Okayama Prefecture

is a Japanese prefecture in the Chūgoku region of the island of Honshū.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Okayama-ken" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 745; "Chūgoku" at p. 127. The capital city is Okayama.Nussbaum, "Okayama" at p. 745.

 History 
During the Meiji Restoration, the area of Okayama Prefecture was known as Bitchū Province, Bizen Province and Mimasaka Province.Nussbaum, "Provinces and prefectures" at p. 780.

 Geography 
Okayama Prefecture borders Hyōgo Prefecture its the west, Tottori Prefecture on its north and Hiroshima Prefecture on its east. It faces Kagawa Prefecture in Shikoku to the west across the Seto Inland Sea. The prefecture includes 90 islands.

Cities
There are 15 cities in Okayama Prefecture:
Akaiwa
Asakuchi
Bizen
Ibara
Kurashiki
Maniwa
Mimasaka
Niimi
Okayama (capital)
Setouchi
Sōja
Takahashi
Tamano
Tsuyama

National Parks
National Parks are established in about 11% 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
Kibitsuhiko jinja and Kibitsu jinja are the chief Shinto shrines (ichinomiya) in the prefecture."Nationwide List of Ichinomiya," p. 3 ; retrieved 2012-8-26.

 Geography 
The islands of the prefecture, includes Inujima, Kasaoka Islands, Manabeshima, Shiraishi Island, Shiwaku Islands, and Tsuru Shima.

Related pages
 Provinces of Japan
 Prefectures of Japan
 List of regions of Japan
 List of islands of Japan
 Fagiano Okayama
 Okayama Prefectural Museum

References

 Other websites 

 http://www.pref.okayama.jp/kikaku/kokusai/momo/e/ ;  
 Official tourism site