Tokushima Prefecture

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Lore & Background

Tokushima Prefecture was known as Awa Province until the Meiji Restoration. In the first wave of government consolidation in 1871, it became Myodo Prefecture, including the Awa region and Awaji Island. In 1873 it incorporated the area of modern Kagawa Prefecture. After further consolidations in 1875 and 1876, Myodo Prefecture fully separated from Kochi Prefecture on March 2, 1880, to become Tokushima Prefecture. Post-war events include the destruction of the Washi no Mon gate to Tokushima Castle by fire in August 1945, the Nankai earthquake in December 1946, and the inauguration of Naruto City in May 1947. Tokushima University was created in May 1949. The Ōnaruto Bridge, connecting Tokushima and Hyōgo Prefectures, was completed in 1985. In 1998, the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge connected Tokushima to mainland Japan. The soccer team Tokushima Vortis entered J2 in December 2004, making the first ever Shikoku J-league team. In April 2023, a school of tech entrepreneurship—the first of its kind in Japan—was opened in the Tokushima town of Kamiyama, founded by Chikahiro Terada, boss of Tokyo-based start-up Sansan.

Reader's Guide

Tokushima Prefecture holds significance as a historical and agricultural hub on Shikoku. Its evolution from Awa Province through the Meiji-era prefectural consolidations reflects Japan's administrative modernization. The prefecture's economy depends on agriculture, forestry, and fisheries, with rice fields along the Yoshino River and production of vegetables and flowers. It is the nation's largest supplier of cauliflower and lotus roots, and the only producer of Japanese indigo. Infrastructure developments, such as the Ōnaruto Bridge and the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, have accelerated growth in northern Tokushima, connecting it to Kobe and Honshu. The prefecture is also notable for cultural events like the Awa Odori Dance Hall and the 22nd National Culture Festival in 2007. The opening of a tech entrepreneurship school in Kamiyama in 2023 highlights a modern shift toward innovation. Tokushima's legacy includes political figures like Prime Minister Takeo Miki, born in the prefecture, and its role in Shikoku's sports history with the Tokushima Vortis soccer team.

Did You Know?

• Tokushima Prefecture is the nation's largest supplier of cauliflower and lotus roots.
• It is the only producer of Japanese indigo in Japan.
• The Ōnaruto Bridge, completed in 1985, connects Tokushima to Awaji Island and Hyōgo Prefecture.
• Tokushima-born Takeo Miki was elected Prime Minister of Japan in October 1974.
• In April 2023, the first school of tech entrepreneurship in Japan opened in Kamiyama, founded by Sansan boss Chikahiro Terada.