is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region of Honshu.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Yamaguchi-ken" in ; "Chūgoku" at . Yamaguchi Prefecture has a population of 1,377,631 (1 February 2018) and has a geographic area of 6,112 km2 (2,359 sq mi). Yamaguchi Prefecture borders Shimane Prefecture to the north and Hiroshima Prefecture to the northeast.
Yamaguchi is the capital and Shimonoseki is the largest city of Yamaguchi Prefecture, with other major cities including Ube, Shūnan, and Iwakuni.Nussbaum, "Yamaguchi" at . Yamaguchi Prefecture is located at the western tip of Honshu with coastlines on the Sea of Japan and Seto Inland Sea, and separated from the island of Kyushu by the Kanmon Straits.
History
Yamaguchi Prefecture was created by the merger of the provinces of Suō and Nagato.Nussbaum, "Provinces and prefectures" in . During the rise of the samurai class during the Heian and Kamakura Periods (794–1333), the Ouchi family of Suō Province and the Koto family of Nagato Province gained influence as powerful warrior clans. In the Muromachi period (1336—1573), Ouchi Hiroyo, the 24th ruler of the Ouchi family conquered both areas of Yamaguchi Prefecture. The Ouchi clan imitated the city planning of Kyoto. They gained great wealth through cultural imports from the continent and trade with Korea and Ming Dynasty China. As a result, Yamaguchi came to be known as the "Kyoto of the West," and Ouchi culture flourished. Sue Harutaka defeated the 31st ruler of the Ouchi clan. The Sue clan was then defeated by Mōri Motonari, and the Mōri family gained control of the Chūgoku region. Yamaguchi was ruled as part of the Mōri clan domain during the Sengoku period. Mōri Terumoto was then defeated by Tokugawa Ieyasu in the battle of Sekigahara in 1600. He was forced to give up all his land except for the Suō and Nagato areas (current-day Yamaguchi Prefecture), where he built his castle in Hagi. Mōri sought to strengthen the economic base of the region and increase local production with his Three Whites campaign (salt, rice, and paper).
After Commodore Matthew Perry's opening of Japan, clans from Nagato (also called Chōshū) played a key role in the fall of the Tokugawa shogunate and the establishment of the new imperial government. Four years after the Edo Shogunate was overthrown and the Meiji government formed in 1868, the present Yamaguchi Prefecture was established. The Meiji government brought in many new systems and modern policies, and promoted the introduction of modern industry, though the prefecture was still centered on agriculture during this period. In the Taishō period, from 1912 to 1926, shipbuilding, chemical, machinery, and metal working plants were built in Yamaguchi's harbors in the Seto Inland Sea area. During the post-World War II Shōwa Period, Yamaguchi developed into one of the most industrialized prefectures in the country due to the establishment of petrochemical complexes.
Geography As of April 1, 2012, 7% of the total land area of the prefecture was designated as Natural Parks, namely the Setonaikai National Park; Akiyoshidai, Kita-Nagato Kaigan, and Nishi-Chūgoku Sanchi Quasi-National Parks; and Chōmonkyō, Iwakiyama, Rakanzan, and Toyota Prefectural Natural Parks.
Current municipalities
Cities Thirteen cities are located in Yamaguchi Prefecture. NameArea (km2)PopulationMapRōmajiKanji Hagi萩市698.3143,233 Hikari光市92.1349,100 Hōfu防府市189.37114,846 Iwakuni岩国市873.72127,512 Kudamatsu下松市89.3556,892 Mine美祢市472.6421,919 Nagato長門市357.3131,518 San'yō-Onoda山陽小野田市133.0959,867 Shimonoseki下関市716.18248,193 Shūnan周南市656.29137,019 Ube宇部市286.65159,256 Yamaguchi (capital)山口市1,023.23191,470 Yanai柳井市140.0529,821
Towns These are the towns in each district: NameArea (km2)PopulationDistrictMapRōmajiKanji Abu阿武町115.953,054Abu District Hirao平生町34.5911,064Kumage District Kaminoseki上関町34.692,340Kumage District Suō-Ōshima周防大島町138.1713,774Ōshima District Tabuse田布施町50.4214,411Kumage District Waki和木町10.585,927Kuga District
Mergers
Economic development For the purposes of development analysis, Yamaguchi is construed to be part of Northern Kyushu. Although Yamaguchi is not part of the island of Kyushu, it has become a functional satellite of the Kanmon Straits metropolitan area.Sakamoto, Hiroshi. (2011). "CGE Analysis of Regional Policy in the Northern Kyushu Area." Kitakyushu: The International Centre for the Study of East Asian Development (ICSEAD), Working Paper Series Vol. 2011-03
Demographics
Per Japanese census data,Yamaguchi 1995-2020 population statistics Yamaguchi prefecture had negative population growth from 1955 to 1973, and from 1985–present.
