Aichi Prefecture

Aichi Prefecture (愛知県, Aichi-ken, pronounced [aitɕi̥ ꜜkeɴ]) is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshū.[2]: 11, 126  Aichi Prefecture has a population of 7,552,873 (as of 1 October 2019) and a geographic area of 5,172.92 square kilometres (1,997.28 sq mi) with a population density of 1,460 inhabitants per square kilometre (3,800/sq mi). Aichi Prefecture borders Mie Prefecture to the west, Gifu Prefecture and Nagano Prefecture to the north, and Shizuoka Prefecture to the east. Nagoya is the capital and largest city of the prefecture.

Aichi Prefecture
愛知県
Japanese transcription(s)
 • Japanese愛知県
 • RōmajiAichi-ken
Clockwise from top:
Flag of Aichi Prefecture
Official logo of Aichi Prefecture
Anthem: Warera ga Aichi
Map
Location of Aichi Prefecture
Coordinates: 35°10′43″N 136°54′50″E / 35.17861°N 136.91389°E / 35.17861; 136.91389
Country Japan
RegionChūbu (Tōkai)
IslandHonshu
CapitalNagoya
SubdivisionsDistricts: 7, Municipalities: 54
Government
 • GovernorHideaki Ōmura (since February 2011)
Area
 • Total5,172.92 km2 (1,997.28 sq mi)
 • Rank27th
Population
 (1 October 2019)
 • Total7,552,873
 • Rank4th
 • Density1,500/km2 (3,800/sq mi)
GDP
 • TotalJP¥ 40,911 billion
US$ 375.3 billion (2019)
ISO 3166 codeJP-23
Websitewww.pref.aichi.jp/global/en/index.html
Symbols of Japan
BirdOriental scops owl (Otus sunia japonicus)
FishKuruma prawn (Penaeus japonicus)
FlowerKakitsubata (Iris laevigata)
TreeHananoki (Acer pycnanthum)

Overview

Nagoya is the capital and largest city of Aichi Prefecture, and the fourth-largest city in Japan. Other major cities include Toyota, Okazaki, and Ichinomiya. Aichi Prefecture and Nagoya form the core of the Chūkyō metropolitan area, the third-largest metropolitan area in Japan and one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world.[2]: 685  Aichi Prefecture is located on Japan's Pacific Ocean coast and forms part of the Tōkai region, a subregion of the Chūbu region and Kansai region. Aichi Prefecture is home to the Toyota Motor Corporation. Aichi Prefecture had many locations with the Higashiyama Zoo and Botanical Gardens, The Chubu Centrair International Airport, and the Legoland Japan Resort.

Geography

Map of Aichi Prefecture
     Government Ordinance Designated City      City      Town      Village
Aichi Prefectural Government Office
Satellite photo of Mikawa Bay

Located near the center of the Japanese main island of Honshu, Aichi Prefecture faces the Ise and Mikawa Bays to the south and borders Shizuoka Prefecture to the east, Nagano Prefecture to the northeast, Gifu Prefecture to the north, and Mie Prefecture to the west. It measures 106 km (66 mi) east to west and 94 km (58 mi) south to north and forms a major portion of the Nōbi Plain. With an area of 5,172.48 square kilometres (1,997.11 sq mi) it accounts for approximately 1.36% of the total surface area of Japan. The highest spot is Chausuyama at 1,415 m (4,642 ft) above sea level.

The western part of the prefecture is dominated by Nagoya, Japan's third largest city, and its suburbs, while the eastern part is less densely populated but still contains several major industrial centers. Due to its robust economy, for the period from October 2005 to October 2006, Aichi was the fastest growing prefecture in terms of population, beating Tokyo, at 7.4% and around with after Saitama Prefecture.

As of 1 April 2012, 23% of the total land area of the prefecture was designated as Natural Parks, namely the Aichi Kōgen, Hida-Kisogawa, Mikawa Wan, and Tenryū-Okumikawa Quasi-National Parks along with seven Prefectural Natural Parks.[3]

Cities

Thirty-eight cities are located in Aichi Prefecture.

Towns and villages

These are the towns and villages in each district:

Demographics

Aichi prefecture population pyramid in 2020
Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
18901,473,099—    
19031,752,042+1.34%
19132,073,224+1.70%
19202,089,762+0.11%
19252,319,494+2.11%
19302,567,413+2.05%
19352,862,701+2.20%
19403,166,592+2.04%
19452,857,851−2.03%
19503,390,585+3.48%
19553,769,209+2.14%
19604,206,313+2.22%
19654,798,653+2.67%
19705,386,163+2.34%
19755,923,569+1.92%
19806,221,638+0.99%
19856,455,172+0.74%
19906,690,603+0.72%
19956,868,336+0.53%
20007,043,300+0.50%
20057,254,704+0.59%
20107,410,719+0.43%
20157,484,094+0.20%
Source: Statistics Bureau, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications[4]

As of 2001, Aichi Prefecture's population was 50.03% male and 49.97% female. 139,540 residents (nearly 2% of the population) are of foreign nationality.

Population by age (2001)

Age% population% male% female
0–910.2110.459.96
10–1910.7511.0210.48
20–2915.2315.7114.75
30–3914.8115.3114.30
40–4912.2112.4112.01
50–5915.2215.3115.12
60–6911.3111.2211.41
70–796.766.017.52
Over 803.122.014.23
Unknown0.380.540.23

Mergers

History

Originally, the region was divided into two provinces of Owari and Mikawa.[2]: 780  After the Meiji Restoration, Owari and Mikawa were united into a single entity. In 1871, after the abolition of the han system, Owari, with the exception of the Chita Peninsula, was established as Nagoya Prefecture, while Mikawa combined with the Chita Peninsula and formed Nukata Prefecture. Nagoya Prefecture was renamed to Aichi Prefecture in April 1872 and was united with Nukata Prefecture on November 27 of the same year.

