List of Japanese cities by population

The following is a list of cities in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

by population. The following table indicates all cities in Japan that have a population greater than 200,000 as of the 2010 Japan Census. Prefectural capitals are indicated in bold. Japan has many major cities

Cities of Japan

||A is a local administrative unit in Japan. Cities are ranked on the same level as and , with the difference that they are not a component of...

. Many of these cities are crowded into a relatively small area of land along the Pacific

Pacific Ocean

The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...

coast of Honshu

Honshu

is the largest island of Japan. The nation's main island, it is south of Hokkaido across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyushu across the Kanmon Strait...

, between Tokyo

Tokyo

, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...

and Fukuoka

Fukuoka

Fukuoka most often refers to the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture.It can also refer to:-Locations:* Fukuoka, Gifu, a town in Gifu Prefecture, Japan* Fukuoka, Toyama, a town in Toyama Prefecture, Japan...

. This heavily urbanized strip is known as the Taiheiyō Belt

Taiheiyo Belt

The also known as Tokaido corridor is the name for the megalopolis in Japan extending from Ibaraki Prefecture in the north all the way to Fukuoka Prefecture in the south, running for almost...

. It is named after the historic highway

Tokaido (road)

The ' was the most important of the Five Routes of the Edo period, connecting Edo to Kyoto in Japan. Unlike the inland and less heavily travelled Nakasendō, the Tōkaidō travelled along the sea coast of eastern Honshū, hence the route's name....

that connected the cities of Tokyo and Kyoto

Kyoto

is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...

, which has now been replaced by expressways

Expressways of Japan

The expressways of Japan make up a large network of freeway-standard toll roads.- History :Following World War II, Japan's economic revival led to a massive increase in personal automobile use...

and the high-speed Shinkansen

Shinkansen

The , also known as THE BULLET TRAIN, is a network of high-speed railway lines in Japan operated by four Japan Railways Group companies. Starting with the Tōkaidō Shinkansen in 1964, the network has expanded to currently consist of of lines with maximum speeds of , of Mini-shinkansen with a...

railway line ("Bullet Train").

List

Abbreviations:

