Japan travel guides for all 47 prefectures
Local tips, regional food and the places locals actually go, for every prefecture from Hokkaido to Okinawa.
Hokkaido
Tohoku
Aomori
Honshu’s northern tip, home to Aomori city’s huge Nebuta festival, Hirosaki Castle’s cherry blossoms, and the Oirase Gorge and Lake Towada…
Iwate
Honshu’s largest prefecture, with the castle town of Morioka, the UNESCO temples of Hiraizumi, the Geibikei Gorge and the rugged Sanriku…
Miyagi
Tohoku’s gateway, centred on the city of Sendai, with the pine-covered islands of Matsushima, the Naruko hot springs and the Zao mountains.
Akita
A snowy Japan Sea prefecture known for the samurai district of Kakunodate, deep Lake Tazawa, the rustic Nyuto Onsen and the namahage…
Yamagata
A mountainous prefecture of hot springs and sacred peaks: the cliffside temple of Yamadera, the lamp-lit Ginzan Onsen, Zao’s snow monsters…
Fukushima
Tohoku’s southernmost prefecture, with the samurai city of Aizu-Wakamatsu, the thatched post town of Ouchi-juku, and the lakes and ponds…
Kanto
Ibaraki
Northeast of Tokyo, Ibaraki is known for Hitachi Seaside Park’s flower hills, Mito’s Kairakuen plum garden, Fukuroda Falls and Mount…
Tochigi
Home to Nikko’s ornate Toshogu shrine, Lake Chuzenji and Kegon Falls, plus the Kinugawa and Nasu hot springs and Utsunomiya’s gyoza.
Gunma
An inland, mountainous prefecture of famous hot springs — Kusatsu, Ikaho and Minakami — plus the UNESCO-listed Tomioka Silk Mill.
Saitama
Tokyo’s northern neighbour, with the old merchant town of Kawagoe, the mountains and festivals of Chichibu, and Nagatoro’s river gorge.
Chiba
The peninsula east of Tokyo, home to Narita Airport and Naritasan temple, Tokyo Disney Resort, and the beaches and mountains of the Boso…
Tokyo
Japan’s capital: neighbourhoods like Shinjuku, Shibuya and Asakusa, world-class food at every price, and a green west side with the…
Kanagawa
Just south of Tokyo: the port city of Yokohama, Kamakura’s temples and Great Buddha, Enoshima island, and Hakone’s hot springs with views…
Chubu
Niigata
Rice and sake country on the Sea of Japan, with Niigata City as the hub. Come for Sado Island, the ski slopes and hot springs around…
Toyama
A compact prefecture between Toyama Bay and the Northern Alps. Main draws are the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, the gassho-zukuri villages…
Ishikawa
Home to Kanazawa, a castle town known for Kenrokuen garden, preserved geisha districts and gold leaf. Beyond the city are the Kaga hot…
Fukui
A quiet Sea of Japan prefecture with rugged coast and deep history. Highlights are the Tojinbo cliffs, Eiheiji Zen temple and the Dinosaur…
Yamanashi
The north side of Mt Fuji, with the Fuji Five Lakes around Kawaguchiko, plus the Kofu basin’s vineyards and orchards. An easy escape from…
Nagano
A large mountain prefecture in the Japan Alps. Highlights include Matsumoto Castle, Zenkoji temple in Nagano City, the snow monkeys at…
Gifu
A mountainous prefecture north of Nagoya. Highlights are the old town of Takayama, the thatched farmhouses of Shirakawa-go, and cormorant…
Shizuoka
A long Pacific-coast prefecture on the south side of Mt Fuji. Come for Fuji views, the hot springs and coastline of the Izu Peninsula, and…
Aichi
Home to Nagoya, Japan’s fourth-largest city and a great food town. Highlights include Nagoya Castle, Atsuta Jingu, Toyota’s museums and…
Kansai
Mie
A long coastal prefecture south of Nagoya, home to Ise Jingu, Japan’s most sacred Shinto shrine. Also known for the ninja town of Iga, the…
Shiga
The prefecture wrapped around Lake Biwa, Japan’s largest lake, just east of Kyoto. Highlights are Hikone Castle, the canal town of…
Kyoto
Japan’s imperial capital for over a thousand years, packed with temples and shrines. Headline draws include Fushimi Inari, Kiyomizu-dera,…
Osaka
Western Japan’s biggest city and the food capital of Kansai. Come for Dotonbori’s neon and street food, Osaka Castle, Universal Studios…
Hyogo
A large prefecture stretching from the Seto Inland Sea to the Sea of Japan. Highlights are the port city of Kobe, Himeji Castle, and the…
Nara
Japan’s first permanent capital, packed with ancient temples. Highlights are Todaiji’s giant Buddha, the free-roaming deer of Nara Park,…
Wakayama
A mountainous prefecture on the Kii Peninsula, south of Osaka. Come for the temple town of Koyasan, the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage trails and…
Chugoku
Tottori
Japan’s least populated prefecture, on the Japan Sea coast. Come for the Tottori Sand Dunes, the slopes of Mt. Daisen and the white-walled…
Shimane
A quiet, myth-rich prefecture on the Japan Sea. Highlights are Izumo Taisha, Matsue with its original castle and Lake Shinji, and the…
Okayama
A sunny, easy-going prefecture on the Seto Inland Sea. Okayama city has Korakuen garden and its black castle, Kurashiki has a canal-side…
Hiroshima
Home to the Peace Memorial Park and Museum in Hiroshima city and the floating torii of Miyajima. Onomichi and the Shimanami Kaido cycling…
Yamaguchi
The western tip of Honshu, facing both the Japan Sea and the Seto Inland Sea. Draws include Motonosumi Shrine’s red torii, the Akiyoshidai…
Shikoku
Tokushima
Eastern Shikoku, home of the Awa Odori dance festival. Visitors come for the Naruto whirlpools, the deep Iya Valley with its vine bridges,…
Kagawa
Japan’s smallest prefecture and its udon capital. Takamatsu has Ritsurin Garden, Kotohira has the hillside Konpira-san shrine, and ferries…
Ehime
Northwest Shikoku, famous for citrus. Matsuyama has Dogo Onsen and an original castle keep, Imabari is the Shikoku end of the Shimanami…
Kochi
Shikoku’s wild Pacific side, known for big-hearted drinking culture and seared bonito. Kochi city has an original castle and Hirome…
Kyushu
Fukuoka
Kyushu’s gateway and its liveliest city. Fukuoka city is known for Hakata ramen and open-air yatai stalls, with Dazaifu Tenmangu shrine…
Saga
A quiet prefecture between Fukuoka and Nagasaki, famous for porcelain and hot springs. Visit the pottery towns of Arita and Imari, the…
Nagasaki
A hilly harbour city shaped by centuries of foreign trade, plus hundreds of islands. See Nagasaki’s Peace Park, Glover Garden and Dejima,…
Kumamoto
Central Kyushu, dominated by the vast Aso caldera. Kumamoto city has its great castle and Suizenji garden, while Kurokawa Onsen and the…
Oita
Japan’s hot spring heartland on Kyushu’s east coast. Beppu steams with onsen and its “hells”, Yufuin is a quieter resort town under Mt.…
Miyazaki
Kyushu’s warm, relaxed southeast coast. Highlights are Takachiho Gorge and its myths in the north, and the Nichinan coast with Aoshima…
Kagoshima
Kyushu’s southern tip, facing the active Sakurajima volcano across the bay. Kagoshima city has Sengan-en garden, Ibusuki has sand baths,…