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Home , Akita Prefecture, Amanohashidate, Capital of Japan, Chiba (city), Fukui (city), Fukuoka

For more detailed information Japanese government policy and other such matters, see the following home pages. Ministry of Foreign Affairs Website http://www.mofa.go.jp/ Web http://web-japan.org/ OF JAPAN The fusion of historical divisions and modern administrative needs

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N 1 Hokkaido Hokkaido 1 15 16 17 Ishikawa 18 19 2 31 20 Yamanashi 21 32 3 33 22 4 34 Shimane 23 Aichi Tohoku 35 Chubu 6 2 Chugoku 5 3 15 4 Iwate 34 17 Kita-Kyushu 33 16 5 Miyagi 18 7 6 Yamagata 35 32 31 26 Kyushu 41 40 Hiroshima 29 7 19 8 9 40 42 43 21 Fukuoka 25 36 28 11 10 41 Kyushu 39 20 42 23 44 37 Kawasaki 13 43 Oita 46 38 27 24 22 14 12 45 44 30 45 Shikoku Kinki Kanto 46 36 Kagawa 24 Mie 8 Gumma 37 25 Shiga 9 38 Kochi 26 Kyoto 10 Ibaraki 39 Ehime 27 11 28 Osaka 12 Chiba 29 Hyogo 13 47 30 14 Kanagawa

Eight Regions of Japan he consists of mostly of Japan’s four main —and several Tmountainous islands that stretch from surrounding islands. This is separated northeast to southwest about 2,800 km long. from Honshu to the south by the Tsugaru In total land (377,915 sq km, 2006), it is a Strait (although the two islands are connected bit larger than or and roughly the by an undersea ). The same size as the state of . climate is very different from the rest of Japan. The four major islands are Hokkaido, Honshu, It is generally cooler in the and very Shikoku, and Kyushu. Japan’s total population cold in the winter. Hokkaido is criss- in 2005 was 127,645,000. by mountain ranges and is famous for its natural scenery, including virgin forests, active Hokkaido volcanoes, and large lakes. Marsh, in the east of Hokkaido, is famous as a paradise This region is formed by Hokkaido Island— for migrating birds such as the Japanese - the northernmost and the second largest crested . Part of the

REGIONS OF JAPAN 1 in northeast Hokkaido was designated a Heritage site in 2005. Hokkaido was first settled in the sixteenth century by Japanese who began to trade with the indigenous there, but it was in the late nineteenth century that the island’s full-scale development was launched by the administration. Fishing and are important parts of It takes about half an hour by train from Kushiro Marsh Breeding ground of Hokkaido’s and underlie much of Sendai to . Three large, colorful the Japanese crane the island’s industrial activity, including are held each summer in the Tohoku and Japan’s largest wetlands area, Hokkaido processing, woodworking, pulp, and paper region. They are Nebuta Matsuri, held in Prefecture’s Kushiro industries. Aomori and ; Matsuri, in Marsh is part of Kushiro Shitsugen . The capital , Sapporo, is famous for Sendai; and Kanto Matsuri, in Akita. © Bon Color Photo Agency the Snow held in early , with many large made of snow Kanto Region and ice on display, forming spectacular scenes. , a large city in the south The Kanto region lies in the southeastern of Hokkaido, is noted for its beautiful night part of Honshu and is dominated by the views. Within Japan’s system of prefectures, Kanto , Japan’s largest plain. The climate Hokkaido alone is categorized as a “circuit,” is generally mild, and the four seasons though it is the equivalent of a prefecture. are sharply delineated. This region, which includes such key as Tokyo, Yokohama, Tohoku Region Kawasaki, Saitama, and Chiba, is the most populous region of Japan. The hub of the This largely mountainous region region—the Tokyo-Yokohama —is encompasses all of northeastern Japan. Centers the core of Japan’s commerce and industry. of population are found along the coastlines The Keihin Industrial Zone and the Keiyo of the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan, Industrial Region, extending along the shore and in several basins. The Tohoku region has of , form the largest industrial zone short and long winters, interspersed of Japan. with beautiful spring and seasons. The suburbs, within about a two Shirakami Sanchi, located in south Aomori hours’ commuting distance from Prefecture and , has a large- Tokyo, are expanding, resulting in the scale primeval forest of beech trees; it was urbanization of a large portion of the Kanto registered as a World Heritage site in 1993. region. Though agricultural activity has The Tohoku area is primarily agricultural: decreased in general, it is still thriving in the 65% of cultivated land is paddy fields, areas to the east and north, and contributes to which account for almost a quarter of all the region’s economy. the paddy fields throughout the . Tokyo is the . It is home However, it is not rare for a summer to to most large domestic corporations, foreign damage the crops. Fishing and forestry are companies, and the head offices of the mass also important. Industrial activities include media. Tokyo is also a center of education. electrical appliances, chemical production, The city is famous as a center of culture and pulp processing, cement, and entertainment. It offers a variety of modern refining, with some production of petroleum and traditional arts. Classical and popular and natural gas. Sendai is the largest city. music are performed at Tokyo’s many concert Matsushima, a group of more than 260 halls, and there are numerous and small islands in , is counted art galleries. Sightseeing tours of the city by among the three most beautiful sights in Japan. bus have regular scheduled departures. The

