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27-657: The expressway is officially referred to as the Tōhoku Ōdan Expressway Sakata Route. From Tsuruoka Junction to Sakata-Minato Interchange the expressway is concurrent with the Nihonkai Engan Tōhoku Expressway , which is planned to extend further north to Akita Prefecture and Aomori Prefecture . The expressway begins in southern Miyagi Prefecture at a junction with the Tōhoku Expressway and heads west, crossing over into Yamagata Prefecture. The route passes to

54-572: A force of over 5000 men. The road was greatly resented by the Emishi tribes, and after an uprising in 767, pacification expeditions were carried out in 776, 778, 794, 801 and 811. The castle was severely damaged in an earthquake in 830. In 878, a major rebellion known as the Ganki Disturbance (元慶の乱) erupted in the region against Yamato rule, which resulted in the destruction of a large part of Akita Castle. Another major uprising occurred in 939, known as

81-683: A glimpse of rural or traditional Japan. Some famous examples are the Akita Kantō, the Omagari Fireworks, Namahage Festival, and the Yokote Kamakura Festivals. Kakunodate , known as the little Kyoto , features many preserved samurai houses. The Aoyagi house is the former residence of Odano Naotake, who illustrated Japan's first modern guide to human anatomy. The house is now a museum and gallery of medical illustrations and traditional crafts. Starting in 2009, Akita began experiencing

108-537: A huge surge in Korean tourism after the airing of the popular drama Iris , which featured several scenes shot in Akita, most notably at Lake Tazawa and Oga's GAO Aquarium. [REDACTED] Media related to Akita prefecture at Wikimedia Commons 39°43′7″N 140°6′9″E  /  39.71861°N 140.10250°E  / 39.71861; 140.10250 Akita Castle Akita Castle ( 秋田城 , Akita-jō ) refers to

135-483: A push for home stays, farmers markets for locally produced foods, and the integration of outsiders into local cultural practices. The Namahage ritual in Oga on New Year's Eve draws a large number of tourists to Akita Prefecture every year. Near Lake Tazawa , there are a number of hot springs resorts ( onsen ). These are popular with tourists from all over Japan. In addition, numerous seasonal festivals ( matsuri ) offer

162-502: A region of hunter-gatherers and principally nomadic tribes. The first historical record of what is now Akita Prefecture dates to 658, when Abe no Hirafu conquered the native Ezo tribes at what are now the cities of Akita and Noshiro . Abe, then governor of Koshi Province (the northwestern part of Honshū bordering the Sea of Japan ), established a fort on the Mogami River , and thus began

189-452: Is a famous example of an Akita bijin . Akita is known for the following regional specialties ( tokusanhin ): Recently there have been efforts to revitalize rural communities facing depopulation with different forms of green tourism and agritourism. These efforts are primarily aimed at attracting urbanites and foreign tourists to Akita Prefecture, advertising its pristine forests, sprawling rice fields, and range of cultures. There has been

216-576: The Tokugawa shogunate it was appropriated to the Satake clan , who ruled the region for 260 years and developed the agriculture and mining industries that are still predominant today. Throughout this period, it was classified as part of Dewa Province . In 1871, during the Meiji Restoration , Dewa Province was reshaped and the old daimyō domains were abolished and administratively reconstructed, resulting in

243-447: The Tokugawa shogunate . During the Asuka period , Abe no Hirafu conquered the native Emishi tribes at what are now the cities of Akita and Noshiro in 658 and established a fortification on the Mogami River . In the year 708 AD, “Dewa Country” was created out of the northern half of Echigo Province and was raised in status to Dewa Province in 712 AD. However, at that time the region

270-472: The 2-laned sections. Akita Prefecture Akita Prefecture ( 秋田県 , Akita-ken ) [a̠kʲita̠] is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region of Honshu . Its population is estimated 915,691 (as of 1 August 2023) and its geographic area is 11,637 km (4,493 sq mi ). Akita Prefecture is bordered by Aomori Prefecture to the north, Iwate Prefecture to the east, Miyagi Prefecture to

297-509: The Japanese settlement of the region. In 733, a new military settlement (later renamed Akita Castle ) was built in what is now the Takashimizu area of Akita, and more permanent roads and structures were developed. The region was used as a base of operations for the Japanese empire as it drove the native Ezo people from northern Honshū. Governance of the region shifted hands several times. During

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324-524: The Sea of Japan directly to the Noto Peninsula , they abandoned the northern route via the western coast of Hokkaido . The Akita Castle then lost its diplomatic functions, which affected even its physical appearance. Akita Castle was surrounded by earthen ramparts and had gates at each of the cardinal points. Archaeological excavations have found the foundations of the barracks as well as official buildings for

351-746: The Tenki Disturbance (天慶の乱). However, Akita Castle was restored after each disaster and remained in use until the mid- Heian period . From the 9th through the 11th centuries, Akita Castle was the residence of the “Dewa-no-suke”, or nominal deputy governor of Dewa Province. The title was later changed to “Akita-no-suke”. However, the castle was abandoned around 1050 during the Former Nine Years War . The imperial dynasty built this northernmost fortification because it thought necessary to have an outpost there to properly receive (and occasionally refuse) diplomatic delegations from Balhae /Bohai. Because of

