Akita is the capital and largest city of Akita Prefecture. Other major cities includeYokote,Daisen, andYurihonjō.[4] Akita Prefecture is located on the coast of theSea of Japan and extends east to theŌu Mountains, the longestmountain range in Japan, at the border with Iwate Prefecture. Akita Prefecture formed the northern half of the historicDewa Province with Yamagata Prefecture.
The region of Akita was created from the ancient provinces ofDewa andMutsu.[5]
Separated from the principal Japanese centres of commerce, politics, and population by several hundred kilometres and by theŌu and Dewa mountain ranges to the east, Akita remained largely isolated from Japanese society until after the year 600. Akita was a region of hunter-gatherers and principally nomadic tribes.[citation needed]
The first historical record of what is now Akita Prefecture dates to 658, whenAbe no Hirafu conquered the nativeEzo tribes at what are now the cities of Akita andNoshiro. Abe, then governor ofKoshi Province (the northwestern part of Honshū bordering theSea of Japan), established a fort on theMogami River, and thus began the Japanese settlement of the region.
In 733, a new military settlement (later renamedAkita Castle) was built in what is now the Takashimizu area of Akita, and more permanent roads and structures were developed. The region was used as a base of operations for the Japanese empire as it drove the native Ezo people from northern Honshū.
Governance of the region shifted hands several times. During theTokugawa shogunate it was appropriated to theSatake clan, who ruled the region for 260 years and developed the agriculture and mining industries that are still predominant today. Throughout this period, it was classified as part ofDewa Province.[3] In 1871, during theMeiji Restoration, Dewa Province was reshaped and the olddaimyō domains were abolished and administratively reconstructed, resulting in the modern-day borders of Akita.
The famousHeian periodwaka poet,Ono no Komachi, is said to have been born in Yuzawa City, Ogachi Town, located in the southeast of the prefecture.
Located on the north-western side of Honshu, Akita Prefecture is adjacent to theSea of Japan to the west and borders four other prefectures:Aomori in the north,Iwate in the east,Miyagi in the southeast, andYamagata in the south.
The borders of Akita Prefecture roughly form a rectangle that is 169 kilometres (105 miles) from north to south and 86 kilometres (54 miles) from west to east. TheOga Peninsula is a prominent feature of the western edge, while theŌu Mountains mark the eastern border and the higherDewa Mountains run parallel through the center. Like much of northern Japan, the prefecture has cold winters, particularly in areas farther from the sea.
Akita prefecture population pyramid in 2020Note: Data in the chart above was taken over the course of five years (2003-2008). The graph shows how many people migrated to Akita City from other prefectures. Overall the net gain of new residents was 4,981 people, or 1.5%.[9]
Like much of theTōhoku Region, Akita's economy remains dominated by traditional industries such as agriculture, fishing, and forestry. This has led many young people to migrate to Tokyo and other large cities. Akita Prefecture has seen some of the most severe population decline in Japan: it is one of four prefectures in Japan registering declines in population since 1955. Its population also has the lowest percentage of children (defined as under the age of 15), at 9.3% in 2022, down from 11.2% in 2010.[10][11] 38.6% of residents are 65 or older, the highest percentage of any Japanese prefecture.[11] As of October 1, 2022, it has an estimated population of 944,902 people.[11]
The high rate of depopulation in Akita Prefecture has led smaller communities to merge with each other, which has affected the smallest of these merged communities. As depopulation in these communities continues, educational and health facilities have closed in some areas, encouraging families to migrate to larger cities for better access to health and educational opportunities and perpetuating the decline in population. This decline,combined with an aging population, has been concerning for rural communities.[9]
Kawatsura Shikki lacquerware in the Prince Consort Gallery,V&A, London (2024)[12][13]
Akita, 秋田, meaning autumn rice paddy, is famous for rice farming and itssake breweries.[14] It is well known for having the highest consumption ofsake in Japan[15] and is thought to be the origin of theAkita breed of dog which carries the prefecture's name. The women of the region, referred to asAkita bijin (秋田美人,'beauties of Akita'), have also gained widespread renown for their white skin, rounded faces and high voices, all of which are considered highly desirable.[16]Ono no Komachi is a famous example of anAkita bijin.
Recently there have been efforts to revitalize rural communities facing depopulation with different forms of green tourism and agritourism.[19] These efforts are primarily aimed at attracting urbanites and foreign tourists to Akita Prefecture, advertising its pristine forests, sprawling rice fields, and range of cultures.[9] There has been a push for home stays, farmers markets for locally produced foods, and the integration of outsiders into local cultural practices. TheNamahage ritual inOga on New Year's Eve draws a large number of tourists to Akita Prefecture every year.[20]
NearLake Tazawa, there are a number of hot springs resorts (onsen). These are popular with tourists from all over Japan. In addition, numerous seasonal festivals (matsuri) offer a glimpse of rural or traditional Japan. Some famous examples are the Akita Kantō, theOmagari Fireworks,Namahage Festival, and theYokote Kamakura Festivals.
Kakunodate, known as the littleKyoto, features many preserved samurai houses. The Aoyagi house is the former residence of Odano Naotake, who illustrated Japan's first modern guide to human anatomy. The house is now a museum and gallery of medical illustrations and traditional crafts.
Starting in 2009, Akita began experiencing a huge surge inKorean tourism after the airing of the popular dramaIris, which featured several scenes shot in Akita, most notably at Lake Tazawa and Oga's GAO Aquarium.[21]
Yokote Kamakura Festival in FebruaryA night view of Akita Kanto Festival in AugustA performance show ofNamahage in Oga area, an official performance event held onNew Year's Eve, every year
^笠井 (Kasai), 哲也 (Tetsuya); 矢島大輔 (Yajima Daisuke) (April 21, 2010).韓国人ファン、秋田に殺到 ドラマ「アイリス」効果.Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). Japan.Archived from the original on April 23, 2010. RetrievedApril 22, 2010.
^"刈和野の大綱引き"(PDF) (in Japanese). Daisen City. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on November 27, 2015. RetrievedNovember 26, 2015.
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