The large Japanese islands form four large islands - Honshu, Hokkaido, Skoku and Kyushu. To the south, their continuation is the Ryukyu archipelago. There are small groups of islands both in the east and in the west of the country. The islands of Japan stretch over a huge distance (about 370 thousand square kilometers). Their nature combines insular and continental features inherent in areas 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 margin of the islands and the middle part of Honshu. There are only 150 volcanoes in Japan. Of these, only 15 are active.
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 home to exquisite ceramics, quiet mountain villages and bustlingmetropolitan areas.
The coastal regions of Hiroshima and Okayama are famous for their museums (Kurashiki), gunsmiths and potters (Bizen). Shimonoseki Prefecture is known for its always fresh seafood, especially puffer fish, which is considered a delicacy in Japan.
The industrial center of the country - Nagoya - is also located on the island of Honshu. Kanazawa is famous for its delightful streets, where samurai and geishas used to live. Takayama always delights with delicious national cuisine, and the villages in the mountains of Gokayama and Shirakawa - houses in traditional Japanese style, listed by UNESCO.
The northern part of the island of Honshu is almost never visited by tourists, although there is something to see here: raging rivers, hot springs, rocky mountains and dormant volcanoes.
Hokkaido Island
This island in Japan is the country's last frontier. Few Japanese and tourists venture to travel this far. And done in vain, because here is amazing nature and endless expanses. The island is divided into four main regions: south, central, north and east.
Kyushu Island
The most international region of the country - the island of Kyushu - became the first region to adopt the new traditions of the outside world after the fall of samurai customs. Today, Japan's westward-facing islands continue to lead the way in commerce and the arts.
Shikoku Island
This island is the smallest in terms of area and population. Shikoku is called both an island and a region,including the neighboring small Japanese islands.
Okinawa Prefecture deserves special attention, which combines many small islands. There are about 120 of them, some of them are still uninhabited. 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 regions with prefectures and municipalities. All regions differ from each other in nature, culture, sights and even language dialects. This feature of the country is explained by the fact that the islands of Japan stretched along several climatic zones.
