Blog

Yamaguchi Prefecture https://youtu.be/m3F_DvV7PsM?si=XXILNDgJxOE79W7Y Advert Yamaguchi Prefecture, at the western end of Honshū, is known for its natural attractions, its fugu pufferfish cuisine, and historic sites like the five-arched Kintai Bridge. Yamaguchi Prefecture is situated on the westernmost tip of Honshū in the Chūgoku region. It borders Shimane and Hiroshima Prefectures to the east and has a long, rugged coastline stretching from the Sea of Japan in the north to the Seto Inland Sea in the South. The inland is dominated by forested mountains. Yamaguchi Prefecture at a Glance Established in 1871 (formerly Suō and Nagato provinces) Capital: Yamaguchi Population: 1,342,000 (as of Oct. 2020) Area: 6,113 km2 The prefecture’s rich natural beauty and historical sites make it a popular tourist destination. There are the karst landscape and limestone caves of the Akiyoshidai plateau in the west, steep cliffs along the rocky northern coast, and numerous offshore islands in the calm Inland Sea waters. The city of Iwakuni is home to a feudal castle and the picturesque five-arched Kintai Bridge dating from the early Edo period (1603–1868). Industry is concentrated along the Seto Inland Sea coast and includes leading manufacturers in fields like iron and steel, chemicals, and machinery. The quaint city of Hagi in the north has long been a center of pottery. Yamaguchi’s robust agricultural sector produces a diverse array of fruits and vegetables along with staples like rice and high-end wagyū beef. The long coastline benefits the prefecture’s fisheries, which bring in such delicacies as fugu pufferfish and pike conger. Yamaguchi’s official PR character Choruru. Its peaked head represents the mountains of the prefecture, while the green, orange, and red colors symbolize Yamaguchi’s nature, cuisine, and history, respectively. Famous Figures Itō Hirobumi (1841–1909): Japan’s first prime minister and author of the Meiji Constitution. Uno Chiyo (1897–1996): Influential novelist and short-story writer known for her autobiographical fiction. Works available in English include Ohan, for which she won the prestigious Noma Literary Prize, and Irozange (trans. Confessions of Love). Abe Shinzō (1954–2022): Politician who represented Yamaguchi and Japan’s longest-serving prime minister (2006–7, 2012–20), felled by an assassin in 2022. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFT-BvImF9M

Saitama Prefecture Banzai Japan Idol Group Visit there Website Bordering Tokyo to the north, Saitama Prefecture is dotted by bedroom communities, but also boasts steep, picturesque mountains, and is a center of bonsai cultivation. Saitama Prefecture is located in the Kantō region, just north of Tokyo. The east of the landlocked prefecture is a mixture of urban and agricultural areas, and the west consists of the mountainous and heavily forested Chichibu region. The southeast of the prefecture, including the capital Saitama, is part of the greater Tokyo area, with many residents commuting into the metropolis for work and school. Saitama Prefecture at a Glance Established in 1876 (formerly part of Musashi province) Capital: Saitama Population: 7,345,000 (as of Oct. 2020) Area: 3,798 km2 Popular tourist attractions in Saitama include the city of Kawagoe, with its historic buildings reminiscent of the Edo period (1603–1868), and the nurseries of the bonsai village in Kita Ward of the city of Saitama. Chichibu, part of the Chichibu-Tama-Kai National Park, offers hiking and rafting. It is also home to the sprawling Mitsumine Shrine and the Chichibu Night Festival, featuring elaborate floats and fireworks. Saitama boasts a robust manufacturing sector that includes car parts and electronics. The prefecture is also known for various agricultural and forestry products. Traditional industry includes bonsai and hosokawashi, one of three types of Japanese handmade paper UNESCO inscribed in 2014 as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity. Saitama’s official mascot, Kobaton, is based on the prefecture’s official bird, the Eurasian collard dove. Famous Figures Shibusawa Eiichi (1840–1931): Meiji-era entrepreneur. His image features on the new ¥10,000 note. Hanawa Hokiichi (1746–1821): Blind scholar who was an inspiration to Helen Keller. Ogino Ginko (1851–1913): First licensed Japanese woman physician practicing Western medicine. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWRRIpu6f24

