What kind of place is "Nara Prefecture"?

What kind of place is "Nara Prefecture"?

Area and Population of Nara Prefecture

The Location and Area

Nara Prefecture is located almost right in the center of Japan. It’s in the middle of the Kii Peninsula, and is an inland prefecture without a sea surrounded by Osaka, Kyoto, Wakayama and Mie prefectures. The area is 3,690.94 ㎢, about 1% of the whole country (377,974.17 ㎢). The capital city of Nara prefecture is Nara City and it is located at about the same latitude as Los Angeles and Atlanta in the United States and Xian in China.

The Organization of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Geospatial Information Authority of Japan, “Statistical reports on the land area by prefectures and municipalities in Japan”

 

Nara City has the largest population in Nara Prefecture

Nara Prefecture has a population of 1,340,070 which is about 1% of the national population of 126,443,000. By municipalities, Nara City has the largest population at 355,350, followed by Kashihara city (122,422) and Ikoma (117,411). Nosakogawa Village (387 people) has the smallest population, followed by Kamikitayama Village (445 people) and Kurotaki Village (605 people). The number of households in Nara Prefecture is 593,146 and the number of people per household is 2.26.

Nara prefecture, Statistical Analysis Division, “Annual estimated population of Nara prefecture”, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Statistics Bureau, “Estimated Population”

 

It is generally warm, but there is a signif icant difference in climate between the north and the south

Nara prefecture has a basin, a plateau, mountains, and rich nature. Therefore, even if it is seen nationwide, the climate varies greatly depending on the region. The Nara Basin in the northern part generally has little rain. It’s severely humid in the summer and freezing cold in the winter. On the other hand, it rains a lot in the southern mountains in the summer and there are occasional heavy downpours. There are also some localized torrential rains. The winter is similar to severe winters in the mountains, the snow can be quite deep.

 

Population distribution by municipality

 

 

Overview of Nara Prefecture (Access, Symbols, Manyoshu)

Convenient access to Osaka and Kyoto!

Nara's two major railways are the JR Line and the Kintetsu Line (Kinki Nippon Railway). The JR Line runs from Nara to Takada as well as from Nara to Oji. The Kintetsu Line runs from Yamato-Saidaiji to Kashiharajingu-mae in various directions. Using these railway networks, you can travel and commute around the prefecture conveniently and easily. They are also convenient for holiday shopping in Osaka and sightseeing in Kyoto, Kobe and Ise. In recent years, the number of foreign tourists has increased, so we often ride the trains with people from various countries.

 

Access Map

Access from major stations

• From the Tokyo metropolitan area
  • JR Tokyo Station▶JR Kyoto Station▶JR Nara Station（about 3 to 3 hours and 20 minutes）
• From Nagoya
  • JR Nagoya Station▶JR Kyoto Station▶JR Nara Station（about 1 hour 30 minutes）
  • Kintetsu Nagoya Station▶Kintetsu Yamato-Yagi Station▶Kintetsu Nara Station（about 2 hours 30 minutes）
• From Kyoto
  • JR Kyoto Station▶JR Nara Station (44 minutes）
  • Kintetsu Kyoto Station▶Kintetsu Nara Station（about 33-45 minutes）
• From Osaka
  • JR Shin-Osaka Station▶JR Osaka Station▶JR Nara Station（about 52 minutes）
  • Kintetsu Namba Station▶Kintetsu Nara Station（about 35 minutes）
• From Kansai Airport
  • JR Kansai Airport Station▶JR Tennoji Station▶JR Nara Station（about 1 hour 20 minutes）
• From Fukuoka
  • JR Hakata Station▶JR Shin-Osaka Station▶JR Nara Station（about 3 hours 10 minutes）

 

A symbol of　Nara Prefecture

Prefectural emblem

This is the symbol of “Na” in Nara Prefecture. The outer circle represents Yamato's nature and the inner circle represents the spirit of harmony. The horizontal line represents strong unification and continuous progress.

The Nara double cherry blossoms

The prefectural Flower Selection Committee selected this flower from among six candidates: double cherry blossoms of Nara, wild cherry blossoms, Japanese apricot blossoms, peony, Japanese andromeda and wisteria.

Japanese cedar

Mainichi Shimbun advocated five candidates, Japanese andromeda, Japanese apricot tree, cherry tree, Japanese cedar and Japanese maple, in the selection committee, and the prefecture's tree was designated as the Japanese cedar which received the highest vote by citizens through postcard voting within the prefecture.

Japanese robin

Five candidates including the Japanese robin, Japanese woodpecker, wrens, Blue-and-white flycatcher, and kingfisher, were selected by the selection committee. The highest voted Japanese robin was designated as the prefectural bird by the citizens through postcard votes.

Goldfish・ sweetfish・ red-spotted masu salmon

According to the results of the prefectural questionnaire conducted by the prefecture's Fish Selection Committee, goldfish, sweetfish and red-spotted masu salmon have been designated as the fish of the prefecture.

