Nagano Prefecture

Nagano Prefecture
Japanese transcription(s)
– Japanese	長野県
– Rōmaji	Nagano-ken
Symbol of Nagano Prefecture
Country	Japan
Region	Chūbu
Island	Honshū
Capital	Nagano
Government
– Governor	Shuichi Abe
Area
– Total	13,585.22 km2 (5,245.3 sq mi)
Area rank	4th
Population (February 1, 2011)
– Total	2,148,425
– Rank	16th
– Density	158.14/km2 (409.6/sq mi)
ISO 3166 code	JP-20
Districts	14
Municipalities	77
Flower	Gentian (Gentiana scabra var. buergeri)
Tree	White birch (Betula platyphylla var. japonica)
Bird	Rock ptarmigan (Lagopus muta)
Website	www.pref.nagano.jp/ english/indexe.htm

Nagano Prefecture (長野県, Nagano-ken^?) is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of the island of Honshū.^[1] The capital is the city of Nagano.^[2]

History

Map of Nagano Prefecture.

Hida Mountains (Aug 2006)

Nagano was formerly known as the province of Shinano.^[3] This province was divided among many local daimyo during the Sengoku period.

Nagano was host to the 1998 Winter Olympics, which gained the prefecture international recognition as well as gaining the prefecture a Shinkansen line to Tokyo.

Geography

Nine of the twelve highest mountains in Japan can be found in this inland prefecture. Nagano is also the prefecture which is bordered by the highest number of other prefectures in Japan and it contains the location which is the furthest point from the ocean anywhere in Japan. Lakes featured within the region include Lake Kizaki, a beach resort popular for its water attractions and games.

The province's mountains have made it relatively isolated, and many people come for its mountain resorts and hot springs.

Cities

Nineteen cities are located in Nagano Prefecture:

Azumino Chikuma Chino Iida Iiyama Ina Komagane

Komoro Matsumoto Nagano (capital) Nakano Okaya Ōmachi

Saku Shiojiri Suwa Suzaka Tōmi Ueda

Towns and villages

These are the towns and villages in each district:

Chiisagata District Aoki Nagawa Hanishina District Sakaki Higashichikuma District Asahi Chikuhoku Ikusaka Omi Yamagata Kamiina District Iijima Minamiminowa Minowa Miyada Nakagawa Tatsuno Kamiminochi District Iizuna Ogawa Shinano

Kamitakai District Obuse Takayama Kiso District Agematsu Kiso (village) Kiso (town) Nagiso Ōkuwa Ōtaki Kitaazumi District Hakuba Ikeda Matsukawa Otari Kitasaku District Karuizawa Miyota Tateshina Minamisaku District Kawakami Kitaaiki Koumi Minamiaiki Minamimaki Sakuho

Shimoina District Achi Anan Hiraya Matsukawa Neba Ōshika Shimojō Takagi Takamori Tenryū Toyooka Urugi Yasuoka Shimominochi District Sakae Shimotakai District Kijimadaira Nozawaonsen Yamanouchi Suwa District Fujimi Hara Shimosuwa

Mergers

Main article: List of mergers in Nagano Prefecture

Transportation

Railway

• East Japan Railway Company
  • Nagano Shinkansen
  • Shin'etsu Main Line
  • Chūō Main Line (east line)
  • Shinonoi Line
  • Ōito Line (from Matsumoto to Minami-Otari)
  • Koumi Line
• Central Japan Railway Company
  • Chūō Main Line (west line)
  • Iida Line
• West Japan Railway Company
  • Ōito Line (from Minami-Otari to Itoigawa)
• Shinano Railway
  • Shinano Railway Line
• Nagano Electric Railway
  • Nagano Line
  • Yashiro Line
• Matsumoto Electric Railway
  • Kamikōchi Line
• Ueda Dentetsu
  • Bessho Line

Road

Expressway

• Chuo Expressway
• Nagano Expressway
• Joshinetsu Expressway
• Sanen-nanshin Expressway
• Chubu-jukan Expressway
• Chubu-odan Expressway

National Highway

• Route 18
• Route 19 (Nagano-Matsumoto-Shioriri-Nagiso-Nakatsugawa-Tajimi-Nagoya)
• Route 20 (Matsumoto-Suwa-Kofu-Otsuki-Hachioji-Nihonbashi of Tokyo)
• Route 117
• Route 141
• Route 142
• Route 143 (Matsumoto-Azumino-Ueda)
• Route 144
• Route 147 (Matsumoto-Omachi)
• Route 148 (Omachi-Itoigawa)
• Route 151 (Iida-Shinshiro-Toyohashi)
• Route 152
• Route 153 (Nagoya-Toyota-Iida-Shioriri)
• Route 158 (Fukui-Gujo-Takayama-Matsumoto)
• Route 254
• Route 256 (Gifu-Gujo-Gero-Nakatsugawa-Nagiso-Iida)
• Route 403
• Route 406 (Omachi-Hakuba-Nagano-Susaka-Tsumagoi-Takasaki)
• Route 418 (Ono-Seki-Ena-Iida)

Airport

• Matsumoto Airport

Education

University

• Nagano University
• Nagano College of Nursing
• Shinshu University
• Matsumoto University
• Matsumoto Dental University
• Saku University
• Seisen Jogakuin College
• Suwa Tokyo University of Science

Demographics

Culture

Tourism

Zenkō-ji

• Lake Kizaki
• Lake Suwa
• Mount Kirigamine
• Suwa Taisha, one of the oldest shrines in Japan
• Matsumoto Castle, one of Japan's national treasures.
• One of the world's highest geysers (about 40 to 50 meters) in Suwa.
• Zenkō-ji temple in Nagano city

Prefectural symbols

• Siberian Silver Birch
• Gentian
• Ptarmigan
• Japanese Serow
• Shinano no Kuni (prefecture song)

Media

Sister cities

Changhua County, Taiwan (2008) Clearwater, Florida, United States Personalities Nagano's former governor, Yasuo Tanaka, is an independent who has made a reputation internationally for attacking Japan's status quo. Among other issues, he has refused national government money for construction projects that he deems unnecessary, such as dams, and has overhauled (locally) the press club system that is blamed for limiting government access to journalists who give favorable coverage. Tanaka was voted out from office on August 6, 2006 and was replaced by Jin Murai. Sasuke competitor Shinji Kobayashi, who works as a garbage man, is from Matsumoto in Nagano Prefecture. Notes ^ Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Nagano prefecture" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 682 at Google Books; "Chūbu" at p. 126 at Google Books ^ Nussbaum, "Nagano" at p. 682 at Google Books. ^ Nussbaum, "Provinces and prefectures" in p. 780 at Google Books References Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric and Käthe Roth. (2005). Japan encyclopedia. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. 10-ISBN 0-674-01753-6; 13-ISBN 978-0-674-01753-5; OCLC 58053128 Nagano (prefecture) travel guide from Wikitravel External links Nagano Prefecture official tourism web site and blog Nagano Prefecture official tourism web site and blog in Simplified Chinese Nagano Prefecture official tourism web site and blog in Traditional Chinese Nagano Prefecture official tourism web site and blog in Korean Coordinates: 36°15′N 138°6′E / 36.25°N 138.1°E / 36.25; 138.1