All 47 Prefectures of Japan: Your Complete Travel Guide
Japan is divided into 47 prefectures (都道府県, to-dō-fu-ken), each with its own distinct identity, landscapes, history, and culture. From the snow-dusted wilderness of Hokkaido in the far north to the subtropical coral beaches of Okinawa in the south, no two prefectures are alike. This guide introduces every one of Japan’s 47 prefectures to help you plan a trip that goes beyond the tourist trail.
Japan’s prefectures are grouped into eight major regions: Hokkaido, Tohoku, Kanto, Chubu, Kansai (Kinki), Chugoku, Shikoku, and Kyushu/Okinawa. Each region has its own culinary traditions, dialects, architectural styles, and seasonal highlights. Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a seasoned Japan traveller, exploring prefectures beyond Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka will reveal a Japan that most tourists never see.
Hokkaido & Tohoku — Japan’s Wild North
Hokkaido is Japan’s northernmost and largest prefecture — a vast wilderness of national parks, volcanic mountains, lavender fields, and world-class powder snow. Sapporo, its capital, is famous for its beer, ramen, and the annual Snow Festival. Aomori is home to Hirosaki Castle and some of Japan’s finest apple orchards. Iwate preserves ancient samurai culture in the temple town of Hiraizumi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Miyagi centres on Sendai, the sophisticated “City of Trees,” and the scenic Matsushima bay. Akita is celebrated for its Oga Peninsula, sake breweries, and the Namahage demon festival. Yamagata offers mountain temples (Yamadera), hot springs, and spectacular autumn foliage. Fukushima is a resilient prefecture of samurai castle towns, pristine highland lakes, and excellent local produce.
Kanto — The Capital Region
The Kanto region surrounds Tokyo Bay and encompasses Japan’s most densely populated and economically powerful area. Tokyo needs no introduction — the world’s largest metropolitan area contains neighbourhoods as different as futuristic Odaiba, fashionable Shibuya, historic Asakusa, and otaku-culture Akihabara. Kanagawa contains Yokohama (Japan’s second city), the ancient capital Kamakura and its Great Buddha, and the spa resort of Hakone with views of Mount Fuji. Saitama is a gateway to the Chichibu highlands and Kawagoe’s Edo-era streetscapes. Chiba offers Tokyo Disneyland, Narita Airport, and the Boso Peninsula’s unspoiled coastline. Ibaraki is home to Mito’s Kairakuen, one of Japan’s three great gardens. Tochigi contains Nikko, with its extraordinary Toshogu shrine complex. Gunma is famous for its hot spring resorts, particularly Kusatsu and Ikaho.
Chubu — Mountains, Coast & Countryside
The Chubu region spans Japan’s mountainous central spine from the Sea of Japan to the Pacific. Niigata produces Japan’s finest rice and sake along its fertile plains, with ski resorts in the mountains behind. Toyama is the gateway to the dramatic Kurobe Gorge and the scenic Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route. Ishikawa centres on Kanazawa — sometimes called “Little Kyoto” for its preserved geisha districts, samurai neighbourhoods, and Kenrokuén garden. Fukui preserves the Eiheiji Zen temple complex and some of Japan’s most dramatic coastal scenery at Tojinbo. Yamanashi offers the closest and most spectacular views of Mount Fuji from the Fuji Five Lakes. Nagano hosted the 1998 Winter Olympics and encompasses the Japan Alps, Matsumoto Castle, and the monkey-bath hot springs of Jigokudani. Shizuoka stretches along the Pacific coast with green tea plantations, wasabi farms, and Mount Fuji’s southern approaches. Aichi is the industrial heartland of Japan, with Nagoya Castle and the birthplace of both Toyota and pachinko. Mie is home to the sacred Ise Grand Shrine, Japan’s most important Shinto pilgrimage site.
Kansai — Ancient Capitals & Cultural Heart
Kansai is Japan’s cultural heartland — the region that most travellers come to Japan to experience. Kyoto served as Japan’s imperial capital for over a thousand years and contains more UNESCO World Heritage Sites than any other city in Japan: Kinkakuji, Fushimi Inari, Arashiyama, Nishiki Market, and the geisha districts of Gion. Osaka is Japan’s kitchen — a city of extraordinary street food, a vibrant nightlife scene, Dotonbori canal, and the magnificent Osaka Castle. Nara is Japan’s original capital, home to the giant bronze Daibutsu Buddha in Todai-ji, and where wild deer roam freely through the park. Hyogo contains Himeji Castle (Japan’s finest surviving feudal castle), the cosmopolitan port city of Kobe, and the literary town of Takarazuka. Shiga surrounds Lake Biwa, Japan’s largest lake, with historic castle towns and Enryakuji temple complex. Wakayama is home to the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage trails and Koyasan, one of Japan’s most sacred Buddhist mountain monasteries.
Chugoku & Shikoku — Pilgrimage Country
Western Honshu and the island of Shikoku offer some of Japan’s most rewarding slow travel. Hiroshima is a city of extraordinary resilience — the Peace Memorial Park and A-Bomb Dome stand as powerful monuments, while the nearby island of Miyajima with its floating torii gate is one of Japan’s three most iconic views. Okayama contains Korakuen, considered Japan’s finest landscape garden, and the black-walled Crow Castle. Shimane preserves the grand Izumo Taisha shrine, the most sacred site in Japanese mythology. Tottori has Japan’s only large sand dunes along the Sea of Japan coast. Yamaguchi offers Kintaikyo Bridge and the volcanic landscape of Mount Aso nearby. Shikoku’s four prefectures — Tokushima, Kagawa, Ehime, and Kochi — are defined by the 88-temple pilgrimage circuit that draws walkers from across Japan and the world.
Kyushu & Okinawa — Volcanoes, Onsen & Subtropical Islands
Kyushu is Japan’s southernmost main island — volcanic, subtropical, and historically the point of contact between Japan and the outside world. Fukuoka is Kyushu’s largest city, famous for its tonkotsu ramen, yatai food stalls, and proximity to Korea. Nagasaki carries the history of Japan’s only open port during the isolation era, with a unique blend of Dutch, Chinese, and Portuguese influences. Kumamoto boasts one of Japan’s most impressive castles and access to the vast Aso caldera. Oita claims to have more hot spring water than anywhere on earth — the onsen resort town of Beppu is extraordinary. Miyazaki is subtropical, with the sacred gorge of Takachiho and the legend-soaked Kirishima highlands. Kagoshima faces the continuously active Sakurajima volcano across the bay and is the gateway to the ancient cedar forests of Yakushima Island. Okinawa is an entirely different Japan — a chain of subtropical islands with white sand beaches, coral reefs, a distinct Ryukyu cultural heritage, and some of the world’s longest-living people.