is a prefecture

Prefectures of Japan

The prefectures of Japan are the country's 47 subnational jurisdictions: one "metropolis" , Tokyo; one "circuit" , Hokkaidō; two urban prefectures , Osaka and Kyoto; and 43 other prefectures . In Japanese, they are commonly referred to as...

 in northwestern Shikoku

Shikoku

is the smallest and least populous of the four main islands of Japan, located south of Honshū and east of the island of Kyūshū. Its ancient names include Iyo-no-futana-shima , Iyo-shima , and Futana-shima...

, Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

. The capital is Matsuyama

Matsuyama, Ehime

is the capital city of Ehime Prefecture on the Shikoku island of Japan. It is located on the northeastern portion of the Dōgo Plain. Its name means "pine mountain." The city was founded on December 15, 1889....

.

History

Until the Meiji Restoration

Meiji Restoration

The , also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution, Reform or Renewal, was a chain of events that restored imperial rule to Japan in 1868...

, Ehime prefecture was known as Iyo Province

Iyo Province

was an old province of Japan in the area that is today Ehime Prefecture on Shikoku. Iyo bordered on Awa, Sanuki, and Tosa Provinces. It was sometimes called ....

. Since before the Heian period

Heian period

The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. The period is named after the capital city of Heian-kyō, or modern Kyōto. It is the period in Japanese history when Buddhism, Taoism and other Chinese influences were at their height...

, the area was dominated by fishermen and sailors who played an important role in defending Japan against pirates and Mongol invasions.

After the Battle of Sekigahara

Battle of Sekigahara

The , popularly known as the , was a decisive battle on October 21, 1600 which cleared the path to the Shogunate for Tokugawa Ieyasu...

, the Tokugawa

Tokugawa shogunate

The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the and the , was a feudal regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family. This period is known as the Edo period and gets its name from the capital city, Edo, which is now called Tokyo, after the name was...

 shogun

Shogun

A was one of the hereditary military dictators of Japan from 1192 to 1867. In this period, the shoguns, or their shikken regents , were the de facto rulers of Japan though they were nominally appointed by the emperor...

 gave the area to his allies, including Kato Yoshiaki

Kato Yoshiaki

was a Japanese daimyo of the late Sengoku Period to early Edo Period who served as lord of the Aizu Domain. A retainer of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, he fought in the battle of Shizugatake in 1583, and soon became known as one of the shichi-hon-yari , or Seven Spears of Shizugatake, Hideyoshi's seven most...

 who built Matsuyama Castle

Matsuyama Castle (Iyo)

is a flatland-mountain castle that was built in 1603 on Mount Katsuyama, whose height is 132 meters, in Matsuyama city in Ehime Prefecture . It is not to be confused with Bitchū Matsuyama Castle.- History :...

, forming the basis for the modern city of Matsuyama.

The name Ehime comes from the Kojiki

Kojiki

is the oldest extant chronicle in Japan, dating from the early 8th century and composed by Ō no Yasumaro at the request of Empress Gemmei. The Kojiki is a collection of myths concerning the origin of the four home islands of Japan, and the Kami...

and means "beautiful maiden."

Geography

Located in the northwestern part of Shikoku, Ehime faces the Seto Inland Sea to the north and is bordered by Kagawa

Kagawa Prefecture

is a prefecture of Japan located on Shikoku island. The capital is Takamatsu.- History :Kagawa was formerly known as Sanuki Province.For a brief period between August 1876 and December 1888, Kagawa was made a part of Ehime Prefecture.-Battle of Yashima:...

 and Tokushima

Tokushima Prefecture

is a prefecture of Japan located on Shikoku island. The capital is the city of Tokushima.- Tokushima Prefecture and Myodo Prefecture :Long ago, Tokushima City belonged to a region known as Myōdō-gun...

 in the east and Kōchi

Kochi Prefecture

is a prefecture of Japan located on the south coast of Shikoku. The capital is the city of Kōchi.- History :Prior to the Meiji Restoration, Kōchi was known as Tosa Province and was controlled by the Chosokabe clan in the Sengoku period and the Yamauchi family during the Edo period.- Geography...

 in the south.