378-724: The decline in population. This decline, combined with an aging population , has been concerning for rural communities. Akita, 秋田, meaning autumn rice paddy, is famous for rice farming and its sake breweries. It is well known for having the highest consumption of sake in Japan and is thought to be the origin of the Akita breed of dog which carries the prefecture's name. The women of the region, referred to as Akita bijin ( 秋田美人 , 'beauties of Akita' ) , have also gained widespread renown for their white skin, rounded faces and high voices, all of which are considered highly desirable. Ono no Komachi

405-399: The historic Dewa Province with Yamagata Prefecture. The region of Akita was created from the ancient provinces of Dewa and Mutsu . Separated from the principal Japanese centres of commerce, politics, and population by several hundred kilometres and by the Ōu and Dewa mountain ranges to the east, Akita remained largely isolated from Japanese society until after the year 600. Akita was

432-545: The irregularity and unpredictability with which those delegations arrived, the dynasty once decided to abolish the Akita Castle in 770 but withdrew the decision ten years later. The very existence of the Akita Castle depended on Balhae/Bohai delegations until the end of the 8th century when the Balhae/Bohai delegations definitively changed their navigation route to Japan as they learned by then to build ships large enough to cross

459-732: The lowest percentage of children (defined as under the age of 15), at 9.3% in 2022, down from 11.2% in 2010. 38.6% of residents are 65 or older, the highest percentage of any Japanese prefecture. As of October 1, 2022, it has an estimated population of 944,902 people. The high rate of depopulation in Akita Prefecture has led smaller communities to merge with each other, which has affected the smallest of these merged communities. As depopulation in these communities continues, educational and health facilities have closed in some areas, encouraging families to migrate to larger cities for better access to health and educational opportunities and perpetuating

486-479: The modern-day borders of Akita. The famous Heian period waka poet, Ono no Komachi , is said to have been born in Yuzawa City, Ogachi Town, located in the southeast of the prefecture. Located on the north-western side of Honshu, Akita Prefecture is adjacent to the Sea of Japan to the west and borders four other prefectures: Aomori in the north, Iwate in the east, Miyagi in the southeast, and Yamagata in

513-628: The north of the Yamagata city area and subsequently meets the Tōhoku-Chūō Expressway . From here the expressway crosses mountainous areas of western Yamagata Prefecture before reaching the city of Tsuruoka near the Japan Sea coastline. The remainder of the expressway follows a northerly course paralleling the coastline to the terminus in the city of Sakata . The route is incomplete between Gassan Interchange and Yudonosan Interchange which cuts

540-476: The route into two physically separate sections. Travellers must use National Route 112 to travel between the two interchanges. As of March 2008 there are no plans to make the Yamagata Expressway a single contiguous expressway. The expressway is 4 lanes from Murata Junction to Yamagata Junction and 2 lanes for all other sections. The speed limit is 80 km/h for the 4-laned section and 70 km/h for

567-408: The ruins of a Nara period fortified settlement located in what is now the city Akita , Akita Prefecture , Japan . It is also sometimes referred to as “Fort Akita”. The name is sometimes used wrongly for Kubota Castle , an Edo period Japanese castle which served as the headquarters or the Satake , daimyō of Kubota Domain that was a domain in the northern part of Dewa Province created by

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594-588: The sea. As of 31 March 2019, 11% of the total land area of the prefecture is designated as Natural Parks , namely the Towada-Hachimantai National Park ; Chōkai , Kurikoma , and Oga Quasi-National Parks; and Akita Shirakami , Hachimori Iwadate , Kimimachizaka , Magi Mahiru , Moriyoshizan , Taiheizan , Tashirodake , and Tazawako Dakigaeri Prefectural Natural Parks. Thirteen cities are located in Akita Prefecture: These are

621-447: The south. The borders of Akita Prefecture roughly form a rectangle that is 169 kilometres (105 miles) from north to south and 86 kilometres (54 miles) from west to east. The Oga Peninsula is a prominent feature of the western edge, while the Ōu Mountains mark the eastern border and the higher Dewa Mountains run parallel through the center. Like much of northern Japan, the prefecture has cold winters, particularly in areas farther from

648-407: The southeast, and Yamagata Prefecture to the south. Akita is the capital and largest city of Akita Prefecture. Other major cities include Yokote , Daisen , and Yurihonjō . Akita Prefecture is located on the coast of the Sea of Japan and extends east to the Ōu Mountains , the longest mountain range in Japan, at the border with Iwate Prefecture. Akita Prefecture formed the northern half of

675-549: The towns and villages in each district : Like much of the Tōhoku Region , Akita's economy remains dominated by traditional industries such as agriculture, fishing, and forestry. This has led many young people to migrate to Tokyo and other large cities. Akita Prefecture has seen some of the most severe population decline in Japan: it is one of four prefectures in Japan registering declines in population since 1955. Its population also has

702-634: Was built what is now in the Takashimizu area of the city of Akita. Abe no Yakamaro was sent as Chinjufu-Shōgun , and Akita Castle became a base of operations to colonize the region and to subdue the native Emishi peoples. In 737, a major military operation began to connect Akita Castle with Taga Castle on the Pacific Coast. Over the next 50 years, additional fortifications were erected at Okachi in Dewa Province and Monofu in Mutsu Province involving

729-559: Was still outside the effective control of the imperial court based in Nara . A number of military expeditions were sent to the area, with armed colonists forming settlements fortified with moats and wooden palisades across central Dewa in what is now the Shōnai area of Yamagata Prefecture . In 733, the fort on the Mogami River was moved north, and a new military settlement, later named “Akita Castle”,

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