What is the population of Japan?

Japan has a population of about 123.37 million, the #12 largest of 225 countries in YearMaps. Source: World Bank, 2025.

Japan covers 377,974 km², ranking #64 by area, with about 326 people per square kilometre.

Which countries border Japan?

Japan shares a land or maritime border with United States, China, Russia, Taiwan, South Korea, Philippines.

What is the largest city in Japan?

Tokyo is the largest city in Japan, with a metropolitan population of about 35.68 million.

What is the highest mountain in Japan?

The highest summit recorded for Japan in YearMaps is Fuji at 3,776 m (12,388 ft). Summits on a border are counted for both countries.

What is the largest lake in Japan?

The largest lake recorded in or bordering Japan is Biwa Ko, at roughly 662 km².

Country · Asia · JP

Map of Japan

Japan is a country in Asia with its capital at Tokyo, home to about 123.37 million people across 377,974 km². The interactive map below plots 69 cities and towns, 3 rivers, 1 lakes, 9 mountain summits and 143 ports recorded for Japan in YearMaps.

Population: 123.37 million
Area: 377,974 km²
Capital: Tokyo
Continent: Asia

About Japan

Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asian mainland, it is bordered to the west by the Sea of Japan, the Sea of Okhotsk in the north, and the East China Sea in the south. The Japanese archipelago consists of four major islands alongside over 14,000 smaller islands. Japan is divided into 47 administrative prefectures and eight traditional regions, and around 75% of its terrain is mountainous and heavily forested, concentrating its agriculture and highly urbanized population along its eastern coastal plains. With a population of almost 123 million as of 2026, it is the world's 11th most populous country. Tokyo is the country's capital and largest city.

The first known habitation of the archipelago dates to the Upper Paleolithic, with the beginning of the Japanese Paleolithic dating to c. 36,000 BC. Between the 4th and 6th centuries, its kingdoms were united under an emperor in Nara and later in Heian-kyō. From the 12th century, actual power was held by military aristocrats known as shōgun and feudal lords called daimyō, enforced by warrior nobility named samurai. After rule by the Kamakura and Ashikaga shogunates and a century of warring states, Japan was unified in 1600 by the Tokugawa shogunate, which implemented an isolationist foreign policy. In 1853, an American fleet forced Japan to open trade to the West, which led to the end of the shogunate and the restoration of imperial power in 1868.

The Meiji period saw Japan pursue rapid industrialization, modernization, militarism, and overseas colonization. Declaring itself an imperial power in 1889 with the promulgation of the Meiji Constitution, it annexed Taiwan in 1895, followed by Korea in 1910. In 1937, Japan invaded China and attacked the U.S. and European colonial powers in 1941, thus entering World War II as an Axis power. After being defeated in the Pacific War and suffering the U.S. atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan surrendered in 1945 and came under Allied occupation until 1952. It underwent rapid economic growth in the following decades and became one of the first major non-NATO allies of the U.S. Since the collapse of the Japanese asset price bubble in the early 1990s, it has experienced a prolonged period of economic stagnation referred to as the Lost Decades.

Japan is a constitutional monarchy with a bicameral legislature known as the National Diet.

Summary adapted from Wikipedia: Japan (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Geography and Climate of Japan

In 1603, after decades of civil warfare, the Tokugawa shogunate (a military-led, dynastic government) ushered in a long period of relative political stability and isolation from foreign influence. For more than two centuries, this policy enabled Japan to enjoy a flowering of its indigenous culture. Japan opened its ports after signing the Treaty of Kanagawa with the US in 1854 and began to intensively modernize and industrialize. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Japan became a regional power that was able to defeat the forces of both China and Russia. It occupied Korea, Formosa (Taiwan), and southern Sakhalin Island. In 1931-32, Japan occupied Manchuria, and in 1937, it launched a full-scale invasion of China. Japan attacked US forces at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in 1941, triggering America's entry into World War II, and Japan soon occupied much of East and Southeast Asia. After its defeat in World War II, the country recovered to become an economic power and a US ally. While the emperor retains his throne as a symbol of national unity, elected politicians hold the decision-making power. After three decades of unprecedented growth, Japan's economy experienced a major slowdown starting in the 1990s, but the country remains an economic power. In 2011, Japan's strongest-ever earthquake and an accompanying tsunami devastated the northeast part of Honshu, killed thousands, and damaged several nuclear power plants. ABE Shinzo was reelected as prime minister in 2012, and he embarked on ambitious economic and security reforms to improve Japan's economy and bolster the country's international standing. In 2019, ABE became Japan's longest-serving post-war prime minister; he resigned in 2020 and was succeeded by SUGA Yoshihide. KISHIDA Fumio became prime minister in 2021.

