 | Aichi Prefecture: Encyclopedia - Aichi Prefecture
Aichi Prefecture
For the Japanese company, see Aichi Steel Corporation.
Aichi Prefecture (愛知県 Aichi-ken) is located in the Chubu region of Japan. The capital is Nagoya.
Aichi Prefecture - History
Originally the region was divided into the three provinces of Owari, Mikawa and Ho. After the Taika era, Mikawa and Ho were united into a single entity. In 1871, after the Abolition of the han system, Owari, with the exception of the Chita peninsula, was institutionalized as Nagoya Prefecture, while Mikawa combined with the Chita Peninsula formed the Nukata Prefecture. Nagoya Prefecture was renamed to Aichi Prefecture in April of 1872, and was united with Nukata Prefecture on November 27 of the same year.
The Expo 2005 World Exposition, Aichi, Japan, was held in Seto and Nagakute.
Aichi Prefecture - Geography
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 to the east, Nagano to the northeast, Gifu to the north, and Mie to the west. It measures 106 km east to west and 94 km south to north. With 5,153.81 km² it accounts for approximately 1.36% of the total surface area of Japan. The highest spot is Chausuyama at 1415 m above sea level.
The western part of the prefecture is dominated by Nagoya, Japan's fourth largest city, and its suburbs, while the eastern part is relatively less densely populated but still contains several major industrial centers.
Shape of Aichi Prefecture
Satellite Picture of Mikawa Bay
Aichi Prefecture - Cities
- Aisai
- Anjou
- Chiryu
- Chita
- Gamagori
- Handa
- Hekinan
- Ichinomiya
- Inazawa
- Inuyama
- Iwakura
- Kariya
- Kasugai
- Kiyosu
- Komaki
- Konan
- Nagoya (capital)
- Nishio
- Nisshin
- Okazaki
- Obu
- Owariasahi
- Seto
- Shinshiro
- Tahara
- Takahama
- Tokoname
- Tokai
- Toyoake
- Toyohashi
- Toyokawa
- Toyota
- Tsushima
Aichi Prefecture - Towns and villages
These are the towns and villages in each district.
- Aichi District
- Ama District
- Jimokuji
- Jushiyama
- Kanie
- Miwa
- Oharu
- Shippo
- Tobishima
- Yatomi
- Chita District
- Agui
- Higashiura
- Mihama
- Minamichita
- Taketoyo
- Hazu District
- Hoi District
- Ichinomiya
- Kozakai
- Mito
- Otowa
- Kitashitara District
- Nishikamo District
- Nishikasugai District
- Haruhi
- Nishiharu
- Shikatsu
- Toyoyama
- Niwa District
- Nukata District
Aichi Prefecture - Mergers
(as of 01/02/06)
- Merger: Tahara and Akabane (20 August 2003)
The towns of Tahara and Akabane merged to form the City of Tahara.
- Merger: Inazawa, Heiwa and Sobue (1 April 2005)
The towns of Heiwa and Sobue were merged into the City of Inazawa. Nakashima District was dissolved as a result of this merger.
- Merger: Ichinomiya, Bisai and Kisogawa (1 April 2005)
The City of Bisai and the Town of Kisogawa were merged into the City of Ichinomiya. Haguri District was dissolved as a result of this merger.
- Merger: Saya, Saori, Hachikai and Tatsuta (1 April 2005)
On April 1, 2005, Saya and Saori Towns and Hachikai and Tatsuta Villages of Ama District were merged into Aisai City.
- Merger: Toyota, Fujioka, Obara, Asuke, Shimoyama, Asahi and Inabu (1 April 2005)
The towns of Fujioka and Obara from Nishikamo District and the towns of Asuke, Shimoyama, Asahi and Inabu from Higashikamo District were merged into the City of Toyota. Higashikamo District was dissolved as a result of this merger.
- Merger: Kiyosu, Shinkawa and Nishibiwajima (7 July 2005)
The towns of Kiyosu, Shinkawa und Nishibiwajima merged to form the City of Kiyosu.
- Merger: Shitara and Tsugu (1 October 2005)
The village of Tsugu from Kitashitara District merged into Shitara Town.
- Merger: Tahara and Atsumi (1 October 2005)
The Town of Atsumi from Atsumi District merged into the City of Tahara. Atsumi District was dissolved as a result of this merger.
- Merger: Shinshiro, Horai and Tsukude (1 October 2005)
The Town of Horai and the Village of Tsukude from Minamishitara District merged into the City of Shinshiro. Minamishitara District was dissolved as a result of this merger.
