Wakayama Prefecture Hometown Birthday
Historical AnniversariesWhat Is Wakayama Prefecture Hometown Birthday?
November 22 is Wakayama Prefecture's "Furusato Tanjobi," or Hometown Birthday. According to Wakayama Prefecture, the present-day prefecture was born on November 22, Meiji 4 (1871), when the three Kishu prefectures of Wakayama, Tanabe, and Shingu were merged. The prefecture designates this day as Hometown Birthday in the Hometown Birthday Ordinance, promulgated on July 10, 1989.
The Hometown Birthday Ordinance
The Hometown Birthday Ordinance is a short ordinance with three articles.
- Article 1 (Purpose): It establishes Hometown Birthday as a day for residents to deepen their understanding of and interest in their hometown, nurture their love for it, and look forward with confidence and pride to building a richer home region.
- Article 2: It sets Hometown Birthday on November 22.
- Article 3 (Prefectural events): It states that the prefecture will hold events suited to the ordinance's purpose around Hometown Birthday with the voluntary participation of residents, and will ask municipalities and others to cooperate.
Free Admission to Cultural Facilities
According to Wakayama Prefecture, four prefectural facilities and other facilities that support the day offer free admission on Hometown Birthday. Participating facilities in fiscal 2025 included the Wakayama Prefectural Museum, the Museum of Modern Art, Wakayama, and the Wakayama City Museum. The prefecture encourages people to visit cultural facilities on this occasion to learn about Wakayama's art, culture, history, and nature.
Tips for Marking This Day
- If you are in Wakayama, visit a museum or gallery offering free admission
- Learn about the history of how the three Kishu prefectures merged into Wakayama Prefecture
- Look up Wakayama's local specialties and tourist spots
- Find out when your own prefecture was born
A Day to Celebrate the Birth of a Hometown
Wakayama Prefecture Hometown Birthday on November 22 marks the day the three prefectures of Wakayama, Tanabe, and Shingu became one and the present-day Wakayama Prefecture was born. Whether or not you live in Wakayama, why not use this day as a chance to learn about local history and culture?