REGIONS OF JAPAN 2 bus, called Hato (pigeon), visits famous spots such as the , , and . Asakusa, where many traditional events and festivals are held, still retains the atmosphere of old Tokyo. Metropolitan Tokyo consists of the 23 wards of urban Tokyo, 26 cities, 5 , and 8 . Chubu Region Kinki Region A home in a rural The Chubu region in central Honshu faces of the Chubu region’s both the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan. Located in west central Honshu, the Kinki , which is known for its heavy The climate varies greatly according to the region is Japan’s second most important snow falls. area: while the Sea of Japan side is famous area in terms of industry. The ancient capital © for heavy snowfall, the Pacific side generally of Kyoto is in Kinki. So, too, are the cities enjoys a mild climate throughout the year. of Osaka and Kobe ( of Japan’s most Some towns, located on plateau, are very important ), which form the center of popular as summer retreats due to their cool commerce for western Japan. Rice and - climate. The Japan Alps, which has several fruit production, lumbering, and fishing are all lofty mountains and is thus called the important to the region’s economy. of Japan, extends from north to south in the Kyoto, once the capital of Japan and the Chubu region. residence of emperors from 794 to 1868, is The Chubu region has some of Japan’s famous for its temples, shrines, and other longest rivers and one of the largest rice- historic sites, and is a virtual storehouse of producing areas, located along the Sea officially designated National Treasures and of Japan. It has three industrial areas: the Important Cultural Properties. As a noted Chukyo Industrial Zone, which is home to tourist resort, Kyoto attracts millions of the main facility of Motors; the Tokai tourists every year, from throughout Japan and Industrial Region, where Yamaha is based; the world. The Historic of Ancient and the Hokuriku Industrial Region. In Kyoto were registered as a World Heritage site addition to rice, agricultural products include in 1994. tea, mandarin oranges, strawberries, grapes, Osaka is the financial center of western , and . Japan. It is an industrial center as , The most famous landmark of this largely especially for chemicals, machinery, steel, and mountainous region is Mount . It is Japan’s metal. Both the Tokaido and the highest (3,776 meters, or 12,388 feet) and most Shinkansen depart from and arrive at highly regarded mountain, considered sacred Shin-Osaka station (with the exception of some by some Japanese. Its conical form has inspired going from Tokyo through to Hakata, generations of artists and is world renowned Kyushu, or Hiroshima). as a symbol of Japan. During the climbing Offering yet another of the three most season, from 1 to 31, it is crowded beautiful views of Japan, is with climbers. Other sightseeing spots in a sandbar in northeastern . It the Chubu region are the in is noted for the beauty of its more than 6,000 , which has a subtropical gnarled pine trees. climate, many beautiful beaches, and a great The term Kansai refers to an area centering number of hot springs; and Zenkoji in Nagano roughly on the cities of Osaka, Kyoto, and Prefecture, a well-known that attracts Kobe. While Kinki has well-defined borders a large number of visitors from all over the and is an official geographical designation, country. Kansai is used in a cultural and historic context, and in contradistinction to Kanto.

REGIONS OF JAPAN 3 People living in this region are said to speak with a Kansai accent, for example. Chugoku Region

The Chugoku region, encompassing the whole western tip of Honshu, is mountainous, with many small basins and coastal . The Inland Sea coast, an important area of industry and commerce, is the most Festival populous part of the region. Large rice- A parade of huge ornate floats () is featured in producing areas are concentrated along the this July festival held in the plains of the Sea of Japan and the Okayama Kinki region city of Kyoto. Plain. The warm, dry climate of the Inland Sea © Kodansha coast is ideal for growing oranges. Kyushu Region The last of the three most scenic spots in Japan, , also known as Miyajima, Kyushu, the southernmost of the is an island in . Famous four major islands, and more than 1,400 for its , which stands in the bay, surrounding islands make the Kyushu became a World Heritage region. Kyushu Island has a mountainous site in 1996. interior, with plains along the coast, Two cities in Japan—Hiroshima, in the volcanoes, and hot springs. The climate Chugoku region, and Nagasaki, in the Kyushu is subtropical. Agriculture, stock farming, region—underwent atomic bombings during hog raising, and fishery all flourish. The II. Near the Peace Memorial Park Kita Kyushu Industrial Zone contains in Hiroshima stands the Atomic , a concentration of heavy and chemical which was registered as a World Heritage site industries. in 1996. Kyushu is connected to Honshu by road and rail via a and undersea . Shikoku Region in is the terminus of the Sanyo Shinkansen. Shikoku (the smallest of Japan’s four main Major sightseeing spots are in Oita islands) along with various satellite islands Prefecture, a resort famous for its hot constitute this region, which spreads across springs; Mt. Aso in ; and the Inland Sea. The high, steep mountains in . serve as a limit to farming and habitation, and is a chain of 60 islands there is little large-scale industry. However, located far to the south of Kyushu. Okinawa, new development has been spurred by once called Ryukyu, was an independent completion of two chains of bridges (Seto kingdom until the seventeenth century and, Shimantogawa Ohashi) that link Shikoku with Honshu. as such, developed its own distinct dialect This Kochi Prefecture The climate on the Pacific side of Shikoku is and cultural . After World War II river is the second largest in the Shikoku region. subtropical. and until 1972, Okinawa was controlled by © Kodansha Naruto Strait, connecting Tokushima the U.S. military. is the main industry. Prefecture and Awajishima, in Hyogo Because of the warm climate throughout the Prefecture, is well known for its large year, marine are popular. There are many whirlpools. beautiful islands in Okinawa, such as Ishigaki- jima and Miyako-jima, known for their reefs.

REGIONS OF JAPAN 4