- Merger: Toyone and Tomiyama (27 November 2005)
The village of Tomiyama from Kitashitara District merged into the village of Toyone.
- Merger: Okazaki and Nukata (January 1, 2006)
The town of Nukata from Nukata District merged into the city of Okazaki.
Aichi Prefecture - Economy
Aichi's industrial output is higher than any other prefecture in Japan: the prefecture is known as the center of Japan's automotive and aerospace industries. Companies headquartered in Aichi include:
- Aisin Seiki (Kariya)
- Brother Industries, Ltd. (Nagoya)
- Central Japan Railway Company (Nagoya)
- Makita Corporation (Anjou)
- Matsuzakaya (Nagoya)
- Nagoya Railroad (Nagoya)
- Nippon Sharyo (Nagoya)
- Noritake (Nagoya)
- Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota)
Companies such as Daimler Chrysler, Fuji Heavy Industries, Mitsubishi Motors, Pfizer, Sony, Suzuki, and Volkswagen also operate plants in Aichi.
Aichi Prefecture - Demographics
As of 2001 Aichi Prefecture's population was 50.03% male and 49.97% female. 139,540 residents or nearly 2% are of foreign nationality.
Aichi Prefecture - Culture
Aichi Prefecture - Tourism
Notable sites in Aichi include the Meiji Mura open-air architectural museum in Inuyama, which preserves historic buildings from Japan's Meiji and Taisho eras, including the reconstructed lobby of Frank Lloyd Wright's old Imperial Hotel (which originally stood in Tokyo from 1923 to 1967).
Other sites in Aichi include the tour of the Toyota car factory in the city by the same name, the monkey park in Inuyama, and the castles in Nagoya, Toyohashi, and Inuyama.
Because of Aichi's location along the Eastern seacoast, there are some scenic spots, but no significant beach destinations when compared to neighboring Shizuoka Prefecture. Rather, most attractions are man-made destinations, dealing with the region's history or modern marvels.
Aichi Prefecture - Prefectural symbols
Other related archives1 April, 1 October, 1871, 1872, 1923, 1967, 20 August, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2006, 27 November, 7 July, Abolition of the han system, Agui, Aichi District, Aichi Steel Corporation, Aisai, Aisai City, Aisin Seiki, Ama District, Anjou, April 1, Asahi, Asuke, Atsumi, Atsumi District, Bisai, Brother Industries, Ltd., Central Japan Railway Company, Chiryu, Chita, Chita District, Chubu region, Daimler Chrysler, Expo 2005, Frank Lloyd Wright, Fuji Heavy Industries, Fujioka, Fusou, Gamagori, Gifu, Hachikai, Haguri District, Handa, Haruhi, Hazu, Hazu District, Heiwa, Hekinan, Higashikamo District, Higashiura, Hoi District, Honshu, Horai, Ichinomiya, Imperial Hotel, Inabu, Inazawa, Inuyama, Isshiki, Iwakura, January 1, Japan, Jimokuji, Jushiyama, Kanie, Kariya, Kasugai, Kira, Kisogawa, Kitashitara District, Kiyosu, Komaki, Konan, Kota, Kozakai, Matsuzakaya, Meiji, Meiji Mura, Mie, Mihama, Mikawa, Minamichita, Minamishitara District, Mito, Mitsubishi Motors, Miwa, Miyoshi, Nagakute, Nagano, Nagoya, Nagoya Railroad, Nakashima District, Nippon Sharyo, Nishibiwajima, Nishiharu, Nishikamo District, Nishikasugai District, Nishio, Nisshin, Niwa District, Noritake, November 27, Nukata, Nukata District, Nukata Prefecture, Obara, Obu, Oguchi, Oharu, Okazaki, Otowa, Owari, Owariasahi, Pfizer, Saori, Saya, Seto, Shikatsu, Shimoyama, Shinkawa, Shinshiro, Shippo, Shitara, Shitara Town, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Prefecture, Sobue, Sony, Suzuki, Tahara, Taisho, Takahama, Taketoyo, Tatsuta, Tobishima, Toei, Togou, Tokai, Tokoname, Tomiyama, Towns, Toyoake, Toyohashi, Toyokawa, Toyone, Toyota, Toyota Motor Corporation, Toyoyama, Tsugu, Tsukude, Tsushima, Villages, Volkswagen, World Exposition, Yatomi, district, female, km², male, nationality, peninsula, town, towns
 Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Aichi Prefecture", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki |
