Yamagata Prefecture

Yamagata-ken 山形 県
Basic data
Administrative headquarters :	Yamagata
Region :	Tōhoku
Main island :	Honshu
Area :	9,323.15  km²
Water content:	0.02  %
Residents :	1,077,057 (October 1, 2019)
Population density :	116 inhabitants per km²
Counties :	8th
Municipalities :	35
ISO 3166-2 :	JP-06
Governor :	Mieko Yoshimura
Website:	www.pref.yamagata.jp
Symbols
Prefecture flag :
Prefecture tree :	cherry
Prefecture flower :	Safflower
Vogel prefecture :	Mandarin duck
Fish prefecture :	Oncorhynchus masou
Prefecture mammal :	Japanese serau
Prefecture song :	Mogami-gawa (" Mogami River ")

The Yamagata Prefecture ( Jap. 山形県 , Yamagata-ken ) is a prefecture of Japan .

geography

Yamagata Prefecture is located in the Tōhoku region on the island of Honshū on the side facing the Sea of ​​Japan . Its capital is Yamagata .

mountains

• Three Mountains of Dewa (Gassan, Haguro-san and Yudono-san)
• Jizo-san (1736 m)
• Juhyo-Kogen (1703 m)
• Kumano-dake (1841 m)
• Sanpokojin-san
• Zaō-san

Rivers & Lakes

• Mogami-gawa
• Okama crater lake

politics

Political groups in the prefecture parliament
(as of May 22, 2019)

     

A total of 43 seats

• LDP : 27
• Kensei Club ("Prefectural Politics Club"; with KDP , DVP , SDP ): 10
• KPY : 2
• Kōmeitō : 1
• Non-attached: 3

Yamagata has been ruled by Governor Mieko Yoshimura since 2009 , who was elected against incumbent Hiroshi Saitō with the support of the Democrats and the left-wing parties SDP and CPJ as well as individual Liberal Democrats who were dissatisfied with Saitō's policies. Since then, she has been confirmed in office twice in a row, in 2013 and 2017 , due to the lack of opposing candidates without a vote. In parliament, the Liberal Democratic Party was able to defend a clear absolute majority in the April 2019 elections with 27 of the 43 seats.

In the national parliament , Yamagata represents three members of the House of Representatives and two senators. After the elections in 2016 , 2017 and 2019 , the prefecture's delegation currently (as of August 2019) consists of:

• in the House of Representatives
  • for the 1st constituency with the capital: Toshiaki Endō (LDP, 8th term of office), former Olympic Minister in the third Abe cabinet,
  • for the 2nd constituency in the south and east: Norikazu Suzuki (LDP, 3rd term)
  • for the 3rd constituency, which includes the coast and the north of Yamagata: Ayuko Katō (LDP, 2nd term of office), descendant of the former MPs Seizō and Kōichi Katō , who narrowly prevailed against the non-party incumbent Juichi Abe in 2014 ,
• in the Senate
  • until 2022: Yasue Funayama (non-party to the DVP parliamentary group, 2nd term of office), who prevailed in 2016 as the unity candidate of the opposition parties with a clear lead and thus returned to the Senate in 2013 after being voted out of Yamagata's other seat, and
  • until 2025: Michiya Haga (non-party to the DVP parliamentary group, 1st term), who, as the unity candidate of the opposition parties, narrowly won the 2019 election against incumbent Mizuho Ōnuma (LDP).

Administrative division

At the beginning of the following table are the independent cities, including the capital Yamagata, which has been a "core city" since April 2019 . It is followed by the districts in italics ( -gun , the last three digits can be divided by 20), within these blocks the communities of the relevant district follow (indented). When the keys were introduced in 1970, these key numbers were continuous. However, due to mergers, incorporations or upgrading to urban districts ( -shi ), there were gaps in the number series in many places. Although the districts are no longer administrative units since the 1920s, they are still used for geographical division and also for postal addresses. As usual, the
first two digits of the authority code are the prefecture key of Yamagata, the third digit indicates the type of authority:

• A 1 stands for a large city with special functions, which is divided into city districts;
• a 2 denotes other urban districts;
• the numbers 3 to 7 are reserved for municipalities belonging to the district (i.e. small towns and villages).

The key cannot be used to distinguish whether it is a small town or a village. Only the suffix provides information about this (small town: -chō / -machi or village: -mura / -son ).

