The large Japanese islands form four large islands - Honshu, Hokkaido, Skoku and Kyushu. To the south, their continuation is the Ryukyu archipelago. Small groups of islands are in the east and in the west of the country. The islands of Japan stretch over a vast distance (approximately 370 thousand square kilometers). Their nature combines the island and continental features inherent in the regions of neighboring China, as well as specific Japanese.
The islands of Japan are characterized by strong seismicity combined with volcanic activity. Volcanism is especially characteristic in those places where the contours of deep faults pass: the western edge of the islands and the middle part of Honshu. There are only 150 volcanoes in Japan. Of these, only 15 are valid.
Honshu island
He is known to many in connection with the sad events - the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. But besides the sad heritage, the island has a lot to offer tourists. Honshu is the birthplace of exquisite ceramics, quiet villages in the mountains and bustling metropolitan areas.
The coastal areas - Hiroshima and Okayama - are famous for their museums (Kurashiki), weapons smiths and masters of pottery (Bizen). Shimonoseki Prefecture is famous for its always fresh seafood, especially puffer fish, which is considered a delicacy in Japan.
The country's industrial center, Nagoya, is also located on Honshu Island. Kanazawa is famous for its delightful streets, which were previously inhabited by samurai and geisha. Takayama always delights with delicious national cuisine, and the villages in the Gokayama and Shirakawa mountains with traditional Japanese-style houses on the UNESCO list.
The back of the island of Honshu is practically not visited by tourists, although there is something to see here: raging rivers, hot springs, rocky mountains and sleeping volcanoes.
Hokkaido island
This island in Japan is the last border of the country. Few Japanese and tourists risk traveling this far. And done in vain, because here is amazing nature and endless open spaces. The island is divided into four main areas: southern, central, northern and eastern.
Kyushu Island
The most international region of the country - the island of Kyushu - became the first region to adopt new traditions of the outside world after the fall of samurai customs. To date, the Japanese islands leading west continue to occupy the first positions in the field of commerce and art.
Shikoku Island
This island is the smallest in both area and population. Shikoku is called both an island and a region, including neighboring small Japanese islands.
Okinawa Prefecture, which unites many small islands , deserves special attention. There are about 120 of them, some of which are still uninhabited to this day. Most of the island is occupied by hotels, shops with souvenirs and other things that may interest tourists.
The Japanese islands have been inhabited for a long time. Now the state is divided into 8 main areas with prefectures and municipalities. All regions differ in nature, culture, attractions and even language dialects. This peculiarity of the country is explained by the fact that the islands of Japan are stretched along several climatic zones.