We take a look at the four main islands of Japan and why you should visit them...
Honshu:
Honshu is the largest of the four main islands of Japan and easily the most well known and most visited. It is centrally located and includes many of Japan’s main cities such as Tokyo.
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Reasons to visit Honshu include visiting some of the most famous sights in Japan like in Osaka, Kyoto, Nagoya, Hiroshima, Yokohama, and Niigata. Certainly if you like big cities and want to see the modern side of Japan then this is a solid pick. It is also the easiest place to get to and is well connected in terms of both international and domestic flights and there is a good rail network that will take you all over the island.
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Honshu is also famous for its mountains so if you fancy climbing one while you are in Japan then this is the place to come. Some of the highlights include the peerless Mount Fuji, Mount Hotaka, and Mount Kita. It is also home to the biggest lake in Japan which is Lake Biwa.
As such Honshu offers a range of both modern cities and natural beauty, although if you want to get off the usual tourist trail then this is probably not the best choice.
Hokkaido:
Hokkaido is the furthest north and is the second biggest of the four main islands after Honshu.
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The capital of Hokkaido is Sapporo which makes a nice visit; although the real draw here is the scenery, as this island’s claim to fame are its mountains, lakes, and national parks. The rocky scenery means that you can happily spend most of your time here scaling peaks and rambling through nature, a world away from the fast pace of places such as Tokyo.
If you don’t mind cold weather then Hokkaido can be a great choice and its northern orientation means that you can ski in the winter months and there is also a famous Winter Festival held here. If you want to enjoy the snow then places like Asahikawa, Obihiro, and Hakodate are not to be missed. The area is also well known for its drift ice and you can even go out on the water here and experience it yourself.
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This is definitely an area less visited, particularly by international travelers but if you like outdoor pursuits and skiing then this is one of the best picks in Japan.
Kyushu:
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Kyushu is the third largest of the four main islands in Japan and is incidentally often called the ‘Land of Fire’. As you may have guessed, the reason for this is due to the abundance of still-active volcanoes found here, so if you like a little heat then this is the ideal spot to find it.
As Kyushu is to the southwest of Honshu, you will notice that the climate here is markedly more tropical and balmy.
The big draws here come in the form of the mighty Mount Aso and Mount Kuju but you can also enjoy cities like Nagasaki (famous for being the spot of the second atomic bomb dropped on Japan) as well as Fukuoka and Kagoshima.
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For foodies, Kyushu is famous for its Japanese sweets including a cloud-like sponge cake that is a relic of Portuguese influence in Japan.
You can get the Shinkansen from Osaka on Honshu to Kyushu, or some of the larger cities like Kagoshima, Nagasaki, and Fukuoka have international airports.
Shikoku:
To the southeast of Honshu sits the small island of Shikoku, actually the smallest of the ‘Big Four’.
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Shikoku is one of the islands most steeped in local culture and happens to be the place of one of the most famous Buddhist pilgrimage spots in the world. This involves devotees walking around the island to pray at the 88 ornate temples located here, so if you want to see a slice of more traditional life in Japan then this is a solid choice.
Some of the cities in Shikoku are also worth visiting, despite not being as large or as famous as other corners of Japan. These include Kochi and Matsuyama, the latter of which has a gorgeous castle that dates from medieval times.
You can also try some of the local delicacies in Shikoku such as sanuki-udon which consists of toothsome noodles made from white wheat that are served in a soup.
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Shikoku is linked to Honshu via a bridge which makes it relatively easy to travel to, especially if you don’t mind taking a bus. Some of the cities here like Kochi and Matsuyama have airports but these usually have domestic flights. Still, if you can get a good deal on tickets then it is easy enough to hop over here from a big city like Tokyo.
This is certainly one of the more off the beaten track parts of Japan, but it is well worth the effort if you want to explore the road less travelled.
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