Ehime Prefecture

History

Until the Meiji Restoration, Ehime Prefecture was known as Iyo Province. Since before the Heian period, the area was dominated by fishermen and sailors who played an important role in defending Japan against pirates and Mongolian invasions.

After the Battle of Sekigahara, the Tokugawa shōgun gave the area to his allies, including Katō Yoshiaki who built Matsuyama Castle, forming the basis for the modern city of Matsuyama.

The name Ehime comes from the kuniumi part of the Kojiki where Iyo Province is mythologically named Ehime, "lovely princess".

In 2012, a research group from the University of Tokyo and Ehime University said they had discovered rare earth deposits in Matsuyama.

Geography

Located in the northwestern part of Shikoku, Ehime faces the Seto Inland Sea to the north and is bordered by Kagawa and Tokushima in the east and Kōchi in the south.

The prefecture includes both high mountains in the inland region and a long coastline, with many islands in the Seto Inland Sea. The westernmost arm of Ehime, the Sadamisaki Peninsula, is the narrowest peninsula in Japan.

As of 31 March 2020, 7 percent of the total land area of the prefecture was designated as Natural Parks, namely the Ashizuri-Uwakai and Setonaikai National Parks; Ishizuchi Quasi-National Park; and Hijikawa, Kinshako, Okudōgo Tamagawa, Sadamisaki Hantō-Uwakai, Saragamine Renpō, Sasayama, and Shikoku Karst Prefectural Natural Parks.

Cities

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Eleven cities are located in Ehime Prefecture:

Towns and villages

These are the towns in each district:

Mergers

Main article: List of mergers in Ehime Prefecture

Former districts:

• Onsen District
• Shūsō District
• Uma District
• Uwa District (historical)

Economy

The coastal areas around Imabari and Saijō host a number of industries, including dockyards of Japan's largest shipbuilder, Imabari Shipbuilding. Chemical industries, oil refining, paper and cotton textile products also are a feature of the prefecture. Rural areas mostly engage in agricultural and fishing industries, and are particularly known for citrus fruits such as mikan (mandarin orange), iyokan and cultured pearls.

Ikata Nuclear Power Plant produces a large portion of Shikoku Electric Power.

Education

Universities and colleges

National

• Ehime University

Prefectural

• Ehime Prefectural University of Health Science

Private

• Matsuyama Shinonome College (women's college)
• Matsuyama University
• St. Catherine University

Senior high schools

Prefectural

• Ehime Prefectural Matsuyama Central Senior High School
• Ehime Prefectural Matsuyama Higashi High School
• Ehime Prefectural Mishima High School
• Ehime Prefectural Uwajima Fisheries High School

Sports

The sports teams listed below are based in Ehime.

Association football:

• Ehime FC
• FC Imabari

Baseball:

• Ehime Mandarin Pirates

Basketball:

• Ehime Orange Vikings

Culture

The oldest extant hot spring in Japan, Dōgo Onsen, is located in Matsuyama. It has been used for over two thousand years.

These are television shows and movies set in Ehime Prefecture.

• *Tokyo Love Story *is a story with characters are from Ehime Prefecture. Therefore, a lot of shooting was done in Ehime. Baishinji Station is famous for being filmed.
• *Shodō Girls * was made based on the true story of a high school student in Shikokuchūō. A member of the calligraphy club began doing Performance calligraphy at shopping malls and events to liven up the local region. After that, the Shodō Performance Koshien (書道パフォーマンス甲子園) was held in 2008.
• *Botchan *is a novel written by Natsume Sōseki. It was based on his experience in Matsuyama. Movies, dramas, and manga are published based on the novel. Botchan Ressha and Botchan Stadium are associated with this.
• *Saka no Ue no Kumo * is written by Ryōtarō Shiba. The main characters are Akiyama Yoshifuru, Akiyama Saneyuki and Masaoka Shiki, all of whom are from Ehime prefecture. It was broadcast on NHK as a TV drama.
• *Koi wa Go・Hichi・Go！ * (恋は五・七・五！) is set in Haiku Koshien, which is actually performed. The shooting was done at a high school, university, and library in Ehime. The haiku of this movie was supervised by Itsuki Natsui, haiku poet from Ehime.
• *Destruction Babies *(ディストラクション・ベイビーズ) is set in Ehime. This movie was made based on the true story that the director head from a person he met when he visited Matsuyama. The director won an award at the Locarno Festival in 2016, and the film was selected as semi-grand prix at the Three Continents Festival in 2016.
• My-HiME is set in Ehime.

There are major festivals in Ehime Prefecture.

