Toyama Prefecture
Industrial prefecture on the Japan Sea coast with rare glaciers.
Toyama Prefecture (富山県, Toyama-ken) is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu. With a population of 993,848 (1 January 2025) and a geographic area of 4,247.61 km², it borders Ishikawa, Gifu, Nagano, and Niigata prefectures. Toyama is the capital and largest city, and the prefecture is part of the historic Hokuriku region. It is the leading industrial prefecture on the Japan Sea coast, benefiting from cheap electricity from abundant hydroelectric resources. Toyama contains the only known glaciers in East Asia outside of Russia, first recognized in 2012, and 30% of its area is designated as national parks.
- Population
- 993,848 (1 January 2025)
- Area
- 4,247.61 km²
- Capital
- Toyama
- Region
- Chūbu, Honshu
- Major Industries
- Pharmaceuticals, electronics, metal products
- Notable Feature
- Only known glaciers in East Asia outside Russia
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
Historically, Toyama Prefecture was Etchū Province. Following the abolition of the han system in 1871, Etchū Province was renamed Niikawa Prefecture, but Imizu District was given to Nanao Prefecture. In 1872 Imizu District was returned by the new Ishikawa Prefecture. In 1876, Niikawa Prefecture was merged into Ishikawa Prefecture, but the merger was void in 1881 and the area was re-established as Toyama Prefecture. The Itai-itai disease occurred in Toyama around 1950.
Reader's Guide
Toyama Prefecture is the leading industrial prefecture on the Japan Sea coast, with cheap electricity from abundant hydroelectric resources. It contains the only known glaciers in East Asia outside of Russia, first recognized in 2012. 30% of the prefecture's area is designated as national parks, including Chūbu-Sangaku and Hakusan National Parks, Noto Hantō Quasi-National Park, and six Prefectural Natural Parks. The Kurobe Dam on the Kurobe River generates electricity for the Kansai Electric Power Company. Toyama is famous for its historical pharmaceutical industry, which remains a top manufacturing industry in terms of manufacturing shipment value, followed by electronic parts and devices and metal products. Culturally, Toyama features UNESCO World Heritage sites such as Gokayama (Nanto City) and National Treasures like Zuiryū-ji Temple (Takaoka City). Regional foods include trout sushi (masuzushi), white shrimp (shiro ebi), matured yellow tail (buri), firefly squid (hotaru ika), and fish paste (kamaboko). The prefecture has 10 cities, 2 districts, 4 towns, and 1 village, the fewest municipalities of any prefecture in Japan due to mergers in the 2000s.
Did You Know?
- Toyama Prefecture contains the only known glaciers in East Asia outside of Russia, first recognized in 2012.
- The Itai-itai disease occurred in Toyama around 1950.
- Toyama has the fewest municipalities of any prefecture in Japan, with 10 cities, 2 districts, 4 towns, and 1 village.
- The Kurobe Dam, located on the Kurobe River in Toyama, generates electricity for the Kansai Electric Power Company.
- Toyama Prefecture is part of the historic Hokuriku region, and the majority of its population lives on Toyama Bay, one of the largest bays in Japan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Toyama Prefecture?
Toyama is a coastal prefecture in the Chūbu region of Honshu, administered from the city of Toyama. As of early 2025, roughly 994,000 residents live across its approximately 4,248 square kilometers of land.
What is Toyama Prefecture's role in Japan's economy?
It carries the distinction of being the leading industrial prefecture along the Japan Sea coastline, with pharmaceuticals, electronics, and metalworking forming the core of its manufacturing output.
What is Toyama Prefecture's most unique natural feature?
The prefecture shelters the only confirmed glaciers in all of East Asia that sit outside Russian territory, making it a singular alpine destination on the continent.
How does Toyama Prefecture's geography support its identity?
Its moderate 4,247.61 km² footprint is enough to host both dense industrial zones along the coast and the high mountain terrain that sustains its rare glaciers, giving it a striking dual character.
Why is Toyama Prefecture considered important in the broader Japanese context?
Its combination of top-tier Japan Sea industrial output and the sole non-Russian East Asian glaciers gives it both economic weight and natural-heritage significance that few other prefectures can match.
More in Japanese Prefectures 1-24
Elsewhere in the Japanese Prefectures universe
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record