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Shikoku Island

Shikoku is consists of four prefectures, that is, Kochi, Kagawa, Ehime and Tokushima. Shikoku is the smallest island in the main four islands (Honshu, Kyushu, Hokkaido and Shikoku) of Japan. Its area is 18,300 square kilometers. Shikoku means four country in English and this name originates this island has been divided into four country since ancient times.

Till the Meiji Restoration (1868), four prefectures were respectively called the following name; Tosa (Kochi prefecture), Sanuki (Kagawa prefecture), Iyo (Ehime prefecture), Awa (Tokushima prefecture). These four prefectures are linked with Superhighway.

I briefly present these prefectures the following.
1.Jump to Kochi prefecture
2.Jump to Kagawa prefecture
3.Jump to Ehime prefecture
4.Jump to Tokushima prefecture

1.Kochi Prefecture

Area : 7,105 km2
Population : 796,196

This is the prefecture I live in.
The area is the largest in four prefectures of Shikoku Island, but most of the area is mountain. The north of Kochi Prefecture is surrounded by mountains (the Shikoku mountains) and the south direction faces to the Pacific Ocean.
For visit to neighbor prefecture, we use the superhighway or train, and for visit to Osaka or Tokyo, we use airplane. It takes just a little over 1 hour to go to Tokyo using airplane.
The capital of Kochi Prefecture is Kochi City.

Special products of Kochi Prefecture
Vegetables : tomato, green pepper, ginger, small sweet green pepper, myoga (I canft spell in English) Japanese Sake ( traditional Japanese alcohol made from rice) Tataki of a skipjack (tataki ; lightly grilled, then chopped meat or fish)

2.Kagawa Prefecture

Area : 1,876 km2
Population : 1,011,585

The area is the smallest in Japan (there are 47 prefectures in Japan), but most of the area is flat land. . Though the climate is mild and comfortable, the annual rainfall is a little. So there are a lot of irrigation ponds in this prefecture.
Excuse me for mentioning something personal, but this prefecture is my wifefs native place.
Kagawa Prefecture is connected to Honshu (Okayama Prefecture) with Seto-Ohasi_Bridge.
detail about Seto_Ohasi_Bridge1

The capital of Kagawa Prefecture is Takamatsu City.

Special products of Kagawa Prefecture
Sanuki udon (udon; thick white noodles), gloves, olive

3.Ehime Prefecture

Area : 5,677 km2
Population : 1,467,824

The climate of the center and north area is similar to Kagawa prefecture. That of south_west area is warm and rainy, similar to Kochi prefecture.
Ehime Prefecture is connected to Honshu (Hiroshima Prefecture) with Shimanami Kaido. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honshu-Shikoku_Bridge_Project#Nishiseto_Expressway_.28Westen-Seto_Expressway.29

The capital of Ehime Prefecture is Matsuyama City.

In Matsuyama City, there is a very famous hot spring ( Dogo Onsen ).

Special products of Ehime Prefecture
mikan, iyokan,

Industry : paper, chemical, shipbuilding

4.Tokushima Prefecture

Area : 4,145 km2
Population : 810,000

Landform: Most of the area is mountains.
There are flat lands belong the Yoshino_River, that is famous for the one of the Japanese three big rivers.
Climinate: The climate is warm and rainy similar to Kochi prefecture.
Transportation network: Tokushima Prefecture is connected to Honshu (Hyogo Prefecture) with two big bridges (Naruto_Ohashi and Akashi Ohashi).

The capital of Tokushima Prefecture is Tokushima City.

Sightseeing: Awa_Odori (Awa dancing) : Very famous traditional dance. This carnival is opened at August 12th - 15th every year.

Special products of Tokushima Prefecture: wakame (seaweed),

Industry: Nichia Kagaku (Nichia corporation): very famous for laser diodes.