You may wonder what all those Japanese town and city names really means, since each kanji characters has its own meaning. So I painstakingly translated each word just for you, and added a little information about each prefecture and it's local areas. If you are want to know much more about Japan, our tour guides are deeply knowledgeable about japan and will be happy to share that information with you. Sign up today!
Japan
日本 Nippon (Sun Base)
As you can see Japan is the English name for my country which came from a famous book called “The Travels of Marco Polo”, and he mentioned a legendary Land of Gold called Zipang!! The literal meaning of Nippon 'is where the Sun rises'.
Hokkaido
北海道 Hokkaido (North Sea Road)
A well-known place for farming and seafood. Also during the winter time, ski resorts such as Niseko, are a popular destination for winter sports.
Tohoku
東北 Tohoku (East North)
Where do you think the area of Tohoku located? Northeast Japan! Clever, right? We don't even think to use the word 北東, Hokutou, which means Northeast in Japanese. Instead we put together East and North, genius!
青森 Aomori (Blue Forest)
A well known producer of apples, and also the tuna caught around this prefecture is the most expensive in the Japan.
岩手 Iwate (Rock Hand)
If you are looking for a traditional Japanese Iron kettle, you can find it here!
秋田 Akita (Autumn Rice Field)
Autumn is the harvest season for rice, a staple in the Japanese diet, and “Akita Komachi” is a well-known producer in the area.
山形 Yamagata (Mountain Shape)
Is home to the famous Yamagata mountain called “Gassan”, and the mountain was used for ancient mountain worship in centuries past.
宮城 Miyagi (Palace Castle)
Is the biggest city in Tohoku, and famous for it's oyster. They are still recovering from the March 2011 eartquake and tsunami.
福島 Fukushima (Good Luck Island)
Good Luck!! Seriously Good Luck.
Kanto
関東 Kanto (Gate East)
The center and most crowded flat land of Japan.
茨城 Ibaraki (Thorn Castle)
Is famous for Natto, sticky fermented soy beans. It's tasted good to me, but maybe not for you...
栃木 Tochigi (Japanese Horse Chestnut Tree)
Nikko is famous, but maybe people know it better for it's gyoza, also known as dumplings, yumyum.
群馬 Gunma (Crowed Horse)
Nothing really to wri...oh, yes there is good hot spring called Kusatsu!
埼玉 Saitama (Tip Ball)
Saitama, a rural and city area known for it's soccer team, Go Urawa Reds!!
千葉 Chiba (Thousand Leaves)
When many of you come to Japan you come through here. New Tokyo International Airport, or Narita
is located here. Also home to Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo Disney Sea!
東京 Tokyo (East Capital)
How should I describe Tokyo?? Ah, yes it's the capital and center of Japan.
神奈川 Kanagawa (God Apple River)
Yokohama is a famous port city, and also Kamakura, Hakone, are all here.
Chubu
中部 Chubu (Central Part)
Central Japan and in the middle of Japan's mountainous area.
新潟 Niigata (New Lagoon)
It's a famous area for rice production, and also good producer of Sake (rice wine) as well.
富山 Toyama (Rich Mountain)
The Bay of Toyama is one of the deepest bays of Japan and known for it's seafood, especially for yellowtail.
石川 Ishikawa (Stone River)
Is known for it's beautiful traditional kimono “Kaga Yuzen”, and also known for hand-crafted wares laden with beautiful golden leaves.
福井 Fukui (Good Luck Well)
Is known for snow crab!! If you are in Japan from November to March, you can taste delicious snow crab!
山梨 Yamanashi (Mountain Pear)
Is a very famous producers of grapes, and you can actually find wineries here too. How about a little wine-tasting while you're her?
長野 Nagano (Long Field)
Um, Nagano...Well, the Winter Olympic Games was held held in 1998, and also this is the where you can see “Snow Monkeys”!!
岐阜 Gifu (Divergence Hill)
Is one of the Japan's World Heritage Sites and the “Historic Villages of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama” is located here.
静岡 Shizuoka (Silent Hill)
Sounds like a video game, right? It's a known producer of green tea, and Hamamatsu is the city which the car company “Honda” was started.