2010 Pop.: Legal Population, as of October 1, 2010.

2005 Pop.: Legal Population, as of October 1, 2005.

Rank	Prefecture	City	2010 Pop.	2005 Pop.	Growth in %	Area (sq mi)	Density per mi²	Status
-	TokyoTokyo Tokyo , ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...	23 Special Wards	8,949,447	8,489,653	5.42	240.1	37,274	Group of special wards Special wards of Tokyo The are 23 municipalities that together make up the core and the most populous part of Tokyo, Japan. Together, they occupy the land that was the city of Tokyo before it was abolished in 1943. The special wards' structure was established under the Japanese Local Autonomy Law and is unique to... .
1	Kanagawa Kanagawa Prefecture is a prefecture located in the southern Kantō region of Japan. The capital is Yokohama. Kanagawa is part of the Greater Tokyo Area.-History:The prefecture has some archaeological sites going back to the Jōmon period...	Yokohama Yokohama is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...	3,689,603	3,579,628	3.07	168.9	21,845	Government ordinance city
2	OsakaOsaka Osaka Prefecture is a prefecture located in the Kansai region on Honshū, the main island of Japan. The capital is the city of Osaka. It is the center of Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto area.- History :...	OsakaOsaka Osaka is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...	2,666,371	2,628,811	1.43	85.8	31,077	Government ordinance city
3	Aichi Aichi Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region. The region of Aichi is also known as the Tōkai region. The capital is Nagoya. It is the focus of the Chūkyō Metropolitan Area.- History :...	Nagoya	2,263,907	2,215,062	2.21	126.0	17,968	Government ordinance city
4	Hokkaido Hokkaido , formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...	Sapporo	1,914,434	1,880,863	1.78	432.9	4,422	Government ordinance city
5	Hyōgo Hyogo Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region on Honshū island. The capital is Kobe.The prefecture's name was previously alternately spelled as Hiogo.- History :...	KobeKōbe Kobe , pronounced , is the fifth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture on the southern side of the main island of Honshū, approximately west of Osaka...	1,544,873	1,525,393	1.78	213.4	7,239	Government ordinance city
6	Kyoto Kyoto Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of the island of Honshu. The capital is the city of Kyoto.- History :Until the Meiji Restoration, the area of Kyoto prefecture was known as Yamashiro....	Kyoto Kyoto is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...	1,474,473	1,474,811	-0.02	319.7	4,612	Government ordinance city
7	Fukuoka Fukuoka Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located on Kyūshū Island. The capital is the city of Fukuoka.- History :Fukuoka Prefecture includes the former provinces of Chikugo, Chikuzen, and Buzen....	Fukuoka Fukuoka, Fukuoka is the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture and is situated on the northern shore of the island of Kyushu in Japan.Voted number 14 in a 2010 poll of the World's Most Livable Cities, Fukuoka is praised for its green spaces in a metropolitan setting. It is the most populous city in Kyushu, followed by...	1,463,826	1,401,279	4.46	131.3	11,149	Government ordinance city
8	Kanagawa	Kawasaki Kawasaki, Kanagawa is a city located in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, between Tokyo and Yokohama. It is the 9th most populated city in Japan and one of the main cities forming the Greater Tokyo Area and Keihin Industrial Area....	1,425,678	1,327,011	7.44	55.7	25,596	Government ordinance city
9	Saitama Saitama Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of the island of Honshu. The capital is the city of Saitama.This prefecture is part of the Greater Tokyo Area, and most of Saitama's cities can be described as suburbs of Tokyo, to which a large amount of residents commute each day.- History...	Saitama Saitama, Saitama ' is the capital and the most populous city of Saitama Prefecture in Japan, situated in the south-east of the prefecture. Its area incorporates the former cities of Urawa, Ōmiya, Yono and Iwatsuki. It is a city designated by government ordinance...	1,222,910	1,176,314	3.96	84.0	14,558	Government ordinance city
10	Hiroshima Hiroshima Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region on Honshu island. The capital is the city of Hiroshima.- History :The area around Hiroshima was formerly divided into Bingo Province and Aki Province. This location has been a center of trade and culture since the beginning of Japan's recorded...	Hiroshima Hiroshima is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture, and the largest city in the Chūgoku region of western Honshu, the largest island of Japan. It became best known as the first city in history to be destroyed by a nuclear weapon when the United States Army Air Forces dropped an atomic bomb on it at 8:15 A.M...	1,174,209	1,154,391	1.72	349.4	3,361	Government ordinance city
11	Miyagi Miyagi Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan in the Tōhoku Region on Honshu island. The capital is Sendai.- History :Miyagi Prefecture was formerly part of the province of Mutsu. Mutsu Province, on northern Honshu, was one of the last provinces to be formed as land was taken from the indigenous Emishi, and became the...	Sendai	1,045,903	1,025,126	2.03	305.2	3,427	Government ordinance city
12	Fukuoka	Kitakyūshū	977,288	993,525	-1.63	188.0	5,198	Government ordinance city
13	Chiba Chiba Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region and the Greater Tokyo Area. Its capital is Chiba City.- History :Chiba Prefecture was established on June 15, 1873 with the merger of Kisarazu Prefecture and Inba Prefecture...	Chiba Chiba, Chiba is the capital city of Chiba Prefecture, Japan. It is located approximately 40 km east of the center of Tokyo on Tokyo Bay. Chiba City became a government designated city in 1992. Its population as of 2008 is approximately 960,000....	962,130	924,319	4.09	105.1	9,154	Government ordinance city
14	OsakaOsaka	Sakai Sakai, Osaka is a city in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. It has been one of the largest and most important seaports of Japan since the Medieval era.Following the February 2005 annexation of the town of Mihara, from Minamikawachi District, the city has grown further and is now the fourteenth most populous city in...	842,134	830,966	1.34	57.9	14,545	Government ordinance city
15	Niigata Niigata Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Honshū on the coast of the Sea of Japan. The capital is the city of Niigata. The name "Niigata" literally means "new lagoon".- History :...	Niigata Niigata, Niigata is the capital and the most populous city of Niigata Prefecture, Japan. It lies on the northwest coast of Honshu, the largest island of Japan, and faces the Sea of Japan and Sado Island....	812,192	813,847	-0.20	280.3	2,898	Government ordinance city
16	Shizuoka Shizuoka Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshu island. The capital is the city of Shizuoka.- History :Shizuoka prefecture was formed from the former Tōtōmi, Suruga and Izu provinces.The area was the home of the first Tokugawa Shogun...	Hamamatsu Hamamatsu, Shizuoka is a city located in western Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. On July 1, 2005, the city merged with 11 surrounding cities and towns. It became a city designated by government ordinance on April 1, 2007.- History :...	800,912	804,032	-0.39	583.5	1,373	Government ordinance city
17	Kumamoto Kumamoto Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located on Kyushu Island. The capital is the city of Kumamoto.- History :Historically the area was called Higo Province; and the province was renamed Kumamoto during the Meiji Restoration. The creation of prefectures was part of the abolition of the feudal system...	Kumamoto Kumamoto, Kumamoto is the capital city of Kumamoto Prefecture on the island of Kyushu, Japan. Greater Kumamoto has a population of 1,460,000, as of the 2000 census...	734,294	727,978	0.87	150.4	4,882	Core city Core city A is a class of Japanese city created by the first clause of Article 252, Section 22 of the Local Autonomy Law of Japan. Core cities are delegated many functions normally carried out by prefectural governments, but not as many as designated cities...
18	Kanagawa	Sagamihara Sagamihara, Kanagawa is a city located in north central Kanagawa Prefecture, bordering Tokyo, Japan. It is the third most populous city in the prefecture, after Yokohama and Kawasaki, and the fifth most populous suburb of Greater Tokyo. Its northern neighbor is Machida, with which a cross-prefectural merger has been...	717,561	701,620	2.27	127.0	5,650	Government ordinance city
