is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshū. Aichi Prefecture has a population of 7,461,111 () and a geographic area of with a population density of . Aichi Prefecture borders Mie Prefecture to the west, Gifu Prefecture and Nagano Prefecture to the north, and Shizuoka Prefecture to the east. Nagoya is the capital and largest city of the prefecture.
Overview Nagoya is the capital and largest city of Aichi Prefecture, and the fourth-largest city in Japan. Other major cities include Toyota, Okazaki, and Ichinomiya. Aichi Prefecture and Nagoya form the core of the Chūkyō metropolitan area, the third-largest metropolitan area in Japan and one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world. Aichi Prefecture is located on Japan's Pacific Ocean coast and forms part of the Tōkai region, a subregion of the Chūbu region and Kansai region. Aichi Prefecture is home to the Toyota Motor Corporation. Aichi Prefecture had many locations with the Higashiyama Zoo and Botanical Gardens, the Chubu Centrair International Airport, and the Legoland Japan Resort.
Geography
Located near the centre of the Japanese main island of Honshu, Aichi Prefecture faces the Ise and Mikawa Bays to the south and borders Shizuoka Prefecture to the east, Nagano Prefecture to the northeast, Gifu Prefecture to the north, and Mie Prefecture to the west. It measures east to west and south to north and forms a major portion of the Nōbi Plain. With an area of it accounts for approximately 1.36% of the total surface area of Japan. The highest spot is Chausuyama at above sea level.
The western part of the prefecture is dominated by Nagoya, Japan's third largest city, and its suburbs, while the eastern part is less densely populated but still contains several major industrial centres. Due to its robust economy, for the period from October 2005 to October 2006, Aichi was the fastest growing prefecture in terms of population, beating Tokyo, at 7.4% and around with after Saitama Prefecture.
23% of the total land area of the prefecture was designated as Natural Parks, namely the Aichi Kōgen, Hida-Kisogawa, Mikawa Wan, and Tenryū-Okumikawa Quasi-National Parks along with seven Prefectural Natural Parks.
Cities
Thirty-eight cities are located in Aichi Prefecture. NameArea (km2)PopulationMapRōmajiKanji Aisai愛西市66.7061,320 Amaあま市27.4987,651 Anjō安城市86.05188,693 Chiryū知立市16.3171,992 Chita知多市45.9083,891 Gamagōri蒲郡市56.9280,063 Handa半田市47.42118,259 Hekinan碧南市36.6872,864 Ichinomiya一宮市113.82380,073 Inazawa稲沢市79.35135,580 Inuyama犬山市74.9073,420 Iwakura岩倉市10.4747,929 Kariya刈谷市50.39153,162 Kasugai春日井市92.78306,764 Kitanagoya北名古屋市18.3786,068 Kiyosu清須市17.3569,687 Komaki小牧市62.81148,872 Kōnan江南市30.2097,903 Miyoshiみよし市32.1962,782 Nagakute長久手市21.5561,503 Nagoya (capital)名古屋市326.452,337,864 Nishio西尾市161.22169,984 Nisshin日進市34.9191,795 Ōbu大府市33.6692,179 Okazaki岡崎市387.20386,999 Owariasahi尾張旭市21.0381,954 Seto瀬戸市111.40127,659 Shinshiro新城市499.2344,581 Tahara田原市191.1260,206 Takahama高浜市13.1148,736 Tōkai東海市43.43113,698 Tokoname常滑市55.9057,872 Toyoake豊明市23.2269,525 Toyohashi豊橋市261.86377,453 Toyokawa豊川市161.14183,930 Toyota豊田市918.32426,162 Tsushima津島市25.0961,647 Yatomi弥富市49.0044,589
Towns and villages These are the towns and villages in each district: NameArea (km2)PopulationDistrictMapRōmajiKanji Agui阿久比町23.8028,291Chita District Fusō扶桑町11.1934,144Niwa District Higashiura東浦町31.1450,182Chita District Kanie蟹江町11.0937,082Ama District Kōta幸田町56.7242,200Nukata District Mihama美浜町46.2022,701Chita District Minamichita南知多町38.3717,393Chita District Ōguchi大口町13.6124,160Niwa District Ōharu大治町6.5932,318Ama District Shitara設楽町273.944,531Kitashitara District Taketoyo武豊町26.3843,147Chita District Tobishima飛島村22.424,609Ama District Tōei東栄町123.383,033Kitashitara District Tōgō東郷町18.0344,109Aichi District Toyone豊根村155.881,031Kitashitara District Toyoyama豊山町6.1815,630Nishikasugai District
Demographics
As of 2001, Aichi Prefecture's population was 50.03% male and 49.97% female. 139,540 residents (nearly 2% of the population) are of foreign nationality.
Population by age (2001) Age % population % male % female 0–9 10.21 10.45 9.96 10–19 10.75 11.02 10.48 20–29 15.23 15.71 14.75 30–39 14.81 15.31 14.30 40–49 12.21 12.41 12.01 50–59 15.22 15.31 15.12 60–69 11.31 11.22 11.41 70–79 6.76 6.01 7.52 Over 80 3.12 2.01 4.23 Unknown 0.38 0.54 0.23
Mergers
History
Originally, the region was divided into two provinces of Owari and Mikawa. After the Meiji Restoration, Owari and Mikawa were united into a single entity. In 1871, after the abolition of the han system, Owari, with the exception of the Chita Peninsula, was established as Nagoya Prefecture, while Mikawa combined with the Chita Peninsula and formed Nukata Prefecture. Nagoya Prefecture was renamed to Aichi Prefecture in April 1872 and was united with Nukata Prefecture on 27 November of the same year.
The government of Aichi Prefecture is located in the Aichi Prefectural Government Office in Nagoya, which is the old capital of Owari. The Aichi Prefectural Police and its predecessor organisations have been responsible for law enforcement in the prefecture since 1871.
The Expo 2005 World Exposition was held in Seto and Nagakute.
Etymology In the third volume of the there is a poem by Takechi Kurohito that reads: "The cry of the crane, calling to Sakurada; it sounds like the tide, draining from Ayuchi flats, hearing the crane cry". Ayuchi is the original form of the name Aichi, and the Fujimae tidal flat is all that remains of the earlier Ayuchi-gata. It is now a protected area.
For a time, an Aichi Station existed on the Kansai Line (at the time the Kansai Railway) between Nagoya and Hatta stations, but its role was overtaken by Sasashima-raibu Station on the Aonami Line and Komeno Station on the Kintetsu Nagoya Line.
Economy
Gross domestic product (2018) is the second largest in Japan, the shipment value of manufactured goods (2018) is the first in Japan, annual product sales (2019) is the third largest in Japan, and its agricultural output (2018) is eighth in Japan. Aichi's agriculture industry and commerce are all ranked high in Japan, and the industrial structure is well-balanced. Main industry Aerospace Industry Automotive industry Ceramics Industry Steel, Alloy steel Industry
Companies headquartered in Aichi include the following. Aichi SteelTōkaiAisin SeikiKariyaBrother Industries, Ltd.NagoyaCentral Japan Railway CompanyNagoyaDenso CorporationKariyaEisaku Noro CompanyIchinomiyaKanesue CorporationIchinomiyaMakita CorporationAnjōMatsuzakayaNagoyaMizkan CorporationHandaNagoya RailroadNagoyaNippon SharyoNagoyaNoritakeNagoyaOkuma CorporationŌguchiSumitomo RikoKomakiToyota Motor CorporationToyota
Companies such as Fuji Heavy Industries, Mitsubishi Motors, Pfizer, Sony, Suzuki, Bodycote, and Volkswagen Group also operate plants or branch offices in Aichi.
