Kanagawa

▪ prefecture, Japan

      ken (prefecture), Honshu, Japan, located south of Tokyo and bordered by Tokyo Bay to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the south. It occupies an area of 928 square miles (2,403 square km). The eastern coast is an important part of the Keihin Industrial Zone; Yokohama, Tokyo's port, is the prefectural capital. The Pacific coast is a popular resort area, including such cities as Kamakura, Hiratsuka, and Odawara.

      Inland Kanagawa is an agricultural area producing flowers and dairy products for the Tokyo market. The port of Misaki, at the head of the Miura Peninsula, is a major centre of bonito and tuna fishing. During the late 1970s the population increased dramatically owing to industrial growth and urbanization of housing developments for workers. Pop. (1989 est.) 7,846,000.

* * *