Okayama Prefecture

Japanese: 岡山[県] - おかやま

A prefecture in the eastern part of the Chugoku region, facing the Seto Inland Sea. The prefectural capital is Okayama City. Area: 7,114.50 ^km2 . Population: 1,945,276 (2010). [History] In ancient times, it was called Kibi, and occupied a central position on the Sanyo road, forming the unique Kibi culture area. During the Edo period, it was divided into three provinces, Bizen, Bitchu, and Mimasaka, and several Tenryo (Japanese feudal domains), and Bizen prospered as the Ikeda clan's territory of 315,000 koku. After the abolition of the feudal domains and the establishment of prefectures, Bizen became Okayama Prefecture, Bitchu became Fukatsu Prefecture (later Oda Prefecture), and Mimasaka became Hojo Prefecture, and they were merged in 1875-1876. [Nature] The northern part of the prefecture is the Chugoku Mountains, which straddle Tottori Prefecture, and to the south are a series of basins such as Tsuyama, Katsuyama, and Niimi. The Kibi Plateau spreads across the central region, and in the central south lies the Okayama Plain, which was formed by alluvial action of the Takahashi River, Asahi River, and Yoshii River, and land reclamation since the 16th century. The Kojima Peninsula protrudes from the southern end, and the Seto Inland Sea is dotted with islands of various sizes. The southern region has a warm Seto Inland Sea climate with little rain, while the northern mountainous region has a Japan Coast climate with low temperatures and heavy snowfall. [Industry] The industrial population is 6.4% primary, 29.2% secondary, and 62.9% tertiary (2005). The Chugoku Mountains have long been known as a breeding ground for Japanese beef such as Chiya beef, but in recent years it has shifted to dairy farming. Rice cultivation predominates in the basin chain, and field crops predominate in the Kibi Plateau. The northern part of the Okayama Plain is one of Japan's leading fruit-growing regions, producing a large number of high-quality varieties such as Muscat and white peaches in greenhouse cultivation. In the southern part of the plain, rice and rush cultivation as an industrial crop were popular, but in recent years urbanization has progressed. Forestry and inland fishing in the Chugoku Mountains and Kibi Plateau have declined, but seaweed and oyster farming are thriving. Mining is well known for iron sulfide in Yanahara, limestone near Niimi, rosestone in Mitsuishi, and hanakouwa rock on Kitagishima Island, and uranium ore is found in Ningyo Toge. Before World War II, industry was centered on light industries such as textiles, with only a small amount of shipbuilding and agricultural equipment manufacturing. However, heavy chemical industries such as petrochemicals, steel, and machinery have developed in coastal areas such as Mizushima since the 1950s, and since the designation of the Okayama Prefecture Southern New Industrial City Area in 1963, electrical machinery, transportation equipment, and other industries have advanced inland. With the development of a wide-area transportation network including the Chugoku Expressway, in recent years, high technology has been increasingly adopted in industries, especially in the inland areas. Local industries include tatami mats, flower mats, school uniforms, work clothes, firebricks, straw hats, and Panama hats. There are tourist spots such as the islands that belong to the Setonaikai National Park, Mt. Washu, the Mimasaka Three Hot Springs, Okutsu, Yubara, Korakuen in Okayama City, and various cultural facilities in Kurashiki City. [Transportation] Major cities in the south are connected by the Sanyo Main Line and National Route 2, and the Hakubi Line, Tsuyama Line, Inbi Line, and Kishin Line connect the inland areas. The Sanyo Shinkansen, Chugoku Expressway, Sanyo Expressway, and Chugoku Odan Expressway pass through the area, and the Seto Ohashi Line and Setouchi Chuo Expressway connect with Shikoku. Okayama Airport, which opened as a new airport in 1988, was expanded in 1993 to allow large jet planes to operate there.
→ Related topics Sanyo region | Chugoku region

Source : Heibonsha Encyclopedia About MyPedia Information

Japanese:

中国地方東部，瀬戸内海に面する県。県庁所在地は岡山市。7114.50km²。194万5276人（2010）。〔沿革〕　古代は吉備(きび)と呼ばれ，山陽道の中心的位置を占め独自の吉備文化圏をなした。江戸時代備前国・備中(びっちゅう)国・美作(みまさか)国３国と若干の天領に分かれ，備前は池田氏31万５千石の所領として繁栄した。廃藩置県で備前は岡山県，備中は深津県（後に小田県），美作は北条県となり，1875年―1876年合併した。〔自然〕　北部は鳥取県にまたがる中国山地で，その南に津山，勝山，新見などの盆地列がある。中部は吉備高原が広がり，南部中央には高梁(たかはし)川，旭川，吉井川の沖積作用と16世紀以降の干拓により形成された岡山平野がある。南端に児島半島が突出，瀬戸内海に大小の諸島が点在する。南部は温暖少雨の瀬戸内式気候，北部山地は日本海岸式気候で低温，降雪が多い。〔産業〕　産業人口構成は第１次6.4％，第２次29.2％，第３次62.9％（2005）。中国山地は古くから千屋牛などの和牛飼育地で知られたが，近年は酪農へと転換。盆地列では米作，吉備高原では畑作が卓越する。岡山平野北部は日本有数の果樹地帯で，温室栽培でマスカット，白桃などの高級品種を多産。平野南部は米作と工芸作物のイグサ栽培が盛んであったが，近年は市街地化が進む。中国山地，吉備高原の林業，内海漁業は衰微したが，ノリ，カキの養殖は盛んである。鉱業は柵原(やなはら)の硫化鉄，新見付近の石灰岩，三石の蝋石，北木島の花コウ岩が著名で，人形峠はウラン鉱を埋蔵する。工業は第２次大戦前にはわずかに造船，農機具製造などがあったほかは繊維工業などの軽工業中心であったが，1950年代から水島地区など臨海部で石油化学，鉄鋼，機械工業などの重化学工業が発達し，1963年岡山県南新産業都市地域の指定以降は，内陸部にも電気機械，輸送用機器などの工業が進出した。中国自動車道はじめ広域交通網の整備とともに，近年は内陸部を中心に産業のハイテクノロジー化が進んでいる。地場産業には畳表や花むしろ，学生服・作業衣，耐火煉瓦，麦わら帽・パナマ帽などがある。瀬戸内海国立公園に属する島々や鷲羽(わしゅう)山，美作三湯の湯郷(ゆのごう)，奥津，湯原，岡山市の後楽園，倉敷市の諸文化施設などの観光地がある。〔交通〕　南部の主要都市は山陽本線と国道２号線で結ばれ，内陸部に伯備線，津山線，因美線，姫新(きしん)線が通じている。山陽新幹線，中国自動車道，山陽自動車道，中国横断自動車道が通じ，瀬戸大橋線，瀬戸中央自動車道が四国と連絡する。1988年新空港として開港した岡山空港は，1993年の拡張で大型ジェット機の就航が可能になった。
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