The government of Aichi Prefecture is located in the Aichi Prefectural Government Office in Nagoya, which is the old capital of Owari. The Aichi Prefectural Police and its predecessor organisations have been responsible for law enforcement in the prefecture since 1871.

The Expo 2005 World Exposition was held in Seto and Nagakute.

Etymology

In the third volume of the Man'yōshū there is a poem by Takechi Kurohito that reads: "The cry of the crane, calling to Sakurada; it sounds like the tide, draining from Ayuchi flats, hearing the crane cry". Ayuchi is the original form of the name Aichi, and the Fujimae tidal flat is all that remains of the earlier Ayuchi-gata. It is now a protected area.[5][6]

For a time, an Aichi Station existed on the Kansai Line (at the time the Kansai Railway) between Nagoya and Hatta stations, but its role was overtaken by Sasashima-raibu Station on the Aonami Line and Komeno Station on the Kintetsu Nagoya Line.

Economy

Chūkyō Metropolitan Area

Gross domestic product (2018) is the second largest in Japan, the shipment value of manufactured goods (2018) is the first in Japan, annual product sales (2019) is the third largest in Japan, and its agricultural output (2018) is eighth in Japan. Aichi's agriculture industry and commerce are all ranked high in Japan, and the industrial structure is well-balanced.

Main industry

Companies headquartered in Aichi include the following.

Aichi SteelTōkai
Aisin SeikiKariya
Brother Industries, Ltd.Nagoya
Central Japan Railway CompanyNagoya
Denso CorporationKariya
Eisaku Noro CompanyIchinomiya
Kanesue CorporationIchinomiya
Makita CorporationAnjō
MatsuzakayaNagoya
Mizkan CorporationHanda
Nagoya RailroadNagoya
Nippon SharyoNagoya
NoritakeNagoya
Okuma CorporationŌguchi
Sumitomo RikoKomaki[7]
Toyota Motor CorporationToyota

Companies such as Fuji Heavy Industries, Mitsubishi Motors, Pfizer, Sony, Suzuki, Bodycote, and Volkswagen Group also operate plants or branch offices in Aichi.

International relations

Expo 2005

Sister Autonomous Administrative division

Transport

Rail

Nagoya Station and Nagoya Station building
Toyohashi Station and Toyohashi Railroad
Komaki Junction
Nagoya Expressway
Chubu Centrair International Airport, constructed on an artificial island
Nagoya Airfield
Port of Nagoya
Port of Mikawa
JR Central
Tokaido Shinkansen
Tokaido Line
Chūō Main Line
Kansai Line
Taketoyo Line
Iida Line
Meitetsu
 NH Nagoya Line
 IY Inuyama Line
 KM Komaki Line
 TA Centrair Line
 TA Tokoname Line
 ST Seto Line
 TK Toyokawa Line
 GN Gamagori Line
 TT Toyota Line
 KC Chita Line
 MU  MY Mikawa Line
 TB Bisai Line
 CH Chikko Line
 TB Tsushima Line
Kintetsu
 E Nagoya Line
Aonami Line
Nagoya Municipal Subway
Higashiyama Line
Meijo Line
Tsurumai Line (connecting to Meitetsu Toyota and Inuyama Line)
Sakura-dori Line
Meiko Line
Kamiiida Line (connecting to Meitetsu Komaki Line)
Toyohashi Railroad
Aichi Loop Line

People movers and tramways

  • Nagoya Guideway Bus
  • Linimo
  • Toyohashi Railroad

Road

Expressways and toll roads

National highways

Airports

Ports

  • Nagoya Port – International Container hub and ferry route to Sendai and Tomakomai, Hokkaido
  • Mikawa Port – mainly automobile and car parts export and part of inport base
  • Kinuura Port – Handa and Hekinan

Education

Universities

National universities

Public universities

Private universities

Senior high schools

Sports

Nagoya Dome
NagoyaHigashi-ku
Toyota Stadium
Toyota
Wing Arena Kariya
Kariya
Teva Ocean Arena
NagoyaMinato-ku
Paloma Mizuho Stadium
NagoyaMizuho-ku

The sports teams listed below are based in Aichi.

Baseball

Central League

Soccer

J.League
JFL
Tokai Regional League
L.League

Basketball

B.League

Volleyball

V.League

Rugby

Japan Rugby League One

Futsal

F.League

Football

X-League
AFL

Tourism

Nagoya Castle
Ōsu Kannon, Naka, Nagoya
Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology
SCMaglev and Railway Park
Daiju-ji
Akabane Beach, Tahara
Twin Arch 138 Tower in Kiso River Park, Ichinomiya

Notable sites in Aichi include the Meiji Mura open-air architectural museum in Inuyama, which preserves historic buildings from Japan's Meiji and Taishō periods, including the reconstructed lobby of Frank Lloyd Wright's old Imperial Hotel (which originally stood in Tokyo from 1923 to 1967).

Other popular sites in Aichi include the tour of Toyota car factory in the city by the same name, the monkey park in Inuyama, and the castles in Nagoya, Okazaki, Toyohashi, and Inuyama.

Aichi Prefecture has many wonderful beaches. For example, Himakajima Beach, Shinojima Beach, Akabane Beach and Utsumi Beach.

Notable people from Aichi

Festival and events

UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage[9]
Others

References

External links