“Reiwa” and “Manyoshu”

Many of you may know that the source of "Reiwa" is the oldest surviving songbook “Manyoshu” in Japan. Manyoshu is a 20-volume waka collection of songs from about 1300 to 1400 years ago. Of the approximately 4,500 titles, there are about 900 songs with Nara’s name, and it is popular to travel to the homeland and consider the thoughts of the Manyoshu poets.

“It was in new spring, in a fair month, when the air was fine and the wind a gentle breeze. Japanese apricot flowers blossomed a beauty's charming white and the fragrance of the orchids was their sweet perfume.”

 

Overview of Nara Prefecture (World Heritage and National Treasures/Sightseeing)

World Heritage and National Treasures

There are three World Heritage sites in Nara, which is the highest number of registered heritage sites in Japan.

 Nara Prefecture was the capital of Japan when it began to take shape as a nation. It received various things from Asia and created its own diverse culture. As such, Nara's heritage and culture has been handed down from its predecessors, and has been carefully preserved and taught to this day. At present, they are recognized by the world as treasures that transcend the nation not only in Japan but also internationally, and are registered as World Heritage Sites. At present, 23 World Heritage Sites are registered in Japan, and three of them are in Nara(“Buddhist Monuments in the Hōryū-ji Area”,“Cultural assets of the ancient capital Nara”, and “Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range”). There are 74 sculptures, 64 buildings, and the total number of historic sites, places of scenic beauty and natural monuments is 146. It has the most national treasures in all of Japan.

(Agency for Cultural Affairs, “List of National Treasures, Important Cultural Properties, etc. designated by Prefecture”).

 

Horyuji Temple Buddhist building- Registered in December 1993

The Horyuji area has many of the world's oldest wooden buildings, and the Horyuji temple, which was founded in the early 7th century, is widely known as the world's oldest wooden building. Hokiji also has the oldest triple pagoda in Japan, which remains as it was when it was completed in 706.

Cultural assets of ancient Nara- Registered in December 1998

Nara was the archetype of Japanese culture through exchanges with China and the Korean Peninsula when it was the capital of Japan. There are still many things reminiscent of those days, such as the remains of wooden buildings at the time and the shrines and temples built around them.

Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain range - Registered in July 2004

Since ancient times, it has been taught as a special place for gods to settle down and has influenced the development of religious culture in Japan for more than a thousand years. There are shrines and temples in the untouched nature scattered around the sacred sites of Yoshino, Omine, Koyasan, and Kumano.

 

Nara prefecture active in inbound tourism

Ancient Nara is also the end of the Silk Road, where Emperor Jinmu, the first Japanese emperor, was enthroned. Nara Prefecture, which is famous as a tourist destination in Japan, received 44.21 million tourists in 2018, an increase of 6.1 million compared to 2014. Among them, the number of foreign tourists was 2.58 million according to the statistics for 2018, an increase of 1.92 million compared to 660,000 in 2014.
In proportion to this large increase in foreign tourists, tourist consumption in 2018 was 178.6 billion yen, a significant increase of 53.4 billion yen compared to 2014. Nara has been busy with tourism since ancient times, but it is time to make a big leap in response to this trend.

(Prefectural Inbound tourism and Accommodation Strategy Office, “Nara Prefecture Visitors Survey”, Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), “Number of Foreign Visitors to Japan”, Japan Tourism Agency, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, “Consumption Survey of Foreign Visitors to Japan,” Ministry of Justice, “Immigration Control Statistics”)

Overview of Nara Prefecture (good place to live)

Analysis of Data

The attractiveness of living in Nara prefecture

Home Ownership Ratio

The owner-occupancy ratio is the sixth largest in Japan!
The home ownership ratio in Nara Prefecture in 2018 was 74.1%, far exceeding the national average of 61.2%, ranking sixth in Japan, and the highest in the Kinki area. The average number of rooms per household is 5.31 (the national average is 4.40), and the average total area is 110.04 square meters which is larger than the national average (the national average is 92.06㎡). In addition, the average total area is 56.0㎡ for rental units, exceeding the national average of 46.8㎡.
(Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, “Housing and Land Survey”)

Academic Enrollment Rate

University/college Enrollment Rate - One of the highest in the nation!
The enrollment rate for high school graduates entering universities and colleges in March 2019 was 59.4%, ranked 7th nationwide (national average of 54.7％). By gender, males accounted for 55.9% (national average of 51.6%) and females accounted for 63.1% (national average of 57.8%). Nara’s academic enrollment rate for male and females is higher than the national average.On the other hand, the ratio of employment of high school graduates is 11.8% (national average 17.7%).
(Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, “Report on School Basic Survey”)

 

Cost of Living and Consumption Expenditures

The nation's 5th Low cost of living!
Nara prefecture's cost of living rating is 97.1 (nationwide average=100), the fifth lowest in the country. Nara City has the second lowest in Japan at 96.7 by prefectural capital and government -ordinance-designated cities. The highest in the whole country is Tokyo (104.4), and Osaka (99.8) is the 10th highest.The average consumption expenditure in Nara City in 2018 (two or more people per household per month) was 307,408 yen, exceeding the national average (287,315 yen) by nearly 20,000 yen.
(Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, “Retail Price Statistics Survey”, “Family Income and Expenditure Survey”)

