Ehime Prefecture

"Ehime" redirects here. For the school ship, see Ehime Maru and USS Greeneville collision.

Ehime Prefecture (愛媛県, Ehime-ken; Japanese pronunciation: [eꜜ.çi.me, e.çi.meꜜ.keɴ]^[4]) is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Shikoku.^[5] Ehime Prefecture has a population of 1,334,841^[6] and a geographic area of 5,676 km² (2,191 sq mi). Ehime Prefecture borders Kagawa Prefecture to the northeast, Tokushima Prefecture to the east, and Kōchi Prefecture to the southeast.

Ehime Prefecture 愛媛県
Prefecture
Japanese transcription(s)
• Japanese	愛媛県
• Rōmaji	Ehime-ken
View of Mount Ishizuchi Dogo Onsen Matsuyama Castle Uwajima Tensya Garden Besshi copper mine heritage site Shikoku Karst (Godan Plateau)
Flag Emblem
Anthem: Ehime no uta
Coordinates: 33°50′N 132°50′E
Country	Japan
Region	Shikoku
Island	Shikoku
Capital	Matsuyama
Subdivisions	Districts: 7, Municipalities: 20
Government
• Governor	Tokihiro Nakamura (since December 2010)
Area
• Total	5,676.23 km2 (2,191.60 sq mi)
• Rank	26th
Population  (October 1, 2020)
• Total	1,334,841
• Rank	28th
• Density	240/km2 (610/sq mi)
GDP [1]
• Total	JP¥5,148 billion US$47.2 billion (2019)
ISO 3166 code	JP-38
Website	www.pref.ehime.jp/index-e.html
Symbols of Japan
Bird	Japanese robin (Erithacus akahige)[2]
Fish	Red sea bream (Pagrus major)[2]
Flower	Satsuma mandarin (Citrus unshiu)[2]
Mammal	Japanese river otter ("Lutra lutra whiteleyi")[2][3]
Tree	Pine (Pinus)[2]

Matsuyama is the capital and largest city of Ehime Prefecture and the largest city on Shikoku, with other major cities including Imabari, Niihama, and Saijō.^[7]

Notable past Ehime residents include three Nobel Prize winners: Kenzaburo Oe (1994 Nobel Prize in Literature), Shuji Nakamura (2014 Nobel Prize in Physics), and Syukuro Manabe (2021 Nobel Prize in Physics).

History

See also: Historic Sites of Ehime Prefecture

Until the Meiji Restoration, Ehime Prefecture was known as Iyo Province.^[8] Since before the Heian period, the area was dominated by fishermen and sailors who played an important role in defending Japan against pirates and Mongolian invasions.

After the Battle of Sekigahara, the Tokugawa shōgun gave the area to his allies, including Katō Yoshiaki who built Matsuyama Castle, forming the basis for the modern city of Matsuyama.

The name Ehime comes from the kuniumi part of the Kojiki where Iyo Province is mythologically named Ehime, "lovely princess".^[9]

In 2012, a research group from the University of Tokyo and Ehime University said they had discovered rare earth deposits in Matsuyama.^[10]

Geography

Located in the northwestern part of Shikoku, Ehime faces the Seto Inland Sea to the north and is bordered by Kagawa and Tokushima in the east and Kōchi 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, is the narrowest peninsula in Japan.

As of 31 March 2020, 7 percent of the total land area of the prefecture was designated as Natural Parks, namely the Ashizuri-Uwakai and Setonaikai National Parks; Ishizuchi Quasi-National Park; and Hijikawa, Kinshako, Okudōgo Tamagawa, Sadamisaki Hantō-Uwakai, Saragamine Renpō, Sasayama, and Shikoku Karst Prefectural Natural Parks.^[11]

Cities

Ehime prefecture population pyramid in 2020

See also: List of cities in Ehime Prefecture by population

Map of Ehime Prefecture.
     City      Town

Matsuyama

Uwajima

The Ehime Prefectural Capitol Building

Eleven cities are located in Ehime Prefecture:

Name		Area (km2)	Population (2020)[12]	Map
Rōmaji	Kanji
Imabari	今治市	419.56	151,672
Iyo	伊予市	194.44	35,133
Matsuyama (capital)	松山市	429.4	511,192
Niihama	新居浜市	234.3	115,938
Ōzu	大洲市	432.24	40,575
Saijō	西条市	509.07	104,791
Seiyo	西予市	514.78	35,388
Shikokuchūō	四国中央市	421.24	82,754
Tōon	東温市	211.45	33,903
Uwajima	宇和島市	469.48	70,809
Yawatahama	八幡浜市	133.03	31,987

Towns and villages

These are the towns in each district:

Name		Area (km2)	Population (2020)[13]	District	Map
Rōmaji	Kanji
Ainan	愛南町	239.58	19,601	Minamiuwa District
Ikata	伊方町	94.37	8,397	Nishiuwa District
Kamijima	上島町	30.38	6,509	Ochi District
Kihoku	鬼北町	241.87	9,682	Kitauwa District
Kumakōgen	久万高原町	583.66	7,404	Kamiukena District
Masaki	松前町	20.41	29,630	Iyo District
Matsuno	松野町	98.5	3,674	Kitauwa District
Tobe	砥部町	101.57	20,480	Iyo District
Uchiko	内子町	299.5	15,322	Kita District

Mergers

Main article: List of mergers in Ehime Prefecture

Former districts:

• Onsen District
• Shūsō District
• Uma District
• Uwa District (historical)

Economy

Iyokan

The coastal areas around Imabari and Saijō host a number of industries, including dockyards of Japan's largest shipbuilder, Imabari Shipbuilding. Chemical industries, oil refining, paper and cotton textile products also are a feature of the prefecture. Rural areas mostly engage in agricultural and fishing industries, and are particularly known for citrus fruits such as mikan (mandarin orange), iyokan and cultured pearls.

