Miyagi Prefecture

is a prefecture of Japan. It is part of the Tōhoku region of the island of Honshu.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Miyagi prefecture" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 648. The capital city is Sendai.Nussbaum, "Sendai" at p. 841.

 History 
Miyagi Prefecture used to be part of Mutsu Province.Nussbaum, "Mutsu" at p. 676. That province was in the northern part of Honshu. It was made from land taken from the indigenous Emishi. The province became the largest as it expanded to the north. The ancient capital was in modern Miyagi Prefecture.

During the Sengoku period, various clans ruled different parts of the province. Date Masamune was a close ally of the Tokugawa. He established Sendai, which is now the largest town of the Tōhoku region.

In the Meiji period, four new provinces were created from parts of Mutsu: Rikuchū, Rikuzen, Iwaki, and Iwashiro. In 1871, Sendai Prefecture was formed.  It was renamed Miyagi prefecture the following year.

2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami

On March 11, 2011, a 9.0-magnitude earthquake and major tsunami hit Miyagi Prefecture. It caused major damage to the area."Japan earthquake: Tsunami hits north-east," BBC. March 11, 2011; retrieved 2012-3-13. The tsunami was about 10 meters high in parts of Miyagi Prefecture.Williams, Martyn. "Report from Japan: Impact of Tsunami Devastates Nation's Northeast," Voice of America, March 11, 2011; retrieved 2012-3-13.

 Cities 
There are thirteen cities in Miyagi Prefecture:
Higashimatsushima
Ishinomaki
Iwanuma
Kakuda
Kesennuma
Kurihara
NatoriŌsaki
Sendai (capital)
Shiogama
Shiroishi
Tagajō
Tome

Towns and villages

These are the towns and villages in each district:
Igu District
Marumori
Kami District
Kami
Shikama
Katta District
Shichikashuku
Zaō
Kurokawa District
Ōhira
Ōsato
Taiwa
TomiyaMiyagi District
Matsushima
Rifu
Shichigahama
Motoyoshi District
Minamisanriku
Oshika District
Onagawa
Shibata District
Kawasaki
Murata
Ōgawara
ShibataTōda District
Misato
Wakuya
Watari District
Watari

National parks
National parks cover about 23% 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. They include:
 Rikuchu Kaigan National ParkJapan Ministry of the Environment, "Rikuchu Kaigan National Park" ; retrieved 2012-3-19.

 Economy 
Farming, fishing and sake brewing are all important in Miyagi. As of March 2011, the prefecture made 4.7% of Japan's rice, 23% of its oysters, and 15.9% of its saury fish.Schreiber, Mark. "Japan's food crisis goes beyond recent panic buying,"  Japan Times, April 17, 2011; retrieved 2012-3-13. Manufacturing around Sendai is a larger part of the economy. The area produces electronics, appliances, and processed food.

 Education 
Universities
Miyagi University
Miyagi University of Education
Miyagi Gakuin Women's University
Sendai University
Sendai Shirayuri Women's College
Tohoku University
Tohoku Gakuin University
Tohoku Bunka Gakuen University
Tohoku Institute of Technology
Tohoku Fukushi University
Tohoku Seikatsu Bunka College
Tohoku Pharmaceutical University
Shokei Gakuin University
Ishinomaki Senshu University

 Transportation 
 Train 
JR East
Tohoku Shinkansen
Tohoku Line
Joban Line
Senseki Line
Senzan Line
Ishinomaki Line
Rikuu East Line
Ofunato Line
 Sendai Municipal Subway Nanboku Line
 Abukuma Express Railway
 Sendai Airport Railway

 Airports
Sendai Airport was badly damaged by the 2011 tsunami.

 Sight-seeing 
Sendai was the castle town of the daimyo Date Masamune. The remains of Sendai Castle are on a hill above the city.

Miyagi Prefecture has one of Japan's Three Great Views. Matsushima Bay is full of small islands with old pine trees on them. Many visitors come here every year and many artists have painted the islands.

The following are also noted as attractions:

 Aoba Castle
 Ichibanchō
 Akiu Hot Spring
 Iwai Point
 Kinkasan Islet
 Naruko Hot Spring

 Rikuchu Coast
 Okama Crater Lake
 Zao Botanical Garden
 Zao Hot Spring
 Matushima
 Shiogama 

 Festivals and events 
 Aoba Festival, Suzume Dancing – May
 Sendai Tanabata Festival – August 6 to 8
 Sendai Pageant of Starlight – December
 Shiogama Port Festival – July
 Shiroishi Kokeshi Exhibition – May 3 to 5
 Narugo Kokeshi Festival – September

Shrines and temples
Shigogama jinja is the main Shinto shrine (ichinomiya) in the prefecture."Nationwide List of Ichinomiya," p. 2 ; retrieved 2012-3-13.

Related pages
 Provinces of Japan
 Prefectures of Japan
 List of regions of Japan
 List of islands of Japan
 Vegalta Sendai
 Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles

References

 Other websites 

 http://www.pref.miyagi.jp/english/index.htm ; Official 


Category:1871 establishments in Japan