List of parishes in Yamagata Prefecture

code	Surname		Area (in km²)	population	Population density (inh / km²) 3
	Rōmaji	Kanji	October 1, 2018 1	October 1, 2019 2	October 1, 2015 3
06201	Yamagata- shi	山形 市	381.30	250.998	253.832	665.7
06202	Yonezawa- shi	米 沢 市	548.51	82,983	85,953	156.7
06203	Tsuruoka- shi	鶴 岡 市	1311.53	125.084	129,652	98.9
06204	Sakata- shi	酒 田 市	602.97	102.353	106.244	176.2
06205	Shinjō- shi	新 庄 市	222.85	35,515	36,894	165.6
06206	Sagae- shi	寒 河 江 市	139.03	40,417	41,256	296.7
06207	Kaminoyama- shi	上山 市	240.93	30.211	31,569	131.0
06208	Murayama- shi	村 山 市	196.98	23,496	24,684	125.3
06209	Nagai- shi	長 井 市	214.67	26,780	27,757	129.3
06210	Tendō- shi	天 童 市	113.01	62,081	62.194	550.3
06211	Higashine- shi	東 根 市	206.94	47,749	47,768	230.8
06212	Obanazawa- shi	尾 花 沢 市	372.53	15,771	16,953	45.5
06213	Nan'yō- shi	南陽 市	160.52	31,272	32,285	201.1
06300	Higashimurayama gun	東村 山 郡	92.60	24,916	25,732	277.9
06301	Yamanobe-machi	山 辺 町	61.45	14.005	14,369	233.8
06302	Nakayama-machi	中山 町	31.15	10,911	11,363	364.8
06320	Nishimurayama-gun	西村 山 郡	796.53	37,973	40.179	50.4
06321	Kahoku-cho	河北 町	52.45	18,211	18,952	361.3
06322	Nishikawa-machi	西川 町	393.19	5181	5636	14.3
06323	Asahi-machi	朝日 町	196.81	6603	7119	36.2
06324	Ōe-machi	大江 町	154.08	7978	8472	55.0
06340	Kitamurayama-gun	北 村 山 郡	79.54	6885	7357	92.5
06341	Ōishida-machi	大 石田 町	79.54	6885	7357	92.5
06360	Mogami gun	最 上郡	1580.38	38,045	41.001	25.9
06361	Kaneyama-machi	金山 町	161.67	5372	5829	36.1
06362	Mogami-machi	最 上 町	330.37	8252	8902	26.9
06363	Funagata-machi	舟 形 町	119.04	5283	5631	47.3
06364	Mamurogawa-machi	真 室 川 町	374.22	7573	8137	21.7
06365	Okura-mura	大 蔵 村	211.63	3152	3412	16.1
06366	Sakegawa-mura	鮭 川村	122.14	4010	4317	35.3
06367	Tozawa-mura	戸 沢 村	261.31	4403	4773	18.3
06380	Higashiokitama gun	東 置 賜 郡	346.86	37,846	39,633	114.3
06381	Takahata-machi	高 畠 町	180.26	23,031	23,882	132.5
06382	Kawanishi-machi	川西 町	166.60	14,815	15,751	94.5
06400	Nishiokitama gun	西 置 ​​賜 郡	1224.68	27,520	29,347	24.0
06401	Oguni-machi	小 国 町	737.56	7318	7868	10.7
06402	Shirataka- machi	白鷹 町	157.71	13,296	14,175	89.9
06403	Iide-machi	飯 豊 町	329.41	6906	7304	22.2
06420	Higashitagawa gun	東 田 川 郡	282.39	28,403	29,394	104.1
06426	Mikawa-machi	三 川 町	33.22	7566	7728	232.6
06428	Shonai-machi	庄内 町	249.17	20,837	21,666	87.0
06460	Akumi-gun	飽 海 郡	208.39	13,508	14,207	68.2
06461	Yuza-machi	遊 佐 町	208.39	13,508	14,207	68.2
Shi-bu ( All Shi , proportion of urban districts)	市 部	4711.77	874.710	897.041	190.4
Gun-bu ( All Gun , percentage of counties)	郡 部	4611.38	215.096	226,850	49.2
06000	Yamagata-Ken (Yamagata Prefecture)	山形 県	9323.15	1,089,806	1,123,891	120.5

¹ Area data from 2017
² Estimated population 2018
³ Results of the 2015 census

Biggest places

Existing cities (-shi)
October 1 census results

VZ year	Residents
2015	2010	2005	2000
Yamagata	253.832	254.244	256.012	255.369
Tsuruoka	129,652	136,623	142.384	100,628
Sakata	106.244	111.151	98.278	101,311
Yonezawa	85,953	89.401	93,178	95,396
Tendo	62.194	62.214	63,864	63.231
Higashine	47,768	46,414	45,834	44,800
Sagae	41,256	42,373	43,625	43,379
Shinjō	36,894	38,850	40,717	42,151
Nan'yō	32,285	33,658	35,190	36.191
Kaminoyama	31,569	33,836	36,013	36,886
Nagai	27,757	29,473	30,929	31,987
Murayama	24,684	26,811	28.192	29,586
Obanazawa	16,953	18,955	20,695	22,010

• In the specified period (2000–2015) there were only two boundary changes in the cities: the incorporation of 5 communities into the city of Tsuruoka (October 1, 2005) and the incorporation of 3 communities into the city of Sakata (November 1, 2005).
• The number of cities has remained unchanged since April 1967: Nan'yō was raised to the rank of city.

