Symbols of Yamaguchi Prefecture

Prefectural flag/emblem

The crest combines the Chinese letters “yama” and “kuchi” in the shape of a fictional bird that is going to fly, to represent the unity and activity of the people of the prefecture, as a symbol of the brave prefecture. This crest was formulated on September 3, 1962, to celebrate the prefecture’s 90th anniversary.

Prefectural flower (summer orange flower)

Yamaguchi Prefecture is the home of summer orange, and is filled with the aroma of orange flowers, as their perfume is released around May. Summer orange blossoms bloom for about one month, and fruit oranges. The blossoms of this plant were selected as the symbol flower of the prefecture by NHK on March 22, 1954.

Prefectural tree (Japanese red pine)

Japanese red pine wood was used for the reconstruction of the building for the giant Buddha statue in Todai-ji Temple, and as interior material for the chamber of pine in the new building in the imperial palace. This tree is called red pine because its bark look reddish. This tree was selected as the tree of the prefecture through an open call on September 14, 1966.

Prefectural animal (Honshu deer)

Honshu deer inhabit Shimonoseki City, Nagato City and nearby areas in Yamaguchi Prefecture. The Honshu deer was selected as the animal of the prefecture through an open call on October 13, 1964.

Prefectural bird (hooded crane)

Hooded cranes come from Siberia to Yashiro in Shunan City around mid-October every year, and return to Siberia in early March. This bird species was selected as the bird of the prefecture through an open call on October 13, 1964.

Prefectural fish (puffer fish)

Puffer fish, fugu in standard Japanese, is called “fuku” in Yamaguchi Prefecture, relating it to happiness (which has the same sound “fuku.”) Yamaguchi Prefecture was the first in Japan to initiate longline fishing and to remove the ban on eating puffer fish. This fish species was selected as the fish of the prefecture through an open call on August 26, 1989.

Prefectural stones (limestone, copper ore, and phytolith found in the Mine Formation)

The Geographical Society of Japan designated prefectural stones, rocks, minerals and fossils particularly produced or found in each of the 47 prefectures in Japan as the prefecture’s stones on May 10, 2016.