Knowra Prefectures of Japan Prefectures of Japan The 47 first-level administrative divisions of Japan: Tokyo Metropolis, Hokkaido, Osaka and Kyoto prefectures, and 43 other prefectures. Each has an elected governor and assembly.
Japanese regions : The eight broad geographic regions commonly used to group Japan’s islands and prefectures. These regions group prefectures for geographic and cultural orientation, though they are not government tiers.
Governor of Japan : The elected chief executive of a Japanese prefecture, formally called its chiji. Each prefecture’s governor leads its executive branch.
Han system : The domain-based system of regional rule used in Japan during the Edo period. The domains were abolished as Japan replaced feudal territories with centralized divisions.
States and territories of Australia : Australia’s first-level divisions, comprising six states and several territories. Australia’s states hold constitutional status unlike Japan’s prefectures.
Japanese prefectural symbols : Official emblems, flags, flowers, trees, birds, and other symbols adopted by Japanese prefectures. These symbols express local identities within the shared national system.
Hokkaido : Japan’s northernmost main island and its sole prefecture-level circuit. Its circuit designation distinguishes it from the other 46 divisions.
Prefectural assembly of Japan : The elected legislature of a Japanese prefecture, responsible for local ordinances and budgets. Assemblies provide elected oversight and pass prefectural ordinances.
Abolition of the han system : The 1871 reform that replaced Japan’s feudal domains with centrally controlled prefectures. This reform established the institutional predecessor of today’s prefectures.
Provinces of South Korea : South Korea’s first-level administrative divisions, including provinces and special cities. South Korea’s neighboring system offers a regional comparison with different division types.
Japanese postal codes : Numerical codes used to sort and deliver mail to locations across Japan. Postal addresses commonly identify prefectures to locate destinations.
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