19	Shizuoka	Shizuoka Shizuoka, Shizuoka is the capital city of Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, and the prefecture's second-largest city in terms of both population and area. It became one of Japan's 19 "designated cities" in 2005.-Geography:...	716,328	723,323	-0.97	545.1	1,314	Government ordinance city
20	Okayama Okayama Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Okayama.- History :During the Meiji Restoration, the area of Okayama Prefecture was known as Bitchū Province, Bizen Province and Mimasaka Province.- Geography :...	Okayama Okayama, Okayama is the capital city of Okayama Prefecture in the Chūgoku region of Japan.The city was founded on June 1, 1889. As of August 2010, the city has an estimated population of 705,224 and a population density of 893 persons per km². The total area is 789.88 km²....	709,622	696,172	1.93	305.0	2,327	Government ordinance city
21	Chiba	Funabashi Funabashi, Chiba is a city located in northwestern Chiba Prefecture, Japan. As of February 2011, the city had an estimated population of 609,157 and a population density of 7110 persons per km². The total area was 85.64 km². It is the 7th most populous city in Greater Tokyo....	609,081	569,835	6.89	33.1	18,401	Core city
22	Kagoshima Kagoshima Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyushu. The capital is the city of Kagoshima.- Geography :Kagoshima Prefecture is located at the southwest tip of Kyushu and includes a chain of islands stretching further to the southwest for a few hundred kilometers...	Kagoshima Kagoshima, Kagoshima is the capital city of Kagoshima Prefecture at the southwestern tip of the Kyūshū island of Japan, and the largest city in the prefecture by some margin...	605,940	604,367	0.26	211.2	2,689	Core city
23	TokyoTokyo	Hachiōji Hachioji, Tokyo is a city located in Tokyo, Japan, about 40 kilometers west of the center of the special wards of Tokyo.As of January 1, 2010, the city has an estimated population of 551,901 and a population density of 2,962.27/km². The total area is 186.31 km². It is the eighth largest city in the...	579,799	560,012	3.53	71.9	8,064
24	Hyōgo	Himeji Himeji, Hyogo is a city located in Hyōgo Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan. As of April 1, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 535,945, with 206,409 households. The total area is 534.43 km².- History :...	536,338	536,232	0.02	206.3	2,600	Core city
25	Ehime Ehime Prefecture is a prefecture in northwestern Shikoku, Japan. The capital is Matsuyama.-History:Until the Meiji Restoration, Ehime prefecture was known as Iyo Province...	Matsuyama Matsuyama, Ehime is the capital city of Ehime Prefecture on the Shikoku island of Japan. It is located on the northeastern portion of the Dōgo Plain. Its name means "pine mountain." The city was founded on December 15, 1889....	517,088	514,937	0.42	165.6	3,123	Core city
26	Tochigi Tochigi Prefecture is a prefecture located in the Kantō region on the island of Honshū, Japan. The capital is the city of Utsunomiya.Nikkō, whose ancient Shintō shrines and Buddhist temples UNESCO has recognized by naming them a World Heritage Site, is in this prefecture...	Utsunomiya Utsunomiya, Tochigi is the capital and most populous city of Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. In October 2010 the city had an estimated population of 510,416 and a population density of 1,224.49 people per square kilometer. The total area is 416.84 km². had a population of 888,005 in the 2000 Census...	511,296	502,396	1.77	160.9	3,178	Core city
27	OsakaOsaka	Higashiōsaka	509,632	513,821	-0.82	23.9	21,324	Core city
28	Saitama	Kawaguchi Kawaguchi, Saitama is a city located in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. The city was founded on April 1, 1933.As of January 1, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 517,171, the second largest in Saitama Prefecture after Saitama, and a population density of 9,276.61 persons per km². The total area is 55.75 km²...	500,311	480,079	4.21	21.5	23,270	Special city Special cities of Japan of Japan are cities with populations of at least 200,000, and are delegated a subset of the functions delegated to core cities.This category was established by the Local Autonomy Law, article 252 clause 26...
29	Chiba	Matsudo Matsudo, Chiba is a city located in northern Chiba Prefecture, Japan. As of February 2011, the city had an estimated population of 484,578 and a population density of 7900 persons per km²...	484,639	472,579	2.55	23.7	20,449
30	Hyōgo	Nishinomiya Nishinomiya, Hyogo is a city located in Hyōgo, Japan, between the cities of Ōsaka and Kōbe. On April 1, 2005, the city of Nishinomiya celebrated its 80th anniversary. It is best known as the home of Kōshien Stadium, where the Hanshin Tigers baseball team plays home games and where Japan's annual high school baseball...	482,790	465,337	3.75	38.6	12,508	Core city
31	Okayama	Kurashiki Kurashiki, Okayama is a historic city located to the west of Okayama Prefecture, Japan, sitting on the Takahashi River, on the coast of the Inland Sea.As of April 2010, the city has a population of 473,392. The total area is .-History:...	475,421	469,377	1.29	137.0	3,470	Core city
32	Chiba	Ichikawa Ichikawa, Chiba is a city located in northwest Chiba, Japan, approximately 20 kilometers from the center of Tokyo. The city was founded on November 3, 1934. As of January 1, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 474,586 and a density of 8,259.42 persons per km². The total area is 57.46 km²...	474,926	466,608	1.78	22.2	21,393
33	OitaŌita Oita Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan on Kyūshū Island. The prefectural capital is the city of Ōita.- History :Around the 6th century Kyushu consisted of four regions: Tsukushi-no-kuni 筑紫国, Hi-no-kuni 肥国, and Toyo no kuni...	OitaŌita Oita, Oita is the capital city of Ōita Prefecture located on the island of Kyushu, Japan.- Demographics and geography :Ōita is the most populous city in Ōita Prefecture...	473,955	462,317	2.52	193.5	2,449	Core city
34	Ishikawa Ishikawa Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshū island. The capital is Kanazawa.- History :Ishikawa was formed from the merger of Kaga Province and the smaller Noto Province.- Geography :Ishikawa is on the Sea of Japan coast...	Kanazawa Kanazawa, Ishikawa is the capital city of Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan.-Geography, climate, and population:Kanazawa sits on the Sea of Japan, bordered by the Japan Alps, Hakusan National Park and Noto Peninsula National Park. The city sits between the Sai and Asano rivers. Its total area is 467.77 km².Kanazawa's...	462,478	454,607	1.73	180.6	2,561	Core city
35	Hiroshima	Fukuyama Fukuyama, Hiroshima is a city located on the Ashida River in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan.As of January 31, 2010, the city has an estimated population of 465,238 and a population density of 898.02 persons per km². The total area is 461.23 km². After Hiroshima City, it is the largest city in Hiroshima Prefecture...	461,471	459,087	0.52	200.0	2,307	Core city
36	Hyōgo	Amagasaki Amagasaki, Hyogo is an industrial city located in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. The city was founded on April 1, 1916. Its population is around 460,000, below its peak of over 554,000 in 1971.-History:...	453,608	462,647	-1.95	19.2	23,625	Core city
37	Nagasaki Nagasaki Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. The capital is the city of Nagasaki.- History :Nagasaki Prefecture was created by merging of the western half of the former province of Hizen with the island provinces of Tsushima and Iki...	Nagasaki	443,469	455,206	-2.58	156.9	2,826	Core city
38	TokyoTokyo	Machida Machida, Tokyo is a city located in the western part of the greater metropolis of Tokyo, Japan. The city was founded on February 1, 1958.As of October 1, 2010, the city has an estimated population of 424,669 and a population density of 5,928.65 persons per km². The total area is 71.63 km²...	426,827	404,544	5.25	27.7	15,409
39	Toyama Toyama Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Hokuriku region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Toyama.Toyama is the leading industrial prefecture on the Japan Sea coast, and has the industrial advantage of cheap electricity due to abundant water resources....	Toyama Toyama, Toyama is the capital city of Toyama Prefecture, Japan, located on the coast of the Sea of Japan in the Chūbu region on central Honshū, about 200 km north of the city of Nagoya and 300 km northwest of Tokyo....	421,890	421,239	0.15	479.5	880	Core city
40	Aichi	Toyota Toyota, Aichi is a city located in the Mikawa region of Aichi Prefecture, Japan, east of Nagoya.Toyota's main plant, the Tsutsumi plant, is located here. The longstanding ties between the Toyota Motor Corporation and the town of Toyota-shi, formerly known as Koromo, gave the town its current...	421,552	412,141	2.28	354.6	1,189	Core city
