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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

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

Toyama Prefecture Banzai Japan Idol Group Visit there Website Toyama Prefecture highlights include the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine route and its “snow corridor,” and the fresh fish and seafood, including the local delicacy, the firefly squid. Toyama Prefecture is located in the Hokuriku region of Japan. It is surrounded on three sides by land, with Toyama Bay and the Sea of Japan lying to its north. The Tateyama mountain range towers in the southeast of the prefecture, rising above 3,000 meters. Cloudy skies and precipitation are common through much of the year. Toyama Prefecture at a Glance Established in 1871 (formerly Etchū province) Capital: Toyama Population: 1,035,000 (as of Oct. 2020) Area: 4,248 km2 Visitors can cross the mountains of Tateyama via the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine route leading to Nagano Prefecture. The route is known particularly for its “snow corridor” near the highest point of Murodō, with great white walls that reach up to 20 meters high between April and June. Picturesque farmhouses with steep, thatched roofs at Gokayama have been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, together with neighbors at Shirakawa-gō in Gifu Prefecture. Kurobe Gorge’s scenic railway offers spectacular views of the river below and surrounding peaks. Toyama Prefecture is a major rice producer, while the city of Tonami is well known for its tulips. Toyama Bay supplies a great deal of fresh fish and seafood, including the local delicacy, the firefly squid. Traditional medicine salesmen who used to travel the country laid the foundations for today’s robust pharmaceutical industry in the prefecture. The city of Takaoka produces over 90% of Japan’s copperware, and the metal-casting industry is symbolized by the local Daibutsu, or Great Buddha. Kitokito-kun is the official mascot for Toyama, taking his name from kito kito, a term in the local dialect that can mean either “fresh” or “lively.” His hairstyle represents the Tateyama mountain range. Famous Figures Fujiko F. Fujio (1933–96): The creator of Doraemon, one of Japan’s most famous characters. Ueno Chizuko (1948–): Feminist, sociologist, and writer, known for her highlighting of issues like gender inequality. Hosoda Mamoru (1967–): Director of anime films including The Girl Who Leapt Through Time and Wolf Children. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwtT9BGLuJs

Fukui Prefecture Banzai Japan Idol Group Visit there Website Fukui Prefecture is associated with dinosaurs and Zen, thanks to numerous fossil discoveries and a major temple founded by the Buddhist priest Dōgen. Fukui Prefecture lies to the west edge of the Hokuriku region of central Honshū, along the Sea of Japan coast. Most of the population is in the larger northeastern section of the prefecture, while a thin strip of land extends to the southwest. The city of Katsuyama has the largest dinosaur fossil site in Japan, which has also provided the largest number of specimens in the country. Fukui Prefecture at a Glance Established in 1881 (formerly Echizen and Wakasa provinces) Capital: Fukui Population: 767,000 (as of Oct. 2020) Area: 4,191 km2 Eiheiji, a temple founded by the Buddhist priest Dōgen in the thirteenth century, has become a major center for Zen. As well as appreciating the grounds of the complex, visitors can practice zazen meditation and experience the ascetic life of the temple by staying overnight. The prefecture’s association with dinosaur fossils encouraged the construction of the Fukui Dinosaur Museum. It is Japan’s largest such museum, with many skeletons on display, including some that were discovered locally. Fukui Prefecture has a relatively large number of nuclear power plants, particularly along the Wakasa Bay coast, which make a significant contribution to Japan’s electricity supply. Its major industries include synthetic fabrics and other textiles, while the small city of Sabae produces all but a small fraction of Japan’s eyeglass frames. Fukui’s official mascots, Dino-Happiness are a group of characters based on the prefecture’s dinosaur connections. Famous Figures Okada Keisuke (1868–1952): Prime minister of Japan who escaped assassination during the February 26 Incident coup attempt in 1936. Later played a key role in bringing down the Tōjō Hideki cabinet in 1944. Shirakawa Shizuka (1910–2006): Leading scholar of kanji and compiler of dictionaries. Iwasaki Chihiro (1918–74): Artist and illustrator of children’s books. Illustrated Kuroyanagi Tetsuko’s Madogiwa no Totto-chan (trans. by Dorothy Britton as Totto-chan: The Little Girl at the Window). https://youtu.be/nDr7yTaU5MY?si=rGURSShd8wbwdn03

