Kagawa Prefecture

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Kagawa Prefecture comprises the northeast corner of Shikoku, bordering Ehime Prefecture to the southwest and Tokushima Prefecture to the south. Its coastline lies on the Seto Inland Sea, across from Okayama Prefecture on Honshu, connected by the Great Seto Bridge. The Sanuki Mountains run along the southern border. The prefecture includes Shōdoshima, the second-largest island in the Seto Inland Sea. As of April 1, 2012, 11% of its land area was designated as Natural Parks, including Setonaikai National Park and Ōtaki-Ōkawa Prefectural Natural Park.

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.