Regions / Prefectures to Visit

Chubu Region (123)
Located in the east central area of the main island of Honshu, it includes 9 prefectures, and the major cities of Nagoya, Nagano, Niigata, and Kanazawa as well as Mt. Fuji. The name means "central region" and it spans the island of Honshu from the Pacific side to the Sea of Japan side, crossing the Japanese Alps in the process. The area encompasses three smaller regions, Hokuriku, Koshinetsu, and Tokai. It has a population of over 20 million inhabitants.
Aichi Prefecture
Nagano Prefecture
Niigata Prefecture
Toyama Prefecture
Chugoku Region (13)
Located in the western end of the main island of Honshu, including the major cities of Okayama, Hiroshima and Shimonoseki. It includes five prefectures. As it also stretches from the Pacific side to the Sea of Japan side of Honshu divided by mountain ranges. The northern side is called "san'in" (山陰) with an agricultural economy, and the southern side is called "san'yo" (山陽) with an industrial economy. It has a population of over 7 million inhabitants.
Okayama Prefecture
Yamaguchi Prefecture
Hokkaido Region (1)
Includes only the northern main island of Hokkaido which is also a prefecture. It includes the major cities of Sapporo and Hakodate, plus six national parks. It is also home to the Ainu, an indigenouse people. It has a population of over 5 million inhabitants.
Hokuriku Region (105)
Located in the central area of the main island of Honshu along the Sea of Japan, including the major cities of Fukui, Kanazawa, Niigata, and Toyama. All of Hokuriku lies within the larger Chubu Region. The name means "northern region" and it has been described as being in the "northwest part of Honshu" since it lies to the northwest of present day Tokyo, the old Edo. The area is known for preserving many of the "old ways" lost in the more urbanized areas of Japan. It also has the highest volume of snowfall of any inhabited and arable area of the world due to the Siberian air masses crossing the Sea of Japan. It has a population of about 3 million inhabitants.
Niigata Prefecture
Toyama Prefecture
Kansai Region (5)
Also called the Kinki Region. Located in the west central area of the main island of Honshu, including the major cities of Osaka, Kobe, Kyoto, and Nara. Kansai literally means "West of the Barrier", considered to mean the region west of the Hakone checkpoint on the Tokaido Road. The region is the cultural and historic heart of Japan hosting the Imperial capital for over 1,000 years. It is where Buddhism was first introduced to Japan. It is usually contrasted with the Kanto Region around Tokyo as having more historical (Nara), cultural (Kyoto), mercantilist (Osaka), and cosmopolitan (Kobe). It has a population of over 22 million inhabitants.
Mie Prefecture
Nara Prefecture
Osaka Prefecture
Wakayama Prefecture
Kanto Region (7)
Located in the north central area of the main island of Honshu, including the capital Tokyo. Kantō literally means "East of the Barrier", considered to mean the region east of the Hakone checkpoint on the Tokaido Road. It has a population of over 42 million inhabitants, approximately one-third of the total population of Japan.
Chiba Prefecture
Gunma Prefecture
Ibaraki Prefecture
Saitama Prefecture
Tokyo Prefecture
Kinki Region (5)
Also called the Kansai Region. Located in the west central area of the main island of Honshu, including the major cities of Osaka, Kobe, Kyoto, and Nara. Kansai literally means "West of the Barrier", considered to mean the region west of the Hakone checkpoint on the Tokaido Road. The region is the cultural and historic heart of Japan hosting the Imperial capital for over 1,000 years. It is where Buddhism was first introduced to Japan. It is usually contrasted with the Kanto Region around Tokyo as having more historical (Nara), cultural (Kyoto), mercantilist (Osaka), and cosmopolitan (Kobe). It has a population of over 22 million inhabitants.
Mie Prefecture
Nara Prefecture
Osaka Prefecture
Wakayama Prefecture
Koshinetsu Region (4)
Located in the central area of the main island of Honshu along the Sea of Japan, including the major city of Niigata, and Mt. Fuji. All of Koshinetsu lies within the larger Chubu Region. The area is known for its heavy snowfall, making it ideal for skiing. It has a population of over 5 million inhabitants.
Nagano Prefecture
Niigata Prefecture
Kyushu Region (0)
Includes only the southern main island of Kyushu and the islands of the Satsunan chain. In includes seven prefectures and the major cities of Fukuoka, Kagashima, Kitakyushu, Kumamoto, and Nagasaki. It has a population of over 13 million inhabitants, representing about 10% of the total Japanese population.
Fukuoka Prefecture
Kagoshima Prefecture
Kumamoto Prefecture
Miyazaki Prefecture
Nagasaki Prefecture
Oita Prefecture
Saga Prefecture
Okinawa Region (1)
Includes only the Ryuku Islands chain, south of the main islands of Japan, stretching almost to Taiwan. Approximately 75% of the American military personnel in Japan are in Okinawa. It has a population of about 1.5 million inhabitants.
Shikoku Region (7)
Includes only the central main island of Shikoku. It includes four prefectures and the main cities of Takamatsu and Tokushima. Mountains divide the island into a northern area facing the Inland Sea and a southern area facing the Pacific Ocean. It has a population of about 4 million inhabitants.
Kagawa Prefecture
Kochi Prefecture
Tohoku Region (3)
Located in the northern end of the main island of Honshu. Tohoku includes six prefectures, including the major city of Sendai. Historically it was provided 20% of Japan's rice. Even today it is considered a remote, scenic region with harsh weather, leading to it's increased tourism today. It has a population of almost 9 million inhabitants.
Akita Prefecture
Aomori Prefecture
Iwate Prefecture
Yamagata Prefecture
Tokai Region (14)
Located in the east central area of the main island of Honshu, it includes 4 prefectures, and the major cities of Nagoya, and Shizuoka. The region runs along the Pacific Ocean side of Honshu and the name derives from the Tokaido Road that runs through it from Tokyo to Kyoto. It is one of the most industrialized regions of Japan. All of Tokai lies within the larger Chubu Region. It has a population of over 15 million inhabitants.
Aichi Prefecture
Mie Prefecture