41	Kagawa Kagawa Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located on Shikoku island. The capital is Takamatsu.- History :Kagawa was formerly known as Sanuki Province.For a brief period between August 1876 and December 1888, Kagawa was made a part of Ehime Prefecture.-Battle of Yashima:...	Takamatsu Takamatsu, Kagawa is a city located in central Kagawa Prefecture on the island of Shikoku in Japan, and is the seat of the prefectural government. It is designated a core city by the Japanese Government. It is a port city located on the Seto Inland Sea, and is the closest port to Honshu from Shikoku island...	419,291	418,125	0.28	144.8	2,896	Core city
42	Kanagawa	Yokosuka Yokosuka, Kanagawa is a city located in Kanagawa, Japan. As of 2010, the city had an estimated population of 419,067 and a population density of 4,160 people per km². It covered an area of 100.62 km²...	418,448	426,178	-1.81	38.9	10,757	Core city
43	Gifu Gifu Prefecture is a prefecture located in the Chūbu region of central Japan. Its capital is the city of Gifu.Located in the center of Japan, it has long played an important part as the crossroads of Japan, connecting the east to the west through such routes as the Nakasendō...	Gifu Gifu, Gifu is a city located in the south-central portion of Gifu Prefecture, Japan, and serves as the prefectural capital. The city has played an important role in Japan's history because of its location in the middle of the country. During the Sengoku period, various warlords, including Oda Nobunaga, used...	413,239	413,357	-0.03	78.3	5,278	Core city
44	Kanagawa	Fujisawa Fujisawa, Kanagawa is a city located in Kanagawa, Japan. As of 2010, the city had an estimated population of 407,731 and a population density of 5,870 people per km². The total area is 69.51 km²-Geography:...	409,734	396,014	3.46	26.8	15,289
45	OsakaOsaka	Hirakata Hirakata, Osaka is a city located in north-eastern Osaka, Japan, near the prefectural borders of Nara and Kyoto. It is renowned for its chrysanthemum doll exhibition, as well as Hirakata Park — an amusement park featuring five roller coasters....	407,997	404,044	0.98	25.1	16,255	Special city
46	Chiba	Kashiwa Kashiwa, Chiba is a city located in northern Chiba Prefecture, Japan. As of February 2011, the city had an estimated population of 404,820 and a population density of 3520 persons per km²...	404,079	380,963	6.07	16.7	24,196	Core City
47	Miyazaki Miyazaki Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyushu. The capital is the city of Miyazaki.- History :Historically, after the Meiji Restoration, Hyūga Province was renamed Miyazaki Prefecture....	Miyazaki Miyazaki, Miyazaki is the capital city of Miyazaki Prefecture on the island of Kyūshū in Japan. Located on the coast and perforated by several rivers, Miyazaki City enjoys scenic views of both ocean and nearby, verdant mountains...	400,352	395,593	1.20	110.8	3,613	Core city
48	OsakaOsaka	Toyonaka Toyonaka, Osaka is a city located in Osaka Prefecture, Japan.As of 2010, the city has an estimated population of 388,633 and a population density of 10,680 persons per km². The total area is 36.38 km²...	389,359	386,623	0.71	14.0	27,811	Special city
49	Nagano Nagano Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of the island of Honshū. The capital is the city of Nagano.- History :Nagano was formerly known as the province of Shinano...	Nagano Nagano, Nagano , the capital city of Nagano Prefecture, is located in the northern part of the prefecture near the confluence of the Chikuma and the Sai rivers, on the main Japanese island of Honshū.As of April 1, 2011 the city has a population of 387,146...	381,533	386,572	-1.30	184.9	2,063	Core city
50	Aichi	Toyohashi Toyohashi, Aichi is a city located in Aichi Prefecture, Japan.The city was founded on August 1, 1906. As of January 1, 2010, the city has an estimated population of 383,691 and a density of 1,468.62 persons per km². The total area is . By size, Toyohashi was Aichi Prefecture's second-largest city until March 31,...	376,861	372,479	1.18	100.9	3,735	Core city
51	Aichi	Ichinomiya Ichinomiya, Aichi is a city located in Aichi, Japan. The city is often called Owari-Ichinomiya to avoid confusion with another Ichinomiya . The pre-expansion city was once part of now-defunct Nakashima District until September 1, 1921....	375,621	371,687	1.06	44.0	8,537	Special city
52	Aichi	Okazaki Okazaki, Aichi is a city located in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. As of August 2011, the city had an estimated population of 373,339 and a population density of 964 persons per km². The total area was 387.24 km².-Geography:...	372,472	363,807	2.38	87.6	4,252	Core city
53	Gunma Gunma Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the northwest corner of the Kantō region on Honshu island. Its capital is Maebashi.- History :The remains of a Paleolithic man were found at Iwajuku, Gunma Prefecture, in the early 20th century and there is a public museum there.Japan was without horses until...	Takasaki Takasaki, Gunma is a city located in Gunma Prefecture, Japan.The city was founded on April 1, 1900.Takasaki is a regional transportation hub because its train station is the junction of several rail lines as well as a Shinkansen stop....	371,352	364,919	1.76	177.4	2,093	Special city
54	Wakayama Wakayama Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located on the Kii Peninsula in the Kansai region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Wakayama.- History :Present-day Wakayama is mostly the western part of the province of Kii.- 1953 Wakayama Prefecture flood disaster :...	Wakayama Wakayama, Wakayama is the capital city of Wakayama Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan.-Background:Wakayama occupies 4% of the land area and has 40% of Wakayama prefecture's population. The city was founded on April 1, 1889....	369,400	375,591	-1.65	81.2	4,549	Core city
55	Nara Nara Prefecture is a prefecture in the Kansai region on Honshū Island, Japan. The capital is the city of Nara.-History:The present-day Nara Prefecture was created in 1887, making it independent of Osaka Prefecture....	Nara Nara, Nara is the capital city of Nara Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan. The city occupies the northern part of Nara Prefecture, directly bordering Kyoto Prefecture...	366,528	370,102	-0.97	106.9	3,429	Core city
56	OsakaOsaka	Takatsuki Takatsuki, Osaka is a city located in Osaka, Japan.As of 2010, the city has an estimated population of 353,881 and the density of 3,360 persons per km². The total area is 105.31 km².The city was founded on January 1, 1943 and is located almost directly between Kyoto and Osaka...	357,423	351,826	1.59	40.7	8,782	Core city
57	OsakaOsaka	Suita Suita, Osaka is a city located in northern Osaka, Japan. As of August 1, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 356,751 and the density of 9,880 persons per km². The total area is 36.11 km²....	355,567	353,885	0.48	13.9	25,580	Special city
58	Hokkaidō	Asahikawa Asahikawa, Hokkaido is a city in Kamikawa Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. It is the capital of the subprefecture and the second-largest city in Hokkaido, after Sapporo. It has been a Core city since April 1, 2000...	347,275	355,004	-2.18	288.6	1,203	Core city
59	KōchiKōchi Kochi Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located on the south coast of Shikoku. The capital is the city of Kōchi.- History :Prior to the Meiji Restoration, Kōchi was known as Tosa Province and was controlled by the Chosokabe clan in the Sengoku period and the Yamauchi family during the Edo period.- Geography...	KōchiKōchi Kochi, Kochi is the capital city of Kōchi Prefecture on Shikoku island of Japan.Kōchi is the main city of the prefecture with over 40% of its population. As of May 31, 2008, the city had an estimated population of 340,515 and a density of...	343,416	348,990	-1.60	119.4	2,876	Core city
60	Saitama	Kawagoe Kawagoe, Saitama is a city located in Saitama Prefecture, Japan, and is about a 30-minute train ride from Ikebukuro in Tokyo.As of July 1, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 343,926...	342,714	333,795	2.67	42.1	8,140	Core city
61	Fukushima Fukushima Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region on the island of Honshu. The capital is the city of Fukushima.-History:Until the Meiji Restoration, the area of Fukushima prefecture was known as Mutsu Province....	Iwaki Iwaki, Fukushima is a city located in the southern part of the Hamadōri coastal region of Fukushima Prefecture, Japan.A designated "core city", Iwaki is also one of the growing number of hiragana cities. Its area is 1,231.35 km², making it the 10th largest city in Japan...	342,198	354,492	-3.47	475.4	720	Core city