The prefecture includes both high mountains in the inland region and a long coastline, with many islands in the Seto Inland Sea. The westernmost arm of Ehime, the Sadamisaki Peninsula

Sadamisaki Peninsula

The is the westernmost part of the island of Shikoku, and is the narrowest peninsula in Japan. It is covered by the town of Ikata, Ehime Prefecture, and is home to the Ikata Nuclear Power Plant....

, is the narrowest peninsula in Japan.

Cities

Eleven cities are located in Ehime Prefecture:

• Imabari
  Imabari, Ehime
  is a city located in Ehime, Japan. It is the second largest city in Ehime prefecture.Following a recent merger, the city has an estimated population of 172,384 and density of 410.87 persons per km². The total area is .-Transportation:...
  
  
• Iyo
  Iyo, Ehime
  is a city located in Ehime, Japan.On April 1, 2005, Iyo merged with the towns of Nakayama and Futami from the surrounding Iyo District to form the new city of Iyo, raising its population to over 40,000 and nearly quadrupling its area.-Geography:...
  
  
• Matsuyama
  Matsuyama, Ehime
  is the capital city of Ehime Prefecture on the Shikoku island of Japan. It is located on the northeastern portion of the Dōgo Plain. Its name means "pine mountain." The city was founded on December 15, 1889....
  
   (capital)
• Niihama
  Niihama, Ehime
  is a city located in the eastern part of Ehime, Japan. It has the third largest population in Ehime, behind the prefectural capital of Matsuyama and the recently expanded city of Imabari.Niihama was founded on November 3, 1937...
  
  

• Ōzu
  Ozu, Ehime
  is a city located in Ehime, Japan.On January 11, 2005 Ōzu absorbed the towns of Hijikawa and Nagahama, and the village of Kawabe, all from Kita District, to form the new and expanded city of Ōzu....
  
  
• Saijō
  Saijo, Ehime
  is a city located in Ehime, Japan.On November 1, 2004 the old city of Tōyo, and the towns of Komatsu and Tanbara, both from Shūsō District, were merged with Saijō.The city was founded on April 29, 1941.The main city of Saijō is known for natural spring water...
  
  
• Seiyo
  Seiyo, Ehime
  is a city located in Ehime, Japan.The city was formed on April 1, 2004 from the merger of the towns of Akehama, Nomura, Shirokawa and Uwa, all from Higashiuwa District, and the town of Mikame, from Nishiuwa District.-Kannon Spring Water:...
  
  
• Shikokuchūō
  Shikokuchuo, Ehime
  is a city located in Ehime, Japan.Shikokuchūō is the leading producer of paper and paper products in Japan. It is also a port city and one of Ehime’s major centers of industry....
  
  

• Tōon
  Toon, Ehime
  is a city located in Ehime, Japan.As of November 1, 2004, the city had an estimated population of 34,597 and a density of 163 persons per km². The total land area is 211.45 km²....
  
  
• Uwajima
  Uwajima, Ehime
  is a city located in Ehime, Japan. In 1595, what is now Uwajima was known as Itajima village. Takatora Tohdo became lord of the Uwa region, and ordered the restoration of Marugushi Castle...
  
  
• Yawatahama
  Yawatahama, Ehime
  is a city located in the southwestern part of Ehime, Japan and has the largest fish market on Shikoku. The Mikan is the featured agricultural product....
  
  

Towns and villages

These are the towns and villages in each district

Districts of Japan

The was most recently used as an administrative unit in Japan between 1878 and 1921 and is roughly equivalent to the county of the United States, ranking at the level below prefecture and above city, town or village. As of 2008, cities belong directly to prefectures and are independent from...

.

Iyo District Iyo District, Ehime The is a district located in Ehime Prefecture, Japan. As of 2004 the estimated population is 52,832 with a total area is 121.89 km².The district contains two towns*Masaki*Tobe-History:... Masaki Masaki, Ehime is a town located in Iyo District, Ehime, Japan.As of March 1, 2007, the town has an estimated population of 31,560 and a density of 1,605.29 persons per km². The total area is 19.66 km².-External links:*... Tobe Tobe, Ehime is a town located in Iyo District, Ehime, Japan.As of January 1, 2005, the village of Hirota, also from Iyo District, was merged into Tobe.Following this merger, the town has an estimated population of 22,780 and a density of 224 persons per km². The total area is 101.57 km².Ehime Prefectural... Kamiukena District Kamiukena District, Ehime The is a district located in Ehime Prefecture, Japan. As of 2004 — The estimated population is 11,222 with a total area of 583.66 km².It consists of one town.*Kumakōgen-History:... Kumakōgen Kumakogen, Ehime is a town located in Kamiukena District, Ehime, Japan. The town was formed on August 1, 2004 from the merger of the town of Kuma, and the villages of Mikawa, Omogo and Yanadani, all from Kamiukena District....

