Tochigi Prefecture

Nikkō Tōshōgū is a Shinto shrine that enshrines Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun who founded the Edo shogunate, and it is located in Nikkō City, Tochigi Prefecture. Many of the current, richly ornate shrine buildings were rebuilt by the third shogun, Tokugawa Iemitsu, and include numerous structures such as the Yōmeimon Gate, which is a National Treasure. The site also abounds with highlights like the “Sleeping Cat,” considered a symbol of peace, and the famous Three Wise Monkeys carvings—“see no evil, speak no evil, hear no evil.”

Kagawa Prefecture

To promote Sanuki udon, its local specialty, Kagawa Prefecture has officially used the nickname “Udon Prefecture” since 2011. The prefecture is dotted with an exceptionally large number of udon shops, boasting one of the highest numbers of udon restaurants per capita in Japan. Attracted by the affordable prices and the delicious, firm, chewy texture, many tourists visit from all over the country—truly making it a sacred land for Japanese udon.

Shirarahama Beach

The correct answer is Shirarahama Beach in Shirahama Town, Nishimuro District, Wakayama Prefecture. This beach is distinguished by its finest feature: pure white, silky quartz sand stretching for about 620 meters. Owing to its excellent resort environment and visual similarities, it formed a “Friendship Sister Beach” partnership in 2000 with Waikiki Beach in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA. In summer, colorful parasols bloom across the shore, making it a popular tourist spot where you can enjoy a tropical resort atmosphere without leaving Japan.

Hiroshima Prefecture

Itsukushima Shrine is located in Miyajima-cho, Hatsukaichi City, Hiroshima Prefecture, and was inscribed as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site in 1996. The vivid vermilion great torii gate and shrine buildings standing over the sea are distinctive, and at high tide you can witness a dreamlike scene that looks as if they are floating on the water.

Iwate Prefecture

It's easy to understand that Hokkaido is the largest, but when it comes to the second largest, it's probably not very well known, is it? The next largest is Fukushima Prefecture, followed by Nagano Prefecture.

Nagasaki Prefecture

Doesn’t it feel like Okinawa and Hokkaido would have the most? The correct answer is Nagasaki Prefecture, which has a whopping 1,479 islands. In second place, by a narrow margin, is Hokkaido with 1,473 islands, and third is Kagoshima Prefecture with 1,256.

Tottori Prefecture

According to the Basic Resident Register data for 2022, Tottori Prefecture ranks first, followed by Shimane in second, Kochi in third, Tokushima in fourth, and Fukui in fifth. While Tokyo, with the largest population, has 13.79 million people, Tottori Prefecture has a population of 550,000.

Tokyo Metropolis

When we hear “southernmost” and “island,” we can’t help but think of Okinawa or Kyushu, but the answer was Tokyo. It belongs to Ogasawara Village in Tokyo, and it’s as far as 1,700 km from central Tokyo; I hear it takes four days one way by ship.

three

The correct answers were three: Ishikawa Prefecture, Kanagawa Prefecture, and Kagawa Prefecture. I thought there were many more, but it turns out there are only three.

Shiga Prefecture

The answer is Lake Biwa in Shiga Prefecture. For people in the Kansai region, it’s a familiar large lake that serves as a source of domestic water and a place to enjoy water activities in the summer. Second is Lake Kasumigaura in Ibaraki Prefecture, and third is Lake Saroma in Hokkaido.