Mie
(2001 est. pop. 1.9 million). Mie Prefecture is situated in the central region of Japan's island of Honshu, where it occupies an area of 5,778 square kilometers. Its primary geographical features are the Kii Peninsula, of which it is the eastern part, low mountains separating the coastal Ise Plain and the central Ueno Basin, and densely forested southern mountains. Mie is bordered by Ise Bay and the Kumano Sea, and by Wakayama, Nara, Kyoto, Shiga, Gifu, and Aichi Prefectures. Once comprising the provinces of Ise, Shima, and Iga, Mie assumed its present name and borders in 1876.
The prefecture's capital city is Tsu, formerly named Anotsu. Once a thriving port, it evolved into an Edo period (1600/1603–1868) post station town along the route to Ise Shrine, while continuing as the castle town of the Todo family. In the early 2000s, Mie is dominated by the shipbuilding, electrical machinery, and textile industries, while agriculture and fishing remain important. Its attractions include the temple Senshuji and the ruins of Tsu Castle. The prefecture's other important cities are Yokkaichi, Ise, Matsusaka, Suzuka, and Kuwana.
Prehistoric archaeological remains and many Kofun tombs indicate early settlement of Mie Prefecture. The erection of the Ise Shrine, devoted to the mythical ancestors of the Imperial family and long the nation's principal Shinto pilgrimage destination, as early as the third century contributed to the region's rapid growth. The provinces then were ruled by a series of feudal lords.
Mie's prime agricultural land produces rice, vegetables, and fruit, along with tea and tobacco. Matsusaka produces highly prized beef, while forestry is pursued in the south. Toba, once an Ise pilgrimage port, is the site of the nation's first cultured pearl beds. The older textile and ceramics industries, along with modern heavy industries, are concentrated in the north. The prefecture's attractions include coastal Ise-Shima National Park and mountainous Yoshino-Kumano National Park. Ueno, known for its famous Iga ware ceramics, is notable as the birthplace of haiku poet Matsuo Basho (1644–1694).
Further Reading
"Mie Prefecture."(1993) Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia. Tokyo: Kodansha.
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