩竈市	17.37	52,203	3005.35
Shiroishi	白石市	286.48	32,758	114.35
Tagajō	多賀城市	19.69	62,827	3190.81
Tome	登米市	536.12	76,037	141.83
Tomiya	富谷市	49.18	51,651	1050.24

Towns and villages

These are the towns and villages in each district:

Name		Area (km²)	Population	Population density (per km²)	District	Type	Map
Rōmaji	Kanji	Area (km²)	Population	Population density (per km²)	District	Type	Map
Kami	加美町	460.67	21,943	47.63	Kami District	Town
Kawasaki	川崎町	270.77	8,637	31.90	Shibata District	Town
Marumori	丸森町	273.3	13,092	47.90	Igu District	Town
Matsushima	松島町	53.56	13,804	257.73	Miyagi District	Town
Minamisanriku	南三陸町	163.4	12,516	76.60	Motoyoshi District	Town
Misato	美里町	74.95	24,565	327.75	Tōda District	Town
Murata	村田町	78.38	10,675	136.20	Shibata District	Town
Ōgawara	大河原町	24.99	23,618	945.10	Shibata District	Town
Ōhira	大衡村	60.32	5,918	98.11	Kurokawa District	Village
Onagawa	女川町	65.35	6,319	96.69	Oshika District	Town
Ōsato	大郷町	82.01	7,972	97.31	Kurokawa District	Town
Rifu	利府町	44.89	36,014	802.27	Miyagi District	Town
Shibata	柴田町	54.03	37,617	696.22	Shibata District	Town
Shichigahama	七ヶ浜町	13.19	18,447	1398.56	Miyagi District	Town
Shichikashuku	七ヶ宿町	263.09	1,323	5.03	Katta District	Town
Shikama	色麻町	109.28	6,723	61.52	Kami District	Town
Taiwa	大和町	225.49	28,436	126.11	Kurokawa District	Town
Wakuya	涌谷町	82.16	15,763	191.86	Tōda District	Town
Watari	亘理町	73.6	33,459	454.61	Watari District	Town
Yamamoto	山元町	64.58	12,100	187.36	Watari District	Town
Zaō	蔵王町	152.83	11,790	77.14	Katta District	Town

Mergers

Economy

Although Miyagi has a good deal of fishing and agriculture, producing a great deal of rice and livestock, it is dominated by the manufacturing industries around Sendai, particularly electronics, appliances, and food processing.

As of March 2011, the prefecture produced 4.7% of Japan's rice, 23% of oysters, and 15.9% of sauries.^[10]

In July 2011, the Japanese government decided to ban all shipments of beef cattle from northeast Miyagi Prefecture over fears of radioactive contamination.^[11] This has since been rescinded.

Demographics

According to Japanese census data, Miyagi prefecture experienced its greatest period of growth from 1940 to 1950 and continued to exhibit growth up until the 21st century.^[12] Nevertheless, like the majority of Japan, the population of Miyagi has begun to slowly decline. The prefectural capital of Sendai, however, has seen a moderate, but steady rise in population over the past twenty years.^[13]

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±%
1890	735,100	—
1920	962,000	+30.9%
1930	1,143,000	+18.8%
1940	1,271,000	+11.2%
1950	1,663,000	+30.8%
1960	1,743,000	+4.8%
1970	1,819,000	+4.4%
1980	2,082,000	+14.5%
1990	2,249,000	+8.0%
2000	2,365,320	+5.2%
2010	2,348,165	−0.7%
2020	2,301,996	−2.0%

Education

University

Transportation

Rail

Roads

Expressways and toll roads

National highways

National Route 4 (Nihonbashi of Tokyo–Kasukabe–Utsunomiya–Koriyama–Sendai–Furukawa–Ichinoseki–Morioka–Towada–Aomori)
National Route 6 (Nihonbashi of Tokyo–Mito–Iwaki–Soma–Sendai)
National Route 45 (Sendai–Ishinomaki–Ofunato–Kamaishi–Kuji–Hachinohe–Towada)
National Route 47 (Furukawa–Narugo–Shinjyo–Sakata)
National Route 48 (Sendai–Yamagata)
National Route 108
National Route 113
National Route 286
National Route 342
National Route 346
National Route 347
National Route 349
National Route 398
National Route 399
National Route 456
National Route 457

Ports

Sendai Port – Ferry route to Tomakomai, Hokkaido and Nagoya, container hub port
Ishinomaki Port – Ferry route to Mount Kinka and Tashiro Island.
Matsushima Bay

Airports

Sendai Airport

Sports

The sports teams listed below are based in Miyagi Prefecture.

Baseball
- Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles (Miyagi Baseball Stadium, Sendai)
- Tohoku Reia
Football (soccer)
- Vegalta Sendai (Yurtec Stadium Sendai, Sendai)
- Sony Sendai F.C. (Yurtec Stadium Sendai, Sendai)
- Vegalta Sendai Ladies (Yurtec Stadium Sendai, Sendai)
Basketball
- Sendai 89ERS (Sendai Gymnasium, Sendai)
Volleyball
- Sendai Bellefille
Futsal
- Voscuore Sendai
Professional wrestling
- Sendai Girls' Pro Wrestling

Also, the Sendai Hi-Land Raceway hosts motorsport road races.

Visitor attractions

Sendai was the castle town of the daimyō Date Masamune. The remains of Sendai Castle stand on a hill above the city.

Miyagi Prefecture boasts one of Japan's three greatest sights. Matsushima, the pine-clad islands, dot the waters off the coast of the prefecture.

The following are also noted as attractions:

Naruko Hot Spring
Rikuchu Coast
Okama Crater Lake
Zao Botanical Garden
Zao Hot Spring

Famous festivals and events

View of Traditional New Year's sale in Sendai

Sendai New Year's traditional Sale on January 2
Shiroishi Kokeshi Exhibition, May 3–5
Aoba Festival, Suzume Odori traditional Japanese dance event in May
Shiogama Port Festival in July
Sendai Tanabata Festival, August 6–8
Sendai Pageant of Starlight in December

Popular culture

Miyagi Prefecture is one of the main settings of the manga and anime series Haikyū!!. The most well-known fictional schools located there are Karasuno High School, Aoba Johsai High School, Date Tech High and Shiratorizawa Academy, as well as Sendai City Gymnasium. Another anime series Wake Up, Girls! is also set in Miyagi Prefecture.