62	Saitama	Tokorozawa Tokorozawa, Saitama is a city in Saitama, Japan. It is located in the central part of the Musashino plain, about 30 km west of downtown Tokyo. Tokorozawa can be considered part of the greater Tokyo area; its proximity to the latter and lower housing costs make it a popular bedroom community.-Location:Tokorozawa...	341,900	336,100	1.73	27.8	12,299	Special city
63	Gunma	Maebashi Maebashi, Gunma is the capital city of Gunma Prefecture, Japan.The city was founded on April 1, 1892, by the samurai Makuba Kawai.On December 5, 2004 the town of Ōgo, and the villages of Kasukawa and Miyagi, all from Seta District, were merged into Maebashi....	340,390	340,904	-0.15	120.3	2,830	Core city
64	Fukushima	KoriyamaKōriyama Koriyama, Fukushima is a city in the center of the Nakadōri region of Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. As of May 2011, the city had an estimated population of 336,328. The total area is 757 km²....	338,772	338,834	-0.02	292.3	1,159	Core city
65	Shiga Shiga Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan, which forms part of the Kansai region on Honshu Island. The capital is the city of Ōtsu.- History :Shiga was known as Ōmi Province or Gōshū before the prefectural system was established...	ŌtsuŌtsu Otsu, Shiga is the capital city of Shiga, Japan. The city was founded on October 1, 1898. As of October 1, 2010, the city has an estimated population of 338,629 with an average age of 40.7 years and a population density of 905.28 persons per km²...	337,629	323,719	4.30	144.4	2,338	Core city
66	Saitama	Koshigaya Koshigaya, Saitama is a city located in Saitama Prefecture, Japan.As of 2010, the city has an estimated population of 325,074 and a population density of 5,390 persons per km². The total area is 60.31 km²....	326,423	315,792	3.37	23.3	14,010	Special city
67	Akita Akita Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku Region of northern Honshu, the main island of Japan. The capital is the city of Akita.- History :The area of Akita has been created from the ancient provinces of Dewa and Mutsu....	Akita Akita, Akita is the capital city of Akita Prefecture in the Tohoku region of Japan.As of June 11, 2005, with the merger of the former Kawabe District , the city has an estimated population of 323,310 and density of...	323,363	333,109	-2.93	349.7	925	Core city
68	Okinawa	Naha Naha, Okinawa is the capital city of the Japanese prefecture of Okinawa.Naha is a coastal city located on the East China Sea coast of the southern part of Okinawa Island, the largest of the Ryukyu Islands...	315,765	312,393	1.08	15.1	20,912
69	Mie Mie Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan which is part of the Kansai regions on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Tsu.- History :Until the Meiji Restoration, Mie prefecture was known as Ise Province and Iga Province....	Yokkaichi Yokkaichi, Mie is a city located in Mie, Japan.As of October 1, 2010, the city has an estimated population of 314,393. The total area is 205.53 km².The closest major city is Nagoya in Aichi Prefecture....	307,807	303,845	1.30	79.4	3,877	Special city
70	Aichi	Kasugai Kasugai, Aichi is a city located in Aichi, Japan. The city was founded on June 1, 1943. As of March 1, 2010, the city had an estimated population of 303,181 and a density of . The total area is ....	305,662	295,802	3.33	35.8	8,538	Special city
71	Fukuoka	Kurume Kurume, Fukuoka is a city located in Fukuoka prefecture, Japan.The city has an estimated population of 303,277 and a population density of 1,319.51 persons per km²...	302,323	306,434	-1.34	88.7	3,408	Special city
72	Aomori Aomori Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku Region. The capital is the city of Aomori.- History :Until the Meiji Restoration, the area of Aomori prefecture was known as Mutsu Province....	Aomori Aomori, Aomori is the capital city of Aomori Prefecture, in the northern Tōhoku region of Japan. As of 2009, the city had an estimated population of 302,068 and a density of 366 persons per km². Its total area was 824.52 km².- History :...	299,429	311,386	-3.84	318.3	941	Core city
73	Iwate Iwate Prefecture is the second largest prefecture of Japan after Hokkaido. It is located in the Tōhoku region of Honshū island and contains the island's easternmost point. The capital is Morioka. Iwate has the lowest population density of any prefecture outside Hokkaido...	Morioka Morioka, Iwate is the capital city of Iwate Prefecture, Japan.As of 2005, the city has an estimated population of 300,740 and a population density of 588.11 persons per km². The total area is 489.15 km²....	298,572	300,746	-0.72	342.3	872	Special city
74	Fukushima	Fukushima Fukushima, Fukushima is the capital city of Fukushima Prefecture in the Tōhoku Region of Japan. As of May 2011 the city has an estimated population of 290,064 and an area of 746.43 km².It lies about 250 km north of Tokyo and 80 km south of Sendai.-History:...	292,280	297,357	-1.71	288.2	1,014
75	Hyōgo	Akashi Akashi, Hyogo is a city located in southern Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, on the Seto Inland Sea west of Kobe.As of April 1, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 290,776, with 117,392 households, and a population density of 5,907.68 persons per km²...	290,993	291,027	-0.01	19.0	15,315	Special city
76	Mie	Tsu Tsu, Mie is the capital of Mie Prefecture, Japan. The city of Tsu is located on Ise Bay, east of the city. Tsu is bounded to the north by Suzuka and Kameyama; to the west by Iga, Nabari, and Nara Prefecture; and to the south by Matsuzaka city.-History:...	285,728	288,538	-0.97	274.4	1,041
77	Niigata	Nagaoka Nagaoka, Niigata is a city located in the central part of Niigata Prefecture, Japan. It is the second largest city in the prefecture, behind the capital city of Niigata...	282,719	288,457	-1.99	344.0	822	Special city
78	Yamaguchi Yamaguchi Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan in the Chūgoku region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Yamaguchi, in the center of the prefecture. The largest city, however, is Shimonoseki.- History :...	Shimonoseki Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi is a city located in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. It is at the southwestern tip of Honshū, facing the Tsushima Strait and also Kitakyushu across the Kanmon Straits....	280,987	290,693	-3.34	276.5	1,016	Core city
79	Chiba	Ichihara Ichihara, Chiba is a city located in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. As of August 2010, the city has an estimated population of 279,080, with a population density of 758 persons per km². The total area of Ichihara was 368.20 km²...	279,601	280,255	-0.23	142.2	1,966
80	Hokkaidō	Hakodate Hakodate, Hokkaido is a city and port located in Oshima Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. It is the capital city of Oshima Subprefecture.Hakodate was Japan's first city whose port was opened to foreign trade in 1854 as a result of Convention of Kanagawa, and used to be the most important port in northern Japan...	279,110	294,264	-5.15	261.7	1,067	Core city
81	OsakaOsaka	Ibaraki Ibaraki, Osaka is a city located in Osaka, Japan. It is a suburban city of Osaka city and a part of Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe metropolitan area. Literally Ibaraki in English means Wild Trees or Thorny trees....	274,832	267,961	2.56	29.5	9,316	Special city
82	Ibaraki Ibaraki Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan, located in the Kantō region on the main island of Honshu. The capital is Mito.-History:Ibaraki Prefecture was previously known as Hitachi Province...	Mito Mito, Ibaraki is the capital of Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan and has a central location, moderately offset towards the coast in that prefecture. As of 2005, the city has an estimated population of 263,748 and a total area is 217.45 km², giving a population density of 1,212.91 persons per km²...	268,818	262,603	2.37	84.0	3,200	Special city
83	OsakaOsaka	Yao Yao, Osaka is a city in Osaka, Japan.As of 2009, the city has an estimated population of 271,454 and the density of 6,510 persons per km². The total area is 41.71 km².Yao is home to a general aviation airport, Yao Airport.The city was founded on April 1, 1948....	268,652	273,487	-1.77	16.1	16,686	Special city
84	Hyōgo	Kakogawa Kakogawa, Hyogo is a city located in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. The city was founded on June 15, 1950.As of 2010, the city has an estimated population of 268,565 and a population density of 1,940 persons per km². The total area is 138.51 km²...	266,869	267,100	-0.08	53.5	4,989	Special city
85	Fukui Fukui Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Fukui.- Prehistory :The Kitadani Dinosaur Quarry, on the Sugiyama River within the city limits of Katsuyama, has yielded the Fukuiraptor kitadaniensis and Fukuisaurus tetoriensis as well as an unnamed...	Fukui Fukui, Fukui is the capital of Fukui Prefecture, Japan. The city is located in the north-central part of the prefecture on the coast of the Sea of Japan.-Demographics:...	266,831	269,144	-0.86	207.0	1,289	Special city
