Ehime Prefecture
- "Ehime" redirects here. For the school ship, see Ehime Maru and USS Greeneville collision.
| Ehime Prefecture | |||||||||
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| Capital | Matsuyama | ||||||||
| Region | Shikoku | ||||||||
| Island | Shikoku | ||||||||
| Governor | Moriyuki Katō | ||||||||
| Area (rank) | 5,676.44 km² (26th) | ||||||||
| - % water | % | ||||||||
| Population (2000) | |||||||||
| - Population | 1,493,126 (27th) | ||||||||
| - Density | 263 /km² | ||||||||
| Districts | 7 | ||||||||
| Municipalities | 20 | ||||||||
| ISO 3166-2 | JP-38 | ||||||||
| Website | www.pref.ehime.jp/index-e.htm | ||||||||
| Prefectural symbols | |||||||||
| - Flower | Satsuma mandarin (Citrus unshiu) | ||||||||
| - Tree | Pine (Pinus) | ||||||||
| - Bird | Japanese robin (Erithacus akahige) | ||||||||
| - Fish | {{{Fish}}} | ||||||||
 Symbol of Ehime Prefecture |
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| Template ■ Discussion ■ WikiProject Japan | |||||||||
Ehime Prefecture (愛媛県 Ehime-ken) is a prefecture in northwestern Shikoku, Japan. The capital is Matsuyama.
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History
Until the Meiji Restoration, Ehime prefecture was known as Iyo Province. Since before the Heian period, the area was dominated by fishermen and sailors who played an important role in defending Japan against pirates and Mongol invasions.
After the Battle of Sekigahara, the Tokugawa shogun gave the area to his allies, including Kato Yoshiaki who built Matsuyama Castle, forming the basis for the modern city of Matsuyama.
The name Ehime comes from the Kojiki and means "beautiful maiden."
Geography
Located in the northwestern part of Shikoku, Ehime faces the Seto Inland Sea to the north and is bordered by Kagawa and Tokushima in the east and Kōchi in the south.
The prefecture includes both high mountains in the inland region and a long coastline, with many islands in the Seto Inland Sea. The westernmost arm of Ehime, the Sadamisaki Peninsula, is the narrowest peninsula in Japan.
Cities
Eleven cities are located in Ehime Prefecture:
- Imabari
- Iyo
- Matsuyama (capital)
- Niihama
- Ōzu
- Saijō
- Seiyo
- Shikokuchūō
- Tōon
- Uwajima
- Yawatahama
Towns and villages
These are the towns and villages in each district.
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† Scheduled to be merged [2].
Mergers
Former districts:
- Uwa District (historical)
- Uma District
- Shūsō District
- Onsen District
Economy
The area around Matsuyama has a number of industries, including shipbuilding, chemicals, oil refining, and paper and textile products. The rural areas of the prefecture mostly engage in agricultural and fishing industries, and are particularly known for citrus fruit such as mikan (tangerine) and iyokan and cultured pearls.
Ikata's nuclear power plant produces a large portion of Shikoku's electricity.
Sports
The sports teams listed below are based in Ehime.
Football (soccer)
- Ehime F.C.
Baseball
- Ehime Mandarin Pirates
Culture
The oldest extant hot spring, Dogo Onsen, is located in Matsuyama. It has been used for over two thousand years.[1].
Museums
- Museum of Ehime History and Culture
References
External links
- Official Ehime prefecture website (English)
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Ehime Prefecture
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