Kita District Kita District, Ehime The is a district located in Ehime Prefecture, Japan. As of 2005, the estimated population is 20,782 with a total area is 299.50 km².The district includes one town.*Uchiko-Origin of name:... Uchiko Uchiko, Ehime is a town located in Kita District, Ehime, Japan.On January 1, 2005 the town of Ikazaki, from Kita District; and the town of Oda, from Kamiukena District, were merged into Uchiko.... Kitauwa District Kitauwa District, Ehime The is a district located in Ehime Prefecture, Japan. As of 2004, the district has an estimated population of 17,299. The total area is 340.37 km².The district has two towns:*Kihoku*Matsuno-History:... Kihoku Kihoku, Ehime is a town located in Kitauwa District, Ehime, Japan. The name of the town is derived from the town's location to the north, 北, of Mt. Onigajō "鬼が城."-Geography and climate:... Matsuno Matsuno, Ehime is a town located in Kitauwa District, Ehime, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 4,809 and a density of 48.82 persons per km². The total area is 98.50 km².-External links:*... Minamiuwa District Minamiuwa District, Ehime The is a district located in Ehime Prefecture, Japan. As of 2004, the estimated population is 28,100 and the total area is 239.54 km².The district includes one town.*Ainan-History:... Ainan Ainan, Ehime is a large town made up of smaller village suburbs in southern Ehime Prefecture, on the island of Shikoku in Japan.On October 1, 2004 all the former towns of Minamiuwa merged together to form a larger town, Ainan....

Nishiuwa District Nishiuwa District, Ehime The is a district located in Ehime Prefecture. As of 2007 — The district has an estimated population of 12,304 with a total area of 94.34 km².The district consists of one town.*Ikata- History :... Ikata Ikata, Ehime is a small town located in Nishiuwa District, Ehime, Japan. Following a recent merger with the neighboring towns of Misaki and Seto, the town now spans the mountainous Sadamisaki Peninsula, the narrowest peninsula in Japan and the westernmost point on the island of Shikoku.This unique geography has... Ochi District Ochi District, Ehime The is a district located in Ehime Prefecture, Japan. As of 2004 the total population of 8,419 with a total area is 30.35 km².It consists of one town:*Kamijima-History:*September 12, 1895 — The village of Yuge broke off the village of Uoshima.... Kamijima Kamijima, Ehime is a town located in Ochi District, Ehime, Japan. On October 1, 2004 the town was formed from the merger of the following towns and villages: Ikina, Iwagi, Uoshima, and Yuge...

Mergers

Former districts:

• Uwa District
  Uwa District, Ehime
  was a district in Iyo Province , Japan.-History:*866 - Uwa District divided into Uwa and Kita Districts.*On February 25, 1876, Okinoshima, Himejima, and Ugurujima Islands were sent to Hata District in Tosa Province...
  
   (historical)
• Uma District
  Uma District, Ehime
  was a district located in Ehime Prefecture. Due to the mergers, the district dissolved on April 1, 2004.Before the mergers as of 2003, the district had an estimated population of 19,040 with the total area of 165.50 km².-History:...
  
  
• Shūsō District
  Shuso District, Ehime
  was a district located in Ehime Prefecture, Japan. Due to the mergers, the district dissolved on November 1, 2004.-History:* April, 1897 — Shūfu District and Kuwamura District merged to become the Shūsō District....
  
  
• Onsen District
  Onsen District, Ehime
  was a district located in Ehime Prefecture. Due to the mergers — The district dissolved on January 1, 2005.The district had an estimated population of 40,690 and the total area was 248.73 km² .-History:This district was located in what is currently the center of Matsuyama...
  
  

Economy

The area around Matsuyama has a number of industries, including shipbuilding

Shipbuilding

Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to before recorded history.Shipbuilding and ship repairs, both...