Fukuoka Prefecture Banzai Japan Idol Group Visit there Website Fukuoka Prefecture is home to the cities of Fukuoka and Kitakyūshū, comprising Japan’s largest urban area west of the Kansai region, and has historically been a center for international exchange thanks to its location close to the Asian mainland. Fukuoka Prefecture is located in northeastern Kyūshū. It faces the Genkai Sea to the west, Seto Inland Sea to the northeast, and Ariake Sea to the south. It is connected to Honshū via a tunnel under and a bridge spanning the Kanmon Strait. The inland of the prefecture is a mixture of plains, mainly in the north and east, and mountainous areas, particularly in the east and south. Kitakyūshū and the capital of Fukuoka are industrial centers, with the latter’s proximity to mainland Asia long making it an important international hub. Fukuoka Prefecture at a Glance Established in 1871 (formerly Buzen, Chikugo, and Chikuzen provinces) Capital: Fukuoka Population: 5,135,000 (as of Oct. 2020) Area: 4,987 km2 Fukuoka offers tourists a variety of natural, historical, and other sites to explore. The prefecture falls within the boundaries of Setonaikai National Park, which includes Mekari Park in Moji. The bustling capital of Fukuoka is famous for its rows of yatai (outdoor food stalls) and the raucous Hakata Gion Yamakasa festival, held in July. The former administrative center of Dazaifu is home to temples and the sprawling Tenmangū shrine. The Imperial Steel Works in Kitakyūshū is one of 23 facilities inscribed by UNESCO as symbolizing Japan’s industrial modernization during the Meiji era (1868–1912). Fukuoka is the economic center of western Japan and is a major hub of automobile-related industries. Other important manufacturing sectors include steel, chemicals, and a burgeoning biotechnology industry. The prefecture has a robust agricultural sector that produces staples like rice, along with a wide variety of fruits, vegetable, and garden plants. Fishing is also a core industry, including catches of sea bream and nori farmed in the Ariake Sea. Famous Figures Matsumoto Seichō (1909–92): Prolific writer best known for his crime novels, including Ten to sen (trans. Points and Lines) and Suna no utsuwa (trans. Inspector Imanishi Investigates). Takakura Ken (1931–2014): Actor who gained fame in the 1960s as a star of yakuza films, and later earned international fame with appearances in Hollywood productions including Black Rain. Tani Ryōko (1975–): Judoka and politician. Won back-to-back Olympic gold medals in the extra-light-weight division in 2000 and 2004. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVN8nIvzwZk

Aomori Prefecture Banzai Japan Idol Group Visit there Website Aomori Prefecture lies at the northern tip of Honshū, Japan’s largest island. Famed for its apples, its seafood, and its natural beauty, this remote part of the country is rich in wild landscapes to explore. Aomori Prefecture is the northernmost part of the Tōhoku region, located at the northern tip of Honshū. Its location ensures it cold winters with plenty of snow, but its coastlines on both the Sea of Japan and Pacific Ocean bring it plenty of climatic variety. Aomori’s apples are famed nationwide, and its fishing ports like Ōma are known for landing some of the most highly prized tuna on the Japanese market. Aomori Prefecture at a Glance Established in 1871 (formerly part of Mutsu province) Capital: Aomori Population: 1,238,000 (as of Oct. 2020) Area: 9,646 km2 Aomori’s largest city is the prefectural capital, also called Aomori, followed by Hachinohe and Hirosaki. Even the capital only has some 280,000 residents, though, and the prefecture as a whole is sparsely populated. Its two main peninsulas, the Tsugaru Peninsula to the west and the curved Shimokita Peninsula to the east, enclose Mutsu Bay. The southern portion of Aomori is mountainous, featuring peaks like the 1,625-meter Mount Iwaki that overlooks Hirosaki and the Hakkōda range, and the picturesque Lake Towada, on the border with Akita Prefecture in the south center of Aomori. Aomori’s distance from Tokyo long made it difficult to access for business and other travel, but the 2002 extension of the Tōhoku Shinkansen line to Hachinohe, and the 2010 extension as far as Shin-Aomori in the capital, made it possible to journey from Tokyo to the city of Aomori in as little as 3 hours, 10 minutes. In 2016, a further Shinkansen extension connected Shin-Aomori with Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto station in Hokkaidō, traveling under the Tsugaru Strait via the Seikan Tunnel, the world’s longest tunnel beneath the sea. Aomori’s main industries