Hiroshima Prefecture Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids
Hiroshima Prefecture

Capital

Hiroshima

Governor

Hidehiko Yuzaki (since November 2009)

Area (rank)

8,476.95 km² (11th)

- % water

0.3%

Population (March 1, 2011)

- Population

2,857,990 (12th)

- Density

337.15 /km²

Districts

Municipalities

JP-34

Website

pref.hiroshima.lg.jp

Prefectural Symbols

- Flower

- Tree

Japanese maple (Acer palmatum)

- Bird

Red-throated diver (Gavia stellata)

- Fish

Symbol of Hiroshima Prefecture

Hiroshima Prefecture (広島県, Hiroshima-ken) is a Japanese prefecture in the Chūgoku region of the island of Honshu. The capital city is Hiroshima.

History

The area of Bingo Province and Aki Province were merged in Hiroshima Prefecture.

Hiroshima is a traditional center of the Chūgoku region and was the seat of the Mōri clan until the Battle of Sekigahara.

Hiroshima is home to two UNESCO World Heritage sites:

Atomic Dome in Hiroshima, one of the few remnants of prewar Hiroshima following the atomic bombing in 1945
Itsukushima Shrine in Miyajima, famed for appearing to "float" during high tide

Hiroshima faces Shikoku across the Seto Inland Sea. Hiroshima Bay opens on the Inland Sea. The prefecture also includes many small islands.

Yamaguchi Prefecture is to the south and west of the prefecture Shimane Prefecture is to the northwest. East of Hiroshima is Okayama Prefecture.

National Parks are established in about 4% of the total land area of the prefecture.

Itsukushima jinja is the chief Shinto shrine (ichinomiya) in the prefecture.

National Archives of Japan ... Hiroshima map (1891)
National Archives of Japan: Itsukushima kakei, illustrated scroll describing Itsukushima, text by Kaibara Ekiken (circa 1720)