• Uwajima Ushi-oni Festival is held for three days, with a parade of many Ushi-oni walking around the city, a traditional Uwajima dance, a fireworks display, and a run on the final day.
• Niihama Taiko Festival is the autumn festival in Niihama. The drum stand is lifted by about 150 men. It is one of the three biggest fight festivals in Japan.
• The Matsuyama Autumn Festival includes a mikoshi event called Hachiawase (鉢合わせ) which takes place near Dōgo Onsen and Isaniwa Shrine.
• The Velo-city conference, the world's largest conference dedicated to daily cycling and active mobility, will be held in Ehime in 2027.

Hot springs

These are several hot springs (onsen) in Ehime Prefecture.

• Dōgo Onsen appears in the Nihon Shoki. This Hot Spring has three public baths: the main building, Tsubaki no Yu, and Asuka no Yu.
• Sora to Mori is a combined warm bath facility. There are hot springs, restaurants, and body care.
• Nibukawa Onsen is a hot spring located in Imabari. The source originates from the crevices of the Inugawa Valley in this hot spring town.

Language

Iyo dialect is a Japanese dialect spoken in Ehime Prefecture. Nanyo is influenced by the Kyushu dialect, and Chuyo and Toyo are influenced by the Kinki dialect.

Museums

• Kaimei School
• Museum of Ehime History and Culture

Transport

Railway

• Shikoku Railway (JR Shikoku)
  • Yosan Line
  • Yodo Line
  • Uchiko Line
• Iyo Railway (Iyotetsu)
  • Gunchū Line
  • Takahama Line
  • Yokogawara Line
  • Matsuyama Inner Line

Road

Expressway

• [[File:JP Expressway E11.svg|30px|link=|alt=]] Matsuyama Expressway
• [[File:JP Expressway E32.svg|30px|link=|alt=]] Tokushima Expressway
• [[File:JP Expressway E11.svg|30px|link=|alt=]] Takamatsu Expressway
• [[File:JP Expressway E32.svg|30px|link=|alt=]] Kōchi Expressway
• [[File:JP Expressway E76.svg|30px|link=|alt=]] Nishiseto Expressway (also referred to as the Shimanami Kaidō)
• [[File:JP Expressway E76.svg|30px|link=|alt=]] Imabari-Komatsu Expressway

National highways

• (Matsuyama-Kōchi)
• (Matsuyama-Iyo-Uwajima-Sukumo-Susaki-Kōchi)
• (Saijyo-Shikokuchūō-Yoshinogawa-Tokushima)
• (Matsuyama-Imabari-Onomichi)
• (Matsuyama-Niyodogawa-Susaki)

Ports

• Kawanoe Port
• Niihama Port - Ferry route to Osaka
• Toyo Port - Ferry route to Osaka
• Imabari Port - Ferry route to Innoshima, Hakata Island, and international container hub port
• Matsuyama Port - Ferry route to Kitakyushu, Yanai, Hiroshima, Kure, and international container hub port
• Yawatahama Port - Ferry route to Beppu, Usuki
• Misaki Port - Ferry route to Oita
• Uwajima Port

Airport

• Matsuyama Airport

Notable people

• Kazuyoshi Ishii (born 1953), founder of Seidokaikan karate and K-1
• Tadashi Irie (born 1944), yakuza member
• Naoki Kuwata (born 1977), actor and model
• Tetchō Suehiro (1849–1896), politician, novelist and journalist

International relations

Ehime Prefecture is making use of its long tradition of involvement with people overseas through international exchanges in areas such as the economy, culture, sports and education.

• Canada British Columbia, Canada
• China Dalian, China
• United States Hawaii, United States
• China Liaoning, China
• Australia New South Wales, Australia
• Australia Queensland, Australia

Notes

References

• Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric and Käthe Roth. (2005). Japan encyclopedia. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. ; OCLC 58053128

References

1. "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".
2. link. Ehime prefectural website. Ehime Prefecture
3. "Japanese River Otter Facts".
4. NHK Publishing. (24 May 2016)
5. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Ehime" in {{Google books. p2QnPijAEmEC. ''Japan Encyclopedia'', p. 170
6. "Ehime Population".
7. link. [[TBS News]]. (17 February 2025)
8. Nussbaum, "Matsuyama" at {{Google books. p2QnPijAEmEC. p. 621
9. Nussbaum, "Provinces and prefectures" at {{Google books. p2QnPijAEmEC. p. 780
10. Chamberlain, Basil Hall. 1882. ''A translation of the "Ko-ji-ki" or Records of ancient matters''. [http://www.sacred-texts.com/shi/kj/kj012.htm section V]
11. "Japan Discovers Domestic Rare Earths Reserve". BrightWire.
12. link. [[Ministry of the Environment (Japan). Ministry of the Environment]]. (31 March 2020)
13. Velo-city. "Ehime Prefecture wins bid to host Velo-city 2027: A first for Japan!".
14. "International exchange activated with globalization". Ehime Prefecture.