The Chūbu region (中部地方), Central region, or Central Japan (中部日本) is a region in the middle of Honshū, Japan's main island. In a wide, classical definition, it encompasses nine prefectures (ken): Aichi, Fukui, Gifu, Ishikawa, Nagano, Niigata, Shizuoka, Toyama, and Yamanashi.
It is located directly between the Kantō region and the Kansai region and includes the major city of Nagoya as well as Pacific Ocean and Sea of Japan coastlines, extensive mountain resorts, and Mount Fuji.
The region is the widest part of Honshū and the central part is characterized by high, rugged mountains. The Japanese Alps divide the country into the Pacific side, sunny in winter, and the Sea of Japan side, snowy in winter.
Although Mie is part of Kinki/Kansai/Western Japan in traditional geographical regional divisions, Northern Mie is part of the metropolitan area around Nagoya, and Mie is in many practical contexts considered to be part of Tōkai/Chūbu/Central Japan. Including Mie, Chūbu had a population of 23,010,276 as of 1 June 2019.
Other definitions
In the MLIT of the central government, the jurisdiction of the Chūbu regional development bureau (中部地方整備局, Chūbu-chihō seibi-kyoku; (ja)) extends to five prefectures: Gifu, Shizuoka, Aichi, Mie and the Southern part of Nagano.
In the National Police Agency, the Chūbu Regional Police Bureau (中部管区警察局, Chūbu kanku keisatsu-kyoku; (ja)) is responsible for six prefectural police forces: Toyama, Ishikawa, Fukui, Gifu, Aichi and Mie.
In local government, the Chūbu area governors' association (中部圏知事会, Chūbuken chijikai) unites the governors of Toyama, Ishikawa, Fukui, Nagano, Gifu, Shizuoka, Aichi, Mie and Shiga and the mayor of Nagoya City in Aichi.
Geography
Located in the center of the Japanese archipelago. It refers to the area between the Kanto, Tohoku and Kansai regions. +more
The terrain is mainly rugged and mountainous except for the Nōbi Plain and coastal areas. The steep Japanese Alps rise in the central area. +more
Subregions
The Chūbu region covers a large and geographically diverse area of Honshū which leads to it generally being divided into three distinct subregions: Tōkai, Kōshin'etsu, and Hokuriku. There is also another subregion occasionally referred to in business circles called Chūkyō.
Tōkai
The Tōkai region, mostly bordering the Pacific Ocean, is a narrow corridor interrupted in places by mountains that descend into the sea.
Since the Tokugawa period (1600-1867), this corridor has been critical in linking Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka. One of old Japan's most important ancient roadways, the Tōkaidō, ran through it connecting Tokyo (at that time called Edo) and Kyoto, the old imperial capital. +more
A number of small alluvial plains are found in the corridor section. A mild climate, favorable location relatively close to the great metropolitan complexes, and availability of fast transportation have made this area a center for truck-gardening and out-of-season vegetables. +more
Chūkyō
The three Tōkai prefectures centered on Nagoya (Aichi, Gifu, and Mie) have particularly strong economic ties, and the parts of these prefectures that are closest to the city comprise the Chūkyō Metropolitan Area. This area boasts the third strongest economy in Japan and this influence can sometimes extend into the more remote parts of these prefectures that are farther away from Nagoya. +more
File:Nagoya Night View. jpg|Nagoya City File:Skyline of Hamamatsu01. +more
Kōshin'etsu
Kōshin'etsu is an area of complex and high rugged mountains-often called the "roof of Japan"-that include the Japanese Alps. The population is chiefly concentrated in six elevated basins connected by narrow valleys. +more
File:Niigata from Bandaijima Building 20200906 P4. jpg|Niigata City File:Skyline of Nagano City03. +more
Hokuriku
The Hokuriku region lies on the Sea of Japan coastline, northwest of the massive mountains that comprise Kōshin'etsu. Hokuriku includes the four prefectures of Ishikawa, Fukui, most of Niigata and Toyama,
The district has very heavy snowfall (sometimes enough to block major roads) and strong winds in winter, and its turbulent rivers are the source of abundant hydroelectric power. Niigata Prefecture is the site of domestic gas and oil production as well. +more
Historically, Hokuriku's development is owed to markets in the Kansai region, however recently the urban areas at the heart of the Kantō region and Tōkai region are having a heavy an influence as well. Hokuriku has port facilities which are mainly to facilitate trade with Russia, Korea and China. +more
File:望湖台2.jpg|Kanazawa City File:Toyamaken-top.JPG|Toyama City File:Skyline of Fukui City02.jpg|Fukui City
Demographics
The three most dense areas of Chūbu region are Chūkyō metropolitan area (greater Nagoya), Niigata-Toyama area at Hokuriku subregion, and Nagano at the mountains (Chūō-kōchi).