are farming, fishing, and forestry. On a calorie basis it is the fourth highest in the nation in terms of food self-sufficiency, producing 123% of its needs as of fiscal 2019. It leads Japan in the production of apples, garlic, and gobō, or burdock root. From the sea, Aomori’s fishing fleet haul in some of the country’s most prized tuna each year, particularly at the northern port of Ōma; Aomori ranks near the top in Japan for tuna, akaika (flying squid), scallops, and konbu seaweed, among other marine products. Aomori’s wild nature attracts considerable numbers of tourists, who come to admire sights like the Shirakami-Sanchi, a wilderness region featuring an old-growth beech forest inscribed as a UNESCO natural World Heritage site in 1993, and the Oirase Gorge. Hirosaki Park in the city of Hirosaki is a renowned cherry-blossom-viewing destination, and the prefecture’s volcanic activity ensures a steady stream of tourists enjoying hot springs like Furōfushi Onsen and Sukayu, as well as the fearsome landscapes of Osorezan, a “sacred spot” viewed as an ideal place to commune with the dead. In the city of Aomori, meanwhile, the annual Nebuta Matsuri is a major event on the festival calendar, attracting well over a million viewers in peak years. Famous Figures Dazai Osamu (1909–48): Writer. Born Tsushima Shūji, during his short and turbulent life he dabbled with communism in the prewar years while he honed his craft writing autobiographical novels and short stories. Following the war he reached the height of his career with celebrated works like Shayō (trans. The Setting Sun) and Ningen shikkaku (trans. No Longer Human). Drowned himself in west Tokyo along with a lover in 1948. Yano Akiko (1955–): Musician. Although born in Tokyo (as Suzuki Akiko), she grew up in Aomori before launching her music career with the 1976 album Japanese Girl. Went on to collaborate and tour with bands like Yellow Magic Orchestra, in addition to recording tracks and providing voice work for Studio Ghibli shorts and full-length films. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfelvCnfmdQ

Iwate Prefecture Banzai Japan Idol Group Visit there Website The sparsely populated Tōhoku prefecture of Iwate is home to both rugged mountains inland and an extensive coastline on the Pacific Ocean. Rich in history, it is also the site of Hiraizumi, whose Buddhist temples earned it a World Heritage designation in 2011. Iwate Prefecture is in the Tōhoku region, located on the Pacific coast of Honshū. It is the second largest prefecture in Japan, behind only Hokkaidō, but a low population density leaves it with plenty of space for natural beauty. Ski resorts in the west of the prefecture and spectacular coastal views in the east draw visitors year-round. Iwate Prefecture at a Glance Established in 1871 (formerly part of Mutsu province) Capital: Morioka Population: 1,211,000 (as of Oct. 2020) Area: 15,275 km2 Iwate’s capital, Morioka, is the largest city in the prefecture, but is still home to fewer than 300,000 people. Much of the population is concentrated along the Kitakami River, Japan’s fifth longest, in the prefecture’s west, also the route taken by the Tōhoku Shinkansen line. The western border of the prefecture, shared with Akita, is mountainous and sees heavy snow in the winter. Ski resorts like Shizukuishi, Hachimantai, and Appi—all near the prefecture’s tallest peak, the 2,038-meter Mount Iwate—enchant winter sports fans with their long runs and lack of crowds. The Pacific coast was heavily hit by tsunami following the March 11, 2011, Great East Japan Earthquake, which made the names of cities like Miyako and Kamaishi known nationwide and even around the world. Cape Todo, on the prefecture’s central coast, is the easternmost point on the main island of Honshū. Despite its distance from the centers of Japanese culture in antiquity, Iwate was home to a major center of Buddhism in the north. Hiraizumi, a city designed according to Pure Land Buddhist principles in the eleventh and twelfth centuries, earned UNESCO World Heritage status in 2011 for its gardens, archaeological sites, and temples including Chūsonji and Mōtsūji. Iwate’s small population means it is no industrial powerhouse, but it ranks fifth in the nation in forestry, providing some 5% of the nation’s lumber based on value as of 2015. Its rugged ria coastline, characterized by narrow inlets separated by high ridges, makes it ideal for production of shellfish, particularly abalone, in which it leads Japan. By no means a major industry, but one prized