Kagawa
(2002 est. pop. 1 million). Kagawa Prefecture is situated in the northeastern region of Japan's island of Shikoku, where it occupies an area of 1,883 square kilometers. Kagawa's primary geographical features are coastal lowlands in the north, the Sanuki Mountains in the south, and many small offshore islands. Kagawa is bordered by the Inland Sea and by Ehime and Tokushima Prefectures. Once known as Sanuki Province, it assumed its present name and borders in 1888.
The prefecture's capital is Takamatsu. In 1588, Ikoma Chikamasa (1526–1603) erected a castle to monitor Inland Sea maritime traffic and Takamatsu grew around this fortress. The Matsudaira family later took control of the castle town. With the initiation of a ferry route between Honshu and Shikoku, Takamatsu became the terminal, making it into the administrative and economic center of Shikoku. The completion of the bridge link to Honshu in 1988 rendered the ferry obsolete. The city manufactures machinery and processes foodstuffs, including udon noodles. Its more traditional crafts are lacquerware and tissue paper. Nearby is the Yashima Peninsula, a battlefield of the war between the Taira and Minamoto warrior clans in 1185. The prefecture's other important cities are Sakaide and Marugame.
Kagawa's main crop long has been rice, later supplemented by cotton, sugar, and salt, of which the prefecture once was the nation's largest source; the salt works were shut down in 1972. In the early 2000s, the economy also depends on fruit and livestock production, along with fishing. Shipbuilding is one of the few heavy industries; there is some processing of paper, textiles, and foodstuffs. Visitors are drawn to Inland Sea National Park, and historic Kotohira Shrine is a pilgrim destination.
Further Reading
"Kagawa Prefecture." (1993) Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia. Tokyo: Kodansha.
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