Nagano Prefecture

Nagano Prefecture
Japanese: 長野県 Nagano-ken
Capital	Nagano
Region	Chūbu
Island	Honshū
Governor	Jin Murai
Area (rank)	13,585.22 km² (4th)
- % water	0.2%
Population  (March 1, 2003)
- Population	2,215,973 (16th)
- Density	163 /km²
Districts	14
Municipalities	81
ISO 3166-2	JP-20
Website	www.pref.nagano.jp/ english/indexe.htm
Prefectural Symbols
- Flower	Gentian (Gentiana scabra var. buergeri)
- Tree	White birch (Betula platyphylla var. japonica)
- Bird	Rock ptarmigan (Lagopus mutus)
- Fish	{{{Fish}}}
Symbol of Nagano Prefecture
Template ■ Discussion ■ WikiProject Japan

Map of Nagano Prefecture.

Hida Mountains (Aug 2006)

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

History

Nagano was formerly known as the province of Shinano, and 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:

Towns and villages

These are the towns and villages in each district:

Mergers

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

Airport

• Matsumoto Airport

Demographics

Culture

Tourism

Zenkō-ji

• Lake Kizaki
• Lake Suwa
• Mount Kirigamine
• Suwa Taisha, one of the oldest shrine 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, 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. External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Nagano Prefecture 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 Nagano (prefecture) travel guide from Wikitravel v • d • e Nagano Prefecture Cities Azumino | Chikuma | Chino | Iida | Iiyama | Ina | Komagane | Komoro | Matsumoto | Nagano | Nakano | Okaya | Ōmachi | Saku | Shiojiri | Suwa | Suzaka | Tōmi | Ueda Districts Chiisagata | Hanishina | Higashichikuma | Kamiina | Kamiminochi | Kamitakai | Kiso | Kitaazumi | Kitasaku | Minamisaku | Shimoina | Shimominochi | Shimotakai | Suwa See also: Towns and villages by district v • d • e Regions and administrative divisions of  Japan Regions Hokkaidō · Tōhoku · Kantō · Chūbu (Hokuriku · Kōshin'etsu · Shin'etsu · Tōkai) · Kansai · Chūgoku (San'in • San'yō) · Shikoku · Kyūshū (Ryūkyū  · Northern Kyushu) Prefectures Hokkaidō Hokkaidō Tōhoku Akita · Aomori · Fukushima · Iwate · Miyagi · Yamagata Kantō Chiba · Gunma · Ibaraki · Kanagawa · Saitama · Tochigi · Tokyo Chūbu Aichi · Fukui · Gifu · Ishikawa · Nagano · Niigata · Shizuoka · Toyama · Yamanashi Kansai Hyōgo · Kyoto · Mie · Nara · Osaka · Shiga · Wakayama Chūgoku Hiroshima · Okayama · Shimane · Tottori · Yamaguchi Shikoku Ehime · Kagawa · Kōchi · Tokushima Kyūshū Kyūshū (Mainland): Fukuoka · Kagoshima · Kumamoto · Miyazaki · Nagasaki · Ōita · Saga Ryūkyū Islands: Okinawa Coordinates: 36°15′N 138°6′E / 36.25°N 138.1°E / 36.25; 138.1