International relations
Sister regions
Victoria, Australia – Jiangsu, China – Bangkok, Thailand – Guangdong, China – Gyeonggi Province, South Korea – Texas, United States – Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam – Washington, United States – Brussels, Flemish Region, Wallonia, Belgium – Indiana, United States – Kentucky, United States – Occitanie, France – São Paulo, Brazil –
Transport Rail
JR Central Tokaido Shinkansen Tokaido Line Chūō Main Line Kansai Line Taketoyo Line Iida Line Meitetsu Nagoya Line Inuyama Line Komaki Line Centrair Line Tokoname Line Seto Line Toyokawa Line Gamagori Line Toyota Line Chita Line Mikawa Line Bisai Line Chikko Line Tsushima Line Kintetsu Nagoya Line Aonami Line Nagoya Municipal Subway Higashiyama Line Meijo Line Tsurumai Line (connecting to Meitetsu Toyota and Inuyama Line) Sakura-dori Line Meiko Line Kamiiida Line (connecting to Meitetsu Komaki Line) Toyohashi Railroad Aichi Loop Line
People movers and tramways Linimo Nagoya Guideway Bus Toyohashi Railroad
Road Expressways and toll roads
Chita across Road Chita Peninsula Road Chubu International Airport Connecting Road Chuo Expressway Higashi-Meihan Expressway (East Meihan Expressway) Isewangan Expressway (Ise Bayside Expressway) Meishin Expressway Mei-Nikan Expressway Nagoya Expressway Nagoya Seto Road Shin-Meishin Expressway Shin-Tōmei Expressway South Chita Road Tokai-Hokuriku Expressway Tomei Expressway
National highways
Route 1 Route 19 (Nagoya-Kasugai-Tajimi-Nagiso-Matsumoto-Nagano) Route 22 (Nagoya-Ichinomiya-Gifu) Route 23 (Ise-Matsuzaka-Suzuka-Yokkaichi-Nagoya-Toyoake-Chiryu-Gamagori-Toyohashi) Route 41 (Nagoya-Komaki-Inuyama-Gero-Takayama-Toyama) Route 42 Route 151 Route 153 Route 154 Route 155 (Tokoname-Chita-Kariya-Toyota-Seto-Kasugai-Komaki-Ichinomiya-Tsushima-Yatomi) Route 247 Route 248 Route 257 (Hamamatsu-Shinshiro-Toyota-Ena-Nakatsugawa-Gero-Takayama) Route 259 Route 301 Route 302 Route 362 Route 363 Route 366 Route 419 Route 420 Route 473 (Gamagori-Okazaki-Toyota-Shitara-Hamamatsu) Route 474 Route 475
Airports Chubu Centrair International Airport Nagoya Airfield
Ports Kinuura Port – Handa and Hekinan Mikawa Port – mainly automobile and car parts export and part of inport base Nagoya Port – International Container hub and ferry route to Sendai and Tomakomai, Hokkaido
Education Universities National universities Aichi University of Education Graduate University for Advanced Studies - Okazaki Campus (National Institute for Basic Biology, Japan, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Japan) Nagoya Institute of Technology Nagoya University Toyohashi University of Technology
Public universities Aichi Prefectural University Aichi Prefectural University of the Arts Nagoya City University
Private universities
Aichi Bunkyo University Aichi Gakuin University Aichi Gakusen University Aichi Institute of Technology Aichi Medical University Aichi Mizuho College Aichi Sangyo University Aichi Shukutoku University Aichi Toho University Aichi University Aichi University of Technology Chubu University Chukyo University Daido University Doho University Fujita Health University Globis University Graduate School of Management – Nagoya Campus Japanese Red Cross Toyota College of Nursing Kinjo Gakuin University Meijo University Nagoya Bunri University Nagoya College of Music Nagoya Gakuin University Nagoya Keizai University Nagoya Sangyo University Nagoya University of Arts Nagoya University of Arts and Sciences Nagoya University of Commerce & Business Nagoya University of Foreign Studies Nagoya Women's University Nagoya Zokei University Nanzan University Nihon Fukushi University Ohkagakuen University Okazaki Women's Junior College Seijoh University Seisa University – Nagoya Schooling Campus Shigakkan University Shubun University Sugiyama Jogakuen University Tokai Gakuen University Tokyo University of Social Welfare – Nagoya Campus Toyohashi Sozo College Toyota Technological Institute University of Human Environments
Senior high schools
Sports
The sports teams listed below are based in Aichi.
Baseball Central League Chunichi Dragons (Nagoya)
Soccer J.League Nagoya Grampus (Nagoya and Toyota) JFL FC Maruyasu Okazaki (Okazaki) Tokai Regional League FC Kariya (Kariya) L.League NGU Loveledge Nagoya (Nagoya)
Basketball B.League Aisin AW Areions Anjo (Anjō) Nagoya Diamond Dolphins (Nagoya) SAN-EN NeoPhoenix (Toyohashi and Hamamatsu) SeaHorses Mikawa (Kariya) Toyotsu Fighting Eagles Nagoya (Nagoya)
Volleyball V.League Denso Airybees (Nishio) JTEKT Stings (Kariya) Toyoda Gosei Trefuerza (Inazawa) Toyota Auto Body Queenseis (Kariya)
Rugby Japan Rugby League One Shuttles Aichi (Kariya) Toyota Verblitz (Toyota)
Futsal F.League Nagoya Oceans (Nagoya)
Football X-League Aichi Golden Wings (Nagoya and Toyota) Kirix Toyota Bull Fighters (Toyota) Nagoya Cyclones (Nagoya)
AFL Nagoya Redbacks Australian Football Club (AFL Japan) (Nagoya)
Tourism