Kagawa Prefecture

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Lore & Background

Kagawa Prefecture occupies the northeast corner of Shikoku, with its southern border defined by the Sanuki Mountains, which separate it from Tokushima Prefecture. To the southwest lies Ehime Prefecture. Its northern coastline faces the Seto Inland Sea, opposite Okayama Prefecture on Honshu, to which it is linked by the Great Seto Bridge. The prefecture includes Shōdoshima, the second-largest island in the Inland Sea. Historically, Kagawa was known as Sanuki Province, and for a brief period from August 1876 to December 1888, it was incorporated into Ehime Prefecture. A notable historical site is Yashima, a mountain in the capital Takamatsu, which was the setting for the famous Battle of Yashima between the Heike and Genji clans. The prefecture is the smallest in Japan by geographic area, covering 1,877 square kilometers, with a narrow shape between the sea and the mountains. As of April 2012, 11% of its land was protected as Natural Parks, including Setonaikai National Park and Ōtaki-Ōkawa Prefectural Natural Park. Its major cities include Takamatsu, the capital and largest, along with Marugame, Mitoyo, and Kan'onji.

Reader's Guide

Kagawa Prefecture holds significance as the smallest prefecture in Japan by area, yet it has a notable cultural and economic footprint. Its history as Sanuki Province and its brief merger with Ehime Prefecture reflect administrative changes in the Meiji era. The Battle of Yashima, fought on a mountain in Takamatsu, is a key historical event. Economically, Kagawa's nominal GDP is approximately 3,802 billion yen, with major exports in transportation equipment and electrical equipment. Its most famous cultural export is Sanuki udon, with over 700 udon restaurants in the prefecture as of 2008. Kagawa also pioneered olive cultivation in Japan starting in 1908, leading to award-winning olive oil and derivative products like olive beef and olive yellowtail. The prefecture's tourism draws on sites such as Konpira Shrine, Ritsurin Garden, Marugame Castle, and the art islands of Naoshima and Teshima. Its legacy includes being the setting for the novel Twenty-Four Eyes and the manga Teasing Master Takagi-san.

Did You Know?

• Kagawa Prefecture was briefly part of Ehime Prefecture between August 1876 and December 1888.
• As of 2008, there were over 700 udon restaurants in Kagawa Prefecture alone.
• Kagawa was the first place in Japan to successfully cultivate olives, starting in 1908.
• The mountain of Yashima in Takamatsu was the battlefield for the Battle of Yashima between the Heike and Genji clans.
• Shōdoshima, the second-largest island in the Seto Inland Sea, is part of Kagawa Prefecture.