86	Tokushima Tokushima Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located on Shikoku island. The capital is the city of Tokushima.- Tokushima Prefecture and Myodo Prefecture :Long ago, Tokushima City belonged to a region known as Myōdō-gun...	Tokushima Tokushima, Tokushima is the capital city of Tokushima Prefecture on Shikoku island in Japan.As of May 1, 2011, the city had an estimated population of 263,372, with 114,325 households, and a population density of 1,377.25 persons per km². Its total area is 191.23 km²....	264,764	267,833	-1.15	73.8	3,588
87	Nagasaki	Sasebo Sasebo, Nagasaki is a city located in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. As of 2011, the city has an estimated population of 259,800 and the density of 609 persons per km². The total area is 426.47 km². The locality is famed for its scenic beauty. The city includes a part of Saikai National Park...	261,146	269,574	-3.13	140.5	1,859	Special city
88	Kanagawa	Hiratsuka Hiratsuka, Kanagawa is a city located in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. As of 2010, the city had an estimated population of 259,991 and the density of 3,830 persons per km²...	260,776	258,958	0.70	26.2	9,953	Special city
89	TokyoTokyo	Fuchū Fuchu, Tokyo is a city located in western Tokyo Metropolis, Japan. As of 2010, the city has an estimated population of 255,394 and a population density of 8,700 persons per km². The total area was 29.34 km²...	255,453	245,623	4.00	11.3	22,606
90	Yamagata Yamagata Prefecture -Fruit:Yamagata Prefecture is the largest producer of cherries and pears in Japan. A large quantity of other kinds of fruits such as grapes, apples, peaches, melons, persimmons and watermelons are also produced.- Demographics :...	Yamagata Yamagata, Yamagata is the capital city of Yamagata Prefecture in Japan.As of July 1, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 253,951 with 97,457 households and a population density of 665.94 persons per km². The total area is 381.34 km². The city was founded on April 1, 1889.-Culture:The , one of Tōhoku's...	254,084	256,012	-0.75	147.2	1,726	Special city
91	Shizuoka	Fuji Fuji, Shizuoka is a city in eastern Shizuoka Prefecture. Fuji is the 3rd largest city in terms of population in Shizuoka Prefecture, trailing Hamamatsu and Shizuoka. As of February 2010, the city has an estimated population of 254,113 and a population density of 1040 persons per km²...	254,049	253,297	0.30	94.6	2,686	Special city
92	Saitama	SokaSōka Soka, Saitama is a city located in Saitama, Japan.As of October 1, 2010, the city has an estimated population of 243,111 and the density of 8,866.19 persons per km²...	244,062	236,316	3.28	10.6	23,025	Special city
93	Nagano	Matsumoto Matsumoto, Nagano is a city located in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. Matsumoto is designated as a Special City.-Outline:The new city of Matsumoto is the city comprising the mergers of the old city of Matsumoto and four villages. Matsumoto officially absorbed those villages without creating a new municipal...	243,070	242,541	0.22	355.0	685	Special city
94	Hiroshima	Kure Kure, Hiroshima is a city in Hiroshima prefecture, Japan.As of October 1, 2010, the city has an estimated population of 240,820 and a population density of 681 persons per km². The total area is 353.74 km².- History :...	239,553	251,003	-4.56	136.6	1,754	Special city
95	OsakaOsaka	Neyagawa Neyagawa, Osaka is a city located in Osaka, Japan.As of 2010, the city has an estimated population of 238,549 and the density of 9,650 persons per km². The total area is 24.73 km².The city was founded on May 3, 1951....	238,244	241,816	-1.48	9.5	25,078	Special city
96	Saga Saga Prefecture is located in the northwest part of the island of Kyūshū, Japan. It touches both the Sea of Japan and the Ariake Sea. The western part of the prefecture is a region famous for producing ceramics and porcelain, particularly the towns of Karatsu, Imari, and Arita...	Saga Saga, Saga is the capital of Saga Prefecture, located on the island of Kyūshū, Japan.Saga was the capital of Saga Domain in the Edo period, and largest city of former Hizen Province....	237,501	241,361	-1.60	166.6	1,426
97	Aomori	Hachinohe Hachinohe, Aomori - Neighbouring municipalities :Aomori PrefectureSannohe DistrictHashikamiGonoheNanbuKamikita District*OiraseIwate PrefectureKarumai-History:...	237,473	244,700	-2.95	117.8	2,016	Special city
98	Saitama	Kasukabe Kasukabe, Saitama is a city in eastern Saitama, Japan, approximately north of Tokyo. It was formerly located in Kitakatsushika and Minamisaitama districts. Kasukabe once prospered as part of the Nikkō Kaidō highway, an important trade route that linked Edo with Nikkō.-Overview:...	237,178	238,506	-0.56	25.5	9,301	Special city
99	Kanagawa	Chigasaki Chigasaki, Kanagawa is a city located in central, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. As of 2010, the city had an estimated population of 234,400 and a density of 6,540 persons per km²...	235,140	228,420	2.94	13.8	17,039	Special city
100	Kanagawa	Yamato Yamato, Kanagawa is a city located in central Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. As of 2010, the city had an estimated population of 225,866 and a density of 8,320 persons per km². The total area was 27.06 km².-Surrounding municipalities:ZamaFujisawaEbinaSagamihara*Ayase...	228,180	221,220	3.15	10.4	21,940	Special city
101	Hyōgo	Takarazuka Takarazuka, Hyogo is a city located in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan.- Geography :Takarazuka is nestled between the Rokko Range to the west and Nagao Range to the north with the Muko River running through the center of the city....	225,587	219,862	2.60	39.3	5,740	Special city
102	Kanagawa	Atsugi Atsugi, Kanagawa is a city located in central Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. As of 2010, the city has an estimated population of 225,622 and a population density of 2,410 persons per km². The total area was 93.83 km²...	224,426	222,403	0.91	36.2	6,200	Special city
103	Saitama	Ageo Ageo, Saitama is a city located in Saitama, Japan.As of December 1, 2010, the city has an estimated population of 227,127 and the density of 4,986.32 persons per km². The total area is 45.55 km². It is twinned with Ueda, Nagano.- History :...	223,882	220,232	1.66	17.6	12,721
104	TokyoTokyo	Chōfu Chofu, Tokyo is a city located in the western end of Tokyo Metropolis, Japan. As of 2010, the city has an estimated population of 224,878 and a population density of 10,440 persons per km². The total area was 21.53 km². Tokyo Stadium in Chōfu hosts soccer games for two J. League teams: F.C...	223,609	216,119	3.47	8.3	26,941
105	Gunma	OtaŌta Ota, Gunma is a city 50 miles northwest of Tokyo, in eastern Gunma prefecture, Japan. This city is located between the Tone and Watarase rivers. As a result, the new city reached a total population of 219,789, making it the third most populous city in Gunma....	216,444	213,160	1.54	67.8	3,192	Special city
106	Ibaraki	Tsukuba Tsukuba, Ibaraki is a city located in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. It is known as the location of the , a planned city developed in the 1960s.As of 2008, the city has an estimated population of 207,394 and a population density of 730 persons per km². Its total area is 284.07 km².Mount Tsukuba, particularly well-known...	214,660	200,528	7.05	109.7	1,957	Special city
107	Gunma	Isesaki Isesaki, Gunma is a city located in Gunma, Japan. The current population is 211,021, with 80,638 households. A small city located near the geographic center of Japan's main island of Honshū, Isesaki is the fourth largest city in Gunma Prefecture and it is one of the growing cities within Gunma Prefecture...	207,199	202,447	2.35	53.8	3,851	Special city
108	Niigata	Jōetsu Joetsu, Niigata is a city located in Niigata Prefecture, Japan.As of June 1, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 205,521, with 72,982 households and a population density of 211.15 persons per km². The total area is 973.32 km²....	203,869	208,082	-2.02	375.8	542	Special city
109	Saitama	Kumagaya Kumagaya, Saitama is a city in Saitama Prefecture, Japan.As of 2010, the city has an estimated population of 203,089 . The total area is 159.88 km². The city is one of the biggest in northern Saitama Prefecture. It is the administrative, business and commercial centre in northern Saitama Prefecture. Eight...	203,192	204,675	-0.72	61.7	3,293	Special city
110	Shizuoka	Numazu Numazu, Shizuoka is a city located in eastern Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. As of 2009, the city has an estimated population of 205,636 and a population density of 1,100 persons per km². The total area was 187.11 km².- Geography:...	202,283	208,005	-2.75	72.2	2,802	Special city