by tea aficionados, is Nanbu tekki, cast iron pots made in and around Morioka for some four centuries. Iwate is a land of literature and folktales. The folklorist Yanagita Kunio in 1910 wrote Tōno monogatari (Tales of Tōno), a collection of stories collected in the central Iwate district of Tōno, establishing the modern foundations of Japanese folklore studies. The early twentieth century also saw the writing career of Miyazawa Kenji, whose stories of the Iwate-inspired land of Ihatov are loved to this day. The Wanko Kyōdai, siblings based on the popular Morioka dish wanko soba (endless tiny bowls of soba noodles brought in rapid succession to diners until they have had their fill), are Iwate Prefecture’s official mascots. Famous Figures Miyazawa Kenji (1896–1933): Writer. Plagued by illness for much of his life, during which he received little recognition, in death he became known for his works set in Ihatov, his fictional land based on Iwate. Best known for the poem “Ame ni mo makezu” (trans. “Undefeated by the Rain”) and novels like Ginga tetsudō no yoru (trans. Night on the Galactic Railroad). Nitobe Inazō (1862–1933): Educator. Studied agricultural policy in the United States before returning to Japan, where he taught at universities in Sapporo, Kyoto, and Tokyo and devoted himself to women’s education as the first president of Tokyo Women’s Christian University. Known also as the author of Bushidō: The Soul of Japan.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5gy6QLq8wg

Miyagi Prefecture Banzai Japan Idol Group Visit there Website Miyagi Prefecture has long been known for its magnificent coastline, and is the most populous prefecture in the Tōhoku region of northern Honshū. Miyagi Prefecture lies on the Pacific coast of Honshū in the northern Tōhoku region. Rich in wild beauty, with almost a quarter of its territory falling inside of natural parks, it is famed for its coastline, in particular the hundreds of rocky islands of Matsushima, considered to be one of the three most spectacular scenic views in Japan. Miyagi Prefecture at a Glance Established in 1872 (formerly part of Mutsu province) Capital: Sendai Population: 2,302,000 (as of Oct. 2020) Area: 7,282 km2 Miyagi’s capital is Sendai, the largest city in the Tōhoku district, with more than a million people calling it home. The prefecture’s location on the eastern side of the island of Honshū means that the high mountains along its western border with Yamagata Prefecture protect it from the worst of the winter storms blowing in from Siberia, and it enjoys relatively warm winters compared to neighboring areas in Japan’s north. Miyagi borders Iwate and Akita to the north, Yamagata to the west, and Fukushima to the south. The west of the prefecture is mountainous, lying along the long Ōu range extending from Aomori in the north to Tochigi in the south. The bulk of the prefecture’s center is relatively flat, making it ideal for agriculture. Miyagi ranks first in the nation in production of seri (Japanese parsley) and bell peppers, and second in soybeans and Malabar spinach. The northern Miyagi coast, including the Oshika Peninsula, presents rugged terrain characterized by numerous ria inlets. This was the area closest to the epicenter of the March 11, 2011, Great East Japan Earthquake, and many coastal communities like Kesennuma and Ishinomaki saw severe damage and high numbers of casualties in the disaster. The prefecture’s rich seas place Miyagi near the nation’s top in its production of nori and wakame seaweed, oysters and scallops, and farmed Coho salmon. Miyagi’s shoreline is famed for its beauty, with the hundreds of islets of Matsushima being counted among Japan’s three most scenic spots. This area has been celebrated for centuries, as seen by the poet Matsuo Bashō’s visit to it in 1689, when he described it as the finest scenery in the country. Electronics and other manufacturing industries cluster around the capital and largest city of Sendai, forming another mainstay of the prefectural economy. Figuring large in the history of Miyagi was the renowned military tactician Date Masamune (1567–1636), who built Aoba Castle in Sendai and served as the first daimyō of the Sendai domain. During the Edo period (1603–1868) Sendai was the administrative center of the Mutsu province, extending north to include present-day Iwate and Aomori. Musubimaru, the tourism PR character of Sendai, Miyagi, has a face calling to mind a ball of Miyagi’s delicious rice, and wears a helmet called a katchū like that worn by Date