Population development in the prefecture

Census population

Census year	Total population	male population	female population	Gender ratio men to 1000 women	Area in km²	Population density per km 2
1920	968.925	478,328	490.597	975	9306.25	104.1
1925	1,027,297	506.303	520.994	972	9306.25	110.4
1930	1,080,034	532.377	547,657	972	9325.76	115.8
1935	1,116,822	549.060	567,762	967	9325.76	119.8
1940	1,119,338	548,404	570.934	961	9325.76	120.0
1945	1,326,350	612,300	714.050	858	9325.76	142.2
1950	1,357,347	660,555	696.792	948	9331.74	145.5
1955	1,353,649	651.737	701.912	929	9325.15	145.2
1960	1,320,664	630.997	689,667	915	9325.15	141.6
1965	1,263,103	605.185	657.918	920	9325.20	135.5
1970	1,225,618	587,515	638.103	921	9325.32	131.4
1975	1,220,302	586.918	633.384	927	9326.11	130.9
1980	1,251,917	605,407	646.510	936	9326.56	134.2
1985	1,261,662	609.417	652.245	934	9326.60	135.3
1990	1,258,390	607.041	651,349	932	9323.27	135.0
1995	1,256,958	607.316	649,642	935	9323.32	134.8
2000	1,244,147	601.372	642.775	936	9323.34	133.4
2005	1,216,181	585.023	631.158	927	9323.39	130.4
2010	1,168,924	560,643	608.281	922	9323.46	125.4
2015	1,123,891	540.226	583,665	926	9323.15	120.6

Partnerships

• State of Colorado in the United States
• Province of Heilongjiang in mainland China
• Irian Jaya region in Indonesia

Culture

Temples, museums & buildings

• Bunshokan, Yamagata : British Renaissance style brick building
• Chido Museum: reconstructed historical buildings
• Mount Haguro : national treasure
• Domon Ken Museum: first photography museum in Japan
• Shinjo History Center: Exhibition on the Snow Country
• Tsuruoka Park, seat of the Sakai feudal family (1622–1868): cherry blossom
• Uesugi family mausoleum: mausoleum surrounded by cedar trees
• Ryushaku-ji

Traditional folk drama

• Kurokawa No Theater , mask dance with singing . has been performed by farmers in Kushibiki Township for 500 years.
• Hayashike - Bugaku, court dance : In the community of Kahoku according to the house law of the Hayashike family, court dance handed down from generation to generation for 1000 years. The original type that has been preserved to this day is recognized as an important intellectual cultural asset.

Festivals

• 2nd weekend in February, Yonezawa : Yukidōrō Festival (Snow Lanterns) : There are snow lanterns that are lit from the inside along the streets.
• April 29 - May 3, Yonezawa : Uesugi Festival : A battle from the 17th century is re-enacted.
• 6-8 August, Yamagata : Hanagasa Festival (flower-covered hat) : Summer festival with more than 5000 dancers.
• 24.-26. August, Shinjo : Shinjō Festival : typical summer festival with many floats

leisure

• Onsen , hot baths : Akakura, Akayu, Atsumi , Ginzan, Hanezawa, Higashine , Hijiori, Kaminoyama , Onogawa, Sagae , Semi-, Shirabu, Tendo- , Yunchama, Yutagawa, Zao - Onsen

• Bandai Asahi National Park

Important fruit growing

• Cherries : mid-June to mid-July. In the prefecture, 70% of the cherries are harvested by volume, with higashine as the center.
• Grapes : mid-August to mid-October
• Apples : late October to mid-November

• Pears : La France : late October to mid-November

Big places

local community	Residents
Yamagata	251.614
Higashine	47,386
Kaminoyama	30,482
Murayama	23,741
Nagai	26,947
Nan'yō	31,454
Obanazawa	15,976
Sagae	40,576
Sakata	103.386
Shinjô	35,817
Tendo	62,016
Tsuruoka	126.016
Yonezawa	83,567

Web links

Commons : Yamagata Prefecture  - collection of images, videos, and audio files

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Yamagata Prefectural Parliament : Members by political group , accessed August 4, 2019.
2. ↑ 山形 県 知事 、 吉 村 美 栄 子 氏 が 無 投票 ３ 選 . (No longer available online.) In: Yomiuri Online . January 5, 2017, archived from the original on January 5, 2017 ; Retrieved January 23, 2017 (Japanese). 
3. ↑ 統一 地方 選 2019 山形 県 議 選 各 党 議席 . In: NHK Senkyo Web. April 7, 2019, Retrieved August 4, 2019 (Japanese). 
4. ↑ Kokudo Chiriin (GSI - Geospatial Information Authority of Japan), 平 成 30 年 全国 都 道 府 県 市区 町 村 別 面積 調 (Nationwide Survey of All Prefectures and Municipalities 2018) , p. 25: 06 Yamagata-ken (Japanese), accessed on 15 April 2019
5. ↑ [1] (Japanese) Retrieved April 15, 2019
6. ↑ e-stat (English), accessed on April 15, 2019
7. ↑ e-Stat database , accessed on April 15, 2019 (English)
8. ↑ e-Stat database , accessed on April 15, 2019 (English)
9. ↑ 「今年 は 大 粒 で 甘 め で す」 果樹 王国 ・ 山形 の 物産 展 ＰＲ . In: MSN 産 経 ニ ュ ー ス . June 9, 2009, archived from the original on November 28, 2010 ; Retrieved August 13, 2016 (Japanese). 

Coordinates: 38 ° 26 '  N , 140 ° 8'  E