Average Life Expectancy

The average life expectancy exceeds the national average!
The average life expectancy in Nara Prefecture in 2015 (from the age of 0) is 81.36 years for men, ranking fourth in the nation (80.77 years for the whole country). For women, it’s 87.25 years, ranking 16th (national average: 87.01 years). Men live 0.59 years longer and women live 0.24 years longer than the national average. Compared to 2010, it has risen 1.22 years for men and 0.65 years for women in Nara prefecture.
(Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, “Life table by prefecture”)

Arrest Rate

The arrest ratio for criminal offenses is high!
In 2015, the arrest rate for criminal offenses was 57.1%, 19.2% higher than the national average of 37.9%, 26.8% higher than the Kinki average of 30.3%.The number of criminal offenses acknowledged was 7,764, a decrease of 1,288 (14.2%) from the previous year.
(Prefectural Police Headquarters Criminal Intelligence Support Division)

Support Center for Foreign Residents in Nara

There is a “Support Center for Foreign Residents” in Nara to strengthen the values of global awareness through supporting foreign exchange students and foreign residents.They offer counseling and provide information in various languages to develop global communication and business.If you are interested in international cultural exchange feel free to contact us.

TEL: 0742-81-3320
Place: Silkia Nara 2F (81, Sanjohonmachi, Nara)
3 minutes by foot to the west from JR Nara station (bellow Hotel Nikko Nara)
Open and operating hours: Mondays to Fridays 8:30 to 17:15 excluding National holidays and New Year holidays
*Closed on Saturdays and Sundays

Overview of Nara Prefecture (It's Good to Work)

Analysis of Data

The attractiveness of working in Nara prefecture

Active Job Opening Ratio

Ranked 1st in the Kinki region at 1.63 times! *Active job opening ratio by employment location
*The effective job openings-to-applicants ratio in November 2019 was 1.41, and we have maintained a high level. In addition, the ratio of active job openings calculated by looking at the number of job openings where the actual work place is located in Nara prefecture from job openings received through Hello Work nationwide is 1.63 (1.57 nationwide), the highest in the Kinki area.
(Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, “Employment Referrals for General Workers”)

Employment Rate of Persons with Disabilities

Number 1 in Japan!
The actual employment rate of private companies in Nara is 2.79%, a new high for the fifth consecutive year. By prefecture, the employment rate exceeded the national average of 2.11% by 0.68, ranking first in Japan. The number of companies achieving this is 394, an increase of 24 from the previous year, and the record has not been broken for 9 years.
(Nara Labor Bureau, “Nara Prefectural Status of Employment of Persons with disabilities”)

Number of Business Establishments / Employees

49,823 businesses
486,777 people
There are 49,823 business establishments in Nara prefecture. “Wholesale and Retail” is the largest in the prefecture at 12,541 establishments (25.2%), followed by “Accommodation and food service” at 5,385 establishments (10.8%), and ”Manufacturing” at 5, 031 establishments (10.1%). The largest number of establishments in the sub-industry is “Beauty”, with 1,522 establishments (3.05%). In addition, the number of employees working in offices in Nara was 486,777, and by industry category, the sales / retail business accounted for 94,244 (19.4%), the largest percentage. This was followed by “Medical and welfare” with 82,890 (17.0%) and “Manufacturing” with 72,840 (15.0%), accounting for more than 50% (51.4%) of total business.
(Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, “2014 Economic Census for Business Frame”)

Economic Growth Rate

Positive growth for the first time in three years!
The economic growth rate (actual) in construction and manufacturing in 2016 increased to 2.3% for the first time in 3 years (the national growth rate was 0.9%).Prefectural gross production (nominal) was 3,650.7 billion yen, an increase of 91 billion yen (2.6%) from the previous year, increasing for the fourth consecutive year. Prefectural gross production (actual) was 3,555.4 billion yen, an increase of 81.1 billion yen (2.3%) compared to the previous year, the first increase in three years.
(Cabinet Office, “2017 National Accounts”, Prefectural Statistics Analysis Division, “2016 Nara Prefectural Accounts”)

Prefectural Income

The prefectural income increased by 2.1% compared to the previous year!
In 2016, the income of prefectural residents per capita was 2,522,000 yen, an increase of 51,000 yen (2.1%) from 2,471,000 yen in the previous fiscal year. In addition, per capita national income was 3,082,000 yen, an increase of 13,000 yen (0.4%) from 3,069,000 yen in the previous year.
(Cabinet Office, “2017 National Accounts”, Prefectural Statistics Analysis Division, “2016 Nara Prefectural Accounts”)
*Prefectural income per capita is excluded from the total population of Nara Prefecture, “Current population as of October 1st (Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications)”, and does not indicate the level of wages.