# Aichi Prefecture

Aichi Prefecture (愛知県, Aichi-ken, pronounced) is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshū.$^{:11,126}$ Aichi Prefecture has a population of 7,461,111 (as of 1 January 2025) and a geographic area of 5,172.92 square kilometres (1,997.28 sq mi) with a population density of 1,442 inhabitants per square kilometre (3,730/sq mi). Aichi Prefecture borders Mie Prefecture to the west, Gifu Prefecture and Nagano Prefecture to the north, and Shizuoka Prefecture to the east. Nagoya is the capital and largest city of the prefecture.

## Overview

Nagoya is the capital and largest city of Aichi Prefecture, and the fourth-largest city in Japan. Other major cities include Toyota, Okazaki, and Ichinomiya. Aichi Prefecture and Nagoya form the core of the Chūkyō metropolitan area, the third-largest metropolitan area in Japan and one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world.$^{:685}$ Aichi Prefecture is located on Japan's Pacific Ocean coast and forms part of the Tōkai region, a subregion of the Chūbu region and Kansai region. Aichi Prefecture is home to the Toyota Motor Corporation. Aichi Prefecture had many locations with the Higashiyama Zoo and Botanical Gardens, The Chubu Centrair International Airport, and the Legoland Japan Resort.

## Geography

Located near the center of the Japanese main island of Honshu, Aichi Prefecture faces the Ise and Mikawa Bays to the south and borders Shizuoka Prefecture to the east, Nagano Prefecture to the northeast, Gifu Prefecture to the north, and Mie Prefecture to the west. It measures 106 km (66 mi) east to west and 94 km (58 mi) south to north and forms a major portion of the Nōbi Plain. With an area of 5,172.48 square kilometres (1,997.11 sq mi) it accounts for approximately 1.36% of the total surface area of Japan. The highest spot is Chausuyama at 1,415 m (4,642 ft) above sea level.
The western part of the prefecture is dominated by Nagoya, Japan's third largest city, and its suburbs, while the eastern part is less densely populated but still contains several major industrial centers. Due to its robust economy, for the period from October 2005 to October 2006, Aichi was the fastest growing prefecture in terms of population, beating Tokyo, at 7.4% and around with after Saitama Prefecture.
As of 1 April 2012, 23% of the total land area of the prefecture was designated as Natural Parks, namely the Aichi Kōgen, Hida-Kisogawa, Mikawa Wan, and Tenryū-Okumikawa Quasi-National Parks along with seven Prefectural Natural Parks.

### Cities

Thirty-eight cities are located in Aichi Prefecture.
* Aisai
* Ama
* Anjō
* Chiryū
* Chita
* Gamagōri
* Handa
* Hekinan
* Ichinomiya
* Inazawa
* Inuyama
* Iwakura
* Kariya
* Kasugai
* Kitanagoya
* Kiyosu
* Komaki
* Kōnan
* Miyoshi
* Nagakute
* Nagoya (capital)
* Nishio
* Nisshin
* Okazaki
* Ōbu
* Owariasahi
* Seto
* Shinshiro
* Tahara
* Takahama
* Tokoname
* Tōkai
* Toyoake
* Toyohashi
* Toyokawa
* Toyota
* Tsushima
* Yatomi
* Gamagōri
* Inuyama
* Nagoya
* Okazaki
* Toyota
* Tsushima
* Toyohashi

### Towns and villages

These are the towns and villages in each district:
* Aichi District
** Tōgō
* Ama District
** Kanie
** Ōharu
** Tobishima
* Chita District
** Agui
** Higashiura
** Mihama
** Minamichita
** Taketoyo
* Kitashitara District
** Shitara
** Tōei
** Toyone
* Nishikasugai District
** Toyoyama
* Niwa District
** Fusō
** Ōguchi
* Nukata District
** Kōta
* Ama District, Kanie
* Chita District, Minamichita
* Kitashitara District, Toyone
* Niwa District, Ōguchi
* Nukata District, Kōta

### Demographics

As of 2001, Aichi Prefecture's population was 50.03% male and 49.97% female. 139,540 residents (nearly 2% of the population) are of foreign nationality.

