Prefectures of Japan Miyagi

Miyagi Prefecture (宮城県, Miyagi-ken) is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region of Honshu.

Miyagi Prefecture has a population of 2,305,596 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of 7,282 km2 (2,812 sq mi).

Miyagi Prefecture borders Iwate Prefecture to the north, Akita Prefecture to the northwest, Yamagata Prefecture to the west, and Fukushima Prefecture to the south.

Prefectures of Japan Miyagi

Sendai is the capital and largest city of Miyagi Prefecture, and the largest city in the Tōhoku region, with other major cities including Ishinomaki, Ōsaki, and Tome.

Miyagi Prefecture is located on Japan’s eastern Pacific coast and bounded to the west by the Ōu Mountains, the longest mountain range in Japan, with 24% of its total land area being designated as Natural Parks.

Miyagi Prefecture is home to Matsushima Islands, a group of islands ranked as one of the Three Views of Japan, near the town of Matsushima.

Miyagi Geography

Miyagi Prefecture is in the central part of Tōhoku, facing the Pacific Ocean, and contains Tōhoku’s largest city, Sendai.

There are high mountains on the west and along the northeast coast, but the central plain around Sendai is fairly large.

Matsushima is known as one of the three most scenic views of Japan, with a bay full of 260 small islands covered in pine groves.

Oshika Peninsula projects from the northern coastline of the prefecture.

As of 31 March 2019, 24% of the total land area of the prefecture was designated as Natural Parks, namely the Sanriku Fukkō National Park; Kurikoma and Zaō Quasi-National Parks; and Abukuma Keikoku, Asahiyama, Funagata Renpō, Futakuchi Kyōkoku, Kenjōsan Mangokuura, Kesennuma, Matsushima, and Zaō Kōgen Prefectural Natural Parks.

Miyagi Economy

Although Miyagi has a good deal of fishing and agriculture, producing a great deal of rice and livestock, it is dominated by the manufacturing industries around Sendai, particularly electronics, appliances, and food processing.

As of March 2011, the prefecture produced 4.7% of Japan’s rice, 23% of oysters, and 15.9% of sauries.

In July 2011, the Japanese government decided to ban all shipments of beef cattle from northeast Miyagi Prefecture over fears of radioactive contamination.

This has since been rescinded.

Sports

The sports teams listed below are based in Miyagi Prefecture.

Baseball

Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles (Miyagi Baseball Stadium, Sendai)
Tohoku Reia

Football (soccer)

Vegalta Sendai (Yurtec Stadium Sendai, Sendai)
Sony Sendai F.C. (Yurtec Stadium Sendai, Sendai)
Vegalta Sendai Ladies (Yurtec Stadium Sendai, Sendai)

Basketball

Sendai 89ERS (Sendai Gymnasium, Sendai)

Volleyball

Sendai Bellefille

Futsal

Voscuore Sendai

Professional wrestling

Sendai Girls’ Pro Wrestling

Also, the Sendai Hi-Land Raceway hosts motorsport road races.

Famous festivals and events

Sendai New Year’s traditional Sale on January 2

Shiroishi Kokeshi Exhibition, May 3–5

Aoba Festival, Suzume Odori traditional Japanese dance event in May

Shiogama Port Festival in July

Sendai Tanabata Festival, August 6–8

Sendai Pageant of Starlight in December

Miyagi Popular culture

Miyagi Prefecture is one of the main settings of the manga and anime series Haikyū!!.

The most well-known fictional schools located there are Karasuno High School, Aoba Johsai High School, Date Tech High and Shiratorizawa Academy, as well as Sendai City Gymnasium.

Another anime series Wake Up, Girls! is also setting in Miyagi Prefecture.