Yamanashi Prefecture

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**Yamanashi Prefecture (山梨県 *Yamanashi-ken*)**

Capital	Kōfu
Region	Chūbu
Island	Honshū
Governor	Shōmei Yokouchi
Area	4,465.37 km² (32^nd)
- % water	1.3%
Population (October 1, 2005)
- Population	884,531 (41^st)
- Density	198 /km²
Districts	5
Municipalities	28
ISO 3166-2	JP-19
Website	Official Website (English) Official Website (Japanese)
Prefectural Symbols
- Flower	Fujizakura (Sakura)
- Tree	Kaede (Japanese Maple)
- Bird	Uguisu (Bush Warbler)
Symbol of Yamanashi Prefecture

Map of Yamanashi Prefecture.

Yamanashi Prefecture (山梨県, Yamanashi-ken^?) is located in the Chūbu region of the island of Honshū, Japan. The capital is the city of Kōfu.

1 History
2 Geography
3 Economy
4 Demographics
5 Sports
6 Tourism
7 Prefectural Symbols
8 Sister States and Regions
9 Trivia
10 External links

[edit] History

[edit] Pre-History to the 14th Century

People have been living in the Yamanashi area for about 30,000 years. As in most other Japanese regions, prehistoric society in Yamanashi progressed though the the hunting, fishing and gathering stage of the Jōmon period, then the rice-producing stage of the Yayoi period and subsequent village and regional formation. The Maruyama and Choshizuka Kofun (earthen burial mounds) located on Sone Hill of Nakamichi Town　(currently in southern Kōfu) 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.

From 8th century Yamanashi was known as Kai no Kuni (Kai Province), made up of Yamanashi, Yatsushiro, Koma and Tsuru Counties, with the center around today’s Kasugai, Ichinomiya and Misaka areas of Fuefuki City. From the 12th century, court nobles started to challenge the ancient imperial regime and military families began to grow in power. Around 1131, the son of Minamoto no Yoshikiyo, Minamoto no Kiyomitsu, founded the Kaigenji (or Kai Clan).

[edit] 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 of daimyō 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 the Tokugawa shogunate during the Edo 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) and Fuji 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.

[edit] 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 on November 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 furthered textile and wine 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 during World 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 the Chūō Expressway lead to a growth of third-sector industries that continues to this day.

[edit] 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 provides rain shadow effects, and as a result, at 1100mm of annual rainfall, Yamanashi is the prefecture with the least rainfall in Japan.

[edit] Cities

Chūō
Fuefuki
Fujiyoshida
Hokuto
Kai
Kōfu (capital)
Kōshū

[edit] Towns and Villages

Towns and villages in each district:

Kitatsuru District

Kosuge

Tabayama

Minamikoma District

Minamitsuru District

Nakakoma District

Shōwa

Nishiyatsushiro District

Ichikawamisato

[edit] Mergers

March 1, 2003-the towns of Tomizawa and Nambu from the Minamikoma District merged to form the new town of Nambu.

April 1, 2003-the municipalities of Shirane, Wakakusa, Kushigata, Kōsai, Hatta and Ashiyasu (all from Nakakoma District) merged to form the new city of Minami-arupusu.

November 15, 2003-the municipalities of Kawaguchiko, Katsuyama and Ashiwada from Minamitsuru District merged to form the new town of Fujikawaguchiko.

September 1, 2004-the town of Futaba from Kitakoma District and the towns of Ryūō and Shikishima from Nakakoma District merged to form the new city of Kai.

September 13, 2004-the towns of Nakatomi from Minamikoma District and Shimobe from Nishiyatsushiro District merged into the town of Minobu.

October 12, 2004-the municipalities of Ichinomiya, Isawa, Misaka, Sakaigawa and Yatsushiro (all from Higashiyatsushiro District) and the town of Kasugai from Higashiyamanashi District merged to form the new city of Fuefuki.

November 1, 2004-the municipalities of Akeno, Hakushū, Mukawa, Nagasaka, Ōizumi, Sutama and Takane (all from Kitakoma District) merged to form the new city of Hokuto.

February 13, 2005-the town of Uenohara from Kitatsuru District merged with the village of Akiyama from Minamitsuru District to become city of Uenohara.

March 22, 2005-the town of Makioka and the village of Mitomi from Higashiyamanashi District merged into the city of Yamanashi to form the new city of Yamanashi.

October 1, 2005-the towns of Ichikawadaimon, Mitama and Rokugo (all from Nishiyatsushiro District) merged to form the new town of Ichikawamisato.

November 1, 2005-the city of Enzan merged with the towns of Katsunuma and Yamato (both from Higashiyamanashi District) to form the new city of Kōshū. Higashiyamanashi District was dissolved as a result of this merger.

February 20, 2006-the towns of Tamaho and Tatomi from Nakakoma District and the village of Toyotomi from Higashiyatsushiro District merged to form the new city of Chūō.

March 1, 2006-

The northern part of Kamikuishiki from Nishiyatsushiro District (Furuseki, Kakehashi) and the town of Nakamichi from Higashiyatsushiro District merged into the city of Kōfu.

The southern part of Kamikuishiki from Nishiyatsushiro District (Fujigane, Motosu, Shoji) merged into the town of Fujikawaguchiko in Minamitsuru District.
March 15, 2006-the town of Kobuchisawa from Kitakoma District merged into the city of Hokuto. Kitakoma District was dissolved as a result of this merger.
August 1, 2006-the city of Fuefuki absorbed the village of Ashigawa, the only village left in Higashiyatsushiro District. Higashiyatsushiro District is now dissolved.

[edit] Economy

Yamanashi has a sizable industrial base in and around Kōfu city. The surrounding area is host to a number of farms and vineyards. Yamanashi is one of the major fruit producing regions in Japan. The prefecture is famous for the size and quality of its grapes and peaches.

[edit] Demographics

Yamanashi Prefecture has a sizable minority of Brazilians, approximately 15,000 people. The prefecture also contains a number of Nigerians and Indians.

[edit] Sports

The sports teams listed below are based in Yamanashi.

Football (soccer)

Ventforet Kōfu (Kōfu)

[edit] Tourism

Mount Fuji from Lake Shōji in Yamanashi Prefecture

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. The Fuji-Q Highland amusement park, with its newest roller coaster Eejanaika (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, Kitadake, 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 the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, Chichibu-Tama-Kai National Park, and Minami Alps National Park are located in Yamanashi.

Given the area's volcanic activity, natural hot springs, or onsens, are found in abundance. Some of the more famous are Isawa Onsen and Yamanami Onsen.