[General] Surprisingly unknown? Test your geography skills with a three-choice quiz on Japan’s prefectures

Kagawa Prefecture

Don’t many people picture urban areas—like big cities and tourist spots—as having small land areas? In second place is Osaka Prefecture, and in third place is Tokyo. Osaka and Tokyo may be small in area, but they rank high in terms of population, don’t they?

Hokkaido region

Even when divided by region, Hokkaido is the largest; it really makes you realize again just how vast Hokkaido is. The second largest is the Tohoku region, and the third is the Chubu region. Conversely, the region with the smallest area is Shikoku.

Fukushima Prefecture

Since Niigata Prefecture is located in the Chubu region and Tochigi Prefecture is located in the Kanto region, Fukushima Prefecture is the correct answer. Since 2011, it has also been strongly associated with the Great East Japan Earthquake, but it is known for having many specialty products because its climate is well-suited to growing crops. In addition, because it was the stage of the Aizu War, famous for the Byakkotai, it is also an important place historically, so please be sure to remember it.

Yamanashi Prefecture

Mount Kita is a 3,193-meter-high mountain located in Yamanashi Prefecture, situated in the city of Minami-Alps. Beloved by hikers, it is also selected as one of Japan’s 100 Famous Mountains. It may not be very well known to people other than mountain enthusiasts or those living in Yamanashi.

Tokyo Metropolis

You might be inclined to take the land area into consideration, but the answer was Tokyo, the capital of Japan. According to the rankings from the 2020 national census, Tokyo was first, Kanagawa Prefecture second, and Osaka Prefecture third.

Aomori Prefecture

Lake Towada, located on the border between Akita and Aomori Prefectures, is the 12th largest lake in Japan, but it is known as the third deepest lake in the country.

eight

Eight—surprisingly many, right? The answers were Shiga, Nara, Nagano, Yamanashi, Gifu, Saitama, Gunma, and Tochigi. Were you able to name them all?

Aichi Prefecture

Inuyama Castle in Inuyama City, Aichi Prefecture, is said to be the oldest wooden castle keep in Japan. During the Muromachi period, in Tenbun 6 (1537), Oda Nobuyasu—uncle of the famous Oda Nobunaga—constructed the castle.

Kochi Prefecture

The Shimanto River, the longest river in Shikoku at 196 km in length, is located in Kochi Prefecture. Along with the Kakita River in Shizuoka Prefecture and the Nagara River in Gifu Prefecture, it is known as one of the Three Clear-Flowing Rivers of Japan.

Kagoshima Prefecture

Yakushima in Kagoshima Prefecture was the first site in Japan to be inscribed by UNESCO as a natural World Heritage site. It is an island of captivating beauty, blessed with rich nature exemplified by the ancient Yakusugi cedars, along with diverse plants and primeval forests.