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Hiroshima

Table of Contents

Hiroshima Prefecture (広島県, Hiroshima-ken)

Hiroshima Prefecture

Prefectures of Japan Hiroshima

is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region of Honshu.[1] Hiroshima Prefecture has a population of 2,811,410 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of 8,479 km² (3,274 sq mi). Hiroshima Prefecture borders Okayama Prefecture to the east, Tottori Prefecture to the northeast, Shimane Prefecture to the north, and Yamaguchi Prefecture to the southwest.

Hiroshima is the capital and largest city of Hiroshima Prefecture, and the largest city in the Chūgoku region, with other major cities including Fukuyama, Kure, and Higashihiroshima.[2] Hiroshima Prefecture is located on the Seto Inland Sea across from the island of Shikoku, and is bounded to the north by the Chūgoku Mountains. Hiroshima Prefecture is one of the three prefectures of Japan with more than one UNESCO World Heritage site.

Prefectures of Japan Hiroshima

Hiroshima Prefecture

広島県

Prefecture

Japanese Shijitai transcription(s)

• Japanese

廣島縣

• Rōmaji

Hiroshima-ken

Flag

Symbol

Country

Japan

Subdivisions

Districts: 5, Municipalities: 23

Government

• Governor

Hidehiko Yuzaki (since November 2009)

Area

• Total

8,479.63 km² (3,274.00 sq mi)

Area rank

11th

Population

(June 1, 2019)

• Total

2,811,410

• Rank

12th

• Density

330/km² (860/sq mi)

ISO 3166 code

JP-34

Website

pref.hiroshima.lg.jp


Symbols
Bird	Red-throated diver (Gavia stellata)
Tree	Japanese maple (Acer palmatum)

History

Prefectures of Japan Hiroshima

See also: Historic Sites of Hiroshima Prefecture

The area around Hiroshima was formerly divided into Bingo Province and Aki Province.[3] This location has been a center of trade and culture since the beginning of Japan’s recorded history. Hiroshima is a traditional center of the Chūgoku region and was the seat of the Mōri clan until the Battle of Sekigahara.

Together with Nara and Tokyo, Hiroshima is one of the three prefectures with more than one UNESCO World Heritage site. The two such sites in Hiroshima Prefecture are:

The Atomic Dome in Hiroshima, one of the few remnants of prewar Hiroshima following the atomic bombing in 1945;
The Itsukushima Shrine in Miyajima, famed for filling with water and appearing to “float” during high tide.

Geography

Hiroshima prefecture lies in the middle of Japan . Most of the prefecture consists of mountains leading towards Shimane Prefecture; and rivers produce rich plains near the coast.

The province faces Shikoku across the Seto Inland Sea. Hiroshima Bay opens on the Inland Sea.[4] The prefecture also includes many small islands.

The sheltered nature of the Inland Sea makes Hiroshima’s climate very mild.

As of 1 April 2014, 4% of the total land area of the prefecture was designated as Natural Parks (the lowest percentage of any prefecture), namely Setonaikai National Park; Hiba-Dōgo-Taishaku and Nishi-Chūgoku Sanchi Quasi-National Parks; and six Prefectural Natural Parks.[5]

Cities

Fourteen cities are located in Hiroshima Prefecture:

Name		Area (km²)	Population	Map
Rōmaji	Kanji	Area (km²)	Population	Map
Akitakata	安芸高田市	538.17	31,565
Etajima	江田島市	100.97	24,596
Fuchū	府中市	195.71	43,932
Fukuyama	福山市	518.14	468,812
Hatsukaichi	廿日市市	489.36	117,106
Higashihiroshima	東広島市	635.32	185,418
Hiroshima (capital)	広島市	906.68	1,199,391
Kure	呉市	352.8	228,030
Mihara	三原市	471.03	97,324
Miyoshi	三次市	778.19	53,616
Onomichi	尾道市	284.85	141,811
Ōtake	大竹市	78.57	27,684
Shōbara	庄原市	1,246.6	35,870
Takehara	竹原市	118.3	26,035

Towns

These are the towns in each district:

Name		Area (km²)	Population	District	Type	Map
Rōmaji	Kanji	Area (km²)	Population	District	Type	Map
Akiōta	安芸太田町	342.25	6,585	Yamagata District	Town
Fuchū	府中町	10.45	52,056	Aki District
Jinsekikōgen	神石高原町	381.81	9,427	Jinseki District
Kaita	海田町	13.81	29,082	Aki District
Kitahiroshima	北広島町	645.86	19,115	Yamagata District
Kumano	熊野町	33.62	24,000	Aki District
Ōsakikamijima	大崎上島町	43.24	7,801	Toyota District
Saka	坂町	15.64	13,265	Aki District
Sera	世羅町	278.29	19,213	Sera District

Economy

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1890	1,319,507	—
1903	1,508,713	+1.04%
1913	1,691,699	+1.15%
1920	1,541,905	−1.32%
1925	1,617,680	+0.96%
1930	1,692,136	+0.90%
1935	1,804,916	+1.30%
1940	1,869,504	+0.71%
1945	1,885,471	+0.17%
1950	2,081,967	+2.00%
1955	2,149,044	+0.64%
1960	2,184,043	+0.32%
1965	2,281,146	+0.87%
1970	2,436,135	+1.32%
1975	2,646,324	+1.67%
1980	2,739,161	+0.69%
1985	2,819,200	+0.58%
1990	2,849,847	+0.22%
1995	2,881,748	+0.22%
2000	2,878,915	−0.02%
2005	2,876,642	−0.02%
2010	2,860,750	−0.11%
2015	2,844,963	−0.11%
source:^[6]

Hiroshima’s main industries include automobiles (Mazda is headquartered there) and tourism in two World Heritage sites: the A-Bomb dome and Itsukushima Shrine.

Components of the economy are primary industry, secondary industry, and tertiary industry, which compose 0.6%, 32.6%, and 66.2% in 2015. There is 0.6% of unclassified production.^[7]

Value of production of manufacturing is 10,343 billion yen in 2016, which is the 10th largest in Japan. After 2012, production of manufacturing is continuously increasing in 2015.^[8]

Demographics

The prefecture’s population was 2,101,969, as of 1 September 2007, with approximately 1.8 million people in the cities and the rest in towns and villages.[23] The percentage of male and female residents is 48.4% and 51.6%, respectively.[23] 14.4% of the population is no more than 14 years old, with 22.1% of the population being at least 65 years old.[23]

According to Japan’s census, the country’s center of population is located in Gifu Prefecture. In 2000, it was located in the former town of Mugi, which has since merged with Seki. In the most recent census in 2005, the center of population has moved slightly more to the east, but is still located within Gifu.

Education

University

Religion

Religious denominations in the Hiroshima Prefecture (1996)^[9]

Pure Land Buddhism (35.3%)

Zen Buddhism (3.6%)

Tendai or Shingon Buddhism (4.4%)

Soka Gakkai (4.9%)

Nichiren Buddhism (3%)

Other Buddhist schools (1%)

Christianity (2%)

Shinto sects (2%)

Folk Shinto or no religion (44.8%)

Similar to the rest of Japan, most people in the Hiroshima Prefecture are Shinto or Buddhist. in 1996 51.2% of the population was Buddhist, 2 were affiliated with Shinto Sects, 44.8% practiced Folk Shinto, and 2% were Christian.^[9]

Transportation

Railway

People movers

Streetcars

Hiroshima Electric Railway

Roads

Expressways

Chugoku Expressway
Sanyo Expressway
Shimanami Expressway
Hamada Expressway
Onomichi Expressway
Hiroshima Expressway (West Nippon Expressway Company)
Hiroshima Expressway (urban expressway)

National highways

Route 2
Route 31
Route 54
Route 182
Route 183
Route 185
Route 186
Route 191
Route 261
Route 313
Route 314
Route 317
Route 375
Route 432
Route 433
Route 434
Route 486
Route 487
Route 488

Ports

Kure Port – Ferry route to Edajima, Matsuyama
Hiroshima Port – Ferry route to Miyajima, Edajima, Matsuyama and Beppu, and also International Container hub port
Mihara Port
Onomichi Port
Fukuyama Port – International Container hub port