兵庫

1. Kobe 1,442,000
2. Amagasaki 474,000
3. Himeji 470,000
4. Nishinomiya 396,000
5. Akashi 288,000
6. Kakogawa 262,000
7. Takarazuka 206,000
8. Itami 188,000
9. Kawanishi 149,000
10. Sanda 102,000
11. Takasuna 98,000
12. Ashiya 79,000
13. Miki 79,000
14. Kasai 52,000
15. Ako 52,000
16. Ono 49,000
17. Toyooka 48,000
18. Sumoto 43,000
19. Tatsuno 41,000
20. Nishiwaki 39,000
21. Aioi 36,000

Hyogo is also a ward in Kobe, around JR Hyogo Station.

• 1972 - Shin-Osaka and Shin-Okayama are connected by the Sanyo Shinkansen.
• 1975 - The prefectural population surpasses 5 million.
• 1987 - Construction is begun on the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, the longest suspension bridge in the world.
• 1989 - Young of the Japanese stork, an very rare species, were successfully born in Tajima.
• 1990 - Construction is begun on the Tajima Airport
• 1998 - The Akashi Kaikyo Bridge is completed, linking Awaji Island to the mainland city of Akashi.

Because of the wide range of physical features in Hyogo, from mountains to sprawling urban developments to rural farmlands, the prefecture has earned the nickname "Japan in Miniature." (2)

Prefectural Symbols
The Kanji "Hyo" from "Hyogo" appears on the prefecture's flag as white waves on a light blue background, representing the surrounding seas (Hyogo is bordered on both the north and south by ocean). It is said that the design is a symbol of the prefecture's vitality (3).

The official flower of Hyogo is the Nojigiku, a wild chrysanthemum that grows on the shores of the Setonaikai, the Seto Inland Sea. The Harima district of Hyogo is thought to be the northern natural limit of the Nojigiku's growing range. Every November, the 3 cm blooms of this chrysanthemum burst forth, covering the countryside with their yellow-on-white design. As an aside, the chrysanthemum is also the symbol of the emperor.

The camphor tree, the Kusu no ki, is Hyogo's official tree. This fast-growing evergreen is prevalent throughout the region. Its image as resistent to the influence of the elements, its vigor, vitality, and hardiness, is, like the flag, said to embody the character of the prefecture and its people. (3)

The Koh no tori, the Japanese stork, is the official bird of Hyogo. On Japan's list of specially protected animals, the numbers of this bird are appallingly low; Some accounts put their population at around 50 (3), while some theorize that only 6 exist in the entire world (2). Special breeding programs have set up in the region in an attempt to raise the numbers of this endangered species.

Sources:
1. http://www.kobe-u.ac.jp/hyogo/history.html
2. http://www.hyogobcc.org/html/profile.htm
3. http://www.kobe-u.ac.jp/hyogo/symbol.html