Ikata Nuclear Power Plant produces a large portion of Shikoku Electric Power.^{[citation needed]}

Education

Universities and colleges

National

• Ehime University

Prefectural

• Ehime Prefectural University of Health Science

Private

• Matsuyama Shinonome College (women's college)
• Matsuyama University
• St. Catherine University

Senior high schools

Prefectural

• Ehime Prefectural Matsuyama Central Senior High School
• Ehime Prefectural Matsuyama Higashi High School
• Ehime Prefectural Mishima High School
• Ehime Prefectural Uwajima Fisheries High School

Sports

Ningineer Stadium.

The sports teams listed below are based in Ehime.

Association football:

• Ehime FC
• FC Imabari

Baseball:

• Ehime Mandarin Pirates

Basketball:

• Ehime Orange Vikings

Culture

The oldest extant hot spring in Japan, Dōgo Onsen, is located in Matsuyama. It has been used for over two thousand years.

These are television shows and movies set in Ehime Prefecture.

• Tokyo Love Story is a story with characters are from Ehime Prefecture. Therefore, a lot of shooting was done in Ehime. Baishinji Station is famous for being filmed.
• Shodō Girls was made based on the true story of a high school student in Shikokuchūō. A member of the calligraphy club began doing Performance calligraphy at shopping malls and events to liven up the local region. After that, the Shodō Performance Koshien (書道パフォーマンス甲子園) was held in 2008.
• Botchan is a novel written by Natsume Sōseki. It was based on his experience in Matsuyama. Movies, dramas, and manga are published based on the novel. Botchan Ressha and Botchan Stadium are associated with this.
• Saka no Ue no Kumo is written by Ryōtarō Shiba. The main characters are Akiyama Yoshifuru, Akiyama Saneyuki and Masaoka Shiki, all of whom are from Ehime prefecture. It was broadcast on NHK as a TV drama.
• Koi wa Go・Hichi・Go！ (恋は五・七・五！) is set in Haiku Koshien, which is actually performed. The shooting was done at a high school, university, and library in Ehime. The haiku of this movie was supervised by Itsuki Natsui, haiku poet from Ehime.
• Destruction Babies (ディストラクション・ベイビーズ) is set in Ehime. This movie was made based on the true story that the director head from a person he met when he visited Matsuyama. The director won an award at the Locarno Festival in 2016, and the film was selected as semi-grand prix at the Three Continents Festival in 2016.
• My-HiME is set in Ehime.

There are major festivals in Ehime Prefecture.

• Uwajima Ushi-oni Festival is held for three days, with a parade of many Ushi-oni walking around the city, a traditional Uwajima dance, a fireworks display, and a run on the final day.
• Niihama Taiko Festival is the autumn festival in Niihama. The drum stand is lifted by about 150 men. It is one of the three biggest fight festivals in Japan.
• The Matsuyama Autumn Festival includes a mikoshi event called Hachiawase (鉢合わせ) which takes place near Dōgo Onsen and Isaniwa Shrine.

Hot springs

These are several hot springs (onsen) in Ehime Prefecture.

• Dōgo Onsen appears in the Nihon Shoki. This Hot Spring has three public baths: the main building, Tsubaki no Yu, and Asuka no Yu.
• Sora to Mori is a combined warm bath facility. There are hot springs, restaurants, and body care.
• Nibukawa Onsen is a hot spring located in Imabari. The source originates from the crevices of the Inugawa Valley in this hot spring town.

Language

Iyo dialect is a Japanese dialect spoken in Ehime Prefecture. Nanyo is influenced by the Kyushu dialect, and Chuyo and Toyo are influenced by the Kinki dialect.

Museums

• Kaimei School
• Museum of Ehime History and Culture

Transport

Kurushima Strait Bridge on the Shimanami Kaidō

Railway

• Shikoku Railway (JR Shikoku)
  • Yosan Line
  • Yodo Line
  • Uchiko Line
• Iyo Railway (Iyotetsu)
  • Gunchū Line
  • Takahama Line
  • Yokogawara Line
  • Matsuyama Inner Line

Road

Expressway

• Matsuyama Expressway
• Tokushima Expressway
• Takamatsu Expressway
• Kōchi Expressway
• Nishiseto Expressway (also referred to as the Shimanami Kaidō)
• Imabari-Komatsu Expressway

National highways

• National Route 11
• National Route 33 (Matsuyama-Kōchi)
• National Route 56 (Matsuyama-Iyo-Uwajima-Sukumo-Susaki-Kōchi)
• National Route 192 (Saijyo-Shikokuchūō-Yoshinogawa-Tokushima)
• National Route 194
• National Route 196
• National Route 197
• National Route 317 (Matsuyama-Imabari-Onomichi)
• National Route 319
• National Route 320
• National Route 378
• National Route 380
• National Route 437
• National Route 440
• National Route 441
• National Route 494 (Matsuyama-Niyodogawa-Susaki)

Ports

• Kawanoe Port
• Niihama Port - Ferry route to Osaka
• 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, Kure, and international container hub port
• Yawatahama Port - Ferry route to Beppu, Usuki
• Misaki Port - Ferry route to Oita
• Uwajima Port

Airport

• Matsuyama Airport

Notable people

• Naoki Kuwata (born 1977), actor and model
• Tetchō Suehiro (born 1849), politician, novelist and journalist

International relations

Ehime Prefecture is making use of its long tradition of involvement with people overseas through international exchanges in areas such as the economy, culture, sports and education.^[14]

• British Columbia, Canada
• Dalian, China
• Hawaii, United States
• Liaoning, China
• New South Wales, Australia
• Queensland, Australia