Tourism The most popular place for tourism is Shimonoseki, which has the Karato Fish Market and a large fireworks festival in summer.
Another attraction is the Kintai Bridge in the town of Iwakuni. This five-arched wooden structure is considered a symbol of Western Honshū. The area on the banks of the Nishiki river close to the bridge is considered among the best places in Japan for Hanami, when groups of family and friends gather in early April to view cherry blossoms.
Hagi City is in the north of Yamaguchi. It is a very traditional city. The usual color of Japanese post boxes is red, but in Hagi they are painted green or brown. The Hagi Museum is modeled after a traditional samurai residence. The exhibits are detailed and realistic, and are changed every year. The permanent collection is data about Hagi's history and collections about Takasugi Shinsaku. Hagi also contains a reverberatory furnace which has been designated a World Heritage Site.
Kawara soba (hot tile noodles) is a popular dish in Yamaguchi. It was developed during the Seinan Rebellion when soldiers cooked wild grass and meat on hot tiles. Today people in Yamaguchi create this dish by frying green tea noodles on a hot tile, and arranging a thin fried egg, stewed beef, green onions, and grilled liver on top.
Akiyoshidai Quasi-National Park, which includes Japan's longest cave, the , is another popular destination.
Famous festivals and events Kintaikyo Festival in Iwakuni - held on April 29 Nishiki River Water Festival in Iwakuni - held in August Iwakuni Festival in August Yokomichi Festival, Kintai Bridge November 19 Yanai Goldfish Lantern Festival in August Yamaguchi Gion Festival on July 20 to 27 Yamaguchi Tanabata Lantern Festival on August 6 to 7 Hagi Era Festival in April Hagi Festival on August 2 to 3 Shimonoseki Strait Festival on May 2 to 4 Shimonoseki Firework Festival in August
Education High schools
Universities Baiko Gakuin University (private) National Fisheries University (national) Shimonoseki City University (public) Tokyo University of Science, Yamaguchi (public) Ube Frontier University (private) University of East Asia (private) Yamaguchi Gakugei College (private) Yamaguchi Prefectural University (public) Yamaguchi University (national) Yamaguchi University of Human Welfare and Culture (private)
Transportation
Ferries from Shimonoseki Port International Terminal Two ferry services provide regular sea transport from the Shimonoseki Port International Terminal: Kanpu Ferry provides round-trip service to Busan, South Korea; the Orient Ferry provides round-trip service to Qingdao and Shanghai, respectively.
