Tomono Prefecture

**Tomono Prefecture** [留笹近 ともの・こん] is a landlocked prefecture located in the Honzura region of Kanton. As of 2022, it had a total population of roughly 1.5 million, and is one of the largest surviving regions of rural and agricultural tradition in northern Kanton.

The prefectural capital is Tōwara, with other major cities including Akagetsu, Hitama, and Hyōmi. Tomono Prefecture is located in the central region of Honzura, with a good portion of its land being designated as natural parks.

## History

The present-day region of Tomono was once the eastern district of ancient Namema Province. It was once a centre of horse-breeding and trading activities for military personnel and high-ranking officials. Into the early medieval era, the horse became a vital part of Kantonese military maneuvers, quickly displacing the older tradition of fighting on foot. As a result of this, the east of Namema grew quickly as a provider of high-quality mounts for both military and upperclass use.

In the year 1503, the long-dormant volcano Mount Tohara erupted and caused huge amounts of damage to the central region of the prefecture. This event is known as the Tohara eruption, and played a large role in causing the Sanzama famine, which claimed the lives of over 500,000 people. In the following centuries, however, the volcanic ash and debris contributed to enriching the soil throughout the Hokuyama Valley region, creating a more arable environment for agriculture and somewhat increasing the region's productivity.

During the early 1700s, due to a mild population boom as a result of the growing merchant class, Tomono was divided into two different districts, each called Tamano and Mizayama Province respectively. The area was known collectively as Furuname; however, it was abolished in the late 1800s with modern Tomono Prefecture being established soon after.

In the late 1930s, the aviation pioneer Segano Shinji of Nōda City founded the Segano Aircraft Company. At first he produced mostly licensed models of foreign designs, but beginning with the all-Kantonese Segano 21 fighter place in 1943, his company became a world leader in aeronautical design and manufacture. With its headquarters still in Nōda, the factory now produces the popular brand of motorcars, Segano, and other products under the same name.

## Geography

As a landlocked prefecture located in Honzura, Tomono is considered one of the main 'breadbaskets' of the region; this is due to the large amount of flat, arable land present there. Unlike many other prefectures, the overall terrain is not very mountainous. It lies south of Hamae Prefecture, east of Saka Prefecture, and west of Mikei. Kōfu Prefecture is situated to the south.

There is a large swathe of low, arable land located in Tomono's southern district which is known as the Tōwara Valley and is considered one of northern Kanton's top breadbasket regions. It produces a large amount of agricultural, horticultural, and livestock products each year, and its industries employ hundreds of thousands. The prefecture is home to four National Parks: Ōzata, Shiraji, Kiyama, and Asanaki, most of which are popular tourist areas.

Tomono's east district is bordered by the lower trailing end of the Yūmi Mountains, while to the south lies a small section of the Taiyu range. In the northern corner of the prefecture are the Shiraji Mountains. The inactive volcano Mount Tohara stands in the centre of the prefecture as an isolated mountain. Some of the major peaks in the prefecture include:

* Mount Tohara (2,300m)
* Mount Ōhara (1,910m)
* Mount Shū [1,730m]
* Mount Shinobu [1,710m]
* Mount Ryōzen [1,680m]
* Mount Ganroku [1,430m]

### Major rivers and lakes

* Tohara River
* Ōki River
* Ōzui River
* Toharanoko River
* Kinozata River
* Tsuyū River
* Sanwa River
* Omiwara River
* Hondo River
* Kōhara River
* Hanaka River
* Lake Sakizu
* Lake Tori
* Lake Hyō
* Lake Nizuma
* Lake Hayami

### Climate

Due to Tomono's situation as a inland region, the difference in temperature in summer compared to winter is large, and there is less precipitation. This is caused by a strong, dry wind that occurs in wintertime when snow falls on the coasts of Saka Prefecture. The wind carrying snowclouds is obstructed by the southern edge of the Yūmi Mountains, where the snow falls but does not continue in Tomono Prefecture. Therefore, the region is distinguished for its lack of snowfall in the winter, although frost and hail is still common.

## Economy

Tomono's modern industries include agriculture, horticulture, manufacturing (especially electronics and transport equipment), and livestock breeding, concentrated around Akagetsu and the Tōwara Valley region. Other traditional industries include sericulture and cloth-dying. Tomono's major agricultural products include cabbage, onion, wheat, oats, rice, and potatoes. The city of Nōda is famed for its car industry, notably the Segano factory.

Tomono also fosters a large tourism industry due to its budding reputation as the 'outdoor adventure capital' of northern and central Kanton. The prefecture is known for its natural scenery, and many hiking trails, campgrounds and recreation centres have been established throughout the mountainous regions. Tomono is also known for its hot springs, most of which have a higher-than-average mineral content (which is traditionally esteemed). The most famous hot spring resort in the prefecture, Toharanoku Reijō, attracts over 5 million visitors annually.

## Culture

Tomono is home to two distinct dialects, the Tōryū and the Tomobura. The latter is common throughout the Tōwara region and most of the prefecture's population centres, while the Tōryū dialect is common in the northern Shiraji region and is also spoken in parts of northern Mikei Prefecture.

The prefecture is the home of the traditional card-matching game Shinza-takke (備残たっけ), which features people, places and things of regional and/or cultural importance. The famous *sugana* dolls also originate from Tomono Prefecture.

The city of Hitama is known for its history with the production of silk textiles and dyes. These textiles, known as *tomonoki*, are famous throughout Kanton for their high quality and distinctive, colourful aesthetic.

## Education

### Universities

* Tōnomi University - Tōwara campus
* Tōjira University of Social Welfare
* Aruma University
* Tomono University
* Akagetsu Institute of Technology
* Omiya University - Hyōmi campus
* Shinbon University
* Nōda Kanzuma University
* Nakamae City University of Economics
* Nakamae University of Commerce
* Tōnomi University - Nakamae campus

## Local attractions

Tomono has many hot spring resorts, the most famous of which is the Toharanoku resort located within the city of Akagetsu. Additionally, the four large mountainous and forested National Parks of the prefecture are popular with visitors for their scenic beauty. The most notable prefectural attractions include:

* Tomono Temple
* Akagano Forest
* Shinsui Falls
* Ketsubaya Castle
* Tanizake Temple
* Ketsuminozake Temple
* Hirake Falls
* Toharami Gorge
* Takayuki Reijō
* Kazabetsu Falls
* Watersports on Lake Sakizu

### Festivals

* Tōwara Oktoberfest
* Tōwara Summer Festival
* Tōwara Lantern Festival
* Hissen Light Parade
* Tsuyū Tangao Festival