List as of 1889

This is the list of Japanese municipalities by population, as of December 31, 1889. The list includes all the cities, as well as other municipalities with more population than Kurume, the least populous city at the time.

Source: Japanese Wikipedia article of 市制 (City system), retrieved on July 4, 2008.

Japanese national population is as of December 31, 1888.
Municipal statuses, names, and populations are as of December 31, 1889.

Prefectural capital statuses are as of 2008.

	Prefecture	Municipality	Pop.	Status
	Japan		39,626,600
1	Tokyo Tokyo , ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...	Tokyo Tokyo City was a municipality in Japan and part of Tokyo-Fu which existed from May 1, 1889 until its merger with its prefecture on July 1, 1943. The historical boundaries of Tokyo City are now occupied by independent special wards...	1,389,684	City
2	Osaka Osaka Prefecture is a prefecture located in the Kansai region on Honshū, the main island of Japan. The capital is the city of Osaka. It is the center of Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto area.- History :...	Osaka Osaka is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...	476,271	City
3	Kyoto Kyoto Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of the island of Honshu. The capital is the city of Kyoto.- History :Until the Meiji Restoration, the area of Kyoto prefecture was known as Yamashiro....	Kyoto Kyoto is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...	279,792	City
4	Aichi Aichi Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region. The region of Aichi is also known as the Tōkai region. The capital is Nagoya. It is the focus of the Chūkyō Metropolitan Area.- History :...	Nagoya	162,767	City
5	Hyōgo Hyogo Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region on Honshū island. The capital is Kobe.The prefecture's name was previously alternately spelled as Hiogo.- History :...	Kobe Kobe , pronounced , is the fifth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture on the southern side of the main island of Honshū, approximately west of Osaka...	135,639	City
6	Kanagawa Kanagawa Prefecture is a prefecture located in the southern Kantō region of Japan. The capital is Yokohama. Kanagawa is part of the Greater Tokyo Area.-History:The prefecture has some archaeological sites going back to the Jōmon period...	Yokohama Yokohama is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...	121,985	City
7	Ishikawa Ishikawa Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshū island. The capital is Kanazawa.- History :Ishikawa was formed from the merger of Kaga Province and the smaller Noto Province.- Geography :Ishikawa is on the Sea of Japan coast...	Kanazawa Kanazawa, Ishikawa is the capital city of Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan.-Geography, climate, and population:Kanazawa sits on the Sea of Japan, bordered by the Japan Alps, Hakusan National Park and Noto Peninsula National Park. The city sits between the Sai and Asano rivers. Its total area is 467.77 km².Kanazawa's...	94,257	City
8	Miyagi Miyagi Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan in the Tōhoku Region on Honshu island. The capital is Sendai.- History :Miyagi Prefecture was formerly part of the province of Mutsu. Mutsu Province, on northern Honshu, was one of the last provinces to be formed as land was taken from the indigenous Emishi, and became the...	Sendai Sendai, Miyagi is the capital city of Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, and the largest city in the Tōhoku Region. In 2005, the city had a population of one million, and was one of Japan's 19 designated cities...	90,231	City
9	Hiroshima Hiroshima Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region on Honshu island. The capital is the city of Hiroshima.- History :The area around Hiroshima was formerly divided into Bingo Province and Aki Province. This location has been a center of trade and culture since the beginning of Japan's recorded...	Hiroshima Hiroshima is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture, and the largest city in the Chūgoku region of western Honshu, the largest island of Japan. It became best known as the first city in history to be destroyed by a nuclear weapon when the United States Army Air Forces dropped an atomic bomb on it at 8:15 A.M...	88,820	City
10	Tokushima Tokushima Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located on Shikoku island. The capital is the city of Tokushima.- Tokushima Prefecture and Myodo Prefecture :Long ago, Tokushima City belonged to a region known as Myōdō-gun...	Tokushima Tokushima, Tokushima is the capital city of Tokushima Prefecture on Shikoku island in Japan.As of May 1, 2011, the city had an estimated population of 263,372, with 114,325 households, and a population density of 1,377.25 persons per km². Its total area is 191.23 km²....	61,107	City
11	Toyama Toyama Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Hokuriku region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Toyama.Toyama is the leading industrial prefecture on the Japan Sea coast, and has the industrial advantage of cheap electricity due to abundant water resources....	Toyama Toyama, Toyama is the capital city of Toyama Prefecture, Japan, located on the coast of the Sea of Japan in the Chūbu region on central Honshū, about 200 km north of the city of Nagoya and 300 km northwest of Tokyo....	58,159	City
12	Kagoshima Kagoshima Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyushu. The capital is the city of Kagoshima.- Geography :Kagoshima Prefecture is located at the southwest tip of Kyushu and includes a chain of islands stretching further to the southwest for a few hundred kilometers...	Kagoshima Kagoshima, Kagoshima is the capital city of Kagoshima Prefecture at the southwestern tip of the Kyūshū island of Japan, and the largest city in the prefecture by some margin...	57,465	City
13	Wakayama Wakayama Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located on the Kii Peninsula in the Kansai region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Wakayama.- History :Present-day Wakayama is mostly the western part of the province of Kii.- 1953 Wakayama Prefecture flood disaster :...	Wakayama Wakayama, Wakayama is the capital city of Wakayama Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan.-Background:Wakayama occupies 4% of the land area and has 40% of Wakayama prefecture's population. The city was founded on April 1, 1889....	56,713	City
14	Nagasaki Nagasaki Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. The capital is the city of Nagasaki.- History :Nagasaki Prefecture was created by merging of the western half of the former province of Hizen with the island provinces of Tsushima and Iki...	Nagasaki	55,063	City
15	Fukuoka Fukuoka Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located on Kyūshū Island. The capital is the city of Fukuoka.- History :Fukuoka Prefecture includes the former provinces of Chikugo, Chikuzen, and Buzen....	Fukuoka Fukuoka, Fukuoka is the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture and is situated on the northern shore of the island of Kyushu in Japan.Voted number 14 in a 2010 poll of the World's Most Livable Cities, Fukuoka is praised for its green spaces in a metropolitan setting. It is the most populous city in Kyushu, followed by...	53,014	City
16	Hokkaido Hokkaido , formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...	Hakodate Hakodate, Hokkaido is a city and port located in Oshima Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. It is the capital city of Oshima Subprefecture.Hakodate was Japan's first city whose port was opened to foreign trade in 1854 as a result of Convention of Kanagawa, and used to be the most important port in northern Japan...	52,909	Ward
17	Kumamoto Kumamoto Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located on Kyushu Island. The capital is the city of Kumamoto.- History :Historically the area was called Higo Province; and the province was renamed Kumamoto during the Meiji Restoration. The creation of prefectures was part of the abolition of the feudal system...	Kumamoto Kumamoto, Kumamoto is the capital city of Kumamoto Prefecture on the island of Kyushu, Japan. Greater Kumamoto has a population of 1,460,000, as of the 2000 census...	52,833	City
18	Okayama Okayama Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Okayama.- History :During the Meiji Restoration, the area of Okayama Prefecture was known as Bitchū Province, Bizen Province and Mimasaka Province.- Geography :...	Okayama Okayama, Okayama is the capital city of Okayama Prefecture in the Chūgoku region of Japan.The city was founded on June 1, 1889. As of August 2010, the city has an estimated population of 705,224 and a population density of 893 persons per km². The total area is 789.88 km²....	48,333	City
19	Osaka Osaka Prefecture is a prefecture located in the Kansai region on Honshū, the main island of Japan. The capital is the city of Osaka. It is the center of Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto area.- History :...	Sakai Sakai, Osaka is a city in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. It has been one of the largest and most important seaports of Japan since the Medieval era.Following the February 2005 annexation of the town of Mihara, from Minamikawachi District, the city has grown further and is now the fourteenth most populous city in...	48,165	City
20	Niigata Niigata Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Honshū on the coast of the Sea of Japan. The capital is the city of Niigata. The name "Niigata" literally means "new lagoon".- History :...	Niigata Niigata, Niigata is the capital and the most populous city of Niigata Prefecture, Japan. It lies on the northwest coast of Honshu, the largest island of Japan, and faces the Sea of Japan and Sado Island....	46,353	City
21	Fukui Fukui Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Fukui.- Prehistory :The Kitadani Dinosaur Quarry, on the Sugiyama River within the city limits of Katsuyama, has yielded the Fukuiraptor kitadaniensis and Fukuisaurus tetoriensis as well as an unnamed...	Fukui Fukui, Fukui is the capital of Fukui Prefecture, Japan. The city is located in the north-central part of the prefecture on the coast of the Sea of Japan.-Demographics:...	40,849	City
	Okinawa Okinawa Prefecture is one of Japan's southern prefectures. It consists of hundreds of the Ryukyu Islands in a chain over long, which extends southwest from Kyūshū to Taiwan. Okinawa's capital, Naha, is located in the southern part of Okinawa Island...	Naha Naha, Okinawa is the capital city of the Japanese prefecture of Okinawa.Naha is a coastal city located on the East China Sea coast of the southern part of Okinawa Island, the largest of the Ryukyu Islands...	40,212	Unofficial area
22	Shizuoka Shizuoka Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshu island. The capital is the city of Shizuoka.- History :Shizuoka prefecture was formed from the former Tōtōmi, Suruga and Izu provinces.The area was the home of the first Tokugawa Shogun...	Shizuoka Shizuoka, Shizuoka is the capital city of Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, and the prefecture's second-largest city in terms of both population and area. It became one of Japan's 19 "designated cities" in 2005.-Geography:...	37,664	City
23	Shimane Shimane Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region on Honshū island. The capital is Matsue. It is the second least populous prefecture in Japan, after its eastern neighbor Tottori. The prefecture has an area elongated from east to west facing the Chūgoku Mountain Range on the south side and to...	Matsue Matsue, Shimane is the capital city of Shimane Prefecture in the Chūgoku region of Japan.As of August, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 207,000, following its most recent merging with Higashi-Izumo...	35,934	City
24	Ehime Ehime Prefecture is a prefecture in northwestern Shikoku, Japan. The capital is Matsuyama.-History:Until the Meiji Restoration, Ehime prefecture was known as Iyo Province...	Matsuyama Matsuyama, Ehime is the capital city of Ehime Prefecture on the Shikoku island of Japan. It is located on the northeastern portion of the Dōgo Plain. Its name means "pine mountain." The city was founded on December 15, 1889....	32,738	City
25	Kōchi Kochi Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located on the south coast of Shikoku. The capital is the city of Kōchi.- History :Prior to the Meiji Restoration, Kōchi was known as Tosa Province and was controlled by the Chosokabe clan in the Sengoku period and the Yamauchi family during the Edo period.- Geography...	Kōchi Kochi, Kochi is the capital city of Kōchi Prefecture on Shikoku island of Japan.Kōchi is the main city of the prefecture with over 40% of its population. As of May 31, 2008, the city had an estimated population of 340,515 and a density of...	32,241	City
