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Toyama Prefecture

Nitta Hachiro

  • NationJapan
  • Government NameToyama Prefecture
  • GovernorNitta Hachiro

Symbol

Emblem

Emblem

 

Tree

Tree

Tateyama Cedar

Bird

Bird

Ptarmigan

Flower

Flower

Tulip

Fish

Fish

Yellowtail White Shrimp Firefly Squid

History

  • With the separation of the Noto region from Etchu Province in the 1st year of Tempyo Houji (757), Etchu assumed the same borders as present-day Toyama Prefecture. A network of irrigation ditches was dug during the Edo Period to deal with regular heavy flooding and to be utilized in rice farming. Various industries sprung up such as agriculture and medicine making. As a result of the abolition of the han (clan) system and establishment of the prefecture system in the 4th year of Meiji (1871), Etchu Province was divided with the former Toyama Clan lands becoming Toyama Prefecture and the Kaga lands becoming part of Kanazawa Prefecture. Masafumi Kunishige was appointed as the first governor of Toyama Prefecture and the prefectural office was established on the site of the old Toyama Castle. In July, the first voting of the prefectural assembly was held and Hisayuki Takebe was elected as the first assembly chairman.

Topographic Features

  • Toyama Prefecture is located approximately in the center of Honshu, Japan and is bordered by Niigata and Nagano Prefectures to the east, Gifu Prefecture to the south, and Ishikawa Prefecture to the west. Toyama is a topographically impressive prefecture. Mountains wall in the prefecture on three sides and the deep bay rests nestled in the crook formed by the rolling plains. It is a compact prefecture, reaching out in a radius from its capital, Toyama City, only 50㎞ in each direction. Additionally, with its central position in Japan Sea (East Sea) region and a history laden with contact with the Asian continent, Korean Peninsula, and other rim countries, Toyama is at the center of activities in the Japan Sea (East Sea) region.

Basic Information

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Geography/Climate
  • Area: 4,247.55㎢
  • Location: 36˚59′~ 36˚16′north latitude and 137˚46′~136˚46′east longitude
  • Climate: Average temperature 13.7℃, Annual precipitation 2,245.1㎜
Population
  • Population: 1,032,108(February 2021)
  • Household: 413,877(February 2021)
Major events
  • Etchu-Yatsuo Owara Kaze no Bon: September. Owara Kaze no Bon is a unique dance held in the town of Yatsuo-machi, Toyama Prefecture. The Kaze no Bon started as a prayer to ward off typhoons, which often come in this season.
  • Kokiriko Festival: September. It is held in a rustic atmosphere.
  • Kokiriko is another name for Dengaku, which literally means a field dance of the 13th or 14th century for the festivities of rice-planting, harvesting and other agricultural events.
  • Johana Mugiya Festival: September. This festival is held in mid-September and is a festival of folk songs and dances performed on a shrine stage. The songs and dances such as Mugiya-bushi and Kokiriko-bushi of the Gokayama region are derived from the Heike refugee legends. Local people also enjoy dancing through the streets. Groups of 20 dancers or more compete by performing creative dances uniquely arranged by each group based on various folk songs including Mugiyabushi.
Tourist Attractions
  • Toyama has many tourist attractions, such as Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine Route, Kurobe Gorge, Unazuki-onsen Hot Spring, Historic Village of Gokayama, which is the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Zuiryuji Temple and many others.
  • The Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route is an international mountain sightseeing route of some 90 kilometers long. The route goes across the 3,000-meter-high North Alpine mountains, the so-called “roof of Japan,” and connects Toyama and Shinano Omachi. You can enjoy the panorama, from the fresh green of spring, to the red leaves of fall, to the new snow of winter, by taking a train, highland bus, trolley bus, cable car, and a ropeway.
  • Since the lines opened in June 1971, the Tateyama mountain area has been transformed from an isolated spot into one of the nation's best sightseeing areas, where millions of guests visit every year.
  • The Historic Village of Gokayama was listed as the World Cultural Heritage Site in 1995. The houses in the villages in the valley are unique to Japan. They are very big, and have thick thatched roofs that comes down steeply. This way the snow can slide off the roofs. There is also enough space under the roofs to store supplies for long winters.
  • Zuiryuji is a temple of the Sotoshu Sect dedicated to Toshiie Maeda, the second lord of the Kaga domain, who built the Takaoka Castle. The priest’s quarters and Daichashitsu (grand tearoom) have been restored to how they appeared when first constructed, revealing the prosperity known as“Kaga Hyakunijuman-goku (highly productive province having a net worth of 1.2 million koku)”back in those days. The Sanmon (mountain gate), Butsuden (Buddha hall), and Hodo (worship hall) have been designated as national treasures.
Sisterhood & Friendship Provinces / Cities
  • China: Liaoning Province(May 1984)
  • Others: São Paolo, Brazil(July 1985), Oregon State, US(Oct 1991)

Economic Status

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Economy
  • GRDP(nominal): ￥4,576.288 bln(2006)
  • Per Capita Income: ￥3,013,000(2006)
  • Fiscal budget(2008) - General Account: ￥526.368 bln, - Special Account: ￥1,49.601 bln
Industry
  • Industrial Structure - Primary industry: 1.2%, - Secondary industry: 35.6%, - Tertiary industry: 66.3%
Products
  • Agricultural and Fisheries Product: Toyama Bay where warm and cold currents converge have been famous for fertile fishing grounds for white shrimp, firefly squid and Kanburi or winter yellowtail. Toyama Prefecture is known for its production of high quality variety of rice including Koshihikari, the Toyama original early-ripening Tentakaku variety, and the late-ripening Tenkomori variety.
  • Industrial product: Toyama is the nation’s no. 1 producer of aluminum construction materials, accounting for 40% of the market in Japan.
  • Slide Fastener : The production base of world-leading manufacturers is headquartered in Toyama. The nation’s No.1 producer of slide fasteners.
  • Pharmaceutical product : Toyama has a pharmaceutical history that extends back more than 300 years and offers one of the most developed pharmaceutical industry clusters along the Sea of Japan (East Sea). In addition, this pharmaceutical strength is being used to help cultivate new biotech related industry in the prefecture, centered on universities and in collaboration with local testing and research institutions.
  • Specialty Product: Takaoka Lacquer Ware, Inami Woodcarving, Takaoka Bronze Casting, Etchu Paper, Shogawa Turnery.

Others

  • Contact：Bureau of Tourism/Regional Promotion, Department of International/Sea of Japan Policies.
  • Address： 富山県　富山市　新総曲輪　1-7
  • Tel.：+81-76-444-8873
  • Fax.：+81-76-432-5648
  • Official Website : http://www.pref.toyama.jp