, chemicals, oil refining, and paper and textile products. The rural areas of the prefecture mostly engage in agricultural and fishing

Fishing

Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....

 industries, and are particularly known for citrus fruit such as mikan

Mikan

The satsuma is a seedless and easy-peeling citrus mutant of Japanese origin introduced to the West.In Japan, it is known as mikan or formally unshu mikan . In China, it is known as Wenzhou migan . The Japanese name is a result of the local reading of the same characters used in the Chinese...

 (tangerine) and iyokan

Iyokan

The iyokan , also known as anadomikan , is a Japanese citrus fruit. It is the second most widely produced citrus fruit in Japan after the unshū mikan. It was discovered in the Meiji era in Yamaguchi Prefecture. It is now produced mostly in Ehime Prefecture.The peel is thicker than a mikan, but it...

 and cultured pearl

Cultured pearl

A cultured pearl is a pearl created by a pearl farmer under controlled conditions.-Development of a pearl:A pearl is formed when the mantle tissue is injured by a parasite, an attack of a fish or another event that damages the external fragile rim of the shell of a molluc shell bivalve or gastropod...

s.

Ikata

Ikata, Ehime

is a small town located in Nishiuwa District, Ehime, Japan. Following a recent merger with the neighboring towns of Misaki and Seto, the town now spans the mountainous Sadamisaki Peninsula, the narrowest peninsula in Japan and the westernmost point on the island of Shikoku.This unique geography has...

's nuclear power

Nuclear power

Nuclear power is the use of sustained nuclear fission to generate heat and electricity. Nuclear power plants provide about 6% of the world's energy and 13–14% of the world's electricity, with the U.S., France, and Japan together accounting for about 50% of nuclear generated electricity...

 plant produces a large portion of Shikoku's electricity.

University

• Ehime University
  Ehime University
  is a Japanese national university in Matsuyama, Ehime, Japan. The university has one of the largest student populations in the Shikoku region.After Japan's defeat in World War II, Aidai was established in May 1949 among many other national universities by the Japanese government during the...
  
  
• Ehime Prefectural University of Health Science
  Ehime Prefectural University of Health Science
  is a public university in the town of Tobe, Ehime Prefecture, Japan. The predecessor of the school was founded in 1988, and it was chartered as a university in 2004.-External links:*...
  
  
• St. Catherine University
  St. Catherine University
  is a private university in Matsuyama, Ehime, Japan. It was established first as a women's junior college in 1966 and became a women's four-year university in 1988. It became a co-educational university in 2004.-External links:*...
  
  
• Matsuyama University
  Matsuyama University
  is a private university in Matsuyama, Ehime, Japan. The predecessor of the school was founded in 1923, and it was chartered as a university in 1949. The present name was adopted in 1989. Shiho Ochi and Kōichi Tabo of Superfly are alumni.-External links:* *...
  
  
• Matsuyama Shinonome College
  Matsuyama Shinonome College
  is a private women's college in Matsuyama, Ehime, Japan. The predecessor of the school was founded in 1886, and it was chartered as a university in 1992.-External links:*...
  
  

Sports

The sports teams listed below are based in Ehime.

Football (soccer)

• Ehime F.C.
  Ehime F.C.
  Ehime F.C. is a professional football club based in Matsuyama, the capital city of Ehime Prefecture of Japan. After winning the JFL championship in 2005, the club now plays in J. League Division 2. Ehime F.C. is one of only four J. League clubs whose names simply consist of a place name and "F.C."...
  
  

Baseball

• Ehime Mandarin Pirates
  Ehime Mandarin Pirates
  The are a semi-professional baseball team in the Shikoku Island League of Japan. Established in 2005, the Mandarin Pirates mainly play their home games at Botchan Stadium in Matsuyama, the capital city of Ehime Prefecture.-External links:*...
  
  

Culture

The oldest extant hot spring in Japan, Dogo Onsen

Dogo Onsen

is a hot spring in the city of Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture on the island of Shikoku, Japan.-History:Dōgo Onsen is one of the oldest onsen hot springs in Japan, with a history stretching back over 1,000 years. The springs are mentioned in the Man'yōshū is a hot spring in the city of Matsuyama,...

, is located in Matsuyama. It has been used for over two thousand years.

Railroad

• JR Shikoku
  Shikoku Railway Company
  , commonly known as , is one of the constituent companies of Japan Railways Group . It operates intercity rail services in the four prefectures on the island of Shikoku in Japan. The company is headquartered in Takamatsu, Kagawa Prefecture.- Lines :...
  
