Prefecture/City:	Yamagata Prefecture
Capital/Prefecture:	Yamagata City
Governor/Mayor:	Mieko Yoshimura
Area:	9,323 square km (3,600 square miles)
Population:	1.14 million as of November 2013
Flower:	Safflower
Tree:	Japanese cherry
Bird:	Mandarin duck

Business & Industry:

Yamagata is well known across Japan for being a major producer of apples and Japanese cherries. Traditional industries such as the production of pieces for shogi (Japanese chess) and the raising of goldfish are found in the prefecture. Modern factories for various Japanese companies also abound.

Tourism & Culture:

Visitors can enjoy many fresh agricultural products, especially sakuranbo cherries if they are in season, and fresh seafood from the Japan Sea. They can also see three sacred mountains that are home to Shinto shrines at Dewa Sanzan and get a panoramic mountain view from Yamadera Temple.

Famous for:

Apples. Sakuranbo cherries. Hot springs. Gorgeous natural landscapes. Distinctive rural culture.