🗺️ Japan Prefecture Picker (47 Prefectures & Codes)

Japan is divided into 47 prefectures (都道府県): one metropolitan district (都, Tokyo), two urban prefectures (府, Osaka and Kyoto), 43 rural prefectures (県), and Hokkaido (道). Every prefecture has a JIS X 0401 code from 01 (Hokkaido) to 47 (Okinawa), which is the numbering used in administrative data, forms, and municipality codes.

The prefectures are grouped into 8 regions: Hokkaido, Tohoku, Kanto, Chubu, Kinki (Kansai), Chugoku, Shikoku, and Kyushu (including Okinawa). Knowing the region matters for weather, freight zones, and cultural references - and the region name is the standard way Japanese people describe where something is.

Large cities and their codes are the fastest reference points:

This tool is a fast picker: search by Japanese name (東京), kana (とうきょう), English name (Tokyo), or JIS code (13), and filter by region. It is handy when you are filling a form, building a test dataset, or learning the geography. To turn a prefecture into a working address, continue with our address formatter or find its postal-code prefixes in the postal code lookup.

The tool loads a table of all 47 prefectures with their JIS code, Japanese name, kana reading, English name, capital, and region. As you type, it filters live on every field; selecting a region from the dropdown narrows the list to that region.

Example: searching 13 returns Tokyo (code 13); searching とうきょう returns the same card. The capital column shows Tokyo's seat as Shinjuku Ward (新宿区), which is where the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building stands. For city-level codes inside a prefecture, continue to our municipality lookup, and remember that the region names double as the standard answer to "where in Japan is that?". Whether you are filling a logistics form, checking weather zones, or reviewing geography for a language test, the code and the region are the two pieces of information every prefecture question expects.

1. Type a search term: Japanese name, kana, English name, or JIS code.
2. Optionally pick a region from the dropdown to narrow the list.
3. Click a prefecture card to see its capital, region and code highlighted.
4. Use the code in forms or reference it in administrative data.
5. Combine with the address formatter when building a full Japanese address.

Why is it called 都道府県 (todofuken)?

The term combines the four types of prefecture: 都 (to, Tokyo), 道 (do, Hokkaido), 府 (fu, Osaka and Kyoto), and 県 (ken, the other 43). They are all equivalent administrative divisions.

What is the JIS prefecture code for Tokyo?

Tokyo is 13. Municipality codes starting with 13, such as 13101 (Chiyoda Ward), belong to Tokyo. Okinawa is 47 and Hokkaido is 01.

How many regions is Japan divided into?

8 standard regions: Hokkaido, Tohoku, Kanto, Chubu, Kinki, Chugoku, Shikoku, and Kyushu (often including Okinawa). This grouping is used in weather and transport contexts.

Are 府 and 県 different in status?

No - Osaka-fu, Kyoto-fu, Tokyo-to and Hokkaido-do have exactly the same powers as the 43 ken. The different suffixes are historical.

Which prefecture has the largest population?

Tokyo is the most populous prefecture by far (about 14 million), followed by Kanagawa and Osaka. The least populous is Tottori.

Can I filter by region?

Yes - the region dropdown filters the 47 prefectures into the 8 traditional regions, which is useful when studying geography or comparing areas.

The JIS codes 01–47 run roughly north-to-south: Hokkaido 01, then Tohoku 02–07, Kanto 08–14, Chubu 15–23, Kinki 24–30, Chugoku 31–35, Shikoku 36–39, and Kyushu 40–47 with Okinawa last. The same two-digit number appears as the first two digits of every municipality code in that prefecture, so a city code like 13101 immediately tells you it is in Tokyo (13). In everyday speech Japanese people rarely say "Chugoku region" - they name the prefecture directly, e.g. "I live in Hiroshima". When choosing a prefecture for a shipping address, most online shops display the list in JIS order, so knowing the code order helps you find your option faster. If you are building a test dataset, pair this picker with the random address generator to produce realistic entries.