Location: Eastern Asia, island chain between the North Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan, east of the Korean Peninsula.
Climate: Varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north.
Terrain: Mostly rugged and mountainous.
Highest point: Mount Fuji 3,776 m.
Lowest point: Hachiro-gata -4 m.
Coastline: 29,751 km.
Land borders: Total: 0 km.
Major lakes: Fresh water lake(s): Biwa-ko 688 sq km.
Natural resources: Negligible mineral resources, fish.
Land use: Agricultural land: 12.6% (2023 est.); arable land: 11.1% (2023 est.); permanent crops: 0.7% (2023 est.); permanent pasture: 0.9% (2023 est.); forest: 68.3% (2023 est.); other: 19% (2023 est.)
Natural hazards: Many dormant and some active volcanoes; about 1,500 seismic occurrences (mostly tremors but occasional severe earthquakes) every year; tsunamis; typhoons volcanism: both Unzen (1,500 m) and Sakura-jima (1,117 m), which lies near the densely populated city of Kagoshima, have been deemed Decade Volcanoes by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to their explosive history and close proximity to human populations; other notable historically active volcanoes include Asama (Honshu Island's most active volcano), Aso, Bandai, Fuji, Iwo-Jima, Kikai, Kirishima, Komaga-take, Oshima, Suwanosejima, Tokachi, Yake-dake, and Usu; see note 2 under "Geography - note".
Geographic note: Note 1: strategic location in northeast Asia; composed of four main islands (the "Home Islands") -- Hokkaido, Honshu (the largest, most populous, and site of Tokyo, the capital), Shikoku, and Kyushu note 2: a 2023 Geospatial Information Authority of Japan survey detected 100,000 islands and islets, but only the 14,125 islands with a circumference of at least 100 m (330 ft) were officially counted; about 260 of the islands are inhabited note 3: Japan annually records the most earthquakes in the world; it is one of the countries along the Ring of Fire, which is a belt bordering the Pacific Ocean that contains about 75% of the world's volcanoes and up to 90% of the world's earthquakes.
Languages: Japanese.
Religions: Shintoism 48.6%, Buddhism 46.4%, Christianity 1.1%, other 4% (2021 est.)
Ethnic groups: Japanese 97.5%, Chinese 0.6%, Vietnam 0.4%, South Korean 0.3%, other 1.2% (includes Filipino, Brazilian, Nepalese, Indonesian, American, and Taiwanese) (2022 est.)
Economy: Second-largest East Asian economy; trade-oriented and highly diversified; high public debt levels; following years of near-zero interest rates, gradual increases to address inflation and depreciation of yen; strong rebound in tourism; aging population poses challenges to labor force participation.

From the CIA World Factbook (public domain), archived edition of 2026-01-22. The Factbook is no longer updated, so figures reflect that edition.

Japan in Numbers

Population: 123.37 million
GDP: US$4.44 trillion
GDP per person: US$35,951
Life expectancy: 84.0 years
Population growth: -0.49% a year
Population density: 340 per km²
Urban population: 92.3%
Surface area: 377,975 km²
Forest cover: 68.3%
Arable land: 11.0%
Access to electricity: 100.0%
Internet users: 85.5%

Indicators from World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0). The year under each figure is its reference year.

Japan in Depth

History

Modern humans arrived in Japan around 38,000 years ago (~36,000 BC), marking the beginning of the Japanese Paleolithic. Around 14,500 BC (the start of the Jōmon period), a Mesolithic to Neolithic semi-sedentary hunter-gatherer culture characterized by pit dwelling and rudimentary agriculture emerged. Clay vessels from the period are among the oldest surviving examples of pottery. The Japonic-speaking Yayoi people later entered the archipelago from the Korean Peninsula, intermingling with the Jōmon people. The Yayoi period saw the introduction of innovative practices including wet-rice farming, a new style of pottery, and metallurgy from China and Korea.

Geography

Japan comprises 14,125 islands that extend along the Pacific coast of Asia. It stretches over 3000 km (1900 mi) northeast–southwest from the Sea of Okhotsk to the East China Sea. The country's five main islands, from north to south, are Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu and Okinawa. The Ryukyu Islands, which include Okinawa, are a chain to the south of Kyushu. The Nanpō Islands are south and east of the main islands of Japan. Together they are often known as the Japanese archipelago. As of 2019, Japan's territory is 377,975.24 km2 (145,937.06 sq mi). Japan has the sixth-longest coastline in the world at 29,751 km (18,486 mi). Because of its far-flung outlying islands, Japan's exclusive economic zone is the eighth-largest in the world, covering 4,470,000 km2 (1,730,000 sq mi).

