Explore Japan: Famous Spots Marked on the Map

List of Famous Spots in Japan

• Aichi

  Aichi Prefecture is a major economic and industrial hub in central Japan, home to Toyota Motor Corporation. It's known for Nagoya Castle and rich samurai history.

• Akita

  Akita Prefecture is located in the Tōhoku region, famous for its high-quality rice and sake, the Akita dog breed, and the beautiful Lake Tazawa.

• Aomori

  Aomori Prefecture, at the northern tip of Honshu, is renowned for its high-quality apples, the spectacular Nebuta Festival, and its stunning natural scenery.

• Chiba

  Chiba Prefecture is part of the Greater Tokyo Area and is home to Narita International Airport and Tokyo Disney Resort. It's also known for its agriculture, particularly peanuts and pears.

• Ehime

  Ehime Prefecture, located on Shikoku island, is famous for producing high-quality citrus fruits, especially mikan (mandarin oranges), and the historic Dōgo Onsen in Matsuyama.

• Fukui

  Fukui Prefecture is known for its rugged coastline, including the Tōjinbō cliffs, and is a major center for dinosaur fossil discoveries in Japan, hosting a world-class dinosaur museum.

• Fukuoka

  Fukuoka Prefecture is the most populous prefecture in Kyushu and a gateway to Asia. Its capital city, Fukuoka, is famous for its delicious Hakata ramen and lively street food stalls (yatai).

• Fukushima

  Fukushima Prefecture, located in the Tōhoku region, boasts beautiful natural landscapes, including Bandai-Asahi National Park, and is known for its samurai history in the Aizu region.

• Gifu

  Gifu Prefecture, a landlocked prefecture in central Japan, is famous for the historic villages of Shirakawa-gō, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and traditional cormorant fishing on the Nagara River.

• Gunma

  Gunma Prefecture is a mountainous, landlocked prefecture known for its numerous high-quality hot springs (onsen), such as Kusatsu and Ikaho, making it a popular resort destination.

• Hiroshima

  Hiroshima Prefecture is known worldwide for its tragic history and subsequent rise as a symbol of peace, centered around the Peace Memorial Park. It's also home to the beautiful Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima Island.

• Hokkaido

  Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost and largest prefecture, is famous for its vast, unspoiled nature, world-class ski resorts, fresh seafood, and the Sapporo Snow Festival.

• Hyogo

  Hyogo Prefecture stretches from the Seto Inland Sea to the Sea of Japan, featuring the vibrant port city of Kobe, the magnificent Himeji Castle, and the renowned Arima Onsen.

• Ibaraki

  Ibaraki Prefecture, located northeast of Tokyo, is known for Kairaku-en, one of Japan's three most beautiful gardens, and its production of natto (fermented soybeans) and melons.

• Ishikawa

  Ishikawa Prefecture is celebrated for its rich arts and crafts heritage in its capital, Kanazawa, which features the beautiful Kenroku-en Garden and well-preserved samurai and geisha districts.

• Iwate

  Iwate Prefecture is the second largest prefecture in Japan, characterized by its dramatic coastline, vast mountain ranges, and the historic temples of Hiraizumi, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

• Kagawa

  Kagawa Prefecture, the smallest prefecture in Japan, is located on Shikoku island and is famous nationwide as the 'Udon Kingdom' for its delicious Sanuki udon noodles.

• Kagoshima

  Kagoshima Prefecture, at the southwestern tip of Kyushu, is known for its active volcano Sakurajima, the ancient cedar forests of Yakushima Island, and its history as the domain of the powerful Shimazu clan.

• Kanagawa

  Kanagawa Prefecture is part of the Greater Tokyo Area, featuring the major port city of Yokohama, the historic capital of Kamakura with its Great Buddha, and the hot spring resort town of Hakone.

• Kochi

  Kochi Prefecture on Shikoku island is known for its rugged Pacific coastline, the clear Shimanto River, and as the birthplace of the influential samurai Sakamoto Ryōma.

• Kumamoto

  Kumamoto Prefecture is located in central Kyushu, famous for the imposing Kumamoto Castle, the vast Aso-Kuju National Park with its active volcano, and its popular mascot, Kumamon.

• Kyoto

  Kyoto Prefecture, the former imperial capital of Japan for over a millennium, is renowned worldwide as the heart of traditional Japanese culture, celebrated for its countless ancient temples, shrines, and exquisite gardens.

• Mie

  Mie Prefecture is home to the Ise Grand Shrine, the most sacred Shinto shrine in Japan. It is also famous for the Suzuka Circuit, a world-renowned motorsport race track, and high-quality pearls.

