Area

HOKKAIDO

Hokkaido is the second largest island in Japan and is located in the far north of the country, divided into four main regions: northern Hokkaido, eastern Hokkaido, central Hokkaido and southern Hokkaido. The winters are long and cold, and the summers are short and cool. Hokkaido is full of nature and has remained unchanged since ancient times. There are six national parks, including Daisetsuzan, most of which have natural hot springs. It is also known as a haven for winter sports such as skiing and snowboarding, as well as hiking.
Hokkaido is surrounded by sea on all sides, and fresh seafood such as crab, sea urchin, seaweed, trout and salmon are excellent. This vast land is also known for its animal husbandry and agriculture, including dairy products, melons, asparagus and winter cabbage. Hokkaido is also the proud home of Japan’s famous brands of beer and whiskey, which are brewed with Hokkaido barley and the premium water and climate nurtured by nature. Also popular are miso ramen noodles topped with butter and corn.

TOUHOKU

The Tohoku region is located in the northernmost part of Honshu, Japan's largest island, between the Sea of Japan to the west and the Pacific Ocean to the east. It is also known as "northern Japan," including Hokkaido. The Sea of Japan side is an area with heavy snowfall in winter, where you can see fantastic snow monsters and enjoy winter sports such as skiing and snowboarding. There are also many hot spring resorts. On the Pacific Ocean side, there are mountains and highlands, and Mt. Shirakami is registered as a World Heritage Site.
Rice cultivation flourishes in the Tohoku region, and the region's handmade sake is excellent, thanks to the fine waters of the mountains and the harsh winters. It is also famous for its fruits, such as apples, cherries and peaches. The region is also rich in historical romance, with Date Masamune and Tsuruga Castle inheriting the samurai spirit, and the Buddhist temples and gardens of Hiraizumi registered as a World Heritage Site. The 2011 earthquake and tsunami were a testament to the resilience, passion, and pride of the people of Tohoku, who are the driving force behind the recovery.
Aomori,Akita,Iwate,Yamagata,Miyagi, and Fukushima prefectures.

KANTO

The Kanto region is located in the eastern part of Honshu, with the Kanto Plain, the largest plain in Japan, in the center, the mountains in the northwest, and the Pacific Ocean in the southeast. Centered around the capital city of Tokyo,the Kanto region is the political and economic center of Japan.
The metropolis of Tokyo is a blend of cutting-edge fashion and culture of the times, as well as traditional culture and technology, such as Sensoji and Edo Kiriko that stimulate all five senses. The surrounding area also includes the port city of Yokohama and Tokyo Disneyland, towns and hot springs that retain an Edo feel, mountain canyons and beaches rich in nature, and UNESCO World Heritage and cultural sites. Ogasawara Islands is a subtropical resort area with local wildlife and crystal clear waters. The food culture of the Kanto region is also diverse, with Japanese, French, Italian and Chinese restaurants from around the world at all price points. Specialties include strawberries from Tochigi, gyoza from Utsunomiya, natto (fermented soybeans) from Ibaraki, and peanuts from Chiba.
Tokyo,Ibaraki,Tochigi,Gunma,Saitama,Chiba, and Kanagawa prefectures.

CHUBU

The Chubu region is located in the center of Honshu and is mainly divided into Hokuriku, Tokai, and Koshinetsu.
The three mountain ranges in the Chubu region are collectively known as the "Japanese Alps", and the natural beauty of the mountains and the sea is an attractive feature of the region. The Hokuriku region facing the Sea of Japan offers fresh seafood such as firefly squid and trout sushi from Toyama and crab from Fukui. Ishikawa is also known for traditional crafts such as gold leaf from Kanazawa, which flourished as a castle town, Wajima lacquerware, and Kaga Yuzen. The Tokai region, which faces the Pacific Ocean, includes Shizuoka, home to Mount Fuji, and Aichi, home to Toyota Motor Corporation, a world-renowned Japanese car manufacturer. Gifu is home to Shirakawa-go, a World Heritage Site with its Gassho-zukuri Village. The Koshinetsu region is known for its cool summers, deep snow in winter, and summer resorts such as Karuizawa and Lake Suwa.
Niigata is a rice-producing region in Japan and is also known for its sake. Nagano is famous for its delicious water, soba noodles and wasabi. Jigokudani, where snow monkeys soak in hot springs, is a popular winter tourist attraction. Yamanashi is a major producer of grapes, peaches, and other fruits, and is also a wine-producing region.
Fukui,Ishikawa,Toyama,Shizuoka,Aichi,Gifu,Yamanashi,Nagano, and Niigata prefectures.

KANSAI

The Kansai region is located in the west-central part of Honshu and is the largest urban and economic area in Japan after the Kanto region.
As the core region of western Japan, and for centuries the political and cultural center of the country, the region is rich in historical buildings and cultural landscapes.
Kansai has long been the center of Japanese spiritual culture, including Bushid?, Bud?, and the Japanese tea ceremony. Kyoto and Nara have shrines, temples, and castles with high cultural heritage value, and Osaka Castle and Himeji Castle are each one of the 100 most famous castles in Japan. Shiga Prefecture is home to Lake Biwa, the largest lake in Japan, and its surrounding area is also full of historical sightseeing spots. Koyasan (Koya mountain) in Wakayama prefecture has been the object of worship for centuries. Uji green tea from Kyoto, mikan (mandarin oranges) and umeboshi (pickled plums) from Wakayama are famous specialties. Osaka, the "gourmand's town," is famous for takoyaki (octopus dumplings) and okonomiyaki.
Hyogo,Nara,Mie,Shiga,Wakayama,Osaka, and Kyoto Prefectures.