#### Population by age (2001)

| Age | % population | % male | % female |
| 0–9 | 10.21 | 10.45 | 9.96 |
| 10–19 | 10.75 | 11.02 | 10.48 |
| 20–29 | 15.23 | 15.71 | 14.75 |
| 30–39 | 14.81 | 15.31 | 14.30 |
| 40–49 | 12.21 | 12.41 | 12.01 |
| 50–59 | 15.22 | 15.31 | 15.12 |
| 60–69 | 11.31 | 11.22 | 11.41 |
| 70–79 | 6.76 | 6.01 | 7.52 |
| Over 80 | 3.12 | 2.01 | 4.23 |
| Unknown | 0.38 | 0.54 | 0.23 |

### Mergers
## History

Originally, the region was divided into two provinces of Owari and Mikawa.$^{:780}$ After the Meiji Restoration, Owari and Mikawa were united into a single entity. In 1871, after the abolition of the han system, Owari, with the exception of the Chita Peninsula, was established as Nagoya Prefecture, while Mikawa combined with the Chita Peninsula and formed Nukata Prefecture. Nagoya Prefecture was renamed to Aichi Prefecture in April 1872 and was united with Nukata Prefecture on November 27 of the same year.
The government of Aichi Prefecture is located in the Aichi Prefectural Government Office in Nagoya, which is the old capital of Owari. The Aichi Prefectural Police and its predecessor organisations have been responsible for law enforcement in the prefecture since 1871.
The Expo 2005 World Exposition was held in Seto and Nagakute.

### Etymology

In the third volume of the Man'yōshū there is a poem by Takechi Kurohito that reads: "The cry of the crane, calling to Sakurada; it sounds like the tide, draining from Ayuchi flats, hearing the crane cry". Ayuchi is the original form of the name Aichi, and the Fujimae tidal flat is all that remains of the earlier Ayuchi-gata. It is now a protected area.
For a time, an Aichi Station existed on the Kansai Line (at the time the Kansai Railway) between Nagoya and Hatta stations, but its role was overtaken by Sasashima-raibu Station on the Aonami Line and Komeno Station on the Kintetsu Nagoya Line.

## Economy

Gross domestic product (2018) is the second largest in Japan, the shipment value of manufactured goods (2018) is the first in Japan, annual product sales (2019) is the third largest in Japan, and its agricultural output (2018) is eighth in Japan. Aichi's agriculture industry and commerce are all ranked high in Japan, and the industrial structure is well-balanced.

### Main industry

* Aerospace Industry
* Automotive industry
* Ceramics Industry
* Steel, Alloy steel Industry
Companies headquartered in Aichi include the following.
| Aichi Steel | Tōkai |
| Aisin Seiki | Kariya |
| Brother Industries, Ltd. | Nagoya |
| Central Japan Railway Company | Nagoya |
| Denso Corporation | Kariya |
| Eisaku Noro Company | Ichinomiya |
| Kanesue Corporation | Ichinomiya |
| Makita Corporation | Anjō |
| Matsuzakaya | Nagoya |
| Mizkan Corporation | Handa |
| Nagoya Railroad | Nagoya |
| Nippon Sharyo | Nagoya |
| Noritake | Nagoya |
| Okuma Corporation | Ōguchi |
| Sumitomo Riko | Komaki |
| Toyota Motor Corporation | Toyota |
Companies such as Fuji Heavy Industries, Mitsubishi Motors, Pfizer, Sony, Suzuki, Bodycote, and Volkswagen Group also operate plants or branch offices in Aichi.

