Miyagi Prefecture

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

On March 11, 2011, a 9.0 magnitude earthquake and a subsequent major tsunami hit Miyagi Prefecture, causing major damage to the area. The tsunami was estimated to be approximately 10 metres (33 ft) high in Miyagi Prefecture. On April 7, 2011, a magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck off the coast of Miyagi, Japan. Workers were then evacuated from the nearby troubled Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant once again, as a tsunami warning was issued for the coastline. Residents were told to flee inland at that time. In 2013, Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako visited the prefecture to see the progress made since the tsunami. Miyagi Prefecture is a prefecture that is particularly prone to earthquakes even in Japan, which is an earthquake-prone country. Large earthquakes occur frequently Miyagi offshore, and earthquakes also occur frequently inland. In the 2011 Tohoku earthquake that occurred Miyagi offshore, Miyagi Prefecture suffered the most damage nationwide.

Reader's Guide

Miyagi Prefecture holds significance as the economic and cultural heart of the Tōhoku region, anchored by its capital Sendai. Its economy blends fishing and agriculture—producing a great deal of rice and livestock, and as of March 2011, 23% of Japan's oysters and 15.9% of sauries—with manufacturing in electronics, appliances, and food processing around Sendai. The prefecture's legacy is deeply tied to the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, which caused catastrophic damage and prompted a temporary ban on beef cattle shipments from northeast Miyagi Prefecture over fears of radioactive contamination in July 2011, since rescinded. Culturally, Miyagi is home to the Matsushima Islands, one of Japan's three most scenic views, and the castle town of Sendai, associated with the daimyō Date Masamune. It hosts notable festivals such as the Aoba Festival with Suzume Odori traditional Japanese dance in May, and the Sendai Tanabata Festival, August 6–8. In popular culture, Miyagi Prefecture is a setting for anime series including Haikyū!!, Wake Up, Girls!, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable, and Jujutsu Kaisen. The prefecture continues to recover and rebuild, with visits from the imperial family highlighting ongoing progress.

Did You Know?

• Miyagi Prefecture is bounded to the west by the Ōu Mountains, the longest mountain range in Japan.
• 24% of Miyagi Prefecture's total land area is designated as Natural Parks.
• As of March 2011, Miyagi Prefecture produced 23% of Japan's oysters and 15.9% of sauries.
• In July 2011, the Japanese government banned all shipments of beef cattle from northeast Miyagi Prefecture over fears of radioactive contamination, a ban that has since been rescinded.
• Miyagi Prefecture is one of the main settings of the manga and anime series Haikyū!!.