Kōchi Prefecture
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Kōchi Prefecture 高知県 | |||
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| Japanese transcription(s) | |||
| • Japanese | 高知県 | ||
| • Rōmaji | Kōchi-ken | ||
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| Coordinates: 33°26′N 133°26′E / 33.433°N 133.433°ECoordinates: 33°26′N 133°26′E / 33.433°N 133.433°E | |||
| Country | Japan | ||
| Region | Shikoku | ||
| Island | Shikoku | ||
| Capital | Kōchi (city) | ||
| Government | |||
| • Governor | Masanao Ozaki | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 7,104.87 km2 (2,743.21 sq mi) | ||
| Area rank | 14th | ||
| Population (December 1, 2011) | |||
| • Total | 757,914 | ||
| • Rank | 45th | ||
| • Density | 106.68/km2 (276.3/sq mi) | ||
| ISO 3166 code | JP-39 | ||
| Districts | 6 | ||
| Municipalities | 34 | ||
| Flower | Yamamomo (Myrica rubra) | ||
| Tree | Yanase Sugi (Cryptomeria japonica) | ||
| Bird | Fairy pitta (Pitta nympha) | ||
| Website | www | ||
Kōchi Prefecture (高知県 Kōchi-ken) is a prefecture of Japan located on the south coast of Shikoku.[1] The capital is the city of Kōchi.[2]
Contents
History[edit]
Prior to the Meiji Restoration, Kōchi was known as Tosa Province and was controlled by the Chōsokabe clan in the Sengoku period and the Yamauchi clan during the Edo period.[3]
Kōchi City is also the birthplace of noted revolutionary Sakamoto Ryōma.
Geography[edit]
Kōchi Prefecture comprises the southwestern part of the island of Shikoku, facing the Pacific Ocean. It is bordered by Ehime to the north-west and Tokushima to the north-east. It is the largest but least populous of Shikoku's four prefectures. Most of the province is mountainous, and in only a few areas such as around Kōchi and Nakamura is there a coastal plain. Kōchi is famous for its many rivers. Inamura-yama in Tosa-cho is the highest peak in Kōchi prefecture with an altitude of 1,506 meters above sea level.
As of April 1, 2012, 7% of the total land area of the prefecture was designated as Natural Parks, namely the Ashizuri-Uwakai National Park; Ishizuchi, Muroto-Anan Kaigan, and Tsurugisan Quasi-National Parks; and eighteen Prefectural Natural Parks.[4]
Cities[edit]
Eleven cities are located in Kōchi Prefecture:
Towns and villages[edit]
These are the towns and villages in each district:
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Mergers[edit]
Tourism[edit]
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- Kōchi Castle, one of only 12 original castles left in Japan
- Katsurahama
- Ryugado Cave, one of Japan's top three caves
- Shimanto River, the only undammed river in Japan
- Godaisan
- Anpanman Museum
Media[edit]
The 2013 movie Hospitality Department (Kencho Omotenashi Ka) is set in Kōchi.[5] The film shows views of Kōchi Prefecture.
The 2009 movie The Harimaya Bridge starring Danny Glover was set in Kochi.[6][7]
Culture[edit]
Food[edit]
Like most areas of Japan, Kōchi advertises itself as specialising in a major food item, in this case, Katsuo no Tataki. Katsuo no Tataki is Skipjack Tuna or Bonito, lightly seared. Traditionally this is done over the straw generated as a by-product of the rice harvest.
Festival and events[edit]
- Festival
- Yosakoi Festival - Yosakoi (よさこい) is a unique style of dance that originated in Japan and that is performed at festivals and events all over the country.
Sports[edit]
The sports teams listed below are based in Kōchi.
- Baseball
- Football
See also[edit]
Notes[edit]
- ^ Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Kōchi prefecture" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 538, p. 538, at Google Books.
- ^ Nussbaum, "Kōchi" at p. 538, p. 538, at Google Books.
- ^ Nussbaum, "Provinces and prefectures" at p. 780, p. 780, at Google Books.
- ^ "General overview of area figures for Natural Parks by prefecture" (PDF). Ministry of the Environment. Retrieved 19 August 2012.
- ^ "Yukiyo Teramoto Makes Short Insert Anime for "Prefectural Office Hospitality Department: The Movie" - Tokyo Otaku Mode News". otakumode.com.
- ^ Matt Alt; Hiroko Yoda; Melinda Joe (27 March 2012). Frommer's? Japan Day by Day. John Wiley & Sons. p. 532. ISBN 978-0-470-90826-6.
- ^ Iris-Aya Laemmerhirt (March 2014). Embracing Differences: Transnational Cultural Flows between Japan and the United States. transcript Verlag. p. 254. ISBN 978-3-8394-2600-5.
References[edit]
- Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric and Käthe Roth. (2005). Japan encyclopedia. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. ISBN 978-0-674-01753-5; OCLC 58053128
External links[edit]
Media related to Kōchi prefecture at Wikimedia Commons
- Official website (in English)
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