Aomori Prefecture

Aomori Prefecture (青森県, Aomori-ken) [a̠o̞mo̞ɾʲikẽ̞ɴ] is a prefecture of Japan in the Tōhoku region.[2] The prefecture's capital, largest city, and namesake is the city of Aomori. Aomori is the northernmost prefecture on Japan's main island, Honshu, and is bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the east, Iwate Prefecture to the southeast, Akita Prefecture to the southwest, the Sea of Japan to the west, and Hokkaido across the Tsugaru Strait to the north. Aomori Prefecture is the 8th-largest prefecture, with an area of 9,645.64 km² (3,724.20 sq mi), and the 31st-most populous prefecture, with more than 1.2 million people. Approximately 45 percent of Aomori Prefecture's residents live in its two core cities, Aomori and Hachinohe, which lie on coastal plains. The majority of the prefecture is covered in forested mountain ranges, with population centers occupying valleys and plains. Aomori is the third-most populous prefecture in the Tōhoku region, after Miyagi Prefecture and Fukushima Prefecture. Mount Iwaki, an active stratovolcano, is the prefecture's highest point, at almost 1,624.7 m (5,330 ft).

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Aomori Prefecture 青森県
Prefecture
Japanese transcription(s)
• Japanese	青森県
• Rōmaji	Aomori-ken
Mount Iwaki and apple blossom Mount Osore Nebuta Oirase River Furofushi Onsen
Flag Symbol
Anthem: Aomori-ken sanka
Country	Japan
Region	Tōhoku
Island	Honshu
Establishment as part of Mutsu Province	Around 1094
Established as part of Rikuō Province	7 December 1868
Establishment of Aomori Prefecture	4 September 1871
Capital	Aomori
Subdivisions	List Districts: 8 Municipalities: 40
Government
• Governor	Shingo Mimura
Area
• Total	9,645.64 km2 (3,724.20 sq mi)
• Rank	8th
Highest elevation (Mount Iwaki)	1,624.7 m (5,330 ft)
Lowest elevation (Pacific Ocean)	0 m (0 ft)
Population  (1 October 2020)
• Total	1,237,984
• Rank	31st
• Density	130/km2 (330/sq mi)
• Dialects	Nanbu・Tsugaru・Shimokita
Demonym	Aomorian
ISO 3166 code	JP-02
Longitude	139°30′ E to 141°41′ E
Latitude	40°12′ N to 41°33′ N[1]
Website	www.pref.aomori.lg.jp
Symbols of Aomori Prefecture
Anthem	Hymn of Aomori Prefecture (青森県賛歌, Aomori-ken sanka)
Song	Message of the Blue Forest (青い森のメッセージ, Aoimori no messēji)
Bird	Bewick's swan (Cygnus bewickii)
Fish	Japanese halibut (Paralichthys olivaceus)
Flower	Apple blossom (Malus domestica)
Tree	Hiba (Thujopsis dolabrata)

Humans have inhabited the prefecture for at least 15,000 years, and the oldest evidence of pottery in Japan was discovered at the Jōmon period Odai Yamamoto I site. After centuries of rule by the Nanbu and Tsugaru clans, the prefecture was formed out of the northern part of Mutsu Province during the Meiji Restoration. Though the prefecture remains dominated by primary sector industries, it also serves as a transportation hub due to its location at the northern end of Honshu.