愛知 Aichi (Love Wisdom)
Is the 3rd largest city in Japan, and the headquarters of Toyota is located in Toyota city.
Kansai
関西 Kansai (Gate West)
This area is home to two big and famous cities, Osaka and Kyoto, and it used to be the capitol of Japan before it was moved to Tokyo.
三重 Mie (Triple)
Is known for producing pearls, and one of the most expensive beefs, Matsusaka Beef is produced here. Ise Jingu is alo located here and is a most shrine for Imperial family.
滋賀 Shiga (Overgrown Congratulation)
Has the largest lake in Japan, Lake Biwa is located in the center of the prefecture.
京都 Kyoto (Capital Capital)
Is famous city, with an outstanding traditional history, food and temples.
大阪 Osaka (Big Slope)
Is the 2nd largest city in Japan and is has a rather distinctively different image from Tokyo, Japan's 1'st largest city.
兵庫 Hyougo (Soldier Storage)
They recovered from a huge earthquake in 1995. Also have you heard of Kobe Beef?? This is place to go for it.
奈良 Nara (Apple Good)
It's even older than Kyoto, and is famous for Big Buddha in Todaiji Temple.
和歌山 Wakayama (Japanese Poem Mountain)
Is a famous producer of sandarin and umeboshi (pickled plums), and personally I love to go scuba in Shirahama area!!
Chugoku
中国 Chugoku (Central Country)
The west part of Japan and is really different between the northern part and southern part of Japan.
鳥取 Tottori (Bird Hunting)
Is the least populated prefecture of Japan, and is also known for the Tottori Sand Dunes.
島根 Shimane (Island Root)
It's the land of god, some people say. It has one of the most ancient and important Shinto shrines in Japan, Izumo-taisha. According to legend, in every October the Shinto gods congregate here to do very important meetings.
岡山 Okayama (Hill Mountain)
Is knownn for the denim production in Japan, and if you are looking for high end jeans the Kojima area in Kurashiki city is the place to go.
広島 Hiroshima (Large Island)
Is where the atomic bomb in WWII hit during the war, and is also famous for oysters.
山口 Yamaguchi (Mountain Mouth)
Honshu, located in the west end of Japan's mainland and very famous for Fugu,a blow fish dish.
Shikoku
四国 Shikoku (Four Country)
The smallest of the four main island of Japan.
徳島 Tokushima (Virtuous Island)
Famous for the Naruto whirlpools in the Naruto Strait.
香川 Kagawa (Fragrance River)
Is famous for Udon,a Japanese wheat noodle. Cheap, quick, tasty!!
愛媛 Ehime (Love Princess)
Is famous for mikans (Japanese mandarins) and Dogo Onsen is one of the oldest hot springs in Japan.
高知 Kouchi (High Wisdom)
It has one of the clearest river in all of Japan, “Shimanto River”, and also famous for Bonito (fish flakes) dishes.
Kyushu
九州 Kyushu (Nine States)
Is in the west end of Japan and has much warmer climate.
福岡 Fukuoka (Good Luck Hill)
Fukuoka City is one of the biggest city in Japan, and is known for Tonkotsu Ramen, pork bone broth.
佐賀 Saga (Support Congratulation)
Is another famous area for producing high quality beef, Saga Beef.
長崎 Nagasaki (Long Cape)
Was hit with the atomic bomb in WWII and is also famous for historical christian sites.
熊本 Kumamoto (Bear Book)
Is the biggest producer of Igusa, Juncus effusus, which used to make tatami mats. If you seen a tatami room in Japan, the plaited mats are made here.
大分 Oita (Big Minute)
Is a famous area for hot springs, Yufuin is one of the most famous hot springs in Japan.
宮崎 Miyazaki (Palace Cape)
It has a warm climate and a famous producer of one of most expensive mangos.
鹿児島 Kagoshima (Deer Child Island)
Is the Southern most part of Kyushu and is famous Sakurajima, a currently very active volcano.
沖縄 Okinawa (Offshore Rope)
Is the southern most prefecture of Japan and has tropical weather, and if you like to go scuba-diving this is the place I recommend.