Masamune. Famous Figures Yoshino Sakuzō (1878–1933): Political scientist. In the 1910s, he spent several years doing research in Europe and the United States; upon his return to Japan, he began exploring ways to implement democratic principles in his country, refining the minpon-shugi theory that placed people at the center of democracy without doing away with the imperial institution. Known as a father of the Taishō democracy that flowered during the interwar years. Fukuhara Ai (1988–): Table tennis player. Competed at the 2004 Athens Olympics, becoming the youngest-ever table tennis athlete to take part in the games. She would also compete in Beijing (2008), where she was the national team’s flag-bearer, London (2012), and Rio de Janeiro (2016). Hanyū Yuzuru (1994–): Figure skater. Won two Olympic gold medals in the men’s singles competition, in Sochi in 2014 and Pyeongchang in 2018. Turned professional in 2022 and remains one of the most popular athletes in any sport in Japan. https://youtu.be/60JaJn1zabE?si=IqlFu7HfijX6DpzH

Akita Prefecture https://youtu.be/m3F_DvV7PsM?si=XXILNDgJxOE79W7Y The remote Akita Prefecture, in the northern Tōhoku region of the main island of Honshū, is known for its cold, snowy winters and as the birthplace of beautiful women. Akita Prefecture, on the Sea of Japan coast in the Tōhoku region, is the sixth largest prefecture by area, but thirty-eighth by population. Its rugged mountains, harsh winter weather, and distance from the country’s population centers make it a place to go to get away from it all; more than 10% of the prefecture’s land falls inside of natural parks. Akita Prefecture at a Glance Established in 1871 (formerly parts of Dewa and Mutsu provinces) Capital: Akita Population: 960,000 (as of Oct. 2020) Area: 11,638 km2 Banzai Japan Idol Group Visit there Website The city of Akita, the prefectural capital, is the largest in the prefecture, with more than 300,000 residents. Siberian storms in winter bring it heavy snowfall, like much of the Japan Sea coastal regions of Honshū and Hokkaidō—the city is often included on top-10 lists of the world’s major cities with the most annual snowfall. The coastline is largely straight and smooth, with the exception of the Oga Peninsula in the northwest of the prefecture; in the center and east lie the Dewa and Ōu mountain ranges. Akita borders Aomori to the north, Iwate to the west, and Miyagi and Yamagata to the south. In 1997 the Akita Shinkansen was completed, connecting the capital to Morioka, Iwate, and south to Tokyo on the Tōhoku Shinkansen route. Akita’s natural resources long made it a regional economy dependent largely on agriculture, forestry, and fishing. Since World War II, however, the prefecture has come to produce a range of industrial products, such as radio receivers and camera lenses, in which it led the nation as recently as 2008. One particularly adorable natural resource from the prefecture is the Akita-inu, a breed of dog selected as a national natural monument. The most famous of these was the faithful Hachikō, whose statue is a popular meeting point outside Tokyo’s Shibuya Station. Akita is still known as a major rice producer. One of its most famous contributions to Japanese cuisine, kiritanpo, is pounded rice molded around wooden skewers and toasted over an open flame before being eaten with miso paste or as a main nabe hot-pot ingredient. The namahage, frightfully costumed ogres who barge into homes on the Oga Peninsula each New Year’s Eve and ask whether the children are behaving properly, are a famous aspect of Akita’s local culture. In the summer, a major tourist draw is the Ōmagari National Fireworks Competition, which brings together the nation’s top pyrotechnicians to show their best work to hundreds of thousands of observers. Akita is also known as the birthplace of Ono no Komachi, a ninth century poetess celebrated as one of the Rokkasen, or “poetic immortals,” and for her beauty, said to be such that to this day her name is a synonym for feminine beauty. Her name has also been given to the Komachi train service connecting Akita with Tokyo on the Shinkansen network. Ndatchi, the prefectural mascot, is a robot in the form of a namahage child who has come from the future to spread the word about Akita’s charms. Famous Figures Suga Yoshihide (1948–): Politician. Served as chief cabinet secretary to Prime Minister Abe Shinzō from 2012 to 2020 before taking the premiership himself from 2020 to 2021. Akashi Yasushi (1931–): Diplomat. After graduating from the University of Tokyo, went to the United States as a Fulbright Scholar and later a graduate student at the Tufts University Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. In 1957 he became the first Japanese national to go to work for the United Nations Secretariat; he would go on to serve in a number of key roles, rising to the position of under-secretary-general. He also served as Japan’s ambassador to the United Nations.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOzd7vFfP0k

