Prior to the Meiji Restoration of 1868, the area of present-day Okayama Prefecture was divided between Bitchū, Bizen and Mimasaka Provinces. Okayama Prefecture was formed and named in 1871 as part of the large-scale administrative reforms of the early Meiji period (1868–1912), and the borders of the prefecture were set in 1876.[4][6]
Geography
Map of Okayama Prefecture Government Ordinance Designated City City Town Village
Okayama Prefecture is home to the historic town of Kurashiki. Most of the population is concentrated around Kurashiki and Okayama. The small villages in the northern mountain region are aging and declining in population - more than half of the prefecture's municipalities are officially designated as depopulated.[7]
Okayama Prefecture is closely associated with the folklore hero, Momotarō. This tale is said to have roots in the legendary story of Kibitsuhiko-no-mikoto and Ura which explains that the Prince Ura of Kudara used to live in Kinojo (castle of the devil) and was a cause of trouble for the people living in the village. The emperor's government sent Kibitsuhiko-no-mikoto (Momotarō) to defeat Ura. The city of Okayama holds an annual Momotarō-matsuri, or Momotarō Festival.[5][12]
Okayama Korakuen Park and Okayama CastleHiruzen Plateau and Hiruzen Joyful Park in ManiwaHinase Island and Seto Inlandsea in BizenBitchu Matsuyama Castle in Takahashi
Nishimura Riki, also known as Ni-ki of ENHYPEN (born 2005), K-pop idol,[14] dancer, singer, rapper
Issei Mamehara (born 2002), singer, dancer, member of JO1
Notes
^"2020年度国民経済計算(2015年基準・2008SNA) : 経済社会総合研究所 - 内閣府". 内閣府ホームページ (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 24 September 2023. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
^Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Okayama-ken" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 745, p. 745, at Google Books; "Chūgoku" at p. 127, p. 127, at Google Books.
^Nussbaum, "Okayama" at p. 745, p. 745, at Google Books.
^ a b c"Okayama Prefecture". Encyclopedia of Japan. Tokyo: Shogakukan. 2012. OCLC 56431036. Archived from the original on 25 August 2007. Retrieved 1 August 2012.
^ a b"岡山(県)" [Okayama Prefecture]. Nihon Daihyakka Zensho (Nipponika) (in Japanese). Tokyo: Shogakukan. 2012. OCLC 153301537. Archived from the original on 25 August 2007. Retrieved 15 August 2012.
^Nussbaum, "Provinces and prefectures" at p. 780, p. 780, at Google Books.
^Okayama official website Archived 2 January 2013 at the Wayback Machine accessed November 2007
^"General overview of area figures for Natural Parks by prefecture" (PDF). Ministry of the Environment. 1 April 2014. Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 April 2012. Retrieved 19 February 2015.
^"Okayama (Japan): Prefecture, Major Cities & Towns - Population Statistics, Maps, Charts, Weather and Web Information". www.citypopulation.de. Archived from the original on 2022-05-12. Retrieved 2022-05-12.
^"Japan Prefectures Population from 1920 and Area". www.demographia.com. Archived from the original on 2017-04-29. Retrieved 2020-11-25.
^"岡山県作陽高等学校". www.sakuyo-h.ed.jp. Archived from the original on 11 January 2018. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
^"Okayama History". Archived from the original on 22 May 2012. Retrieved 24 June 2012.
^"Yuko Arimori's profile". Archived from the original on 2015-06-17. Retrieved 2013-05-31.
^"ENHYPEN's profile". Archived from the original on 2022-08-10. Retrieved 2024-01-28.