Economy

Japan has the world's fourth-largest economy by nominal GDP, after that of the United States, China and Germany; and the fifth-largest by PPP-adjusted GDP. As of 2023, Japan's labor force is the world's tenth-largest, consisting of over 69.2 million workers. As of 2025, Japan has a low unemployment rate of around 2.5%. Its poverty rate is the second highest among the G7 countries, and exceeds 15.7% of the population. Japan has the highest ratio of public debt to GDP among advanced economies, with a national debt estimated at 237% relative to GDP as of 2026. The Japanese yen is the world's third-largest reserve currency after the US dollar and the euro.

In 2024, Japan was the world's eight-largest exporter and sixth-largest importer. Its exports amounted to 22.8% of its total GDP in 2024.

Demographics

Japan has a population of nearly 123 million, of whom almost 119 million are Japanese nationals; foreign residents make up the remainder, estimated at 3,743,000 as of September 2025. Japan is one of the world's fastest aging countries and has the highest proportion of elderly citizens of any country, comprising one-third of its total population; this is the result of a post–World War II baby boom, which was followed by an increase in life expectancy and a decrease in birth rates.

Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Japan (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Japan: Key Facts

Key facts about Japan
Currency	yen
Official language	Japanese
Head of state	Naruhito
Head of government	Sanae Takaichi
Form of government	constitutional monarchy
Calling code	+81
Internet domain	.jp
Highest point	Mount Fuji
Lowest point	Hachirōgata
Established	3 May 1947

Facts from Wikidata Q17 (CC0).

History of Japan: Empires and States

The atlas records 12 polities whose mapped territory included part of Japan, from Asuka Japan in 540 CE to 2024 CE. They are listed in the order they first appear.

Polities that held Japan, in chronological order
Polity	Period here	Extent
Asuka Japan	540–709 CE	Most
Nara Japan	710–792 CE	Most
Heian Japan	793–1187 CE	Most
Northern Fujiwara	1094–1191 CE	A small part
Kamakura Shogunate	1188–1332 CE	Most
Kenmu Restoration	1333–1343 CE	Most
Ashikaga Shogunate	1344–1467 CE	Most
Warring States Japan	1468–1601 CE	Most
Tokugawa Shogunate	1600–1869 CE	Most
Empire of Japan	1868–1945 CE	Most
United States of America	1946–1966 CE	Most
Japan	1953–2024 CE	Most

Historical Maps of Japan

Japan on the world map in each year one of these states held it:

Derived by testing mapped cities against dated territorial polygons. Dates are when the polygons cover this place, not the polity's whole lifespan, and polities absent from the source dataset are not listed.

Visiting Japan

Japan, known as Nihon or Nippon (日本) in Japanese, is an island nation in East Asia. Its insular character has allowed it to develop a unique and very intricate culture, while its closeness to other ancient East Asian cultures, in particular China, has left lasting influence. Despite belonging to a nation long at war, Japan's people have always placed emphasis on inner balance, tranquility and natural beauty. These traditional values have become increasingly important now that Japan has grown to be one of the world's most densely-populated countries, and its legendary work ethic makes life in its cities quite hectic.

Japan's sophisticated cuisine has spread to all corners of the world, but it is only in the country of its birth where you can appreciate its true form. Japanese pop culture is enormously popular around the world, especially anime, manga and video games, driving tourism to this country.

In the 19th and 20th centuries, Japan enjoyed impressive economic growth, putting it among the world's most affluent nations today.

Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: Japan (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Largest Cities in Japan

69 cities recorded. Ranked by metropolitan population. A port city's harbour is written up on the page of its sea.

Largest Cities in Japan
#	Name	Population	Region	Role
1	Tokyo	35.68 million	Tokyo	National capital
2	Ōsaka	11.29 million	Osaka	Admin-1 region capital
3	Yokohama	3.70 million	Kanagawa	Populated place
4	Nagoya	3.23 million	Aichi	Admin-1 region capital
5	Fukuoka	2.79 million	Fukuoka	Admin-1 region capital
6	Sapporo	2.54 million	Hokkaido	Admin-1 region capital
7	Sendai	2.25 million	Miyagi	Admin-1 region capital
8	Hiroshima	2.04 million	Hiroshima	Admin-1 region capital
9	Kyoto	1.80 million	Kyoto	Admin-0 capital alt
10	Kōbe	1.53 million	Hyogo	Admin-1 capital
11	Kawasaki	1.44 million	Kanagawa	Populated place
12	Kitakyūshū	997,536	Fukuoka	Admin-1 capital
13	Hamamatsu	977,023	Shizuoka	Populated place
14	Naha	905,238	Okinawa	Admin-1 region capital
15	Okayama	866,092	Okayama	Populated place
16	Kumamoto	718,232	Kumamoto	Populated place
17	Shizuoka	701,561	Shizuoka	Populated place
18	Utsunomiya	667,752	Tochigi	Populated place
19	Nagano	594,311	Nagano	Populated place
20	Hachiōji	579,399	Tokyo	Populated place
21	Niigata	569,797	Niigata	Populated place
22	Kagoshima	555,352	Kagoshima	Populated place
23	Kanazawa	551,249	Ishikawa	Populated place
24	Ōtsu	536,976	Shiga	Populated place
25	Matsuyama	533,541	Ehime	Admin-1 region capital