Tokyo Metropolis Banzai Japan Idol Group Visit there Website Japan’s largest population center and main economic engine, and home to the nation’s capital, Tokyo is known around the world. Renowned as one of the world’s top cities and the capital of Japan, administratively Tokyo is actually a metropolis (to), a special kind of prefecture, and it is made up of numerous municipalities. The main parts of the metropolis are in Kantō. Central Tokyo consists of the 23 municipalities in the east, where the urban sprawl is most concentrated, while western Tokyo is less built up; to the east is Tokyo Bay. The metropolis also administers a number of distant islands, including the Izu and Ogasawara Islands. Its population of 14 million is by far the greatest among Japan’s prefectures. Tokyo Metropolis at a Glance Established in 1871 (formerly Musashi province) Capital: Shinjuku (seat of the metropolitan government) Population: 14,048,000 (as of Oct. 2020) Area: 2,194 km2 Tokyo has been the political center of Japan since Tokugawa Ieyasu established his shogunate in the city under its former name of Edo in 1603. After the fall of the shogunate in 1868, the city was renamed Tokyo and officially became the nation’s capital. What was once Edo Castle is now known as the Imperial Palace; as the residence of Japan’s imperial family, it has only a few sections open to visitors. Many tourists go to the public Higashi-Gyoen gardens on the palace grounds. Asakusa and its temple Sensōji, famous for its “thunder gate” Kaminarimon, are also essential for Tokyo sightseers. Tokyo Tower is a longstanding icon of the city; it was joined by another soaring structure, Tokyo Skytree, in the twenty-first century. Several Tokyo districts themselves have become international names. In the west, Shinjuku is a thriving entertainment and business district home to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office, while Shibuya’s scramble crossing has become a symbol of the urban bustle. Nearby Harajuku is a hangout for fashion fans, as well as the setting for Meiji Shrine and its sacred forest. On the eastern side of the Yamanote railway line ringing central Tokyo, Akihabara is known for electronics and otaku goods, and Ginza is associated with high-end shopping. Tokyo is a major global financial center, and the Tokyo Stock Exchange is one of the world’s leading exchanges. The Bank of Japan is based in the prefecture, along with the headquarters of the country’s three megabanks. There are many national government and administrative offices, along with head offices of major corporations. Japan’s media organizations and its publishing and printing industries are concentrated in the metropolis, and there are also many universities and other academic institutions. Toyosu Market is one of the world’s biggest fish markets, known for its famous tuna auctions. Edo kiriko cut glass is a longstanding traditional craft. Unlike most prefectures, Tokyo does not have a general mascot associated with it. Miraitowa (left) and Someity were memorable Tokyo 2020 characters. The name for the Olympic mascot Miraitowa derives from the Japanese words for “future” (mirai) and “eternity” (towa) while the name for Paralympic mascot Someity comes from the somei yoshino variety of cherry trees, and also evokes the English “so mighty.” Both designs are influenced by the 2020 logos with their Ichimatsu moyō checkered pattern. Famous Figures Ono Yōko (1933–): Avant-garde artist, singer, and peace activist. Miyazaki Hayao (1941–): Animator and director of critically acclaimed films including My Neighbor Totoro and Spirited Away, which won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QP5QLZFsOlQ

