South Asian Associations of Regional Co-Operation. (SAARC): NAG

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Nagasaki Prefecture

Japanese transcription(s)

• Japanese

長崎県

• Rōmaji

Nagasaki-ken

Symbol of Nagasaki Prefecture

Country

Government

• Governor

Hodo Nakamura (since March 2010)

Area

• Total

4,104.48 km² (1,584.75 sq mi)

Area rank

37th

Population (2009)

• Total

1,440,727

• Rank

26th

• Density

351/km² (910/sq mi)

ISO 3166 code

JP-42

Districts

Municipalities

Flower

Unzentsutsuji (Rhododendron serpyllifolium)

Tree

Sawara(Chamaecyparis pisifera)

Bird

Mandarin Duck(Aix galericulata)

Website

www.pref.nagasaki.jp/en/

Nagasaki Prefecture (長崎県 Nagasaki-ken^?) is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū.^[1] The capital is the city of Nagasaki.^[2]

[edit]History

Nagasaki Prefect Office, Meiji Period

Lighthouse at Osezaki in Gotō

Map of Nagasaki Prefecture

Grave of William Adams in Hirado

Castle in Shimabara

Sōfuku-ji Ōbaku Zen temple in Nagasaki

Nagasaki Prefecture was created by merging of the western half of the former province ofHizen with the island provinces of Tsushima and Iki.^[3] Facing China and Korea, the region around Hirado was a traditional center for both traders and pirates.

During the 16th century, Catholic missionaries and traders from Portugal arrived and became active in Hirado and Nagasaki, which became a major center for foreign trade. After being given free rein in Oda Nobunaga's period, the missionaries were forced out little by little, until finally, in the Tokugawa era, Christianity was banned under theSakoku national isolation policy, during which time, Japanese foreign trade was restricted to Chinese and Dutch traders based at Dejima in Nagasaki; however, Kirishitan(Japanese Christian) worship continued underground. These Kakure Kirishitan (hidden Christians) were tried at every step, forced to step on fumi-e ("trample pictures", images of the Virgin Mary and saints) to prove that they were non-Christian. With the banishment of all Catholic missionaries, traders from Catholic countries were also forced out of the country. Along with them, their children, half Japanese and half European, were also forced to leave the country. The majority was sent to Jagatara (Jakarta) and are still remembered by the locals as the people who wrote the poignant letters which were smuggled across the sea to their homeland. Today, Nagasaki has a prominent Chinatown^[4] and Catholic churches - and the Churches and Christian Sites in Nagasaki have been proposed for inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

During the Meiji Restoration, Nagasaki and Sasebo became major ports for foreign trade, and eventually major military bases and shipbuilding centers for the Imperial Japanese Navy up to World War II. On August 9, 1945, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Nagasaki, which completely destroyed all buildings in a one mile radius from the point of impact and extensively damaged other parts of the city. 70,000 people died and over 70,000 more were injured in the attack.

[edit]Geography

Nagasaki borders Saga Prefecture on the east, and is otherwise surrounded by water, includingAriake Bay, the Tsushima Straits, and the East China Sea. It also includes a large number of islands such as Tsushima and Iki. Most of the prefecture is near the coast and there are a number of ports such as Nagasaki and a United States Navy base at Sasebo.

As of 31 March 2008, 10% of the total land area of the prefecture was designated as Natural Parks, namely the Saikai and Unzen-Amakusa National Parks; Genkai and Iki-Tsushima Quasi-National Parks; and Hokushō, Nishi Sonogi Hantō, Nomo Hantō, Ōmurawan, Shimabara Hantō, and TaradakePrefectural Natural Parks.^[5]

[edit]Regions

Nagasaki Prefecture currently has 13 cities, 4 districts, and 8 towns. There are currently no municipalities with the designation of village within Nagasaki Prefecture.

[edit]Cities

[edit]Districts

[edit]Mergers and dissolutions

Main article: List of mergers in Nagasaki Prefecture

The following municipalities have been dissolved during the last seven years.

Kitamatsuura District:
- Emukae, Fukushima, Ikitsuki, Kosaza, Ōshima, Sechibaru, Shikamachi, Tabira, Takashima,Uku, Yoshii
Minamimatsuura District:
- Arikawa, Kamigotō, Kishiku, Miiraku, Narao, Naru, Shin'uonome, Tamanoura, Tomie,Wakamatsu
Nishisonogi District:
- Iōjima, Kinkai, Kōyagi, Nomozaki, Ōseto, Ōshima, Saikai, Sakito, Sanwa, Seihi, Sotome,Takashima, Tarami
Kitatakaki District:
- Iimori, Konagai, Moriyama, Takaki
Minamitakaki District:
- Aino, Ariake, Arie, Azuma, Chidiwa, Fukae, Futsu, Kazusa, Kitaarima, Kuchinotsu, Kunimi,Minamiarima, Minamikushiyama, Mizuho, Nishiarie, Obama
Kamiagata District:
- Kamiagata, Kamitsushima, Mine
Shimoagata District:
- Izuhara, Mitsushima, Toyotama
Iki District:
- Ashibe, Gonoura, Ishida, Katsumoto

[edit]Economy

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[edit]Culture

[edit]Religion

Nagasaki is the most Christianized area in Japan with Roman Catholic missions having been established there as early as the 16th century. See Shusaku Endo's novel "Silence" which draws from the oral history of the local Christian ( Kirishitan ) communities, bothKakure Kirishitan and Hanare Kirishitan.

As of 2002, there are 68,617 Catholics in Nagasaki Prefecture, accounting for 4.52 percent of the total population of the prefecture.

[edit]Sports

The Nagasaki Saints of the Shikoku-Kyūshū Island League make Nagasaki Prefecture their home.

[edit]Tourism

Kujū-ku Islands in Sasebo

Nagasaki (capital city)
- Ōura Church (大浦天主堂)
- Urakami Cathedral (浦上天主堂)
- Confucius Shrine
- Glover Garden (グラバー園)
- Nagasaki Shinchi Chinatown
- Mount Inasa
- Kōfuku-ji
- Sōfuku-ji
- Suwa Shrine
Hirado
- Hirado Castle
- Sakikata Park
Sasebo
Saikai
- Nagasaki Bio Park
Shimabara Peninsula
- Mount Unzen
- Shimabara Castle

[edit]Festival and Events

Nagasaki Lantern Festival in Luner New Year term, every year

Traditional New Tear's Sale in Sasebo, January
Nagasaki Lantern Festival, during Lunar New Year term, every year
Nagasaki Sailings Ship Festival in April
Nagasaki Peron Festival in July
Sprint Boat Procession (Shoro Nagashi) event in August 15
Nagasaki Kunchi in October 7 to 9
Kira Kira Illumination event in Sasebo in November and December
Huis Ten Bosch count down event in Sasebo, December 31 to January 1^{[citation needed]}