三重県 (Mie)
Flag
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Flag
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Prefecture
Mie (三重県, Mie-ken) flies a green flag bearing a white crest: the hiragana character み (mi), the first syllable of the prefecture’s name, stylised into an upward-pointing arrow. A small circular motif is traditionally read as a reference to the pearl cultivation of Ago Bay, one of Mie’s best-known industries. The design was chosen by public competition in 1964 to mark the completion of the prefecture’s new government building in Tsu.
| Prefecture | Mie (三重県, Mie-ken) |
|---|---|
| Type | Ken (県) — ordinary prefecture |
| Region | Kansai (Kinki), bordering the Tōkai region |
| Capital | Tsu |
| Established | Modern boundaries reached in 1876, uniting the former provinces of Ise, Iga, Shima, and part of Kii, following the 1871 haihan-chiken reforms |
| Crest (kenshō) | White arrow-shaped hiragana “mi” (み) with a pearl-cultivation motif, on green; announced 20 April 1964, details revised 2001 |
| Official tree | Jingu cedar (Jingū-sugi), old-growth sugi associated with Ise Grand Shrine; designated 1966 |
| Official flower | Japanese iris (hanashōbu), designated 1969 |
| Official bird | Kentish plover (shirochidori), designated 1972 |
Flag of Mie — Green field, white arrow-shaped “mi” crest, adopted 1964
The flag of Mie is a green field bearing the prefecture’s white crest (県章, kenshō): the hiragana character み (mi) — the opening syllable of “Mie” — drawn as a bold, upward-slanting arrow. A small circle set near the lower part of the design is commonly explained as evoking the pearl-culturing rafts and beads of Ago Bay, where Mikimoto and other operations made Mie world-famous for cultured pearls from the early twentieth century onward. Some descriptions of the mark also note the green of the field is meant to recall the prefecture’s mountains, set against the blue of its long Pacific coastline.
1964 — a new capitol building. The emblem was created to mark the completion of Mie’s new prefectural government building in Tsu. The prefecture ran an open design competition and received 437 submissions from the public.
20 April 1964 — official announcement. The winning design was formally announced in the prefectural gazette on this date, becoming the official emblem (kenshō) of Mie, later flown as the prefectural flag.
30 January 2001 — design refinement. The fine details of the crest’s geometry were revised by public notice, without changing its overall composition or meaning.
As with most Japanese prefectural flags, Mie’s was never enacted by national law; it functions as an administrative symbol adopted by the prefectural government itself, and the original 1964 artwork entered the public domain under Japanese copyright rules on 1 January 2015.
Mie Prefecture did not exist in its current form until 1876. Following the abolition of the han domains in 1871 (haihan-chiken), the territory was initially split between short-lived prefectures based around Tsu (later renamed Mie) and Watarai. These were merged in 1876 into a single prefecture combining the historical provinces of Ise, Iga, Shima, and a portion of Kii. This layered history helps explain Mie’s unusually strong regional identities, from the Iga highlands associated with ninja tradition to the Ise–Shima coast, home of the Ise Grand Shrine, Shinto’s most sacred site.
A green field with a white crest: the hiragana character み (mi), stylised into an upward-pointing arrow, with a small circular motif usually read as a reference to Ago Bay’s pearl-cultivation industry.
The emblem was announced on 20 April 1964, selected from 437 public entries to mark the completion of the new prefectural government building in Tsu. Its fine details were revised in 2001.
The upward slant of the stylised み is generally described as symbolising the prefecture’s advancement and development, while the accompanying circular element references Mie’s renowned Ago Bay pearl industry.
The Jingu cedar (old-growth sugi linked to Ise Grand Shrine, designated 1966), the Japanese iris (designated 1969), and the Kentish plover (shirochidori, designated 1972).
Last reviewed by the Emblema Mundi editorial team on 2026-07-04.