&INTERESTING FACTS:

Hokkaido Tohoku

north sea way

Hokkaido•Famous place for snow sports•The Seikan Tunnel runs under the

ocean as a link to the mainland•Many snow/ice festivals•Largest prefecture•Lowest population density

blue forest

Aomori•Produces majority of Japan’s

apples•Has the largest virgin beech forest

in the world•Known for a summer festival

featuring a warrior figure

rock hand

Iwate•Second lowest population density•Legend about a demon leaving his

handprint on a rock to seal a pact•Many temples, shrines•Only prefecture with higher male

population

palace castle

Miyagi•Third most beautiful view in Japan•Hit hard by the 2011 tsunami•Tanabata-matsuri Festival attracts

many tourists•Nothing to do with The Karate Kid

fall rice field

Akita•Largest consumers of sake in

Japan•Said to have the most beautiful

women•Well preserved samurai district

mountain formation

Yamagata•More than 100 hot springs•Famous human chess game•Very mountainous terrain•Temple on top of a cliff

fortune island

Fukushima•Famous medieval capital•White tiger samurai suicide•Very rural with low population

density despite being third largest prefecture

•Opposing opinions about impact of nuclear disaster