Geography

Okayama occupies the southeastern region of the Chugoku district. It meets Tottori on the north at the Chugoku district's watershed and Hyogo on the east. The southern part faces the Inland Sea which contains several small islands belonging to Okayama. In the north is the Kibi Highland with a series of small basins, Kuze, Katsuyama and Niimi. From these basins the Yoshii, Asahi and Takahashi Rivers flow southward, creating the wide Okayama Plain in the south. Extending southward into the Inland Sea is the Kojima Peninsula with a bay and lake by the same name. Except for the northern mountainous region, the weather is warm with limited rainfall.

Industry & Economy

With the development of the Mizushima coastal industrial project, Okayama has successfully shifted from agriculture to a manufacturing base. However, Okayama is still a healthy agricultural producer, the best in the Chugoku district, ranking as the top producer of rice, barley, vegetables, and fruits, and nationally it is fourth in grapes and fifth in peaches. The livestock industry is concentrated in the north. The heavy and chemical industries are still growing in the Mizushima area.

Cultural Background

In ancient times the transportation system connecting the two great cultures of Kyushu and Kinki ran through Okayama, exposing the area to both worlds. Since the Edo period Okayama has been well known for its emphasis on education, similar to Nagano's reputation in the east. Partly due to their logical attitude toward life, the people of Okayama bear the reputation of being highly calculative. An awareness survey indicates that more people enjoy work and feel spiritually/mentally fulfilled than in any other prefecture in the nation.

Religious Milieu

The Kibitsu Shrine in Okayama City is a famous religious site, but even more famous are some of the religious leaders this prefecture has produced: Honen (founder of Jodo Buddhism), Eisai (founder of Rinzai Buddhism), and of the newer religions begun at the end of the Edo era, Munetaka Kurozumi (founder of Kurozumikyo) and Bunjiro Kawate (founder of Konkokyo) to name a few. Kurozumikyo and Konkokyo still have their headquarters in Okayama. Religious interest and the percentage of Shinto believers are higher than the national average. Other noted leaders from this prefecture include Gunpei Yamamuro (founder of the Japan Salvation Army) and Kosuke Tomeoka (founder of Katei School).

The Mission

The Kirishitan movement was widespread here. A group of 117 believers, descendants of the Kirishitan from Uragami, after being in a kind of confinement by the Okayama govemment, went back home in 1868. Early Protestant work includes the ministry of Tsurin Kanemori and the founding of an orphanage by Juji Ishii. After the War church planting took place throughout the prefecture, and a long lasting fellowship of Christian leaders called Senkyo no Tsudoi has been a good support to the Evangelical work in the whole area.