• Miyagi

  Miyagi Prefecture is known for its capital, Sendai, the largest city in the Tōhoku region, and for Matsushima Bay, which is dotted with pine-clad islets and considered one of Japan's three most scenic views.

• Miyazaki

  Miyazaki Prefecture, on the eastern coast of Kyushu, is known for its warm climate, beautiful beaches, and connections to Japanese mythology, particularly the scenic Takachiho Gorge.

• Nagano

  Nagano Prefecture is a mountainous region known as the 'Roof of Japan.' It hosted the 1998 Winter Olympics and is famous for its ski resorts and the snow monkeys of Jigokudani.

• Nagasaki

  Nagasaki Prefecture has a rich and unique history as one of Japan's earliest gateways for foreign trade, resulting in a distinctive blend of Japanese and Western culture, particularly in Nagasaki City.

• Nara

  Nara Prefecture was the site of Japan's first permanent capital and is rich in historical treasures, including the Great Buddha at Tōdai-ji Temple and the friendly wild deer roaming Nara Park.

• Niigata

  Niigata Prefecture, facing the Sea of Japan, is renowned for its high-quality Koshihikari rice, premium sake, and heavy snowfall in winter, which creates excellent ski conditions.

• Oita

  Oita Prefecture is famous as Japan's onsen capital, boasting the largest number of hot spring sources and the highest volume of hot spring water, with Beppu and Yufuin being the most famous resort towns.

• Okayama

  Okayama Prefecture is known for the beautiful Koraku-en Garden, one of Japan's top three gardens, the historic town of Kurashiki, and is the setting for the famous folktale of Momotarō, the 'Peach Boy.'

• Okinawa

  Okinawa Prefecture is a chain of subtropical islands with a distinct culture, beautiful coral reefs, and pristine beaches. It was once the center of the independent Ryukyu Kingdom.

• Osaka

  Osaka Prefecture is a major economic powerhouse in the Kansai region, famous for its vibrant nightlife, delicious street food like takoyaki and okonomiyaki, Osaka Castle, and its outgoing, friendly people.

• Saga

  Saga Prefecture, located in northwestern Kyushu, is renowned for producing high-quality ceramics, particularly Arita and Imari porcelain, and for the annual Saga International Balloon Fiesta.

• Saitama

  Saitama Prefecture, part of the Greater Tokyo Area, serves as a major residential and commercial suburb of Tokyo. It is known for the historic town of Kawagoe, often called 'Little Edo.'

• Shiga

  Shiga Prefecture is home to Lake Biwa, the largest freshwater lake in Japan. The prefecture is known for its scenic lakeside views and historic castles like Hikone Castle.

• Shimane

  Shimane Prefecture is a region rich in Japanese mythology and history, home to the Izumo-taisha Grand Shrine, one of the oldest and most important Shinto shrines in Japan.

• Shizuoka

  Shizuoka Prefecture is home to the iconic Mount Fuji. It is also Japan's largest producer of green tea and is known for its scenic Izu Peninsula, a popular resort area.

• Tochigi

  Tochigi Prefecture is famous for the city of Nikkō, a UNESCO World Heritage site with elaborately decorated shrines and temples, including the Tōshō-gū Shrine.

• Tokushima

  Tokushima Prefecture on Shikoku island is best known for hosting the Awa Odori, one of Japan's most famous dance festivals, and for the dramatic Naruto whirlpools.

• Tokyo

  Tokyo is Japan's bustling capital, a massive metropolis that blends the ultramodern and the traditional, from neon-lit skyscrapers to historic temples. It is the political and economic center of the country.

• Tottori

  Tottori Prefecture is the least populous prefecture in Japan, famous for its large coastal sand dunes, the only ones of their kind in the country.

• Toyama

  Toyama Prefecture is known for the magnificent Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, a mountain sightseeing route with towering snow walls in spring, and for the scenic beauty of Toyama Bay.

• Wakayama

  Wakayama Prefecture is a deeply spiritual region, home to the sacred pilgrimage routes of Kumano Kodō and the monastic mountain of Kōya-san, the headquarters of Shingon Buddhism.

• Yamagata

  Yamagata Prefecture is known for its scenic mountains and temples, such as the picturesque Yamadera Temple built into a mountainside. It is also a major producer of cherries and pears.

• Yamaguchi

  Yamaguchi Prefecture, at the westernmost tip of Honshu, played a crucial role in the Meiji Restoration. It is known for the Kintai Bridge in Iwakuni and its delicious fugu (pufferfish) cuisine.

• Yamanashi

  Yamanashi Prefecture is renowned for its stunning views of Mount Fuji and the Fuji Five Lakes region. It is also Japan's premier wine-producing region and is famous for its fruits, especially grapes and peaches.