The other 44 (population, region, role)

Tsu · 500,000 · Mie · Populated place
Ōita · 448,907 · Oita · Admin-1 capital
Tokushima · 443,760 · Tokushima · Populated place
Wakayama · 440,006 · Wakayama · Populated place
Nagasaki · 435,455 · Nagasaki · Populated place
Gifu · 412,895 · Gifu · Admin-1 region capital
Iwaki · 357,309 · Fukushima · Populated place
Asahikawa · 356,612 · Hokkaido · Populated place
Mito · 353,892 · Ibaraki · Populated place
Maebashi · 344,871 · Gunma · Populated place
Kōriyama · 340,560 · Fukushima · Populated place
Kawagoe · 337,931 · Saitama · Populated place
Kōchi · 335,570 · Kochi · Populated place
Takamatsu · 334,223 · Kagawa · Populated place
Toyama · 332,812 · Toyama · Populated place
Miyazaki · 324,384 · Miyazaki · Populated place
Akita · 320,069 · Akita · Populated place
Hakodate · 302,984 · Hokkaido · Populated place
Aomori · 298,394 · Aomori · Populated place
Morioka · 295,172 · Iwate · Populated place
Fukushima · 294,237 · Fukushima · Populated place
Yamagata · 272,209 · Yamagata · Populated place
Fukui · 248,707 · Fukui · Populated place
Shimonoseki · 245,786 · Yamaguchi · Populated place
Hachinohe · 239,046 · Aomori · Populated place
Sasebo · 237,444 · Nagasaki · Populated place
Matsumoto · 224,926 · Nagano · Populated place
Kushiro · 198,566 · Hokkaido · Populated place
Kōfu · 197,540 · Yamanashi · Populated place
Kure · 196,991 · Hiroshima · Populated place
Nagaoka · 195,318 · Niigata · Populated place
Hirosaki · 174,972 · Aomori · Populated place
Tomakomai · 174,806 · Hokkaido · Admin-1 capital
Obihiro · 173,890 · Hokkaido · Populated place
Takaoka · 170,077 · Toyama · Populated place
Matsue · 156,811 · Shimane · Populated place
Muroran · 155,676 · Hokkaido · Populated place
Tottori · 154,098 · Tottori · Populated place
Otaru · 143,792 · Hokkaido · Populated place
Kitami · 113,137 · Hokkaido · Populated place
Sakata · 100,446 · Yamagata · Populated place
Tsuruoka · 99,820 · Yamagata · Populated place
Maizuru · 92,465 · Kyoto · Populated place
Kanoya · 82,335 · Kagoshima · Populated place

Highest Mountains in Japan

9 mountains recorded. Ranked by summit elevation above sea level. A summit on a border is listed under both countries.

Highest Mountains in Japan
#	Name	Elevation	Feet	Region
1	Fuji	3,776 m	12,388 ft	Asia
2	Tate-yama	3,015 m	9,892 ft	Asia
3	Asahi-dake	2,290 m	7,513 ft	Asia
4	Iwate-san	2,038 m	6,686 ft	Asia
5	Ishizuchi-san	1,982 m	6,503 ft	Asia
6	Kuju-san	1,788 m	5,866 ft	Asia
7	Unzen-dake	1,500 m	4,921 ft	Asia
8	Sakurajima	1,117 m	3,665 ft	Asia
9	Yonaha-dake	498 m	1,634 ft	Asia

Largest Lakes in Japan

1 lake recorded. Ranked by mapped surface area. A lake on a border is listed under each country it lies in, with the area of the whole lake.

Largest Lakes in Japan
#	Name	Surface Area	Type
1	Biwa Ko	662 km²	Lake

Biwa Ko

Lake · 662 km²

Biwa Ko is a lake in Japan, with a mapped surface area of about 662 km².

Lake Biwa (Japanese: 琵琶湖, Hepburn: Biwa-ko) is the largest freshwater lake in Japan. It is located entirely within Shiga Prefecture (west-central Honshu), northeast of the former capital city of Kyoto. Lake Biwa is an ancient lake, over 4 million years old. It is estimated to be the 13th oldest lake in the world. Because of its proximity to the country's historical capital Kyoto, references to Lake Biwa appear frequently in Japanese literature, particularly in poetry and in historical accounts of battles.

