Iwate Prefecture facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Iwate Prefecture |
|||||||||
|
|||||||||
 |
|||||||||
| Capital | Morioka | ||||||||
| Region | Tohoku | ||||||||
| Island | Honshu | ||||||||
| Governor | Takuya Tasso | ||||||||
| Area (rank) | 15,278.40 km² (2nd) | ||||||||
| - % water | 0.1% | ||||||||
| Population (1 Oct 2010) | |||||||||
| - Population | 1,330,530 (30th) | ||||||||
| - Density | 90 /km² | ||||||||
| Districts | 10 | ||||||||
| Municipalities | 33 | ||||||||
| ISO 3166-2 | JP-03 | ||||||||
| Website | |||||||||
| Prefectural Symbols | |||||||||
| - Flower | Paulownia tree (Paulownia tomentosa) | ||||||||
| - Tree | Nanbu red pine (Pinus densiflora) | ||||||||
| - Bird | Green pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) | ||||||||
| - Fish | |||||||||
 Symbol of Iwate Prefecture |
|||||||||
Iwate Prefecture (岩手県 (Iwate-ken)) is a large area, like a state, in the Tōhoku region of Japan. It's located on Honshu, which is Japan's biggest island. The main city and capital of Iwate is Morioka.
Contents
A Look Back: History of Iwate
The land that is now Iwate was once part of a very old area called Mutsu Province. This was a long time ago, before Japan had prefectures.
In 1869, Mutsu Province was divided into five new smaller provinces. Three of these were called "Sanriku." These new areas helped organize the land better.
However, these new provinces didn't last long. They were officially ended in July 1871.
During the Meiji period, which was a time of big changes in Japan, the old provinces were turned into the prefectures we know today. Maps of Japan were updated in the 1870s to show these new divisions.
Where is Iwate? Geography
Iwate is a very large prefecture. It is the second largest in Japan, right after Hokkaido.
This prefecture is located in the Tōhoku region on Honshu island. It has the easternmost point of the entire island. Iwate's eastern side faces the huge Pacific Ocean.
Iwate shares its borders with other prefectures. To the north, it meets Aomori Prefecture. On its western side, you'll find Akita Prefecture. To the south, Iwate shares a border with Miyagi Prefecture.
Important Cities in Iwate
Iwate Prefecture has many interesting cities. Here are some of them:
- Hachimantai
- Hanamaki
- Ichinoseki
- Kamaishi
- Kitakami
- Kuji
- Miyako
- Morioka (This is the capital city!)
- Ninohe
- Ōfunato
- Ōshū
- Rikuzentakata
- Tōno
Amazing Nature: National Parks
National parks are special areas of land protected for their natural beauty and wildlife. About 5% of Iwate's total land area is covered by these parks. They are great places to explore nature.
Some of Iwate's national parks include:
- Towada-Hachimantai National Park
- Rikuchu Kaigan National Park
Special Places: Shrines and Temples
Iwate is home to many important religious sites. These include Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples.
Tsutsukowake jinja is a very important Shinto shrine in the prefecture. It is known as the ichinomiya, which means it's the main shrine of the area.
The Buddhist temples of Hiraizumi are also very famous. These include Chūson-ji and Mōtsū-ji. Hiraizumi was recognized as a World Heritage Site in June 2011. This means it's a place of great importance to the world.
Want to Learn More?
- Provinces of Japan
- Prefectures of Japan
- List of regions of Japan
- List of islands of Japan
- Iwate Museum of Art
Images for kids
-
National Route 45 crossing over the Shiino Bridge in Tanohata, Iwate
-
A panorama view of Jōdogahama in Miyako city.
-
A view of Tono Country Village.
-
The Takuboku Ishikawa Memorial Museum in Morioka.
-
Sansa Odori, one of famous for summer event in northern Honshu.
.jpg)
.jpg){kind=small}
See also
In Spanish: Prefectura de Iwate para niños
