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Japan Prefectures and Capitals Quiz | Geography Basics and Source Reading, Set 1

1 / 100.0s

Problem 1

Which correctly counts Japan's 47 prefectures by type — to, dō, fu and ken?

View explanation

Tokyo is the one to, Hokkaido the one dō, Kyoto and Osaka the two fu, and the remaining 43 are ken, giving 47. Because both Kyoto and Osaka are fu, counting "1 fu and 44 ken" is not correct.

Problem 2

Among prefectures whose capital city has a different name, where is the capital of Tochigi Prefecture?

View explanation

The Tochigi prefectural government is in Utsunomiya. Tochigi City shares its name with the prefecture and is easily confused with it, but it is not the present capital. Maebashi is the capital of Gunma and Mito of Ibaraki.

Problem 3

In the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan's area survey as of April 1, 2026, which prefecture has the largest area?

View explanation

Hokkaido is the largest of the 47 prefectures. Iwate is the largest on Honshu but not first nationally once Hokkaido is included. Area figures can be revised, which is why the authority's reference date is given here.

Problem 4

On the Geospatial Information Authority's map of Japan's easternmost, westernmost, northernmost and southernmost points, the westernmost point is marked "Yonaguni Island".

To which prefecture does this westernmost point belong?

View explanation

Yonaguni Island belongs to Okinawa Prefecture, and the authority marks Japan's westernmost point there. Nagasaki also has islands lying west of the Japanese mainland, but they are not the westernmost point of Japan as a whole on that map.

Problem 5

On an outline map, prefecture A has no coastline and borders all five of Niigata, Fukushima, Tochigi, Saitama and Nagano.

Which prefecture is A?

View explanation

Gunma is landlocked and borders all five of the prefectures listed. Nagano is also landlocked but borders eight prefectures and touches neither Fukushima nor Tochigi, so it does not satisfy all the conditions on the map.

Problem 6

Using an outline map showing only the boundaries between Nagano and its neighbors, you are checking which prefectures share a border with Nagano.

Which prefecture directly adjoins Nagano on the map?

View explanation

Nagano borders Toyama, so it can be reached by crossing a single boundary. Ishikawa and Fukui are in the Hokuriku region but do not adjoin Nagano, and Kanagawa lies beyond Yamanashi and others.

Problem 7

Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism material gives the area of Lake Biwa as about 670 square kilometers, roughly one sixth of the whole of Shiga Prefecture.

Estimating from these two approximate figures, which is closest to the area of Shiga Prefecture?

View explanation

Since 670 square kilometers is about one sixth of the prefecture, its area comes to roughly 670 × 6 = about 4,020 square kilometers. The figure 110 divides 670 by 6, applying the proportion the wrong way round.

Problem 8

Regional divisions differ according to purpose, so this question follows the definitions of terms for areas and zones used by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.

Under that definition, which prefectures make up the Hokuriku region?

View explanation

The ministry material specified defines Hokuriku as the three prefectures of Toyama, Ishikawa and Fukui. Other divisions may include Niigata, but since this question names its source, those alternatives do not apply.

Problem 9

The summary of the 2020 census results includes a table dividing the prefectures whose population grew between 2015 and 2020 into those where the increase was larger than in the preceding five years and those where it was smaller.

Which prefecture is classified in that table as having grown but by a smaller margin?

View explanation

Shiga's population rose between 2015 and 2020, but by less than in the preceding five years. Saitama is on the side of growth by a larger margin, while Osaka and Kyoto both lost population over the period. A smaller increase is not the same as a decline.

Problem 10

Approximate figures as of October 1, 2020: - Tokyo: population 14.05 million, area 2,194 square kilometers - Osaka: population 8.84 million, area 1,905 square kilometers - Kanagawa: population 9.24 million, area 2,416 square kilometers

Estimating population density as population ÷ area, which lists them from highest to lowest?

View explanation

Roughly estimated, Tokyo has about 6,400 people per square kilometer, Osaka about 4,600 and Kanagawa about 3,800, giving this order. By population alone Kanagawa exceeds Osaka, but Osaka's smaller area gives it the higher density.