Hiroshima Prefecture

is a Japanese prefecture in the Chūgoku region of the island of Honshu.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005).  "Hiroshima-ken" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 320;  "Chūgoku" at pp. 127. The capital city is Hiroshima.Nussbaum,  "Hiroshima" at pp. 319-320.

 History 
The area of Bingo Province and Aki Province were merged in Hiroshima Prefecture.Nussbaum,  "Provinces and prefectures" at p. 780.

Hiroshima is a traditional center of the Chūgoku region and was the seat of the Mōri clan until the Battle of Sekigahara.

Hiroshima is home to two UNESCO World Heritage sites:
 Atomic Dome in Hiroshima, one of the few remnants of prewar Hiroshima following the atomic bombing in 1945
 Itsukushima Shrine in Miyajima, famed for appearing to "float" during high tide

 Geography 
Hiroshima faces Shikoku across the Seto Inland Sea. Hiroshima Bay opens on the Inland Sea.Nussbaum,  "Hiroshima Wan" at p. 320.  The prefecture also includes many small islands.

Yamaguchi Prefecture is to the south and west of the prefecture Shimane Prefecture is to the northwest.  East of Hiroshima is Okayama Prefecture.

National Parks
National Parks are established in about 4% of the total land area of the prefecture.Japan Ministry of the Environment, "General overview of area figures for Natural Parks by prefecture"; retrieved 2012-3-13.

Shrines and Temples
Itsukushima jinja is the chief Shinto shrine (ichinomiya) in the prefecture."Nationwide List of Ichinomiya," p. 3 ; retrieved 2012-8-26.

Related pages
 Provinces of Japan
 Prefectures of Japan
 List of regions of Japan
 List of islands of Japan
 Sanfrecce Hiroshima
 Hiroshima Toyo Carp

 References 

Other websites

 ; 
 National Archives of Japan  ... Hiroshima map (1891) 
 National Archives of Japan:  Itsukushima kakei, illustrated scroll describing Itsukushima, text by Kaibara Ekiken (circa 1720)