Geography

The east of Akita faces the Ou Mountain Range. On the north is Aomori and the Shirakami Highlands. At the south is Mt. Chokai in the Kamuro Highlands, and the Sea of Japan is to the west. From east to west is about 40 kilometers, and from north to south is 160. The Dewa Highlands run through the middle, creating two different regions. The inland side includes the Odate, Takanosu and Yokote Basins. The ocean side includes Noshiro, Akita and Honjo Plains. Two major rivers, the Yoneshiro and Omono Rivers, run from east to west across the prefecture. Although Akita has warmer temperatures than the Pacific Ocean prefectures, it is hit by heavy winter snows.

Industry & Economy

Until recent years Akita enjoyed a solid economy with forestry and its famous Akita Pines and rice farming, along with healthy mining, crude oil and natural gas industries. Now there is a decline in these primary industries. Some growth is seen in secondary industries like lumber processing, Iacquered furniture manufacturing (including Inagawa Town's special production of Buddhist family altars), and the production of Japanese sake with the area's high quality water and rice. There are also high expectations for development of a shoreline industrial district connecting Akita and Oga Cities.

Cultural Background

In the past when the ocean was the only way to transport large cargo quickly, the Japan Sea side was more productive than the Pacific Ocean side, but not now. The winter heavy snow is a deterrent in this area, but with the newly opened expressway and the Mini-Shinkansen train service the feeling of remoteness should be erased. The people here are as reticent and enduring as in other parts of Tohoku. Families and relatives are closely knit. According to one survey, Ioyalty to their prefecture is surpassed only by that in Okinawa.

Religious Milieu

The influence of the temples and shrines is deeply rooted in the lives of the people, but old traditions and customs are also important in this conservative area. In Akita, as in other parts of Japan, there was a healthy growth of Kirishitan. But Protestant ministry here did not start until 1884 when a missionary from the Disciples Church began a work. Generally people show little interest in the gospel, and often the interest that is shown is only on a superficial level.
In Aikita City there are two Catholic girls' schools, Seirei Gakuen and Seien Misono Gakuen, and the Seien Misono Clinic.

The Mission

As is true throughout the country, people still practice ancestor worship and have a strong sense of family structure and personal relationship obligations, things which often interfere with becoming a Christian. On the other side, when a person makes a decision, these same values work to strengthen that decision. The Catholic work of starting mission schools and ministering in the rural areas has helped to give Christianity a better image. Recently there has been a growing demand for Western-style Christian weddings even in the rural areas, and the building of a Christian facility for the elderly should help to make people more receptive to the gospel.