:Chūbu region

In the MLIT of the central government, the jurisdiction of the Chūbu regional development bureau (中部地方整備局, Chūbu-chihō seibi-kyoku; (ja)) extends to five prefectures: Gifu, Shizuoka, Aichi, Mie and the Southern part of Nagano.MLIT, [https://www.cbr.mlit.go.jp/ Chūbu regional development bureau], [https://www.cbr.mlit.go.jp/works.htm organization] (Japanese)

In the National Police Agency, the Chūbu Regional Police Bureau (中部管区警察局, Chūbu kanku keisatsu-kyoku; (ja)) is responsible for six prefectural police forces: Toyama, Ishikawa, Fukui, Gifu, Aichi and Mie.NPA, [http://www.chubu.npa.go.jp/ Chūbu Regional Police Bureau], [http://www.chubu.npa.go.jp/about/ Organization] (Japanese)

In local government, the Chūbu area governors' association (中部圏知事会, Chūbuken chijikai) unites the governors of Toyama, Ishikawa, Fukui, Nagano, Gifu, Shizuoka, Aichi, Mie and Shiga and the mayor of Nagoya City in Aichi.Aichi prefectural government, [https://www.pref.aichi.jp/chiji/chubuken/page/m.html Chūbu area governors' association] (Japanese)

File:Chubu Region Japan 2003.png

Located in the center of the Japanese archipelago. It refers to the area between the Kanto, Tohoku and Kansai regions. It began to be used in the late Meiji era as a tentative name for unclassified areas. In a broad sense, it often refers to the eight regional divisions and similar ranges. In a narrow sense it may refer to a range similar to the Tōkai region.

The terrain is mainly rugged and mountainous except for the Nōbi Plain and coastal areas. The steep Japanese Alps rise in the central area. It is located between Tokyo and Osaka, which are the east–west centers of the Japanese economy and culture. Thus the Chubu region has various differences between the eastern side and the western side.

The Chūbu region covers a large and geographically diverse area of Honshū which leads to it generally being divided into three distinct subregions: Tōkai, Kōshin'etsu, and Hokuriku. There is also another subregion occasionally referred to in business circles called Chūkyō.

{{Main|Tōkai region}}

The Tōkai region, mostly bordering the Pacific Ocean, is a narrow corridor interrupted in places by mountains that descend into the sea.

Since the Tokugawa period (1600–1867), this corridor has been critical in linking Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka. One of old Japan's most important ancient roadways, the Tōkaidō, ran through it connecting Tokyo (at that time called Edo) and Kyoto, the old imperial capital. In the twentieth century, it became the route for new super-express highways and high-speed railroad lines (shinkansen). The area consists of Aichi, Mie, Shizuoka, and southern Gifu prefectures.

A number of small alluvial plains are found in the corridor section. A mild climate, favorable location relatively close to the great metropolitan complexes, and availability of fast transportation have made this area a center for truck-gardening and out-of-season vegetables. Upland areas of rolling hills are extensively given over to the growing of mandarin oranges and tea. Nagoya, which faces Ise Bay, is a center for heavy industry, including iron and steel and machinery manufacturing. The corridor also has a number of small but important industrial centers. The western part of Tōkai includes the Nōbi Plain, where rice was being grown by the seventh century.

The three Tōkai prefectures centered on Nagoya (Aichi, Gifu, and Mie) have particularly strong economic ties, and the parts of these prefectures that are closest to the city comprise the Chūkyō Metropolitan Area. This area boasts the third strongest economy in Japan and this influence can sometimes extend into the more remote parts of these prefectures that are farther away from Nagoya. Thus, these three prefectures are sometimes called the "Chūkyō region" in a business sense. This name does not see widespread usage throughout Japan; however, as the economy in the area strengthens, this name may become more well-known country-wide.

File:Nagoya Night View.jpg|Nagoya City

File:Skyline of Hamamatsu01.jpg|Hamamatsu City

File:Higashi-Shizuoka Panorama 05.jpg|Shizuoka City

File:Gifu City Tower 43 and Gifu Sky Wing 37 from Twinarch138.jpg|Gifu City

File:YokkaichiCity NightView from TarusakaPark.jpg|Yokkaichi City
(Kinki region)

File:Skyline of Tsu City01.jpg|Tsu City
(Kinki region)

{{Main|Kōshin'etsu region}}

Kōshin'etsu is an area of complex and high rugged mountains—often called the "roof of Japan"—that include the Japanese Alps. The population is chiefly concentrated in six elevated basins connected by narrow valleys. It was long a main silk-producing area, although output declined after World War II. Much of the labor formerly required in silk production was absorbed by the district's diversified manufacturing industry, which included precision instruments, machinery, textiles, food processing, and other light manufacturing. Kōshin'etsu means Yamanashi, Nagano, and Niigata prefectures; Niigata is also included to the Hokuriku region. Yamanashi, Nagano and northern Gifu Prefecture are sometimes referred to as Chūō-kōchi or Tōsan region.

File:Niigata from Bandaijima Building 20200906 P4.jpg|Niigata City

File:Skyline of Nagano City03.jpg|Nagano City

File:DownTown of Kofu City.jpg|Kōfu City

{{Main|Hokuriku region}}

The Hokuriku region lies on the Sea of Japan coastline, northwest of the massive mountains that comprise Kōshin'etsu. Hokuriku includes the four prefectures of Ishikawa, Fukui, most of Niigata and Toyama,Nussbaum, "Hokuriku" at {{Google books|p2QnPijAEmEC|p. 344|page=344}}

The district has very heavy snowfall (sometimes enough to block major roads) and strong winds in winter, and its turbulent rivers are the source of abundant hydroelectric power. Niigata Prefecture is the site of domestic gas and oil production as well. Industrial development is extensive, especially in the cities in Niigata and Toyama; Fukui and Ishikawa prefectures also have large manufacturing industries.