## International relations
### Sister regions

* Victoria, Australia – May 2, 1980 (1980-05-02)
* Jiangsu, China – July 28, 1980 (1980-07-28)
* Bangkok, Thailand – July 9, 2012 (2012-07-09)
* Guangdong, China – November 25, 2013 (2013-11-25)
* Gyeonggi Province, South Korea – November 10, 2015 (2015-11-10)
* Texas, United States – April 22, 2016 (2016-04-22)
* Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam – September 13, 2016 (2016-09-13)
* Washington, United States – October 18, 2016 (2016-10-18)
* Brussels, Flemish Region, Wallonia, Belgium – May 15, 2017 (2017-05-15)
* Indiana, United States – September 15, 2017 (2017-09-15)
* Kentucky, United States – October 23, 2017 (2017-10-23)
* Occitanie, France – June 5, 2018 (2018-06-05)
* São Paulo, Brazil – September 10, 2018 (2018-09-10)

## Transport
### Rail
#### JR Central

    Tokaido Shinkansen
    ■Tokaido Line
    ■Chūō Main Line
    ■Kansai Line
    ■Taketoyo Line
    ■Iida Line

#### Meitetsu

    NH Nagoya Line
    IY Inuyama Line
    KM Komaki Line
    TA Centrair Line
    TA Tokoname Line
    ST Seto Line
    TK Toyokawa Line
    GN Gamagori Line
    TT Toyota Line
    KC Chita Line
    MU MY Mikawa Line
    TB Bisai Line
    CH Chikko Line
    TB Tsushima Line

#### Kintetsu

    E Nagoya Line

#### Nagoya Municipal Subway

    Higashiyama Line
    Meijo Line
    Tsurumai Line (connecting to Meitetsu Toyota and Inuyama Line)
    Sakura-dori Line
    Meiko Line
    Kamiiida Line (connecting to Meitetsu Komaki Line)

#### Aichi Loop Line
### People movers and tramways

* Linimo
* Nagoya Guideway Bus
* Toyohashi Railroad

### Road

Expressways and toll roads
* Chita across Road
* Chita Peninsula Road
* Chubu International Airport Connecting Road
* Chuo Expressway
* Higashi-Meihan Expressway (East Meihan Expressway)
* Isewangan Expressway (Ise Bayside Expressway)
* Meishin Expressway
* Mei-Nikan Expressway
* Nagoya Expressway
* Nagoya Seto Road
* Shin-Meishin Expressway
* Shin-Tōmei Expressway
* South Chita Road
* Tokai-Hokuriku Expressway
* Tomei Expressway
National highways
* Route 1
* Route 19 (Nagoya-Kasugai-Tajimi-Nagiso-Matsumoto-Nagano)
* Route 22 (Nagoya-Ichinomiya-Gifu)
* Route 23 (Ise-Matsuzaka-Suzuka-Yokkaichi-Nagoya-Toyoake-Chiryu-Gamagori-Toyohashi)
* Route 41 (Nagoya-Komaki-Inuyama-Gero-Takayama-Toyama)
* Route 42
* Route 151
* Route 153
* Route 154
* Route 155 (Tokoname-Chita-Kariya-Toyota-Seto-Kasugai-Komaki-Ichinomiya-Tsushima-Yatomi)
* Route 247
* Route 248
* Route 257 (Hamamatsu-Shinshiro-Toyota-Ena-Nakatsugawa-Gero-Takayama)
* Route 259
* Route 301
* Route 302
* Route 362
* Route 363
* Route 366
* Route 419
* Route 420
* Route 473 (Gamagori-Okazaki-Toyota-Shitara-Hamamatsu)
* Route 474
* Route 475

### Airports

* Chubu Centrair International Airport
* Nagoya Airfield

### Ports

* Kinuura Port – Handa and Hekinan
* Mikawa Port – mainly automobile and car parts export and part of inport base
* Nagoya Port – International Container hub and ferry route to Sendai and Tomakomai, Hokkaido