Adapted from Wikipedia: Lake Biwa (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Surface area: 662 km²
Area rank: #258 of 756 indexed
Type: Lake
Country: Japan
Coordinates: 35.3223°, 136.1677°

Among the 756 water bodies with a mapped extent in YearMaps, Biwa Ko ranks #258 by surface area, after Barra Bonita (671 km²) and ahead of Dead Sea (656 km²). Areas are computed from the mapped outline and are approximate.

Settlements on the shore:: Ōtsu (44 km), Kyoto (50 km), Gifu (55 km)
Watercourses:: Tone (River), Nakdong (River)
Other water nearby:: Lake Khanka (4,036 km²), Tai Hu (2,509 km²)

View on the live map

More about Biwa Ko

Natural history

Lake Biwa is of tectonic origin and is one of the world's oldest lakes, dating to at least 4 million years ago (mid-Pliocene). This long, uninterrupted period has allowed for a notably diverse ecosystem to evolve in the lake. Naturalists have documented more than 1000 species and subspecies in the lake, including about sixty endemics. Lake Biwa is an essential place for water birds. About 5,000 waterbirds visit Biwa every year.

There are 46 native fish species and subspecies in the lake, including eleven species and five subspecies that are endemic or near-endemic.

Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Lake Biwa (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Biwa Ko: Key Facts

Key facts about Biwa Ko
Surface area	669 km²
Maximum depth	104 m
Surface elevation	84.4 m
Inflows	Anegawa River, Uso River, Inukami River, Yasu River, Echi River, Seri River
Outflows	Yodo River
Drainage system	Ōmi Basin

Facts from Wikidata Q200239 (CC0).

Rivers in Japan

3 rivers recorded. Listed alphabetically. A river is listed where its mapped reach lies, so long rivers appear under more than one country.

Rivers in Japan
Name	Type	Also Flows Through
Ishikari	River	—
Mogami	River	—
Tone	River	—

Ports in Japan

143 ports recorded. Ranked by approach channel depth, the figure that limits which ships can call. Harbours link to their write-up on the page of the sea or coast they lie on.

Ports in Japan
#	Name	Channel Depth	Class	Sea	Max Vessel
1	Yura	53 m	unknown	Pacific Coast of Japan	point_of_interest
2	Shimoda Ko	53 m	Very Small	Pacific Coast of Japan	point_of_interest
3	Kesennuma Ko	49.4 m	Very Small	Pacific Coast of Japan	medium vessels
4	Choshi	49.4 m	Very Small	Pacific Coast of Japan	large vessels
5	Karatsu	45.7 m	Small	Sea of Japan & Sea of Okhotsk	large vessels
6	Niihama	45.7 m	Small	Seto Inland Sea	large vessels
7	Onoda	45.7 m	Small	Seto Inland Sea	point_of_interest
8	Soma	45.7 m	Very Small	Pacific Coast of Japan	point_of_interest
9	Miike Ko	45.7 m	Small	Pacific Coast of Japan	large vessels
10	Abashiri Ko	45.7 m	Small	Sea of Japan & Sea of Okhotsk	medium vessels

The other 133 (channel depth, class, sea, max vessel)