Historically, Hokuriku's development is owed to markets in the Kansai region, however recently the urban areas at the heart of the Kantō region and Tōkai region are having a heavy an influence as well. Hokuriku has port facilities which are mainly to facilitate trade with Russia, Korea and China. Transportation between Niigata and Toyama used to be geographically limited and so Niigata has seen especially strong influence from the Kantō region, because of this Niigata Prefecture is often classified as being part of the Kōshin'etsu region with Nagano and Yamanashi Prefectures.

File:望湖台２.jpg|Kanazawa City

File:Toyamaken-top.JPG|Toyama City

File:Skyline of Fukui City02.jpg|Fukui City

The three most dense areas of Chūbu region are Chūkyō metropolitan area (greater Nagoya), Niigata-Toyama area at Hokuriku subregion, and Nagano at the mountains (Chūō-kōchi).

Per Japanese census data,[http://www.citypopulation.de/Japan-Aichi.html Aichi 1995-2020 population statistics] and,[http://www.demographia.com/db-japanpref.htm Chūbu region 1920-2000 population statistics] Chūbu region has had positive population growth.

{{Historical populations

| 1920 | 10,702,000

| 1930 | 11,978,000

| 1940 | 13,113,000

| 1950 | 15,458,000

| 1960 | 16,565,000

| 1970 | 18,091,000

| 1980 | 19,984,000

| 1990 | 21,023,000

| 2000 | 21,628,238

| 2010 | 21,715,822

| 2020 | 22,078,654

|align = none

| footnote = Note: This excludes Mie Prefecture

}}

{{center|Capital cities of the nine prefectures of Chūbu}}

File:View of Westward from Sky Deck MIRAI360, Nishiki Naka Ward Nagoya 2022.jpg|Nagoya city

File:Next21 1.JPG|Niigata city

File:Higashi-Shizuoka Panorama 05.jpg|Shizuoka city

File:望湖台２.jpg|Kanazawa city

File:View from Toyama City Hall, north side.jpg|Toyama city

File:Central Business District of Gifu City2022.jpg|Gifu city

File:Skyline of Nagano City03.jpg|Nagano city

File:Skyline of Fukui City02.jpg|Fukui city

File:DownTown of Kofu City.jpg|Kōfu city

;Designated city

• Hamamatsu City: a designated city
• Nagoya City: a designated city, the capital of Aichi Prefecture
• Niigata City: a designated city, the capital of Niigata Prefecture
• Shizuoka City:a designated city, the capital of Shizuoka Prefecture

;Core city

• Fukui City: a core city, the capital of Fukui Prefecture
• Gifu City: a core city, the capital of Gifu Prefecture
• Kanazawa City: a core city, the capital of Ishikawa Prefecture
• Kofu City: a core city, the capital of Yamanashi Prefecture
• Nagano City: a core city, the capital of Nagano Prefecture
• Toyama City: a core city, the capital of Toyama Prefecture

File:Nagoya TV Tower1.jpg|Nagoya City

File:Bandaibashi-Bridge 20130929.JPG|Niigata City

File:Arco Mall Yurakugai in Hamamatsu City（2）.jpg|Hamamatsu City

File:Denmacho intersection 03.jpg|Shizuoka City

File:Katamachi Crossing.jpg|Kanazawa City

File:Toyama, Toyama Prefecture, Japan - panoramio (42).jpg|Toyama City

File:Meitetsu Gifu Station2021.jpg|Gifu City

File:善光寺口バス乗り場.JPG|Nagano City

File:View kofu celeo.JPG|Kofu City

{{div col|colwidth=22em}}

• Fuji City: a special city
• Ichinomiya City: a special city
• Jōetsu City: a special city
• Kasugai City: a special city
• Matsumoto City: a core city
• Nagaoka City: a special city
• Numazu City: a special city
• Okazaki City: a core city
• Toyohashi City: a core city
• Toyota City: a core city

{{div col end}}

File:Pedestrian Deck, Wakamiya-cho Toyota 2018.jpg|Toyota City

File:Seibunkan Shoten Head Office.jpg|Toyohashi City

File:Okazaki-Kamimyodaijicho-16.jpg|Okazaki City

File:尾張一宮駅 - panoramio2021.jpg|Ichinomiya City

File:Renaissance City Kachigawa ac (2).jpg|Kasugai City

File:Nagaoka night view.jpg|Nagaoka City

File:Fujicity office01.JPG|Fuji City

File:国道143号.JPG|Matsumoto City

File:Kano rever and Onari bridge.jpg|Numazu City

File:Takada station square.JPG|Jōetsu City

• Geography of Japan
• Hokuriku dialect
• List of regions of Japan
• Tōkai–Tōsan dialect

{{reflist}}

• Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric (2002 [1996]). [https://books.google.com/books?id=p2QnPijAEmEC Japan Encyclopedia]. Trans. by Käthe Roth. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. {{ISBN|0-674-01753-6}}, {{ISBN|978-0-674-01753-5}}. {{oclc|58053128}}.
• {{Country study|country=Japan|abbr=jp}}

• {{wikivoyage inline|Chubu}}

{{Regions and administrative divisions of Japan|Chubu region}}

{{Authority control}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Chubu Region}}