Yamanashi Prefecture Banzai Japan Idol Group Visit there Website Yamanashi Prefecture, just west of Tokyo, is known as home to some of Japan’s highest mountains, including Mount Fuji, and as Japan’s wine- and fruit-producing heartland. Landlocked Yamanashi Prefecture in the Chūbu region consists of the Kōfu Basin in its center, surrounded by mountainous areas. Mount Fuji, at 3,776 meters Japan’s tallest peak, straddles southern Yamanashi and northern Shizuoka Prefecture, and the second-tallest mountain, the 3,193-meter Kitadake, stands in the Southern Alps on Yamanashi’s western side. The prefecture’s geography means that there is relatively less precipitation and fine weather is more frequent compared with the rest of the country. Yamanashi Prefecture at a Glance Established in 1871 (formerly Kai province) Capital: Kōfu Population: 810,000 (as of Oct. 2020) Area: 4,465 km2 The Yoshida trail in Yamanashi Prefecture is the most popular of the Mount Fuji climbing trails. The prefecture also has many good places to view the peak or take a picture, such as around the Fuji Five Lakes, of which Lake Kawaguchi is easiest to access. Nearby is the Chūreitō pagoda, which has become a favorite location for Fuji snaps among international tourists. Itchiku Kubota Art Museum displays kimono artworks, while the amusement park Fuji-Q Highland offers roller coaster thrills. Yamanashi Prefecture produces many varieties of fruit and leads Japan for growing of grapes, peaches, and sumomo plums. Its rich grape harvest has led to the establishment of many wineries, and the prefecture is also Japan’s top wine producer. Abundant rock crystals in the prefecture’s mountains have facilitated a thriving jewelry industry, while its clear waters make it the country’s number-one supplier of mineral water. Takeda Hishimaru, the dog character for Yamanashi Prefecture, is inspired by Takeda Shingen, the sixteenth-century leader of the area’s former Kai province, and is a Kai-ken breed. Its helmet displays the Takeda hishi or “diamond” family crest, and it carries a gunbai war fan with the famous phrase associated with Shingen, fūrin kazan (swift as the wind, still as the forest, devastating as fire, and steadfast as the mountain). It also has Mount Fuji on its apron. Famous Figures Takeda Shingen (1521–73): Powerful warlord who won a crushing victory over Tokugawa Ieyasu, but died of disease shortly afterward. Muraoka Hanako (1893–1968): Writer and translator of children’s literature from English to Japanese, including L. M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables. Nakata Hidetoshi (1977–): A key member of Japan’s soccer team, representing the country at three World Cups and playing for several seasons in Italy’s Serie A. https://youtu.be/xYMouxmOVc4?si=f_OAglHZbhZG8OJw

Hokkaidō Prefecture Banzai Japan Idol Group Visit there Website Japan’s northernmost prefecture of Hokkaidō is also the largest and coldest. It is famed for frigid weather, and its capital Sapporo hosted the 1972 Winter Olympics; it is also a major farming and ranching center for the nation. Hokkaidō Prefecture occupies the entire northernmost of Japan’s main four islands. Sapporo, its capital and largest city, was the second in Japan to host the Olympics, with the winter games in 1972. Ski resorts throughout the prefecture, especially around Niseko in the south, attract winter sports aficionados from around the world. It is also the “bread basket” of Japan. Hokkaidō Prefecture at a Glance Established in 1869 (formerly the Ezo territory) Capital: Sapporo Population: 5,225,000 (as of Oct. 2020) Area: 83,424 km2 Stretching from Cape Shirakami in the south, at 41.2ºN latitude, to Cape Sōya in the north at 45.3ºN, Hokkaidō is in the far north of Japan. This brings it bitterly cold winters (19 of the 20 lowest temperatures ever recorded in Japan come from measuring stations on the island, including the country’s all-time low of –41.0ºC in Asahikawa) and pleasant, temperate summers, without the rainy season that hits most of the rest of the country at the end of spring. Hokkaidō is the only prefecture labeled a dō in Japanese, rather than a to like Tokyo, a fu like Osaka and Kyoto, or a ken. This term harks back to the premodern era, when it referred to regions more extensive than the domains and provinces constituting the nation at the time. Its wide-open spaces make it Japan’s leading agricultural producer, growing more than 66% of the country’s wheat, 78% of its potatoes, and 43% of its soybeans as of 2021. Its dairy and cattle-ranching industries also lead the nation: Hokkaidō provides over 56% of Japan’s domestically produced milk and 20% of its beef. Hokkaidō lacks the towering mountain ranges that Honshū boasts; its highest peak is Asahidake, at just 2,291 meters in elevation. But winter winds blowing across from Siberia pick up moisture from the Sea of Japan and drop it in the form of light, deep powder snow, making the prefecture’s ski resorts some of the most popular in Japan—and among skiers and snowboarders from around the world. The Niseko area southwest from Sapporo saw a huge boom in international visitors before the COVID-19 pandemic, and numbers are picking up once more as travel restrictions are unwound. Sapporo, meanwhile, hosted the 1972 Winter Olympics, and remains a regular stop on the international ski jumping competition circuit. The oceans surrounding the island are highly productive, making Hokkaidō also known for its fishery industry. Its 4,402 kilometers of coastline front on the Japan Sea, the Sea of Okhotsk, and the Pacific Ocean, and its fishing fleet—with the largest number of vessels of any prefecture—hauls in roughly a fourth of Japan’s fisheries production, including large shares of salmon, scallops, hokke mackerel, and konbu seaweed. Hokkaidō is rich in unspoiled nature, and its six national parks offer visitors beautiful views of mountains, lakes, marshes, and wild shorelines populated by bears, foxes, Ezo deer, and other species to be found primarily on Japan’s northernmost island. The northeastern peninsula of Shiretoko was designated a natural World Heritage monument in 2005. A number of areas have been named Ramsar sites for preserving wetland ecosystems, including the Kushiro marshes, Japan’s first Ramsar site, designated in 1980. The prefecture’s cities have their attractions as well. Each winter the capital holds the Sapporo Snow Festival, and the port town of Otaru features numerous brick warehouses from the era of Japan’s modernization that are popular tourist draws. Famous Figures Suzuki Akira (1930–): Chemist. Joint recipient of the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 2010. Earned his undergraduate and doctorate degrees at Hokkaidō University, where he would also work for more than three decades, focusing on the organic synthesis work that resulted in his discovery of the Suzuki reaction, which he announced in 1979.   Kasai Noriaki (1972–): Ski jumper. Made his World Cup debut in 1988 at the age of 16 and continued competing at the top level through the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics, earning the nickname “Legend” in the process. At Sochi in 2014 he became the oldest ski jumper to win an Olympic medal, taking silver in the large hill individual event and bronze in the large hill team event. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaHNfa0QloQ