Nemuro Ko · 45.7 m · Small · Sea of Japan & Sea of Okhotsk · medium vessels
Aioi · 45.7 m · Very Small · Seto Inland Sea · large vessels
Hagi Ko · 45.7 m · Very Small · Sea of Japan & Sea of Okhotsk · point_of_interest
Sendai-Shiogama · 45.7 m · Small · Pacific Coast of Japan · large vessels
Atsumi · 42.1 m · Very Small · Pacific Coast of Japan · medium vessels
Hitachi · 42.1 m · Very Small · Pacific Coast of Japan · large vessels
Ishigaki · 42.1 m · Very Small · Pacific Coast of Japan · medium vessels
Kudamatsu · 42.1 m · Small · Seto Inland Sea · medium vessels
Sakaiminato · 42.1 m · Very Small · Sea of Japan & Sea of Okhotsk · point_of_interest
Rumoi Ko · 42.1 m · Very Small · Sea of Japan & Sea of Okhotsk · large vessels
Susaki Ko · 42.1 m · Very Small · Pacific Coast of Japan · large vessels
Isikari Wan · 42.1 m · Very Small · Sea of Japan & Sea of Okhotsk · point_of_interest
Tagonoura Ko · 42.1 m · Minor · Pacific Coast of Japan · large vessels
Toba · 42.1 m · Small · Pacific Coast of Japan · point_of_interest
Habu Ko · 42.1 m · Very Small · Seto Inland Sea · large vessels
Hamada Ko · 42.1 m · Very Small · Sea of Japan & Sea of Okhotsk · large vessels
Himekawa · 42.1 m · Very Small · Sea of Japan & Sea of Okhotsk · large vessels
Kashiwazaki · 42.1 m · Very Small · Sea of Japan & Sea of Okhotsk · point_of_interest
Imabari Ko · 42.1 m · Small · Seto Inland Sea · medium vessels
Hirara Ko · 42.1 m · Very Small · Pacific Coast of Japan · point_of_interest
Hiroshima · 42.1 m · Minor · Seto Inland Sea · large vessels
Kochi Ko · 42.1 m · Minor · Pacific Coast of Japan · medium vessels
Fukui Ko · 42.1 m · Minor · Sea of Japan & Sea of Okhotsk · large vessels
Amagasaki · 38.4 m · Small · Seto Inland Sea · medium vessels
Tachibana · 38.4 m · Very Small · Pacific Coast of Japan · large vessels
Tonda · 38.4 m · Small · Seto Inland Sea · point_of_interest
Gamagori Ko · 38.4 m · Small · Pacific Coast of Japan · large vessels
Hososhima Ko · 38.4 m · Very Small · Pacific Coast of Japan · large vessels
Ishikari Bay New Port · 38.4 m · Minor · Sea of Japan & Sea of Okhotsk · large vessels
Nanao Ko · 38.4 m · Small · Sea of Japan & Sea of Okhotsk · large vessels
Noshiro Ko · 38.4 m · Very Small · Sea of Japan & Sea of Okhotsk · point_of_interest
Shibushi Wan · 38.4 m · Small · Pacific Coast of Japan · large vessels
Tsuruga Ko · 38.4 m · Small · Sea of Japan & Sea of Okhotsk · large vessels
Wakkanai · 38.4 m · Small · Sea of Japan & Sea of Okhotsk · large vessels
Onagawa · 38.4 m · Very Small · Pacific Coast of Japan · point_of_interest
Tanabe Ko · 38.4 m · Very Small · Pacific Coast of Japan · medium vessels
O0kihama · 38.4 m · Very Small · Seto Inland Sea · medium vessels
Onomichi-Itozaki · 38.4 m · Major · Seto Inland Sea · large vessels
Sakai Ko · 38.4 m · Small · Sea of Japan & Sea of Okhotsk · large vessels
Miyazu · 38.4 m · Minor · Sea of Japan & Sea of Okhotsk · large vessels
Shingu · 38.4 m · Very Small · Pacific Coast of Japan · large vessels
Mishima-Kawanoe Ko · 38.4 m · Small · Seto Inland Sea · large vessels
Saganoseki Ko · 38.4 m · Small · Seto Inland Sea · medium vessels
Niigata Ko · 38.4 m · Minor · Sea of Japan & Sea of Okhotsk · large vessels
Kanazawa · 38.4 m · Small · Sea of Japan & Sea of Okhotsk · large vessels
Matsuyama · 38.4 m · Small · Seto Inland Sea · large vessels
Takamatsu · 38.4 m · Very Small · Seto Inland Sea · large vessels
Hakodate Ko · 38.4 m · Minor · Sea of Japan & Sea of Okhotsk · large vessels
Kushiro Ko · 38.4 m · Minor · Pacific Coast of Japan · large vessels
Sakata Ko · 38.4 m · Small · Sea of Japan & Sea of Okhotsk · large vessels
Maizuru Ko · 38.4 m · Small · Sea of Japan & Sea of Okhotsk · large vessels
Funabashi · 34.7 m · Very Small · Pacific Coast of Japan · point_of_interest
Kakogawa · 34.7 m · Very Small · Seto Inland Sea · medium vessels
Kanda · 34.7 m · Very Small · Seto Inland Sea · large vessels
Osaka · 34.7 m · Major · Seto Inland Sea · large vessels
Yokkaichi · 34.7 m · Minor · Pacific Coast of Japan · large vessels
Katsunan Ko · 34.7 m · Small · Pacific Coast of Japan · large vessels
Kinuura Ko · 34.7 m · Small · Pacific Coast of Japan · large vessels
Shikama · 34.7 m · Small · Seto Inland Sea · medium vessels
Misumi Ko · 34.7 m · Small · Pacific Coast of Japan · large vessels
Naoetsu Ko · 34.7 m · Very Small · Sea of Japan & Sea of Okhotsk · large vessels
Onahama Ko · 34.7 m · Small · Pacific Coast of Japan · large vessels
Shimizu Ko · 34.7 m · Small · Pacific Coast of Japan · large vessels
Tokuyama · 34.7 m · Minor · Seto Inland Sea · large vessels
Mikawa · 34.7 m · Major · Pacific Coast of Japan · medium vessels
Ube Ko · 34.7 m · Minor · Seto Inland Sea · large vessels