Kanpu ferry to Busan in South Korea regularly Gwangyang Beech to Gwangyang in South Korea regularly Orient ferry to Qingdao in China regularly Orient ferry to Shanghai in China regularly
Other ferry routes Shunan-Kunisaki, Kyushu Yanai-Matsuyama, Shikoku
Air Iwakuni Kintaikyo Airport Yamaguchi Ube Airport
Railway Nishikigawa Railway West Japan Railway Company Gantoku Line Onoda Line Mine Line Sanin Line Sanyō Shinkansen San'yō Main Line Ube Line Yamaguchi Line
Roads
Expressways Chūgoku Expressway Sanyo Expressway
Toll roads Hagi Misumi Road Kanmon Bridge Yamaguchi Ube Onoda Road Ogori Hagi Road Kanmon Road Tunnel
National highways Route 2 Route 9 Route 187 (Iwakuni-Tsuwano-Masuda) Route 188 (Iwakuni-Yanai-Hikari-Kudamatsu) Route 189 Route 190 Route 191 Route 262 Route 315 (Shunan-Hagi) Route 316 Route 376 (Yamaguchi-Shunan-Iwakuni) Route 434 Route 435 Route 437 Route 489 Route 490 Route 491
Prefectural symbols Tree: Red pine tree (Pinus densiflora) Flower: Bitter summer mandarin blossom (Citrus natsudaidai) Bird: Hooded crane (Grus monacha) Fish: Tetraodontidae (Takifugu rubripes) Beast: Sika deer (Cervus nippon nippon) Mascot: Choruru
Media
Newspapers Yamaguchi Shimbun
TV KRY TV (NNN) NHK TV TSS TV/TNC TV (FNN) TYS TV (JNN) YAB TV (ANN)
Radio FMY (JFN)
Notable people from Yamaguchi Prefecture
Business Aikawa Yoshisuke Japanese entrepreneur, businessman, politician, and founder of the Nissan zaibatsu Yanai Tadashi, Japanese businessman, founder and president of Fast Retailing, of which Uniqlo is a subsidiary Yamaguchi Harukichi, founder of the Yamaguchi-gumi, born near Kobe but his entire family hailed from Yamaguchi. Viscount Inoue Masaru, "father of the Japanese railways", member of the Chōshū Five, the first Japanese students to study in England following the opening of Japan
Entertainment Anno Hideaki, film director known for Neon Genesis Evangelion. Filmed scenes of Shiki-Jitsu in his hometown of Ube. Housako Kaori, professional wrestler currently signed to WWE and former World Wonder Ring Stardom employee Karyu, guitarist of the band D'espairsRay. The band had a "homecoming" in Yamaguchi in 2007 and 2009. Michishige, a Japanese idol who is one of the sixth-generation members of Japanese idol group Morning Musume Mikami Shinji, video game designer; the God-father of the survival horror genre of video games Mitsutada Yasunori, composer Ruka (rapper), main rapper in Babymonster Sadamoto Yoshiyuki, a Japanese character designer, manga artist, and founding member of Gainax Shaura, singer Tamura Atsushi of the comic duo London Boots Ichi-go Ni-go is from Shimonoseki Urushibara Yuki, manga artist, creator of Mushishi Utada Teruzane, music producer, manager and father of Hikaru Utada
Government Prime ministers Shinzo Abe, Nobusuke Kishi, and Eisaku Satō, post-war Prime Ministers (56, 57, 61, 62, 63, 90, 96, 97, & 98th). They form the nucleus of the modern Satō-Kishi-Abe political dynasty Prince Itō Hirobumi, first prime minister of Japan (and the 5th, 7th & 10th), genrō, and member of the Chōshū Five Kan Naoto, 94th Prime Minister born in Ube Prince Katsura Tarō, genro, Governor General of Taiwan, Minister of War, and the 11th, 13th, & 15th Prime Minister Baron Tanaka Giichi, Army Minister, Foreign Minister, and the 26th Prime Minister Count Terauchi Masatake, gensui, Governor General of Korea, and the 18th Prime Minister Prince Yamagata Aritomo, genro, Army Chief of Staff, and the 3rd and 9th Prime Minister
Other government officials Abe Shintaro, former Minister of Foreign Affairs and General Secretary of the LDP. Father of Shinzo Abe Marquess Inoue Kaoru, genro, Foreign and Finance Minister, member of the Chōshū Five Kido Takayoshi, one of the Three Great Nobles, architects of the Meiji Restoration Matsuoka Yōsuke, diplomat, Foreign Minister, architect of the WWII era Tripartite Pact Yoshimasa Hayashi serves as Minister for Foreign Affairs since November 2021. Born in Shimonoseki
Military Baron Arichi Shinanojō, admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy, Chief of the Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff Baron Arisaka Nariakira, lieutenant general in the Imperial Japanese Army, inventor of the Arisaka Rifle Count Hasegawa Yoshimichi, Imperial Japanese Army field marshal and Governor General of Korea Iida Shojiro, a Japanese general during World War II who led the invasions of Thailand and Burma Count Nogi Maresuke, general in the Imperial Japanese Army, and a prominent figure in the Russo-Japanese War Ōmura Masujirō, "Father of the modern Japanese Army"