Ibaraki Prefecture

is a prefecture in the Kantō region of Japan on the island of Honshu.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Ibaraki-ken" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 367; "Kantō" at p. 479. The capital is Mito.Nussbaum, "Mito" at p. 642.

History
In 1871, Ibaraki Prefecture was created from Hitachi Province.Nussbaum, "Provinces and prefectures" at p. 780.

Geography
Ibaraki Prefecture is the northeastern part of Kantō. It is between Tochigi Prefecture and the Pacific Ocean. Fukushima Prefecture is its neighbor to the north and Chiba Prefecture is to the south. Saitama Prefecture is to the southwest. There are many mountains in the northern part of the prefecture. The rest of the prefecture is a flat plain with many lakes.

Cities
There are thirty-two cities in Ibaraki Prefecture:
Bandō
Chikusei
Hitachi
Hitachinaka
Hitachiōmiya
Hitachiōta
Hokota
Inashiki
Ishioka
Itako
JōsōKamisu
Kasama
Kashima
Kasumigaura
Kitaibaraki
Koga
Mito (capital)
Moriya
Naka
Namegata
OmitamaRyūgasaki
Sakuragawa
Shimotsuma
Takahagi
Toride
Tsuchiura
Tsukuba
Tsukubamirai
Ushiku
Yūki

Towns and villages

Towns and villages in each district:
Higashiibaraki District
Ibaraki
Ōarai
Shirosato
Inashiki District
Ami
Kawachi
MihoKitasōma District
Tone
Kuji District
Daigo
Naka District
TōkaiSashima District
Goka
Sakai
Yūki District
Yachiyo

National Parks
National Parks are established in about 15% 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
Kashima jinja are the chief Shinto shrines (ichinomiya) in the prefecture.  
"Nationwide List of Ichinomiya," p. 1 ; retrieved 2012-3-14.

Related pages
 Provinces of Japan
 Prefectures of Japan
 List of regions of Japan
 List of islands of Japan
 Kashima Antlers
 Mito Hollyhock

References