Miyagi Prefecture

Geography

Miyagi Prefecture is in the central part of Tōhoku, facing the Pacific Ocean, and contains Tōhoku's largest city, Sendai. There are high mountains on the west and along the northeast coast, but the central plain around Sendai is fairly large.

Matsushima is known as one of the three most scenic views of Japan, with a bay full of 260 small islands covered in pine groves.

Oshika Peninsula projects from the northern coastline of the prefecture.

As of 31 March 2019, 24% of the total land area of the prefecture was designated as Natural Parks, namely the Sanriku Fukkō National Park; Kurikoma and Zaō Quasi-National Parks; and Abukuma Keikoku, Asahiyama, Funagata Renpō, Futakuchi Kyōkoku, Kenjōsan Mangokuura, Kesennuma, Matsushima, and Zaō Kōgen Prefectural Natural Parks.

In addition, Miyagi Prefecture is a prefecture that is particularly prone to earthquakes even in Japan, which is an earthquake-prone country. Large earthquakes occur frequently Miyagi offshore, and earthquakes also occur frequently inland. In the 2011 Tohoku earthquake that occurred Miyagi offshore, Miyagi Prefecture suffered the most damage nationwide.

Cities

Fourteen cities are located in Miyagi Prefecture:

Towns and villages

These are the towns and villages in each district:

Mergers

Economy

Although Miyagi has a good deal of fishing and agriculture, producing a great deal of rice and livestock, it is dominated by the manufacturing industries around Sendai, particularly electronics, appliances, and food processing.

As of March 2011, the prefecture produced 4.7% of Japan's beasts, 23% of oysters, and 15.9% of sauries.

In July 2011, the Japanese government decided to ban all shipments of beef cattle from northeast Miyagi Prefecture over fears of radioactive contamination. This has since been rescinded.

Demographics

According to Japanese census data, Miyagi prefecture experienced its greatest period of growth from 1940 to 1950 and continued to exhibit growth up until the 21st century. Nevertheless, like the majority of Japan, the population of Miyagi has begun to slowly decline. The prefectural capital of Sendai, however, has seen a moderate, but steady rise in population over the past twenty years.

Education

University

• Miyagi University
• Miyagi University of Education
• Miyagi Gakuin Women's University
• Sendai University
• Sendai Shirayuri Women's College
• Tohoku University
• Tohoku Gakuin University
• Tohoku Bunka Gakuen University
• Tohoku Institute of Technology
• Tohoku Fukushi University
• Tohoku Seikatsu Bunka College
• Tohoku Pharmaceutical University
• Shokei Gakuin University
• Ishinomaki Senshu University

Transportation

Rail

• JR East
  • Tōhoku Shinkansen
  • Tohoku Line
  • Jōban Line
  • Senseki Line
  • Senzan Line
  • Ishinomaki Line
  • Rikuu East Line
  • Kesennuma Line
  • Ōfunato Line
• Sendai Municipal Subway
  • Namboku Line
  • Tōzai Line
• Abukuma Express
• Sendai Airport Line

Roads

Expressways and toll roads

• Tōhoku Expressway
• Yamagata Expressway
• Sanriku Expressway
• Sendai-Hokubu Road
• Sendai-Nanbu Road
• Sendai-Tōbu Road

National highways

• National Route 4 (Nihonbashi of Tokyo–Kasukabe–Utsunomiya–Koriyama–Sendai–Furukawa–Ichinoseki–Morioka–Towada–Aomori)
• National Route 6 (Nihonbashi of Tokyo–Mito–Iwaki–Soma–Sendai)
• National Route 45 (Sendai–Ishinomaki–Ofunato–Kamaishi–Kuji–Hachinohe–Towada)
• National Route 47 (Furukawa–Narugo–Shinjyo–Sakata)
• National Route 48 (Sendai–Yamagata)
• National Route 108
• National Route 113
• National Route 286
• National Route 342
• National Route 346
• National Route 347
• National Route 349
• National Route 398
• National Route 399
• National Route 456
• National Route 457

Ports

• Sendai Port – Ferry route to Tomakomai, Hokkaido and Nagoya, container hub port
• Ishinomaki Port – Ferry route to Mount Kinka and Tashiro Island.
• Matsushima Bay

Airports

• Sendai Airport

Sports

The sports teams listed below are based in Miyagi Prefecture.

• Baseball
  • Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles (Miyagi Baseball Stadium, Sendai)
  • Tohoku Reia
• Football (soccer)
  • Vegalta Sendai (Yurtec Stadium Sendai, Sendai)
  • Sony Sendai F.C. (Yurtec Stadium Sendai, Sendai)
  • Vegalta Sendai Ladies (Yurtec Stadium Sendai, Sendai)
• Basketball
  • Sendai 89ERS (Sendai Gymnasium, Sendai)
• Volleyball
  • Sendai Bellefille
• Futsal
  • Voscuore Sendai
• Professional wrestling
  • Sendai Girls' Pro Wrestling

Also, the Sendai Hi-Land Raceway hosts motorsport road races.

Visitor attractions

Sendai was the castle town of the daimyō Date Masamune. The remains of Sendai Castle stand on a hill above the city.

Miyagi Prefecture boasts one of Japan's three greatest sights. Matsushima, the pine-clad islands, dot the waters off the coast of the prefecture.

The following are also noted as attractions:

Famous festivals and events

• Sendai New Year's traditional Sale on January 2
• Shiroishi Kokeshi Exhibition, May 3–5
• Aoba Festival, Suzume Odori traditional Japanese dance event in May
• Shiogama Port Festival in July
• Sendai Tanabata Festival, August 6–8
• Sendai Pageant of Starlight in December

Popular culture

Miyagi Prefecture is one of the main settings of the manga and anime series Haikyū!!. The most well-known fictional schools located there are Karasuno High School, Aoba Johsai High School, Date Tech High and Shiratorizawa Academy, as well as Sendai City Gymnasium. Another anime series Wake Up, Girls! is also set in Miyagi Prefecture. The fictional town of Morioh, featured in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable, and the reimagined Morioh Town in JoJolion, are inspired by locations in Miyagi Prefecture. Jujutsu Kaisen is also set in the Miyagi Prefecture, in the first episode of the adapted anime the camera pans across the sign "Miyagi Prefectural Sugisawa Third High School".