Prefecture stories
Explore differences and connections between two prefectures through sourced data and local history.
Niigata rice and Kagawa udon: how did two staple food cultures grow?
From Niigata's sasa-zushi and sasa-dango to Kagawa's Sanuki udon, explore how harvests and local food traditions shaped staple dishes.
Read story Hokkaido × OkinawaHow did Hokkaido kelp become an Okinawan food tradition?
Trace the difference between where kombu is harvested and where it is eaten, and how trade and Okinawan cooking shaped a local dish.
Read story Fukui × YamanashiFukui eyewear and Yamanashi jewellery: how did these craft centres grow?
Compare the skills brought from Osaka to Fukui's eyewear makers and from Kyoto to Yamanashi's crystal polishers, and the specialised work that followed.
Read story Niigata × AomoriNiigata hegi soba and Aomori Tsugaru soba: how do their methods differ?
Hegi soba from Uonuma uses funori seaweed as a binder; Tsugaru soba uses soybeans. Explore their links to weaving and the time spent preparing the dough.
Read story Kagawa × KochiKagawa reservoirs and Kochi rivers: how does water reach farms?
From rainfall in Takamatsu and Kochi to Manno Pond and the Monobe River, explore how water is stored, allocated and delivered to farmland.
Read story Kochi × NaraKochi and Nara's forests: how is timber grown and delivered?
Compare Tosa and Yoshino timber through their growing regions, forestry methods, and the work of processing and marketing wood.
Read story Toyama × TokyoHow much larger are homes in Toyama than in Tokyo?
Compare 2023 floor area and homeownership figures, then consider household size from the separate 2020 census to understand the averages.
Read story Nagano × OkinawaNagano and Okinawa: what do car counts say about daily travel?
Use 2026 private-use passenger car counts and 2020 commuting and school-travel data to explore movement in Nagano's mountains and across Okinawa's islands.
Read story Nara × SaitamaNara and Saitama: why is the daytime population smaller?
Use the 2020 census to examine daytime and nighttime populations and cross-prefecture journeys to work or school around Osaka and Tokyo.
Read story Aichi × ShizuokaAichi and Shizuoka manufacturing: where are shipments concentrated?
Compare Aichi and Shizuoka's 2023 manufacturing shipments and see how transport equipment and other industries contribute in each prefecture.
Read story Tokyo × FukuokaTokyo and Fukuoka migration: where do people arrive from and move to?
Follow 2025 arrivals and departures, Fukuoka's regional ties and the young adults moving into Greater Tokyo.
Read story Akita × OkinawaAkita and Okinawa: why are their age profiles so different?
Compare Akita and Okinawa's 2024 age profiles and trace how births, deaths and migration shape their populations over time.
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