Hokkaidō Prefecture - Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Hokkaidō 北海道 | |
---|---|
Japanese transcription(s) | |
• Romaji | Hokkaidō |
![]() Location of Hokkaidō in Japan | |
Coordinates: 43°3′51″N 141°20′48″E / 43.06417°N 141.34667°E | |
Country | ![]() |
Region | Hokkaido |
Island | Hokkaidō |
Capital | Sapporo |
Government | |
• Governor | Naomichi Suzuki |
Area | |
• Total | 83,453.57 km2 (32,221.60 sq mi) |
• Rank | 1st |
Population (2010-10-01[1]) | |
• Total | 5,507,456 |
• Rank | 8th |
• Density | 66/km2 (170/sq mi) |
ISO 3166 code | JP-01 |
Prefectural flower | Hamanasu (Rugosa Rose, Rosa rugosa) |
Prefectural tree | Ezomatsu (Jezo Spruce, Picea jezoensis) |
Prefectural bird | Tanchō (Red-crowned Crane, Grus japonensis) |
Prefectural bird | Sea Bream |
Number of districts | 68 |
Number of municipalities | 180 |
Website | www |
Hokkaidō Prefecture (北海道, Hokkaidō) is a special Japanese prefecture in Hokkaidō region on the island Hokkaidō.[2] It is the most northern prefecture of Japan.
Sapporo is the capital city of Hokkaido.[2]
History
[change | change source]Until the Meiji Restoration, the island was called Ezo, Watari-shima, Yeddo, and Yezo. Since 1869, it has been called Hokkaidō.[2]
The population expanded in the late 19th century.[2]
Timeline
[change | change source]- 2008 (Heisei 20): The 34th G8 summit was held in Toyako.[4]
Geography
[change | change source]Hokkaidō is the 2nd largest island of Japan[2] The island is between the Sea of Japan to the west, the Sea of Okhotsk to the northeast, the Pacific Ocean to the southeast, and the Tsugaru Strait to the south.
Hokkaidō is separated from Honshu by the Tsugaru Strait; however, it is connected by the underwater Seikan tunnel.
Some of the Chishima Islands are occupied by Russia, but Japan still considers the islands to be Japanese.
National Parks
[change | change source]Natural Parks are established in about 10% of the total land area of the prefecture.[5]
Shrines and Temples
[change | change source]Hokkaidō jingū was the chief Shinto shrine (ichinomiya) of Ezo, which was an ancient name for the Hokkaidō region.[6]
Related pages
[change | change source]- Provinces of Japan
- Prefectures of Japan
- List of regions of Japan
- List of islands of Japan
- Consadole Sapporo
References
[change | change source]- ↑ National Census 2010 Preliminary Results
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2002). "Hokkaido" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 343.
- ↑ Travel-around-Japan.com, "Former Hokkaido Government office building"; retrieved 2012-2-14.
- ↑ Japan, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA): 34th G8 summit, overview.
- ↑ Japan Ministry of the Environment, "General overview of area figures for Natural Parks by prefecture"; retrieved 2012-3-14.
- ↑ Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1963). The Vicissitudes of Shinto, p. 328.
Other websites
[change | change source]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)