Iwate, situated in the north-east of the main island of Honshu, is a vast land of luscious greenery and a landscape that changes with the climate.
A visit to Japan, a land of time-honored cultural festivals and performing arts, varied and beautiful scenery extending from the mountains to the sea, and magnificent temples and shrines.
The prefecture’s center lies along the 40 degree North latitudinal line, roughly equivalent to that of Peking, Lisbon and Washington DC.
Iwate extends 122 kilometers from east to west and 189 kilometers from north to south.

　Its total area is 15,278 square kilometers, nearly half that of Belgium.
After Hokkaido, Iwate has the 2nd largest area of any prefecture in Japan.
Iwate’s population is approximately 1.42 million, and has remained steady over the last few decades.
Iwate’s population accounts for 1.1 percent of Japan’s total population.
The prefecture’s population density is 93 persons per square kilometers− approximately the same as Austria.
Iwate’s capital, Morioka, has nearly 290,000 residents.


　Iwate has developed excellent transport links to Japan’s major centers.
 It is only a 2 and a half hour trip on the Shinkansen (bullet train) from Tokyo to Morioka, and Hanamaki Airport can be reached from Osaka in 1 hour and 30 minutes.
The Tohoku Expressway also links Tokyo with Morioka.
Recently, access to international destinations including Taiwan and South Korea has become available from Hanamaki Airport.


　Situated in the middle latitudes, Iwate is known for its cool winters and mild summers.
Daytime temperatures reach as high as 30 degrees centigrade in summer, and as low as minus 10 degrees centigrade in winter.
Winter snowfall is heavy in some parts of the prefecture providing excellent skiing conditions on the numerous ski slopes.
The people of Iwate take pride in the beauty of each of their four seasons.

　Iwate has been the home of many famous citizens including a number of Japanese Prime Ministers.
The people of Iwate are particularly proud of their famous storywriter and agriculturalist Kenji Miyazawa, poet Takuboku Ishikawa, and international scholar and diplomat Inazo Nitobe whose face adorns the 5000-yen note.


　Iwate is one of the 47 prefectures that make up the regional administrative system under the national government.
Each prefecture has its own independent powers of government, and each is headed by a prefectural governor who is elected by the people.
Beneath the prefectures are the municipalities (cities, towns and villages).
Iwate Prefectureconsists of 58 municipalities.
As part of the Iwate Comprehensive Development Plan ‘the environment,’ ‘people,’ and ‘information’ have been set in place as the three major pillars of Iwate’s regional development promotional policies.

　Iwate has six universities, including a national university, and the Iwate Prefectural University which opened in April 1998.
At the high school level, the introduction of assistant language teachers from overseas has aided in the teaching of English and other languages in Iwate schools.


　Of Iwate’s labour force, 53.7 percents work in the service industry, 29.6 percents in consturuction and mining, and 16.7 percents in agriculture forestry and fisheries.
The number of individuals employed in agriculture, forestry, and fisheries is comparatively higher than in other parts of the country.


　Rice and dairy products (milk, beef and broilers) constitute the majority of Iwate’s agricultural products.
Vegetables, flowers and fruits (such as apples) are also produced in large quantities.
Iwate has the third largest number of cattle in the nation, and ranks fifth nationwide in beef production.


　Iwate’s Rikuchu Coast is home to some of the richest fishing grounds in the world, and the area has long had a thriving fishing industry.
Iwate is Japan’s leading producer of wakame seaweed.
Its abundant forest resources which take up 75 percents of the area, make Iwate Japan’s second largest producer of lumber.
Iwate is also the nation’s top producer of charcoal.

　In 1999 Iwate’s shipment value of manufactured goods was approximately 2.3 trillion yen.
Toyota, NEC and Toshiba are among the firms which have established manufacturing plants in Iwate.
Production of high technology goods such as electrical appliances and semiconductor integrated circuits is on the rise.


　Iwate also manufactures many traditional crafts and other goods, some of which boast a history of several hundreds of years.
Iwate specialist products include lacquerware, Nanbu ironware, and sake.


　Iwate Prefecture is actively promoting international exchange programs, including economic exchange and programs targeting high school students and other young members of the community.
The majority of these programs involve participants from Western and/or East Asian countries.
The number of foreign students and overseas trainees studying at universities and research institutions in Iwate is on the rise.
To promote Iwate abroad, the prefecture holds overseas trade fairs.
Iwate has also recently begun a performing arts exchange with Bali, Indonesia as well as an exchange with Rhineland-Pfalz in Germany.


　Blessed with abundant nature, Iwate contains two national parks as well as many hot springs, beaches, limestone caves, and ski areas.
Iwate is also the home to a rich cultural heritage including Chusonji Temple and Tono Folk Village.
Chusonji Temple, located in Hiraizumi Town, boasts over 3000 National Treasures (including the Golden Hall) and Important Cultural Properties.
Tono captures the spirit of a long lost Japan of endless rice paddies and thatch-roofed houses, as well as being the home of Iwate folklore.
Each year, some 40 million tourists visit Iwate.
Iwate has preserved more of its traditional performing arts than any other prefecture in Japan.
Right across the prefecture the locals have a variety of traditional arts to celebrate the changing of the seasons.

　Some of the more famous dances include the Tora mai (tiger) dance, Onikenbai Sword Dance, Shishi Deer Dance, Hanamaki Festival and Morioka Sansa Odori Festival.

　For more information, please see‘Welcome to Iwate’（PDF　File)　or　‘Ｉｗａｔｅ　Home　Page’.