Prefectures of Japan

Structure and types

Prefectures are larger than the municipalities they contain: cities, towns, and villages. They work alongside but above these smaller units; the relationship is explained in more detail at governmental bodies. The four Japanese prefectural name endings are -to (Tokyo), -dō (Hokkaido), -fu (Osaka and Kyoto), and -ken (the remaining 43). Each prefecture has an executive head (commonly called a governor) and an elected assembly responsible for local legislation and budgets.

Roles and responsibilities

Prefectural governments manage matters that cross municipal boundaries or require regional coordination. Typical responsibilities include public health and hospitals, high schools and regional education policies, major roads and land use planning, policing coordination, disaster response planning, and social welfare programs. They also collect certain local taxes and receive transfers from the national government to fund services.

History and development

The modern prefectural system dates from the 19th-century restructuring that replaced the older feudal domains with centrally organized administrative units. Over time, prefectures were merged and reorganized into the current set of 47. This evolution shaped regional identities and administrative practice and is part of Japan’s broader modernization history.

Examples and distinctions

Notable prefectures include Tokyo, often described as a metropolis because of its population and urban function; Hokkaido, notable for its large land area and different historical development; and Kyoto and Osaka, which retain the "fu" designation reflecting their historical urban status. Prefectures appear in postal addresses, statistical classifications and administrative codes. For practical distinctions among cities, towns, and villages within prefectures, see the links on municipalities: cities, towns, and villages.

While the prefectural level is uniform in its place in the administrative hierarchy, the size, population, economic base and cultural role of each prefecture vary widely. That diversity makes the prefectural system both a framework for governance and a reflection of Japan’s regional variety.