## Education
### Universities

National universities
* Aichi University of Education
* Graduate University for Advanced Studies - Okazaki Campus (National Institute for Basic Biology, Japan, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Japan)
* Nagoya Institute of Technology
* Nagoya University
* Toyohashi University of Technology
* Aichi University of Education
* Graduate University for Advanced Studies
* Nagoya Institute of Technology
* Nagoya University
* Toyohashi University of Technology
Public universities
* Aichi Prefectural University
* Aichi Prefectural University of the Arts
* Nagoya City University
* Aichi Prefectural University
* Aichi Prefectural University of the Arts
* Nagoya City University
Private universities
* Aichi Bunkyo University
* Aichi Gakuin University
* Aichi Gakusen University
* Aichi Institute of Technology
* Aichi Medical University
* Aichi Mizuho College
* Aichi Sangyo University
* Aichi Shukutoku University
* Aichi Toho University
* Aichi University
* Aichi University of Technology
* Chubu University
* Chukyo University
* Daido University
* Doho University
* Fujita Health University
* Globis University Graduate School of Management – Nagoya Campus
* Japanese Red Cross Toyota College of Nursing
* Kinjo Gakuin University
* Meijo University
* Nagoya Bunri University
* Nagoya College of Music
* Nagoya Gakuin University
* Nagoya Keizai University
* Nagoya Sangyo University
* Nagoya University of Arts
* Nagoya University of Arts and Sciences
* Nagoya University of Commerce & Business
* Nagoya University of Foreign Studies
* Nagoya Women's University
* Nagoya Zokei University
* Nanzan University
* Nihon Fukushi University
* Ohkagakuen University
* Okazaki Women's Junior College
* Seijoh University
* Seisa University – Nagoya Schooling Campus
* Shigakkan University
* Shubun University
* Sugiyama Jogakuen University
* Tokai Gakuen University
* Tokyo University of Social Welfare – Nagoya Campus
* Toyohashi Sozo College
* Toyota Technological Institute
* University of Human Environments
* Aichi University
* Aichi Gakuin University
* Chubu University
* Chukyo University
* Meijo University
* Nagoya University of Foreign Studies
* Nanzan University
* Toyota Technological Institute

### Senior high schools
## Sports

The sports teams listed below are based in Aichi.

### Baseball
#### Central League

* Chunichi Dragons (Nagoya)

### Soccer
#### J.League

* Nagoya Grampus (Nagoya and Toyota)

#### JFL

* FC Maruyasu Okazaki (Okazaki)

#### Tokai Regional League

* FC Kariya (Kariya)

#### L.League

* NGU Loveledge Nagoya (Nagoya)

### Basketball
#### B.League

* Aisin AW Areions Anjo (Anjō)
* Nagoya Diamond Dolphins (Nagoya)
* SAN-EN NeoPhoenix (Toyohashi and Hamamatsu)
* SeaHorses Mikawa (Kariya)
* Toyotsu Fighting Eagles Nagoya (Nagoya)

### Volleyball
#### V.League

* Denso Airybees (Nishio)
* JTEKT Stings (Kariya)
* Toyoda Gosei Trefuerza (Inazawa)
* Toyota Auto Body Queenseis (Kariya)

### Rugby
#### Japan Rugby League One

* Shuttles Aichi (Kariya)
* Toyota Verblitz (Toyota)

### Futsal
#### F.League

* Nagoya Oceans (Nagoya)

### Football
#### X-League

* Aichi Golden Wings (Nagoya and Toyota)
* Kirix Toyota Bull Fighters (Toyota)
* Nagoya Cyclones (Nagoya)

#### AFL

* Nagoya Redbacks Australian Football Club (AFL Japan) (Nagoya)

## Tourism

Notable sites in Aichi include the Meiji Mura open-air architectural museum in Inuyama, which preserves historic buildings from Japan's Meiji and Taishō periods, including the reconstructed lobby of Frank Lloyd Wright's old Imperial Hotel (which originally stood in Tokyo from 1923 to 1967).
Other popular sites in Aichi include the tour of Toyota car factory in the city by the same name, the monkey park in Inuyama, and the castles in Nagoya, Okazaki, Toyohashi, and Inuyama.
Aichi Prefecture has many wonderful beaches. For example, Himakajima Beach, Shinojima Beach, Akabane Beach and Utsumi Beach.
* Atsuta Shrine
* Toyokawa Inari
* Inuyama Castle
* Kiyosu Castle and Kiyosu Castle Park in Kiyosu
* Okazaki Castle
* Tokugawa Art Museum
* Meiji-mura
* Toyota Automobile Museum
* Flight of Dreams
* Tokoname pottery footpath
* Laguna Ten Bosch
* Utsumi Beach(Chidorigahama)
* Himakajima
* Shinojima
* Sakushima
* Nishiura Onsen
* Site of Expo 2005
* Field Mustard, Tahara
* Higashiyama Zoo and Botanical Gardens
* Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium
* Chiiwa Gorge
* Mount Hōraiji
* Obara shikizakura
* Chausuyama Plateau
* Katahara Onsen(Hydrangea Park)
* The ruins of Matsudaira
* Sakurabuchi Park
* Thousand Rice Paddies of Yotsuya
* Kisogawazutsumi
* Nomazaki Lighthouse
* View of Cape Irago from Irago Ocean Resort
* Legoland Japan

