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Kōchi Prefecture Banzai Japan Idol Group Visit there Website Kōchi, the largest of the four prefectures on the island of Shikoku, is famed for its natural splendor, including the pristine Shimanto River. Kōchi is the largest of Shikoku’s four prefectures. Its arching southern coastline borders Tosa Bay and the Pacific Ocean, while the inland is largely mountainous and densely forested. Much of the population resides in the centrally situated Tosa plain, where the prefectural capital of Kōchi is situated. Kōchi Prefecture at a Glance Established in 1871 (formerly Tosa province) Capital: Kōchi Population: 692,000 (as of Oct. 2020) Area: 7,103 km2 Kōchi offers visitors many tourist attractions. Its long coastline is marked by picturesque headlands, beaches, and other natural features. In the mountains, the sprawling Tengunomori plateau along the border with Ehime Prefecture is dominated by the Shikoku Karst, and the Shimanto River, considered Japan’s last pristine waterway, flows in the southwest of the prefecture. Kōchi is home to several temples on the henro pilgrimage route around Shikoku, and Kōchi Castle and Hirome Market, with its shops offering katsuo tataki (seared bonito) and other local delicacies, are popular stops in the capital. Kōchi’s agricultural, forestry, and fishing industries account for a large portion of its economic output. It is a major producer of yuzu, or Japanese citron, the scent of which is used to enhance the aroma of an array of items from bathwater to foods. The prefecture is also known for its abundant hauls of bonito, traditionally caught with just a pole and line in a style called ipponzuri, along with a range of other marine products brought by the Kuroshio (Japan Current) that flows along its coast. Other important sectors include the manufacturing of industrial machinery, paper, and lumber. Traditional manufacturing includes washi (Japanese paper), forged blades called Tosa uchihamono, and ceramics. Kuroshio-kun, Kōchi’s official mascot, brings to mind the waves of the Japan Current (Kuroshio), which flows off the prefecture’s Pacific coastline. Famous Figures Nakahama Manjirō (1827–98): Also known as John Manjirō, he was rescued by an American whaling ship when his fishing boat went adrift and ended up travelling to the United States, where he studied English and other subjects. Served as a translator and interpreter for the Japanese government. Sakamoto Ryōma (1836–67): Imperial loyalist known for brokering an alliance between the Satsuma and Chōshū domains (now Kagoshima and Yamaguchi Prefectures, respectively) that brought an end to the Tokugawa shogunate. He was famously assassinated by unknown figures while in Kyoto. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3d0HbNAB5w

Saga Prefecture Banzai Japan Idol Group Visit there Website Text Text Text Text https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHOmBV4js_E

Nagasaki Prefecture Banzai Japan Idol Group Visit there Website Text Text Text Text https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHOmBV4js_E

Kumamoto Prefecture Banzai Japan Idol Group Visit there Website Text Text Text Text https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHOmBV4js_E

Ōita Prefecture Banzai Japan Idol Group Visit there Website Text Text Text Text https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHOmBV4js_E

Miyazaki Prefecture Banzai Japan Idol Group Visit there Website Text Text Text Text https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHOmBV4js_E

Kagoshima Prefecture Banzai Japan Idol Group Visit there Website Text Text Text Text https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHOmBV4js_E

Fukushima Prefecture Banzai Japan Idol Group Visit there Website Fukushima Prefecture, Japan’s third largest by area, lies some 200 kilometers north of Tokyo on Japan’s main island of Honshū. Fukushima is the southernmost prefecture in Japan’s Tōhoku region. From Aizuwakamatsu, its historic castle town in the western Aizu area, to the Hamadōri area on the Pacific coast, this expansive prefecture has much to offer to visitors. Fukushima Prefecture at a Glance Established in 1876 (formerly part of Mutsu province) Capital: Fukushima Population: 1,833,000 (as of Oct. 2020) Area: 13,784 km2 Fukushima is the third largest prefecture in Japan and the second largest in Tōhoku, behind Iwate. Spanning much of the width of the island of Honshū, from its border with Niigata Prefecture in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east, Fukushima boasts a range of terrain and climatic conditions, from the mountain wilderness in its far western area of Aizu to the warmer coastal Hamadōri area in the east, with the Nakadōri area between them. To the north of Fukushima are Miyagi and Yamagata Prefectures; to the south, it borders Gunma, Tochigi, and Ibaraki. Hiuchigatake, at 2,356 meters the highest peak in the prefecture, stands in Oze National Park, which straddles the borders with Gunma, Tochigi, and Niigata. More famous, though, is the 1,816-meter Mount Bandai, north of Lake Inawashiro in the center of the prefecture. Fukushima Prefecture has a thoroughly modernized economy, with chemicals, IT equipment, and transportation machinery topping its list of manufacturing industries. The prefecture’s broad plains and rich forestry resources have also made it a powerhouse in production of crops like peaches, for which it ranks second in Japan, and rice, sixth. The March 11, 2011, Great East Japan Earthquake dealt Fukushima a triple blow, with the quake damage followed by the massive tsunami and then the meltdowns at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station on the prefecture’s northern coast. Parts of a number of municipalities near the station remain closed to habitation indefinitely due to radiation concerns, and work to dismantle and safely dispose of the damaged reactors and containment buildings is expected to continue for decades. Also receiving a major blow was Fukushima’s fisheries industry. Nationwide and international concerns about radiation leaking into the sea have caused consumers to avoid Fukushima’s seafood, despite stringent safety checks. The prefectural fishing industry’s output remains less than half of what it was in 2010, before the disaster. Tourism remains an area where Fukushima is counting on growth. Ski areas around Mount Bandai, hot springs along the coast and in the mountainous areas, the castle Tsurugajō and other historical attractions in the western city of Aizuwakamatsu, and the surprising presence of Spa Resort Hawaiians, a Pacific-island-themed hotel complex in the city of Iwaki, all bring people to visit. Located just a couple hours north from Tokyo via Shinkansen, Fukushima also hosts annual festivals like the Sōma Nomaoi, a horse-riding event with a millennium of history. The prefecture now uses a mascot called Kibitan, based on the kibitaki (narcissus flycatcher), to symbolize the recovery from the 3/11 disaster. Famous Figures Noguchi Hideyo (1876–1928): Bacteriologist. Despite badly burning one hand in an accident as a toddler, he persevered and became a celebrated medical researcher, doing work in the United States, Europe, South America, and Africa and helping to identify the causes of diseases like syphilis and yellow fever. Felled by illness in Ghana during a research trip, he remains a heroic figure to this day, and is featured on the ¥1,000 note. Tsuburaya Eiji (1901–70): Filmmaker. Known as the “father of tokusatsu” practical special effects, he was a creator of the Godzilla and Ultraman film franchises, and worked on some 250 movies during his prolific and influential career. Nishida Toshiyuki (1947–): Actor. Most famous in Japan for starring in the long-running Tsuribaka nisshi fishing-themed film series, he has won two Japanese Academy Awards for best actor.