Yatsushiro Ko · 34.7 m · Small · Pacific Coast of Japan · large vessels
Mombetsu Ko · 34.7 m · Very Small · Sea of Japan & Sea of Okhotsk · point_of_interest
Mori · 34.7 m · Very Small · Pacific Coast of Japan · medium vessels
Esasi Ko · 34.7 m · Very Small · Sea of Japan & Sea of Okhotsk · point_of_interest
Omaezaki Ko · 34.7 m · Small · Pacific Coast of Japan · medium vessels
Hannan Ko · 34.7 m · Small · Seto Inland Sea · medium vessels
Takuma · 34.7 m · Small · Seto Inland Sea · large vessels
Marugame Ko · 34.7 m · Very Small · Seto Inland Sea · large vessels
Saiki Ko · 34.7 m · Small · Pacific Coast of Japan · medium vessels
Kagoshima Ko · 34.7 m · Minor · Pacific Coast of Japan · large vessels
Wakayama-Shimotsu Ko · 34.7 m · Major · Pacific Coast of Japan · large vessels
Sasebo · 34.7 m · Minor · Sea of Japan & Sea of Okhotsk · large vessels
Otaru Ko · 34.7 m · Minor · Sea of Japan & Sea of Okhotsk · large vessels
Shimminato · 31.1 m · Very Small · Sea of Japan & Sea of Okhotsk · point_of_interest
Hibi Ko · 31.1 m · Very Small · Seto Inland Sea · large vessels
Ishinomaki Ko · 31.1 m · Very Small · Pacific Coast of Japan · large vessels
Sakaide Ko · 31.1 m · Very Small · Seto Inland Sea · large vessels
Uno Ko · 31.1 m · Very Small · Seto Inland Sea · large vessels
Hanasaki Ko · 31.1 m · Very Small · Pacific Coast of Japan · large vessels
Tokachi · 31.1 m · Very Small · Pacific Coast of Japan · point_of_interest
Hikari · 31.1 m · Small · Seto Inland Sea · medium vessels
Yawatahama · 31.1 m · Very Small · Pacific Coast of Japan · medium vessels
Naha Ko · 31.1 m · Small · Pacific Coast of Japan · large vessels
Nagasaki · 31.1 m · Major · Pacific Coast of Japan · large vessels
Higashi-Harima · 27.4 m · Minor · Seto Inland Sea · large vessels
Imari · 27.4 m · Very Small · Sea of Japan & Sea of Okhotsk · large vessels
Mega · 27.4 m · Very Small · Seto Inland Sea · medium vessels
Ofunato · 27.4 m · Small · Pacific Coast of Japan · large vessels
Kamaishi Ko · 27.4 m · Small · Pacific Coast of Japan · large vessels
Mizushima Ko · 27.4 m · Minor · Seto Inland Sea · large vessels
Yokosuka Ko · 27.4 m · Minor · Pacific Coast of Japan · large vessels
Izuhara · 27.4 m · Very Small · Sea of Japan & Sea of Okhotsk · large vessels
Kobe · 27.4 m · Major · Seto Inland Sea · large vessels
Tomakomai Ko · 27.4 m · Small · Pacific Coast of Japan · large vessels
Himeji · 23.8 m · Minor · Seto Inland Sea · large vessels
Fukuyama · 23.8 m · Minor · Seto Inland Sea · large vessels
Sakai-Senboku · 23.8 m · Minor · Seto Inland Sea · medium vessels
Miyako · 23.8 m · Small · Pacific Coast of Japan · large vessels
Uraga Ko · 23.8 m · Very Small · Pacific Coast of Japan · medium vessels
Minamata Ko · 23.8 m · Very Small · Pacific Coast of Japan · large vessels
Tokyo Ko · 23.8 m · Major · Pacific Coast of Japan · large vessels
Nagoya Ko · 23.8 m · Major · Pacific Coast of Japan · large vessels
Muroran Ko · 23.8 m · Minor · Pacific Coast of Japan · large vessels
Hirohata · 20.1 m · Very Small · Seto Inland Sea · point_of_interest
Mitsukojima · 20.1 m · Very Small · Seto Inland Sea · medium vessels
Chiba Ko · 20.1 m · Small · Pacific Coast of Japan · large vessels
Kanokawa Ko · 20.1 m · Very Small · Seto Inland Sea · large vessels
Tateyama Ko · 20.1 m · Very Small · Pacific Coast of Japan · point_of_interest
Kisarazu Ko · 16.5 m · Very Small · Pacific Coast of Japan · large vessels
Kashima Ko · 16.5 m · Small · Pacific Coast of Japan · large vessels
Ryotu Ko · 16.5 m · Very Small · Sea of Japan & Sea of Okhotsk · large vessels
Owase Ko · 12.8 m · Very Small · Pacific Coast of Japan · large vessels
Uchiura · 12.8 m · Very Small · Sea of Japan & Sea of Okhotsk · point_of_interest
Iwakuni Ko · 9.1 m · Minor · Seto Inland Sea · large vessels
Uwajima Ko · 9.1 m · Very Small · Pacific Coast of Japan · point_of_interest
Kiire · 5.5 m · Very Small · Pacific Coast of Japan · large vessels
Nakagusuku · 5.5 m · Small · Pacific Coast of Japan · large vessels
Aokata · 5.5 m · Very Small · Sea of Japan & Sea of Okhotsk · point_of_interest
Kin Wan · 5.5 m · Very Small · Pacific Coast of Japan · large vessels
Kikuma Ko · 5.5 m · Very Small · Seto Inland Sea · large vessels
Namikata · 5.5 m · Very Small · Seto Inland Sea · medium vessels
Tsukumi Ko · 5.5 m · Very Small · Pacific Coast of Japan · large vessels
Beppu · 5.5 m · Very Small · Seto Inland Sea · large vessels
Oita Ko · 5.5 m · Very Small · Seto Inland Sea · large vessels
Matsu-Shima · Very Small · Sea of Japan & Sea of Okhotsk · large vessels
Nishihara · Very Small · Pacific Coast of Japan · large vessels
Yanai · Very Small · Seto Inland Sea · medium vessels

UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Japan

25 World Heritage Sites recorded. Listed by year of inscription, earliest first. Sites shared with another country appear under each.

See all 25 World Heritage Sites →

UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Japan
#	Name	Inscribed	Type	Criteria
1	Buddhist Monuments in the Hōryū-ji Area	1993	Cultural	(i) (ii) (iv) (vi)
2	Himeji Castle	1993	Cultural	(i) (iv)
3	Shirakami-Sanchi	1993	Natural	(ix)
4	Yakushima	1993	Natural	(vii) (ix)
5	Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto	1994	Cultural	(ii) (iv)
6	Historic Villages of Shirakawa-gō and Gokayama	1995	Cultural	(iv) (v)
7	Hiroshima Peace Memorial	1996	Cultural	(vi)
8	Itsukushima Shrine	1996	Cultural	(i) (ii) (iv) (vi)
9	Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara	1998	Cultural	(ii) (iii) (iv) (vi)
10	Shrines and Temples of Nikkō	1999	Cultural	(i) (iv) (vi)

Largest Islands of Japan

13 islands recorded. Ranked by mapped area. An island divided between countries is listed under each, with the area of the whole island.

See all 13 islands →

Largest Islands of Japan
#	Name	Area	Type
1	Japan	492,487 km²	Island group
2	RyüKyü Isands	274,056 km²	Island group
3	Honshü	228,403 km²	Island
4	Nampö-Shotö	197,934 km²	Island group
5	Hokkaidö	78,186 km²	Island
6	KyüShü	36,708 km²	Island
7	Shikoku	18,570 km²	Island
8	Izu-Shotö	11,177 km²	Island group
9	Oki Islands	1,487 km²	Island group
10	Okinawa	1,298 km²	Island group

Mountain Ranges, Deserts and Landforms of Japan

2 mountain ranges, deserts and other landforms recorded. Ranked by mapped area. Covers mountain ranges, deserts, plateaus, named glaciers, plains, basins, peninsulas and capes. One that crosses a border is listed under every country it lies in, with the area of the whole feature.

Mountain Ranges, Deserts and Landforms of Japan
#	Name	Area	Type	Region
1	Asia	46.28M km²	Continent	Asia
2	Noto Peninsula	206 km²	Pen/cape	Asia

Noto Peninsula

Pen/cape · 206 km²

Noto Peninsula is a pen/cape in Asia, covering an estimated 206 km².

The Noto Peninsula (能登半島, Noto-hantō) is a peninsula that projects north into the Sea of Japan from the coast of Ishikawa Prefecture in central Honshū, the main island of Japan. Before the Meiji era, the peninsula belonged to Noto Province. The main industries of the peninsula are agriculture, fisheries, and tourism.

Adapted from Wikipedia: Noto Peninsula (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Feature class: Pen/cape
Mapped extent: 206 km²
Size rank: #201 of 231 landforms
Region: Asia
Coordinates: 37.2638°, 136.7073°

Summits:: Tate-yama (3,015 m), Fuji (3,776 m), Iwate-san (2,038 m)
Ranges:: Hamgyong Mountains (Asia), Lesser Khingan Range (Asia)
Settlements:: Takaoka (71 km), Kanazawa (78 km), Toyama (78 km)