Hokkaidō Prefecture

is a special Japanese prefecture in Hokkaidō region on the island Hokkaidō.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2002). "Hokkaido" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 343.  It is the most northern prefecture of Japan.

Sapporo is the capital city of Hokkaido.

History

Until the Meiji Restoration, the island was called Ezo, Watari-shima, Yeddo, and Yezo.  Since 1869, it has been called Hokkaidō.

The population expanded in the late 19th century.

Timeline
 1947 (Shōwa 22): Hokkaidō Prefecture was established.Travel-around-Japan.com,  "Former Hokkaido Government office building"; retrieved 2012-2-14.

 2008 (Heisei 20): The 34th G8 summit was held in Toyako.Japan, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA): 34th G8 summit, overview.

Geography
Hokkaidō is the 2nd largest island of Japan The island is between the Sea of Japan to the west, the Sea of Okhotsk to the northeast, the Pacific Ocean to the southeast, and the Tsugaru Strait to the south. 

Hokkaidō is separated from Honshu by the Tsugaru Strait; however, it is connected by the underwater Seikan tunnel.

Some of the Chishima Islands are occupied by Russia, but Japan still considers the islands to be Japanese.

National Parks
Natural Parks are established in about 10% of the total land area of the prefecture.Japan Ministry of the Environment, "General overview of area figures for Natural Parks by prefecture"; retrieved 2012-3-14.

Shrines and Temples
Hokkaidō jingū was the chief Shinto shrine (ichinomiya) of Ezo, which was an ancient name for the Hokkaidō region.Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1963). The Vicissitudes of Shinto, p. 328.

Related pages
 Provinces of Japan
 Prefectures of Japan
 List of regions of Japan
 List of islands of Japan
 Consadole Sapporo

References

Other websites 

  Murdoch's map of provinces, 1903