Japan Travel: On and Off The Beaten Path

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Population: 5,057,932

Festivals:

Dontaku (Fukuoka-city)どんたく, Hakata Gion Yamakasa (Hakata)博多祇園山笠, Oniyo fire Festival (Daizenji)鬼夜

Specialty Items:

Mentaiko明太子, Tarakoたらこ, Tonkotsu Ramen豚骨ラーメン, Yakitori焼き鳥, Hakata Torimon

Website: www.city.fukuoka.lg.jp/index.html

Main Attractions: Fukuoka Tower, Dazaifu Tenmangu, Uminonakamichi

Major Cities (and HOT SPOTS!):

Fukuoka- Tenjin, Oyafuku-dori, Nakasu

Kita-Kyushu- Kokura

Kurume- Ichibangai, Bunkagai

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Population: 127,900,000

Festivals:

Asakusa Samba 祭り,  Tokyo Bay Fireworks

Specialty Items:

Food 食べ物

Website: www.tourism.metro.tokyo.jp

Main Attractions: Ueno Park,  Tokyo National Museum, National Science Museum, Shitamachi Museum and National Museum for Western Art.

Major Cities: There are 26 Cities and 23 Wards in Tokyo

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Population: 7,341,000

Festivals:

Firework Festival（Toyohashi city)、 Nagoya Festival(Nagoya　city）,The Handa Dashi Matsuri(Float Festival)(Handa city)、OIDEN  Festivali(Toyota-city)豊田おいでん祭り,

Specialty Items:

味噌煮込みうどん (Misonikomi udon), 手羽先 (Tebasaki), 天むす (Tenmusu)

Uirouういろう、Hitsumabushiひつまぶし、Kishimenきしめん、Misokatsu味噌カツ

Website: www.aichi-kanko.jp/index.asp

Main Attractions: Nagoya Castle

Major Cities: Nagoya city, Ichinomiya city, Handa city, Toyota city

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Population:2,370,280

Festivals:

Sendai Tanabata Festival 仙台七夕祭り, Sendai Aoba Festival仙台青葉祭り, Sendai Hikari no pageant 仙台光のページェント

Specialty Items:

牛タン, ずんだ餅, カキ（松島湾）, 笹かまぼこ, 萩の月

Website: www.pref.miyagi.jp and www.tohokutimes.jp/

Main Attractions: 松島湾, 仙台城跡, 作並温泉, 秋保温泉

Major Cities: Sendai, Natori, Ishinomaki

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Population: 1,758,131

Festivals:

Japan Sand Festival, Ohara 祭り

Specialty Items:
Kagoshima Beef, Satsuma ware, Kagoshima Ramen, Sakezushi

Website: http://www3.pref.kagoshima.jp

Main Attractions: Sakurajima, Ibusuki, Kirishima,Tanegashima- Space Exhibitions Center

Major Cities: Kagoshima

Hot spots: Tenmonkan

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Population: 2,644,341

Festivals:

Gion 祭り

Specialty Items:

Food 食べ物

Website: http://www.pref.kyoto.jp

Main Attractions: Kinkakuji, Kiyomizudera, Sanjusangendo, (There are too many to list)

Major Cities: Kyoto