 Yamanashi Prefecture (山梨県, Yamanashi-ken) -
A prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of the
island of Honshū. The capital is the city of Kōfu.
Yamanashi Prefecture is bordered by Tokyo, Kanagawa,
Saitama, Shizuoka, and Nagano. The prefecture is landlocked,
with mountains surrounding the central Kōfu Basin. Mount
Fuji is located on the southern border with Shizuoka. Mt.
Fuji provides rain shadow effects, and as a result, the
prefecture receives only about 818 mm of rainfall a year.
 Pre-history to the 14th century
People have been living in the Yamanashi area for about
30,000 years[citation needed]. As in most other Japanese
regions, prehistoric society in Yamanashi progressed though
the hunting, fishing and gathering stage of the Jōmon
period, then the rice-producing stage of the Yayoi period
and subsequent village and regional formation. The Maruyama
and Choshizuka Kofun (earthen burial mounds) located on Sone
Hill of Nakamichi Town (currently in southern Kōfu) are
believed to have been built from the end of the 4th century.
From these remains it can be assumed that the people of Sone
Hill had great influence.
15th to 19th Centuries
Among the many Kaigenji generations, those of the Takeda,
Ogasawara, and Nanbu families were particularly prosperous.
During the Sengoku period of the 16th century, Takeda
Shingen attained the status of daimyō and built Tsuzuji
Mansion and the Yōgai Castle in Kōfu. From this base, he
attempted to unify and control Japan.
After Takeda’s death in 1582, Kai-no-Kuni came under the
control of the Oda and Toyotomi Clans before being subsumed
into the Tokugawa shogunate during the Edo period. Beneath
the Edo shogunate, the Kofu Clan (based in Kuninaka, or
Central and Western Yamanashi) and the Yamura Clan (based in
Gunnai, or Eastern Yamanashi) were formed, but in 1724 the
area came under the direct control of the Shogunate. With
the development of the Koshu Kaidō (highway) and Fuji River
transport, goods, materials and culture flowed into the
region.
By the mid-19th century, the contradictions of military
government and clan system caused stability to erode and
resistance to erupt across Japan, paving the way for the
Meiji Restoration of 1868.
19th Century to the present day
After the Meiji government entered Kōfu Castle in 1868, the
domain of the Kaifu government became Kai Prefecture, later
renamed Yamanashi Prefecture on November 20, 1872 (November
20 is now celebrated as Prefectural Citizen’s Day in
Yamanashi).
In the early part of the Meiji period (1868–1911),
industrial promotion policies furthered textile and wine
making industries. In the late Meiji period, the Chūō
Railway Line opened, also helping to develop local industry
and culture.
Agricultural production in farm towns was small and from the
1910’s through the 20’s there was much tenant strife. In
1926, the Minobu Railway Line opened, putting an end to Fuji
River transportation.
The capital city, Kōfu, suffered heavy bombing during World
War II. In 1945, as part of governmental occupation reforms,
agricultural land reforms increased the number of individual
farms and introduced fruit farming to the region. Industry
and commerce grew at rapid speed during the following
periods, and the 1982 opening of the Chūō Expressway lead to
a growth of third-sector industries that continues to this
day.
Yamanashi has a sizable industrial base in and around Kōfu
city, with the jewelry and robotics industries being
particularly prominent. The surrounding area is host to a
number of farms and vineyards. Yamanashi is one of the major
fruit producing regions in Japan, being the top domestic
producer of grapes, peaches, plums, as well as wine. In
addition, roughly 40% of the mineral water bottled in Japan
comes from Yamanashi, mainly from around the Southern Alps,
Mt. Fuji, and Mitsutōge areas.
Yamanashi is a popular destination for tourism. Mount Fuji,
the Fuji Five Lakes region, the city of Kōfu, the nearby
wineries, the fine temple Erin-ji, and the popular Kuonji
Temple are a few of the most popular places to visit. The
Fuji-Q Highland amusement park, with its newest roller
coaster Eejanaika (roller coaster), is also popular.
Eco-Tourism is another major attraction. The natural
topography of the region makes Yamanashi a hiker's paradise.
The tallest mountain in Japan, Mt. Fuji, and the second
tallest mountain in Japan, Kitadake, are both located within
Yamanashi. Although not as tall, Mount Minobu offers
stunning views if one joins the Buddhist pilgrims up to the
summit of the mountain. Parts of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu
National Park, Chichibu-Tama-Kai National Park, and Minami
Alps National Park are located in Yamanashi.
Given the area's volcanic activity, natural hot springs, or
onsens, are found in abundance. Some of the more famous are
Isawa Onsen and Yamanami Onsen.
Thirteen cities are located in Yamanashi Prefecture:
Chūō
Fuefuki
Fujiyoshida
Hokuto
Kai
Kōfu (capital)
Kōshū
Minami-arupusu (Minami Alps)
Nirasaki
Ōtsuki
Tsuru
Uenohara
Yamanashi
Information source: “Yamanashi Prefecture.” wikipedia.org. Article
date: 1 Feb. 2008. Retrieved: Wikipedia. 4 Mar. 2008 <Yamanashi Prefecture>. |
|
