- Yamanashi Prefecture
Infobox Prefecture Japan
Name = Yamanashi
JapaneseName = 山梨県
Rōmaji = Yamanashi-ken
Symbol = PrefSymbol-Yamanashi.png
Capital = Kōfu
Region = Chūbu
Island =Honshū
TotalArea = 4,465.37
AreaRank = 32nd
PCWater = 1.3
PopDate =October 1 ,2005
Population = 884,531
PopRank = 41st
Density = 198
Districts = 5
Municipalities = 28
ISOCode = JP-19
Flower = Fujizakura (Sakura )
Tree = Kaede (Japanese Maple )
Bird = Uguisu (Bush Warbler)
Website = [http://www.pref.yamanashi.jp/global_net/html/English/index.html Official Website (English)]
[http://www.pref.yamanashi.jp/ Official Website (Japanese)]
Governor =Shōmei Yokouchi nihongo|Yamanashi Prefecture|山梨県|"Yamanashi-ken" is a prefecture of
Japan located in theChūbu region of the island ofHonshū . The capital is the city ofKōfu .History
Pre-history to the 14th century
People have been living in the Yamanashi area for about 30,000 yearsFact|date=October 2007. As in most other Japanese regions, prehistoric society in Yamanashi progressed though the hunting, fishing and gathering stage of the
Jōmon period , then the rice-producing stage of theYayoi period and subsequent village and regional formation. The Maruyama and ChoshizukaKofun (earthen burial mounds) located on Sone Hill of Nakamichi Town (currently in southernKōfu ) are believed to have been built from the end of the 4th century. From these remains it can be assumed that the people of Sone Hill had great influence.15th to 19th Centuries
Among the many Kaigenji generations, those of the Takeda, Ogasawara, and Nanbu families were particularly prosperous. During the
Sengoku period of the 16th century,Takeda Shingen attained the status ofdaimyō and built Tsuzuji Mansion and the Yōgai Castle in Kōfu. From this base, he attempted to unify and control Japan.After Takeda’s death in 1582, Kai-no-Kuni came under the control of the Oda and
Toyotomi Clans before being subsumed into theTokugawa shogunate during theEdo period . Beneath the Edo shogunate, the Kofu Clan (based in Kuninaka, or Central and Western Yamanashi) and the Yamura Clan (based in Gunnai, or Eastern Yamanashi) were formed, but in 1724 the area came under the direct control of the Shogunate. With the development of the Koshu Kaidō (highway) andFuji River transport, goods, materials and culture flowed into the region.By the mid-19th century, the contradictions of military government and clan system caused stability to erode and resistance to erupt across Japan, paving the way for the
Meiji Restoration of 1868.19th Century to the present day
After the
Meiji government entered Kōfu Castle in 1868, the domain of the Kaifu government became Kai Prefecture, later renamed Yamanashi Prefecture onNovember 20 ,1872 (November 20 is now celebrated as Prefectural Citizen’s Day in Yamanashi).In the early part of the
Meiji period (1868–1911), industrial promotion policies furtheredtextile andwine making industries. In the late Meiji period, the Chūō Railway Line opened, also helping to develop local industry and culture.Agricultural production in farm towns was small and from the 1910’s through the 20’s there was much tenant strife. In 1926, the
Minobu Railway Line opened, putting an end to Fuji River transportation.The capital city,
Kōfu , suffered heavy bombing duringWorld War II . In 1945, as part of governmental occupation reforms, agricultural land reforms increased the number of individual farms and introduced fruit farming to the region. Industry and commerce grew at rapid speed during the following periods, and the 1982 opening of theChūō Expressway lead to a growth of third-sector industries that continues to this day.Geography
Yamanashi Prefecture is bordered by
Tokyo , Kanagawa, Saitama, Shizuoka, and Nagano. The prefecture is landlocked, with mountains surrounding the central Kōfu Basin.Mount Fuji is located on the southern border with Shizuoka. Mt. Fuji providesrain shadow effects, and as a result, the prefecture receives only about 818 mm of rainfall a year.Cities
Towns and Villages
Towns and villages in each district:
Mergers
Economy
Yamanashi has a sizable industrial base in and around Kōfu city, with the
jewelry androbotics industries being particularly prominent. The surrounding area is host to a number of farms and vineyards. Yamanashi is one of the major fruit producing regions in Japan, being the top domestic producer ofgrapes ,peach es,plums , as well aswine . In addition, roughly 40% of themineral water bottled in Japan comes from Yamanashi, mainly from around the Southern Alps,Mt. Fuji , and Mitsutōge areas.Demographics
Yamanashi Prefecture has a sizable minority of Brazilians, approximately 15,000 people. The prefecture also contains a number of Nigerians and Indians.
Universities
*
Tsuru University
*University of Yamanashi
*Yamanashi Gakuin University Sports
The sports teams listed below are based in Yamanashi.
Football (soccer)
*Ventforet Kōfu (Kōfu)Traffics
Railway Lines
*
East Japan Railway Company
**Chūō Main Line
**Koumi Line
*Central Japan Railway Company
**Minobu Line
*Fuji Kyuko
**Fuji Kyūkō Line Tourism
Yamanashi is a popular destination for tourism. Mount Fuji, the
Fuji Five Lakes region, the city of Kōfu, the nearby wineries, the fine temple Erin-ji, and the popular Kuonji Temple are a few of the most popular places to visit. TheFuji-Q Highland amusement park, with its newest roller coasterEejanaika (roller coaster) , is also popular.Eco-Tourism is another major attraction. The natural topography of the region makes Yamanashi a hiker's paradise. The tallest mountain in Japan, Mt. Fuji, and the second tallest mountain in Japan,
Mount Kita , are both located within Yamanashi. Although not as tall, Mount Minobu offers stunning views if one joins the Buddhist pilgrims up to the summit of the mountain. Parts of theFuji-Hakone-Izu National Park , Chichibu-Tama-Kai National Park, andMinami Alps National Park are located in Yamanashi.Given the area's volcanic activity, natural hot springs, or
onsen s, are found in abundance. Some of the more famous are Isawa Onsen and Yamanami Onsen.Media
Television
*
Yamanashi Broadcasting System (YBS)
*UHF Television Yamanashi (UTY)Prefectural symbols
ister states and regions
*
Iowa , United States of America (since 1960)
*Minas Gerais ,Brazil (since 1973)
*Sichuan Province ,China (since 1985)
*Chungcheongbuk-do ,Republic of Korea (since 1992)
*Saône-et-Loire ,France (since 2000)
*Fairfield, California , United States of America (since 1970's)External links
* [http://www.pref.yamanashi.jp/global_net/html/English/index.html Official Yamanashi Prefecture homepage]
* [http://www.osano-memorial.or.jp/ Osano Memorial Foundation website] , publishers of a biannual informative magazine about Yamanashi
* [http://www.yetijapan.com Yamanashi English Teachers International homepage (JET)]
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