	Kagawa Kagawa Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located on Shikoku island. The capital is Takamatsu.- History :Kagawa was formerly known as Sanuki Province.For a brief period between August 1876 and December 1888, Kagawa was made a part of Ehime Prefecture.-Battle of Yashima:...	Takamatsu Takamatsu, Kagawa is a city located in central Kagawa Prefecture on the island of Shikoku in Japan, and is the seat of the prefectural government. It is designated a core city by the Japanese Government. It is a port city located on the Seto Inland Sea, and is the closest port to Honshu from Shikoku island...	32,081	Unofficial area
26	Iwate Iwate Prefecture is the second largest prefecture of Japan after Hokkaido. It is located in the Tōhoku region of Honshū island and contains the island's easternmost point. The capital is Morioka. Iwate has the lowest population density of any prefecture outside Hokkaido...	Morioka Morioka, Iwate is the capital city of Iwate Prefecture, Japan.As of 2005, the city has an estimated population of 300,740 and a population density of 588.11 persons per km². The total area is 489.15 km²....	31,153	City
27	Yamanashi Yamanashi Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of the island of Honshū. The capital is the city of Kōfu.-Pre-history to the 14th century:People have been living in the Yamanashi area for about 30,000 years...	Kōfu Kofu, Yamanashi is the capital city of Yamanashi Prefecture in Japan.As of May 1, 2011, the city had a estimate population of 197,540, with 85,794 households. The total area is 212.41 km².-History:Kōfu's name means "capital of Kai Province"...	31,135	City
28	Tochigi Tochigi Prefecture is a prefecture located in the Kantō region on the island of Honshū, Japan. The capital is the city of Utsunomiya.Nikkō, whose ancient Shintō shrines and Buddhist temples UNESCO has recognized by naming them a World Heritage Site, is in this prefecture...	Utsunomiya Utsunomiya, Tochigi is the capital and most populous city of Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. In October 2010 the city had an estimated population of 510,416 and a population density of 1,224.49 people per square kilometer. The total area is 416.84 km². had a population of 888,005 in the 2000 Census...	30,698	Town
29	Aomori Aomori Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku Region. The capital is the city of Aomori.- History :Until the Meiji Restoration, the area of Aomori prefecture was known as Mutsu Province....	Hirosaki Hirosaki, Aomori is a city located in southwest Aomori Prefecture, Japan. It is a castle town and was the Tsugaru clan ruled the 100,000 koku tozama han Hirosaki Domain from Hirosaki Castle during the Edo period. The city is currently a regional commercial center and the largest producer of apples in Japan...	30,487	City
30	Shiga Shiga Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan, which forms part of the Kansai region on Honshu Island. The capital is the city of Ōtsu.- History :Shiga was known as Ōmi Province or Gōshū before the prefectural system was established...	Ōtsu Otsu, Shiga is the capital city of Shiga, Japan. The city was founded on October 1, 1898. As of October 1, 2010, the city has an estimated population of 338,629 with an average age of 40.7 years and a population density of 905.28 persons per km²...	29,941	Town
31	Yamaguchi Yamaguchi Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan in the Chūgoku region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Yamaguchi, in the center of the prefecture. The largest city, however, is Shimonoseki.- History :...	Akamaseki Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi is a city located in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. It is at the southwestern tip of Honshū, facing the Tsushima Strait and also Kitakyushu across the Kanmon Straits....	29,919	City
32	Yamagata Yamagata Prefecture -Fruit:Yamagata Prefecture is the largest producer of cherries and pears in Japan. A large quantity of other kinds of fruits such as grapes, apples, peaches, melons, persimmons and watermelons are also produced.- Demographics :...	Yonezawa Yonezawa, Yamagata is a city located in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan.As of 2008, the city has an estimated population of 91,704 and the population density of 167 persons per square kilometer...	29,591	City
33	Akita Akita Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku Region of northern Honshu, the main island of Japan. The capital is the city of Akita.- History :The area of Akita has been created from the ancient provinces of Dewa and Mutsu....	Akita Akita, Akita is the capital city of Akita Prefecture in the Tohoku region of Japan.As of June 11, 2005, with the merger of the former Kawabe District , the city has an estimated population of 323,310 and density of...	29,568	City
34	Nagano Nagano Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of the island of Honshū. The capital is the city of Nagano.- History :Nagano was formerly known as the province of Shinano...	Matsumoto Matsumoto, Nagano is a city located in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. Matsumoto is designated as a Special City.-Outline:The new city of Matsumoto is the city comprising the mergers of the old city of Matsumoto and four villages. Matsumoto officially absorbed those villages without creating a new municipal...	29,319	Town
35	Yamagata Yamagata Prefecture -Fruit:Yamagata Prefecture is the largest producer of cherries and pears in Japan. A large quantity of other kinds of fruits such as grapes, apples, peaches, melons, persimmons and watermelons are also produced.- Demographics :...	Yamagata Yamagata, Yamagata is the capital city of Yamagata Prefecture in Japan.As of July 1, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 253,951 with 97,457 households and a population density of 665.94 persons per km². The total area is 381.34 km². The city was founded on April 1, 1889.-Culture:The , one of Tōhoku's...	29,019	City
36	Nagano Nagano Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of the island of Honshū. The capital is the city of Nagano.- History :Nagano was formerly known as the province of Shinano...	Nagano Nagano, Nagano , the capital city of Nagano Prefecture, is located in the northern part of the prefecture near the confluence of the Chikuma and the Sai rivers, on the main Japanese island of Honshū.As of April 1, 2011 the city has a population of 387,146...	28,980	Town
37	Toyama Toyama Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Hokuriku region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Toyama.Toyama is the leading industrial prefecture on the Japan Sea coast, and has the industrial advantage of cheap electricity due to abundant water resources....	Takaoka Takaoka, Toyama is a city situated in the northwest of Toyama Prefecture, Japan, and is the central city of its Western District. Takaoka covers the 8th largest surface area in Toyama prefecture and has the second largest population after Toyama City...	28,928	City
38	Tottori Tottori Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region. The capital is the city of Tottori. It is the least populous prefecture in Japan.- History :Before the Meiji Restoration, Tottori encompassed the old provinces of Hōki and Inaba...	Tottori Tottori, Tottori is the capital city of Tottori Prefecture in the Chūgoku region of Japan.As of 2006, the city has an estimated population of 200,974 and a density of 262.48 persons per km². The total area is 765.66 km²....	28,396	City
39	Mie Mie Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan which is part of the Kansai regions on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Tsu.- History :Until the Meiji Restoration, Mie prefecture was known as Ise Province and Iga Province....	Tsu Tsu, Mie is the capital of Mie Prefecture, Japan. The city of Tsu is located on Ise Bay, east of the city. Tsu is bounded to the north by Suzuka and Kameyama; to the west by Iga, Nabari, and Nara Prefecture; and to the south by Matsuzaka city.-History:...	28,156	City
40	Gunma Gunma Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the northwest corner of the Kantō region on Honshu island. Its capital is Maebashi.- History :The remains of a Paleolithic man were found at Iwajuku, Gunma Prefecture, in the early 20th century and there is a public museum there.Japan was without horses until...	Maebashi Maebashi, Gunma is the capital city of Gunma Prefecture, Japan.The city was founded on April 1, 1892, by the samurai Makuba Kawai.On December 5, 2004 the town of Ōgo, and the villages of Kasukawa and Miyagi, all from Seta District, were merged into Maebashi....	28,115	Town
41	Mie Mie Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan which is part of the Kansai regions on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Tsu.- History :Until the Meiji Restoration, Mie prefecture was known as Ise Province and Iga Province....	Ujiyamada Ise, Mie , formerly called Ujiyamada , is a city located in eastern Mie Prefecture, on the island of Honshū, Japan.Ise is home to Ise Grand Shrine, the most sacred Shintō Shrine in Japan, and is thus a very popular destination for tourists. The city has a long-standing nickname—Shinto —that roughly means...	27,365	Town
42	Gifu Gifu Prefecture is a prefecture located in the Chūbu region of central Japan. Its capital is the city of Gifu.Located in the center of Japan, it has long played an important part as the crossroads of Japan, connecting the east to the west through such routes as the Nakasendō...	Gifu Gifu, Gifu is a city located in the south-central portion of Gifu Prefecture, Japan, and serves as the prefectural capital. The city has played an important role in Japan's history because of its location in the middle of the country. During the Sengoku period, various warlords, including Oda Nobunaga, used...	27,089	City
43	Hyōgo Hyogo Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region on Honshū island. The capital is Kobe.The prefecture's name was previously alternately spelled as Hiogo.- History :...	Himeji Himeji, Hyogo is a city located in Hyōgo Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan. As of April 1, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 535,945, with 206,409 households. The total area is 534.43 km².- History :...	27,055	City
44	Saga Saga Prefecture is located in the northwest part of the island of Kyūshū, Japan. It touches both the Sea of Japan and the Ariake Sea. The western part of the prefecture is a region famous for producing ceramics and porcelain, particularly the towns of Karatsu, Imari, and Arita...	Saga Saga, Saga is the capital of Saga Prefecture, located on the island of Kyūshū, Japan.Saga was the capital of Saga Domain in the Edo period, and largest city of former Hizen Province....	26,401	City
	Okinawa Okinawa Prefecture is one of Japan's southern prefectures. It consists of hundreds of the Ryukyu Islands in a chain over long, which extends southwest from Kyūshū to Taiwan. Okinawa's capital, Naha, is located in the southern part of Okinawa Island...	Shuri Shuri, Japan is a district of the city of Naha, Okinawa. It was formerly a separate city unto itself, and the royal capital of the Ryūkyū Kingdom. A number of famous historical sites are located in Shuri, including Shuri Castle, the Shureimon gate, Sunuhyan-utaki , and royal mausoleum Tamaudun, all of which are...	26,205	Unofficial area
45	Osaka Osaka Prefecture is a prefecture located in the Kansai region on Honshū, the main island of Japan. The capital is the city of Osaka. It is the center of Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto area.- History :...	Nanba Chuo-ku, Osaka , Osaka is one of 24 wards of Osaka, Japan. It has an area of 8.88 km2, and a population of 60,085. It houses Osaka's financial district, as well as the Osaka Prefecture offices and principal shopping and tourist areas.-Diplomatic missions:...	25,617	Village
46	Ibaraki Ibaraki Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan, located in the Kantō region on the main island of Honshu. The capital is Mito.-History:Ibaraki Prefecture was previously known as Hitachi Province...	Mito Mito, Ibaraki is the capital of Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan and has a central location, moderately offset towards the coast in that prefecture. As of 2005, the city has an estimated population of 263,748 and a total area is 217.45 km², giving a population density of 1,212.91 persons per km²...	25,591	City
47	Fukuoka Fukuoka Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located on Kyūshū Island. The capital is the city of Fukuoka.- History :Fukuoka Prefecture includes the former provinces of Chikugo, Chikuzen, and Buzen....	Kurume Kurume, Fukuoka is a city located in Fukuoka prefecture, Japan.The city has an estimated population of 303,277 and a population density of 1,319.51 persons per km²...	24,859	City

These municipalities changed their names:
- Akamaseki, now a part of Shimonoseki.
- Ujiyamada, now a part of Ise.
- Shuri, now a part of Naha.
- Nanba, now a part of Chūō Ward, Osaka.
Naha, Takamatsu, and Shuri were unofficial place names given to the groups of smaller towns or villages.

List

List as of 1889

See also