Origin of Tottori prefectural name
TOTTORI – Bird Catcher 鳥取県 “Tottori” is one of the few prefectural names featuring an animal and the only one named after an occupation, bird catchers. This makes it quite…
Origin of Hyogo prefectural name
HYOGO – Military Storehouse 兵庫県 Not much is known about how and why the “Hyogo” name came about. There’s only speculation and a few theories. Theory 1: During the Taika…
Origin of Osaka prefectural name
OSAKA – Big Slope 大阪府 The name “Osaka” can be largely credited to Rennyo (蓮如 1415–1499), the 8th Chief Abbot (Monshu) of the Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji-ha Buddhist sect. He built…
Origin of Wakayama prefectural name
WAKAYAMA – Poetry Mountain 和歌山県 Updated: Dec. 15, 2024 Most Japan aficionados would know that waka (和歌) is a famous type of Japanese poetry. So you might think Wakayama is…
Origin of Mie prefectural name
MIE – Trifold 三重県 Most native Japanese can tell you what the literal meaning of Mie is. It’s “three layers.” But three layers of what?? That’s what most people don’t…
Origin of Nara prefectural name
NARA – Flat Slope 奈良県 The “Nara” place name has been around since ancient times and can be found in most all historical Japanese texts including the Kojiki, Nihon Shoki,…
Origin of Kyoto prefectural name
KYOTO – Imperial Capital 京都府 Before Kyoto came to be called “Kyoto,” it had a few different names. The most well-known former name is “Heiankyo” (平安京) meaning “peaceful, stable Imperial…
Origin of Shiga prefectural name
SHIGA – Nourished Felicitations 滋賀県 If there are multiple theories for the origin of the prefectural name, it means nobody knows for sure what the origin or the exact meaning…
Big Three plum blossoms in eastern Tokyo
In eastern Tokyo (the area near Tokyo Skytree), there is a trio of major plum blossom spots: Kameido Tenjin Shrine (亀戸天神社), Omurai Katori Shrine Kobaien Plum Garden (小村井香取神社 香梅園), and…