  
  • Yosan Line
    Yosan Line
    The is a railway line on the island of Shikoku in Japan, operated by the Shikoku Railway Company . It runs along the Inland Sea coast, connecting the prefectural capitals of Takamatsu and Matsuyama , continuing on to Uwajima...
    
    
  • Yodo Line
    Yodo Line
    The is a railway line in Shikoku, Japan, operated by Shikoku Railway Company . It runs between Shimanto in Kōchi Prefecture and Uwajima in Ehime Prefecture. Its name comes from the ancient provinces of and , which the line connects.-Services:The Yodo Line is a quiet, rural line with only local...
    
    
  • Uchiko Line
    Uchiko Line
    The is a railway line in Shikoku, Japan, operated by the Shikoku Railway Company . The line connects to the Yosan Line at both ends.-Stations:...
    
    

• Iyotetsu
  Iyo Railway
  The is a transportation company in Matsuyama, Japan. The company or its lines are commonly known as . The private company operates railway, tram, and bus lines, and is a core company of Iyotetsu Group, which also operates other business such as department stores and travel agencies.-History:The...
  
  
  • Gunchu Line
  • Takahama Line
  • Yokogawara Line

Expressway

• Matsuyama Expressway
  Matsuyama Expressway
  The is an expressway running in the northwestern and western parts of the island of Shikoku and entirely in the Ehime Prefecture. It passes through the municipalities of Shikokuchūō, Niihama, Saijō, Tōon, Matsuyama, a tiny portion of northern Tobe, Iyo, Uchiko, Ōzu and Seiyo.The superhighway runs...
  
  
• Tokushima Expressway
• Takamatsu Expressway
  Takamatsu Expressway
  The is an expressway running in the northeastern part of the island of Shikoku and entirely in the Kagawa Prefecture. It passes through the municipalities of Higashikagawa, Sanuki, Takamatsu, Sakaide, Marugame, Zentsuji, Mitoyo, and Kan'onji....
  
  
• Kochi Expressway
• Shimanami Expressway
• Imabari Komatsu Road

National Highway

• Route 11
• Route 33 (Matsuyama-Kochi
  Kochi
  -Places:* Kochi, a city in the state of Kerala, India, formerly known as Cochin* Kingdom of Cochin, a former feudal city-state on Malabar Coast, India** Fort Kochi, one of the three main urban components which constitute the present day city of Kochi, Kerala, India...
  
  )
• Route 56 (Matsuyama-Iyo-Uwajima-Sukumo-Susaki-Kochi)
• Route 192 (Saijyo-Shikoku Chuo-Yoshinogawa-Tokushima)
• Route 194
• Route 196
• Route 197
• Route 317 (Matsuyama-Imabari-Onomichi)
• Route 319
• Route 320
• Route 378
• Route 380
• Route 437
• Route 440
• Route 441
• Route 494 (Matsuyama-Niyodogawa-Susaki)

Port

• Kawanoe Port
• Niihama Port - Ferry route to Osaka
  Osaka
  is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
  
  
• Toyo Port - Ferry route to Osaka
• Imabari Port - Ferry route to Innoshima, Hakata Island, and international container hub port
• Matsuyama Port - Ferry route to Kitakyushu, Yanai, Hiroshima
  Hiroshima
  is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture, and the largest city in the Chūgoku region of western Honshu, the largest island of Japan. It became best known as the first city in history to be destroyed by a nuclear weapon when the United States Army Air Forces dropped an atomic bomb on it at 8:15 A.M...
  
  , Kure
  Kure
  Kure can refer to:*KURE, a radio station in Ames, Iowa*Kure Software Koubou, Japanese video game development company*Kure, Hiroshima , a city in Hiroshima prefecture, Japan**Kure Line, a rail line in the city...
  
  , and international container hub port
• Yawatahama Port - Ferry route to Beppu, Usuki
• Misaki Port - Ferry route to Oita
  Oita
  -Companies:*Oita Asahi Broadcasting, a Japanese broadcast network in Oita Prefecture, Japan*Oita Broadcasting System, a television company based in Ōita Prefecture, Japan-Education:*Oita Junior College, a private junior college in Ōita, Ōita Prefecture, Japan...
  
  
• Uwajima Port

External links

• Official Ehime prefecture website