## Notable people from Aichi

* F Chopper Koga (Japanese: FチョッパーKOGA, romanized: Efu Choppā Koga), bass player and leader of the rock band Gacharic Spin
* Yūki Ishikawa (石川祐希), professional volleyball player, Japan National Team, Power Volley Milano Italy Super Lega
* Takahiro Sakurai (born 1974), Japanese actor, narrator and radio personality
* Syoh Yoshida (born 1984), Japanese artist
* Yuki Yamada (actor) (born 1990), Japanese actor
* Yoshiaki Katayama (born 1993), racing driver
* Tatsuya Kataoka (born 1975), racing driver
* Haruna Ono (musician), lead vocals and rhythm guitarist for the rock band Scandal
* Mami Sasazaki (musician), lead guitar and vocalist for the rock band Scandal
* Suzuki Ichiro, professional baseball player, member of Japan national baseball team, 2x time World Baseball Classic Champion and hall of famer
* Koji Kondo (born 1961), composer and pianist born in Nagoya who works on video game soundtracks for Nintendo
* Kazuchika Okada (born 1987), professional wrestler from Anjō
* Akira Toriyama (1955–2024), manga artist and character designer from Kiyosu
* Aoi Morikawa (born 1995), actress and model
* Sato Keigo (born 1998), singer, member of JO1
* Kimata Syoya (born 2000), singer, member of JO1
* Kimura Masaya (born 1997), singer, dancer, member of INI (Japanese boy group)
* Sakurai Miu (born 2002), singer, member of Me:I
* Kato Cocoro (born 2000), singer, member of Me:I
* Maria Makino, idol singer and member of Morning Musume

## Festival and events
### UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage

* Owari Tsushima Tenno Matsuri (Aisai, Tsushima)
* Inuyama Festival (Inuyama)
* Kamezaki Shiohi Festival (Handa)
* Chiryu Festival (Chiryū)
* Sunari Festival (Ama District Kanie)
* Owari Tsushima Tennōsai (eve)
* Inuyama Festival
* Kamezaki Shiohi Festival
* Chiryu Festival
* Sunari Festival

### Others

* Nagoya Festival (Nagoya City)
* Tsutsui-chō/Dekimachi Tennō Festival (Nagoya Higashi-ku)
* Miya Festival (Gamagōri)
* Toyohama Sea bream Festival (Chita District Minamichita Town)
* Okkawa Festival (Handa)
* Hōnen Matsuri (Komaki)
* Omanto festival (Takahama)
* Kōnomiya Hadaka Matsuri (Inazawa)
* Tezutsu Matsuri (Toyohashi, Toyokawa)
* Nagashino festival (Shinshiro)
* Mando festival (Kariya)
* Isshiki Lantern Festival (Nishio)
* Toba Fire Festival (Nishio)
* Owari Tsushima Autumn Festival (Tsushima)
* Nagoya Festival
* Tsutsui-chō/Dekimachi Tennō Festival
* Miya Festival
* Toyohama Sea bream Festival
* Okkawa Festival
* Hōnen Matsuri
* Omanto festival
* Kōnomiya Hadaka Matsuri
* Toyokawa Tezutsu Matsuri
* Nagashino festival
* Mando festival
* Isshiki Lantern Festival
* Toba Fire Festival
* Owari Tsushima Autumn Festival