Geography

Tokushima occupies the eastern section of Shikoku Island. Tall mountain ranges, I,OOO - 2,000 meters high, hedge its north and west sides. The east and southeast face the Pacific Ocean and the Kii Channel. In the north, the Yoshino River runs parallel to the Sanuki Mountain Range, forming the Tokushima Plain, the only plain in the prefecture, before flowing into the ocean. The Tsurugi Mountains in the center and south extend to the ocean bluffs. There is little rain in the north, while the south experiences the rough Pacific Ocean climate that includes heavy rainfall and typhoons.

Industry & Economy

Tokushima depends on agriculture, forestry and fisheries. The percentage of agricultural workers and productivity is the second largest in Shikoku next to Kochi. Rice fields occupy the lower region of the Yoshino River and the small, narrow plains along the shore. Much of the remaining land is used for vegetables and flowers. The prefecture is the nation's largest supplier of cauliflower and lotus roots, and the fourth largest producer of carrots. Japanese indigo is only produced here. Indusuial development is taking place around the Tokushima and Naruto distticts. This growth should accelerate once Shikoku gains easy access to the Hanshin Industrial district through the Akashi Channel's new bridge connecting Shikoku and Honshu.

Cultural Background

Since the Edo era, Tokushima has had a thriving commerce, giving the people an image of being highly competitive and money-oriented. Women in the work place have made a major economic contribution, and Tokushima has more female company presidents than any other prefecture in the nation. The Awa Odori Festival (carnival), held every August, has gained national and worldwide attention. Perhaps it is a way for the people to express their resistance to Japan' s conservatism.

Religious Milieu

The people of Tokushima value family name and status more than any other prefecture, and feel very spiritually connected to their ancestors (tenth highest in nation and first in Shikoku). Although Tokushima's Ryusen Temple in Naruto is the first stop on an 88-temple pilgrimage of the Shikoku district, there are not many traditional Buddhist followers here. This is due in part to the influence of Soka Gakkai and sectarian Shintoism, with their emphasis on material blessings. Response to the gospel is also often tied to the possibility of gain or loss.

The Mission

Although he later abandoned his faith, when Lord Suka Hachi became a Kirishitan, many others followed him. In the early years of the Meiji era, 116 so called Ungami Christians were exiled here. The Protestant work began with Episcopal missionaries, followed by the Southern Presbyterian Church from the United States. One fruit of the work was Toyohiko Kagawa who became an outstanding Christian leader and social reformer. The inspiring postwar ministry of Eiichi Ito led to the founding of churches in farming communities like Kanrojima, Wakimachi, and Sadamitsu.