Akita Prefecture
Template:Japanese prefecture Akita Prefecture (秋田県; Akita-ken) is located in the Tohoku region of northern Japan. The capital is the city of Akita.
History
The famous Heian period waka poet, Ono no Komachi, is said to have been born here (but the true location of her birth is uncertain).
Geography
Located in the north of Honshu Island, Akita Prefecture faces the Sea of Japan in the west and is bordered by Aomori in the north, Iwate in the east, Miyagi in the south east, and Yamagata in the south.
Akita Prefecture is rectangular in shape, roughly 181 km from north to south and 111 km from west to east. The Ou Mountains mark the eastern border of the prefecture, and the higher Dewa Mountains run parallel through the center of the prefecture. Like much of northern Japan, the prefecture has cold winters, particularly away from the sea.
Cities
- Akita (capital)
- Daisen
- Katagami
- Kazuno
- Kitaakita
- Nikaho
- Noshiro
- Oga
- Odate
- Senboku
- Yokote
- Yurihonjo
- Yuzawa
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Towns and villages
These are the towns and villages in each district.
Mergers
- The town of Misato in Senboku District was formed on November 12004 from the merger of the village Sennan and the towns Rokugou and Senhata.
- A former district, Kawabe including the towns of Kawabe and Yuwa, merged into the city of Akita on January 112005.
- The city of Kita-Akita was founded on March 222005 from the merger of the former towns of Aikawa, Ani, Moriyoshi, and Takanosu, all from Kita-Akita District.
- On March 222005, city of Omagari merged with the towns of Kamioka, Nishisenboku, Nakasen, Kyowa, Senboku, Ota, and the village of Nangai from Senboku District to form the new city of Daisen
- On March 222005 the city of Yurihonjo was formed from the merger of the former city of Honjo and the former town of Chokai, Higashiyuri, Iwaki, Nishime, Ouchi, Yashima and Yuri.
- On March 222005, the towns of Tennō, Iitagawa and Shōwa merged together to form the city of Katagami.
- On September 202005 the city of Senboku was formed from the merger of Kakunodate, Tazawako, and Nishiki.
- On October 12005, the towns of Hiraka, Jūmonji, Masuda, Omonogawa, Ōmori, and the villages of Sannai, and Taiyū merged into the city of Yokote.
- On October 12005, the town of Nikaho merged with the towns of Kisakata and Konoura to form the city of Nikaho.
More information on merger and dissolution of municipalities of Japan
Economy
Like much of Tohoku, Akita's economy remains dominated by traditional industries, such as agriculture, fishing, and forestry. This has led many young people to migrate to Tokyo and other large cities.
Tourism
Near Lake Tazawa, there are a number of hot springs resorts (onsen), these are popular with tourists from all over Japan. In addition there are a number of seasonal festivals (matsuri) which offer a glimpse of rural or traditional Japan.
Kakunodate is a particularly charming old town, full of preserved samurai houses. The Aoyagi house is the former residence of Odano Naotake, the man who illustrated Japan's first modern guide to the human anatomy. The house is now a museum and gallery of medical illustrations and traditional crafts.
External links
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