Per Japanese census data, and, Chūbu region has had positive population growth.
Major cities
List of 20 major cities in Chūbu | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rank | Cities | Prefecture | Population | Rank | Cities | Prefecture | Population | ||
“text-align:center; background:#f0f0f0” | left | Nagoya | right|2,331,078 | 11 | left | Toyohashi | right|377,453 | ||||
“text-align:center; background:#f0f0f0” | left | Niigata | right|797,591 | 12 | left | Nagano | right|370,632 | ||||
“text-align:center; background:#f0f0f0” | left | Hamamatsu | right|791,707 | 13 | left | Kasugai | right|306,764 | ||||
“text-align:center; background:#f0f0f0” | left | Shizuoka | right|690,881 | 14 | left | Nagaoka | right|266,539 | ||||
“text-align:center; background:#f0f0f0” | left | Kanazawa | right|466,029 | 15 | left | Fukui | right|264,217 | ||||
“text-align:center; background:#f0f0f0” | left | Toyota | right|426,162 | 16 | left | Fuji | right| 245,015 | ||||
“text-align:center; background:#f0f0f0” | left | Toyama | right|415,844 | 17 | left | Matsumoto | right|239,466 | ||||
“text-align:center; background:#f0f0f0” | left | Gifu | right|400,118 | 18 | left | Numazu | right|189,486 | ||||
“text-align:center; background:#f0f0f0” | left | Okazaki | right|386,999 | 19 | left | Jōetsu | right|189,430 | ||||
“background:#f0f0f0” | left | Ichinomiya | right|379,654 | 20 | left | Kōfu | right|188,824 |
File:View of Westward from Sky Deck MIRAI360, Nishiki Naka Ward Nagoya 2022. jpg|Nagoya city File:Next21 1. +more
Designated city * Nagoya City: a designated city, the capital of Aichi Prefecture * Niigata City: a designated city, the capital of Niigata Prefecture * Hamamatsu City: a designated city * Shizuoka City:a designated city, the capital of Shizuoka Prefecture Core city * Kanazawa City: a core city, the capital of Ishikawa Prefecture * Toyama City: a core city, the capital of Toyama Prefecture * Gifu City: a core city, the capital of Gifu Prefecture * Nagano City: a core city, the capital of Nagano Prefecture * Fukui City: a core city, the capital of Fukui Prefecture * Kofu City: a core city, the capital of Yamanashi Prefecture
File:Nagoya TV Tower1. jpg|Nagoya City File:Bandaibashi-Bridge 20130929. +more
Other major cities
Toyota City: a core city * Okazaki City: a core city * Toyohashi City: a core city * Ichinomiya City: a special city * Kasugai City: a special city * Nagaoka City: a special city * Fuji City: a special city * Matsumoto City: a special city * Jōetsu City: a special city * Numazu City: a special city
File:Pedestrian Deck, Wakamiya-cho Toyota 2018. jpg|Toyota City File:Seibunkan Shoten Head Office. +more
File:尾張一宮駅 - panoramio2021. jpg|Ichinomiya City File:Renaissance City Kachigawa ac (2). +more
Notes
Latest activity