CHUGOKU

The Chugoku Region is located in the westernmost part of Japan's main island of Honshu, and is divided into two regions: the Sanin region to the north, facing the Sea of Japan, and the Sanyo region to the south, facing the Seto Inland Sea.
The Chugoku region is home to many impressive cultural treasures that give visitors a sense of Japan's history.
Hiroshima is home to Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima Island and the Atomic Bomb Dome ; Shimane is home to Matsue Castle and Izumo Taisha Shrine, where the gods of Japan gather; and Tottori is home to the Tottori Sand Dunes and Mt. Daisen, the highest peak in the Chugoku region. Famous products include Tajima beef of Japanese black, shijimi (whitebait) from Lake Shinji, and crab from Tottori. Kurashiki in Okayama has long flourished as a textile town and is the birthplace of the canal and Japanese denim (Okayama Denim). Motonosumi Shrine, with its 123 torii gates lined along a cliff, is located in Nagato, Yamaguchi. Yamaguchi is famous for its traditional craft of pottery called Hagiyaki.
Tottori,Shimane,Okayama,Hiroshima, and Yamaguchi Prefectures.

SHIKOKU

Shikoku, the fourth largest island in Japan, is located southwest of Honshu. Shikoku means "four countries" and is divided into four prefectures.
It is a warm region with mild weather all year round, with less rain and snow, and many spectacular natural spots such as oceans, mountains, and rivers.
Tokushima has a wealth of natural scenery, including the Iya Valley, one of Japan's three most unexplored areas, the Oboke and Koboke ravines, and the whirlpools of the Naruto Straits. It is also famous for its Bon Odori, the Awa Odori. Ehime is home to Dogo Hot Springs in Matsuyama, said to be the oldest hot spring in Japan. Ehime also has a thriving industry that evolved from the local industries of the Edo period, such as paper manufacturing and the production of Imabari towels. It is also a production center of Mikan (mandarin oranges). Kochi has the Shimanto River, which is said to be the last clear river in Japan. Facing the Pacific Ocean, bonito fishing is thriving and delicious bonito dishes can be enjoyed. Kagawa is famous for its Sanuki udon. As the name "Udon Prefecture" implies, there are many famous restaurants serving delicious Sanuki udon.
Shikoku is also where you can experience the Shikoku Pilgrimage (Shikoku 88 Temples Shikoku Hachiju Hakkasho), a journey to visit the 88 temples associated with Kukai.
Tokushima,Kagawa,Ehime, and Kochi Prefectures.

KYUSYU/OKINAWA

The Kyushu region is the third largest island in Japan and is located in the southwestern part of the country.
It is home to 17 active volcanoes and offers magnificent scenery at Mount Aso ー one of the world's largest caldera volcanoes and the Kirishima mountain range. Among them, Sakurajima in Kagoshima is a rare volcano in the world, which has been emitting smoke and raining ash for about 70 years. Thanks to the volcano's bounty, Kyushu is home to many famous hot spring resorts such as Beppu Onsen and Ibusuki Onsen.
Yakushima Island, registered as a World Heritage site, is home to a primeval forest of Yakusugi cedar trees ranging in age from several hundred to over a thousand years old. Geographically close to the Korean Peninsula and mainland China, Kyushu has long served as a trading post with other countries, and after the Portuguese landed on Tanegashima in the 16th century, the island developed as a trading window to the West, centered on Nagasaki.
Northern Kyushu is home to the production centers of Japanese ceramics such as Arita-yaki (Arita Ware), Imari-yaki (Imari Ware), and Hasami-yaki (Hasami Ware), which were introduced from the Korean Peninsula and produced in Japan. The area is also famous for its fresh seafood and other delicious foods, such as Fukuoka's Tonkotsu Ramen (pork bone ramen) and Karashi Mentaiko (spicy cod roe), Oita's Seki-saba (mackerel) and Seki-aji (horse mackerel), Miyazaki's mangoes, and Kumamoto's horse sashimi.
The Amami region of Kagoshima, located in the southernmost part of Kyushu, and Okinawa, located further south, are tropical and subtropical regions. Okinawa is Japan's southernmost prefecture and is a tropical paradise in Japan with emerald green seas, coral reefs, banyan trees, and mangrove forests. Okinawa is famous for its pineapples and other fruits, as well as for its Soki soba and sweets such as Sata Andagi (Okinawan sweet deep-fried bun) and Chinsuko. Karate, a popular sport around the world, is a martial art that originated in the Ryukyu Kingdom, which once existed in Okinawa.
Fukuoka,Saga,Oita,Nagasaki,Kumamoto,Miyazaki,Kagoshima, and Okinawa prefectures.