Iwate, Japan Prefecture - INDEX

SOURCE: Shanti Volunteer Association (Japan Platform member)
http://sva.or.jp/global/japan_earthquake/

"We observe that more NGOs and relief materials are in Miyagi Pref. than in Iwate Pref., Fukushima Pref., and other Prefectures. There is a general tendency to avoid Fukushima Pref. due to fear of nuclear radiation, where many people are struggling hard to help the victims"

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Iwate Prefecture (岩手県, Iwate-ken?) is the second largest prefecture of Japan after Hokkaidō. It is located in the Tōhoku region of Honshū island and contains the island's easternmost point. The capital is Morioka. Iwate is known for its abundant nature since it has the lowest population density of any prefecture outside Hokkaidō. Hunting, fishing, hiking, boating and camping are all popular activities along with skiing and skating in Winter.

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GEOGRAPHY

Iwate faces the Pacific Ocean to the east with sheer, rocky cliffs along most of the shoreline interrupted by a few sandy beaches. The border with Akita Prefecture on the west is generally formed by the highest points of the Ou Mountains. Aomori Prefecture is to the north and Miyagi Prefecture is to the south.

The land forming Iwate prefecture is the oldest in Japan. The Ou mountains on the west still contain active volcanoes such as Mt. Iwate (at 2,038 meters the highest point in the prefecture) and Mt. Kurikoma (1,627 meters). But the Kitakami Mountains running through the middle of the prefecture from north to south are much older and have not been active for thousands of years. Mt. Hayachine (1,917 meters), lying at the heart of the Kitakami range, is thus unique in many ways. It is the oldest and sits farthest to the east of any large mountain in Japan. This gives it a unique ecosystem which contains exotic plants that occur nowhere else on earth.

Besides these two mountain ranges and the rugged coastline, the prefecture is characterized by the Kitakami River which flows from north to south between the Ou and Kitakami mountain ranges. It is the fourth longest river in Japan and the longest in Tohoku. The basin of the Kitakami is large and fertile providing room for the prefectures largest cities, industrial parks and farms.

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Cities

Thirteen cities are located in Iwate Prefecture:

* Hachimantai
* Hanamaki
* Ichinoseki
* Kamaishi
* Kitakami
* Kuji
* Miyako
* Morioka (capital)
* Ninohe
* Ōfunato
* Ōshū
* Rikuzentakata
* Tōno

Towns and villages

* Higashiiwai District (former effective 26 September 2011)

Fujisawa

* Isawa District

Kanegasaki

* Iwate District

Iwate
Kuzumaki
Shizukuishi
Takizawa

* Kamihei District

Ōtsuchi

* Kesen District

Sumita

* Kunohe District

Karumai
Kunohe
Noda
Hirono

* Ninohe District

Ichinohe

* Nishiiwai District

Hiraizumi

* Shimohei District

Fudai
Iwaizumi
Tanohata
Yamada

* Shiwa District

Shiwa
Yahaba

* Waga District

Nishiwaga

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DEMOGRAPHICS

The current population of Iwate as of October 1, 2007 is 1,363,702 consisting of 651,730 males and 711,972 females.

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TRANSPORTATION

Rail

Iwate is served by the East Japan Railway Company which operates two high-speed shinkansen lines in the prefecture and seven local rail lines. The Tōhoku Shinkansen has stations at Ichinoseki, Oshu, Kitakami, Hanamaki, Morioka, Iwate Town and Ninohe. The Akita Shinkansen starts at Morioka Station and connects to locations in Akita Prefecture.

The East Japan Railway Company operates passenger and freight trains on the Tōhoku Main Line or Tōhoku-honsen in Iwate but sold the track north of Morioka to the Iwate Galaxy Railway Line in 2002. The two lines share track with JR still running freight trains and some passenger trains over IGR track and IGR running occasional passenger trains as far south as Hanamaki. There is a large JR freight yard and maintenance facility in Yahaba.

Local lines include the Ofunato Line, the Kitakami Line, the Kamaishi Line, the Tazawako Line, the Yamada Line and the Hanawa Line.

Other lines include the Iwate Galaxy Railway Line mentioned above and Sanriku Rail which operates two lines along the coast, the North Rias Line and the South Rias Line. Using these lines can be confusing as there are sometimes JR and Sanriku stations side by side. A weary traveller can easily miss a connection by not realizing he or she has to go to a different station to make a transfer.

Road

Expressways - Tōhoku Expressway, Hachinohe Expressway, Akita Expressway, Kamaishi Expressway

National Highways - 4, 45, 46, 106, 107, 281, 282, 283, 284, 340, 342, 343, 346, 395, 396, 397, 455, 456, 457

Air

Hanamaki Airport

Sea

Ofunato Port
Kamaishi Port
Miyako Port