Japan, one prefecture at a time

Powder snow, onsen, seafood, and wide-open nature.

Japan's apple country at the northern tip of Honshu, famous for the explosive Nebuta summer festival.

A vast, rugged prefecture of temples, coastline, and cold-soba traditions.

Home to lively Sendai and one of Japan's 'three great views' at Matsushima Bay.

Deep snow, rice and sake country, and the fierce Namahage folk tradition.

Mountain temples, cherries, and snow monsters on Mount Zaō.

Samurai history, hot springs, and fruit orchards in a large, scenic prefecture.

Seasonal flower parks, a giant Buddha, and natto just north of Tokyo.

Home to the ornate shrines and waterfalls of Nikkō.

Famous hot-spring resorts and a UNESCO silk-mill heritage.

A little Edo at Kawagoe, plus bonsai and bustling suburbs.

Tokyo's seaside neighbor — the airport gateway, beaches, and a famous temple.

Neon, temples, and the world's best trains.

The Great Buddha of Kamakura, the port city of Yokohama, and Hakone's hot springs.

Rice, sake, and snow on the Sea of Japan coast.

Towering snow walls in the Alps and glassy bays of firefly squid.

Kanazawa's gardens and gold leaf, plus the rugged Noto Peninsula.

Dinosaurs, dramatic cliffs, and a great Zen temple.

Mount Fuji's lakes, vineyards, and Japan's wine country.

Alpine peaks, the great Zenkō-ji temple, and snow monkeys in hot springs.

Thatched mountain villages and the riverside old town of Takayama.

Mount Fuji, green tea fields, and the coastal Izu Peninsula.

Nagoya's castle and industry, plus samurai-era history.

Japan's holiest shrine at Ise and the pearl-diving Ama tradition.

Wrapped around Japan's largest lake, with a stunning castle.

Temples, tea, bamboo — the cultural heart.

The friendly food capital. Eat until you drop.

Japan's most beautiful castle at Himeji and the port city of Kobe.

Japan's first capital — a giant Buddha and free-roaming deer.

Sacred pilgrimage mountains and dramatic coastal hot springs.

Japan's famous sand dunes on the Sea of Japan.

Home to Izumo Taisha, one of Japan's oldest and grandest shrines.

A great garden, a 'crow castle', and the canal town of Kurashiki.

A moving peace memorial and the floating torii of Miyajima.

A spectacular five-arched bridge and a vivid vermilion shrine.

Roaring whirlpools and the electric Awa Odori dance.

Japan's smallest prefecture — udon noodles and art islands.

One of Japan's oldest hot springs and a hilltop castle at Matsuyama.

A clear river, a famous castle, and the spirit of reformer Sakamoto Ryōma.

Kyūshū's gateway city, famous for tonkotsu ramen and street-food stalls.

Japan's porcelain heartland and a vivid autumn balloon festival.

A port city of cross-cultural history, hillside views, and a peace park.

A mighty castle and one of the world's largest volcanic calderas at Aso.

Japan's hot-spring capital — steaming Beppu and chic Yufuin.

Sunny Pacific coast, surf, and shrines wrapped in myth.

An active volcano across the bay and a gateway to ancient-forest islands.

Subtropical islands and distinct Ryukyu culture.