Kanagawa Prefecture Banzai Japan Idol Group Visit there Website Kanagawa Prefecture, immediately to the south of Tokyo, is a center for industry and is also known for its rugged coastline, mountains, and hot springs. Kanagawa Prefecture is located south of Tokyo in the southern part of the Kantō Region. It has an extensive coastline, stretching 435 kilometers along Tokyo Bay to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the south. It is the second largest prefecture by population and is home to Yokohama, the country’s most populous city. Kanagawa Prefecture at a Glance Established in 1868 (formerly Musashi and Sagami provinces) Capital: Yokohama Population: 9,237,000 (as of Oct. 2020) Area: 2,416 km2 The northeastern section of the prefecture is part of the greater Tokyo area and includes the capital Yokohama and Kawasaki, known as an industrial center. The Miura Peninsula in the southeast boasts a rugged coastline and scenic beaches, and to the west stretches the arced coast of Sagami Bay. Inland is a mixture of heavily urbanized areas and farmland, with the western half of the prefecture punctuated by the tourist destination of Hakone and the foothills of Mount Fuji. Kanagawa has a robust industrial sector, centering on the Keihin Industrial Zone along Tokyo Bay, and is also an R&D hub for fields like IT and medicine. Global companies based in the prefecture include Fujitsu, Nissan, Sony, and Takeda Pharmaceutical. Agricultural output in the prefecture is modest, while Kanagawa’s long coastline supports a robust fishing industry that includes the port of Misaki on the Miura Peninsula, a major center of tuna fishing. Kanagawa’s long coastline attracts beachgoers and others looking to enjoy the prefecture’s abundant sunshine and sea air. The Shōnan area, a popular getaway for Tokyo residents, includes the island Enoshima, the feudal capital of Kamakura, and the surfing hub Chigasaki. In the west are the castle town of Odawara and the mountains, lakes, and hot springs of Hakone. Kanagawa’s official mascot, Kanagawa Kintarō, is based on the popular Japanese folklore character Kintarō, a child of legendary strength and bravery who was raised on Mount Ashigara near Hakone. Famous Figures Koizumi Jun’ichirō (1942–): Politician and prime minister of Japan, 2001–6. Antonio Inoki (1943–2022): Legendary professional wrestler and promoter, famed for taking on world champion boxer Muhammad Ali in 1976. Yamada Waka (1879–1957): Pioneering feminist and social reformer.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUPGjyH5YbA

Niigata Prefecture Banzai Japan Idol Group Visit there Website Niigata Prefecture is known for its heavy snow, its ornamental carp, and the island of Sado, which was once a place of exile and is now a habitat for the crested ibis. Niigata Prefecture lies on Japan’s west coast, in the Hokuriku region, stretching out beside the Sea of Japan. While its borders with neighboring prefectures are mountainous, there are flatter areas toward the coast. Niigata includes the major island of Sado and the mouth of the Shinano River, Japan’s longest. The prefecture is known for its heavy snow, and is the setting for Kawabata Yasunari’s novel Yukiguni Niigata Prefecture at a Glance Established in 1876 (formerly Echigo and Sado provinces) Capital: Niigata Population: 2,201,000 (as of Oct. 2020) Area: 12,584 km2 Once a place of exile, the island of Sado is now a popular tourist destination. Visitors can explore its former gold mine, which helped to support the economy of the shogunate during the Edo period (1603–1868). It is also a habitat for the crested ibis, which has been successfully reintroduced to the island after local extinction. On the mainland, Yuzawa is known for its ski resorts and onsen hot springs. The nearby Mount Tanigawa is a celebrated mountain-climbing destination, but also a dangerous one, accounting for more deaths than any other peak in Japan. Niigata Prefecture has a long tradition of producing high-quality rice, including particularly the superior Koshihikari variety, as well as related products like sake. It is the home of the ornamental carp nishikigoi, which have become a favorite with collectors overseas. While Japan mainly imports its fuel, the prefecture also has some of the country’s oil and gas projects. The official mascot for Niigata is Lerch, based on the Austro-Hungarian officer Theodor Edler von Lerch, who popularized the sport of skiing in Japan. Famous Figures Tanaka Kakuei (1918–93): Prime minister of Japan from 1972 to 1974, he is remembered for establishing postwar relations with China and his involvement in the Lockheed Scandal. Watanabe Ken (1959–): Actor who made his name in Japan before becoming an international star. Hirano Ayumu (1998–): Snowboarder with three Olympic medals in the men’s half-pipe event, including a gold in 2022. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbkpBbvQ3ts