Comments on: Areas of Japan nobody cares about

By: Guest

Guest — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 00:43:00 +0000

I live in Fukushima and I have to say, people care about us now motherfuckers!

By: jkl

jkl — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 12:14:53 +0000

i live in tottori-shi. the most thumpin places in town are the lawsons. that’s about it.

By: toro

toro — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 14:24:10 +0000

Also:
At least in these prefectures Fukui, Ishikawa, Gifu boring as they maybe so far there’s tons of Green! There’s actually nature! There’s
all about Eco…a good balance something the world’s big cities can learn from! It’s their loss for being blind and shut eyed about it…undervalued treasures of Japan lie here! Wow they are sadly missing out! Get off the that couch and live life lol

Eiheiji Temple
Plenty of hiking, fishing, camping
Hakusan–3 of the most sacred mountains in Japan besides Fujisan
Best milk in Japan
Heisenji
Shirakawago–World Heritage Site
The third largest buddha in all Japan–Echizen Daibutsu and the tallest pagoda in Japan!
The world’s second only dinosaur museum
Quite the awesome ski slope Ski-Jam

Instead of knocking every single freakin tree and kickin out all the wildlife, add trees, plants, and other stuff along with the city and not make it so artificial and all concrete jungled! Balance is key to life folks!
Uh parks, arboretums, nature preserves, and such thankfully cities like Seattle, Dallas, Washington D.C, London seem to have the right idea

By: toro

toro — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 14:00:28 +0000

How can you not care about Fukui, Ishikawa, and Gifu lol
Ishikawa has got Hakusan! Ski-Jam, and that dinosaur museum!

Golly people must really live in cave dwelling lives lol or those people are major seriously boring themselves

Saga got that cool annual hot air balloon festival
Tottori has like a saharan desert like area which is cool and can ride camels even there! Right next to the ocean too!

Iwate ken etc… can understand—they’re just boring

By: Emily

Emily — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 13:35:58 +0000

lol, some of my best friends are from Fukui or living there now. Go go Fukui!!

I’m surprised Miyazaki is on there, but I guess there just aren’t a whole lot of cool things there. I liked it there though

By: Haf

Haf — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 09:48:26 +0000

That may explain why there are driving schools there attracting tons of students from Tokyo with special driving courses during the summer vacation.

By: Kelamity

Kelamity — Sun, 31 May 2009 08:19:40 +0000

No love for the entire San-in region!

By: Erf

Erf — Sun, 31 May 2009 04:53:03 +0000

All the different aministration areas (ken, do, to and fu) are considered as Prefectures in English, so in fact it is a prefecture.

By: Flubberts

Flubberts — Sat, 30 May 2009 23:41:43 +0000

Fukui is number 2? Guess Obama’s magic has its limitations…

Toyama would be on that list if it weren’t for all the pachinko parlors (or so I’ve been told). Apparently Toyama is where all people come to play pachinko away from it all…

By: Serge

Serge — Sat, 30 May 2009 14:26:28 +0000

This has to be the case. Toyama would be there, but they’ve completely forgotten it exists. Not shocking, really.

I am surprised that Miyazaki is on there. People have clearly never been to Miyazaki, for it is the best bloody place in the friggin’ country (at least to visit).

By: Cory

Cory — Thu, 28 May 2009 11:00:15 +0000

I’ve been to Fukui twice… eiheiji, tojinbou, maruokajo. It’s a great place to see the contryside and it’s next door to the hyakumankoku han!

By: McAlpine

McAlpine — Thu, 28 May 2009 10:26:54 +0000

This list is so absurd and totally stupid! I don’t see how a bunch of ignorant Japanese who have probably never even heard of these places can say such things. The survey is flawed.

By: ojisanjake

ojisanjake — Thu, 28 May 2009 03:44:44 +0000

Actually Shimane is the SECOND least populated prefecture. Neighboring Tottori is the least.

By: Christina

Christina — Thu, 28 May 2009 02:50:01 +0000

There’s a tasty tofu restaurant! And some reconstructed ruins! And barbecues! And onsen! And rice. Lots of rice. Also rice. Don’t forget the rice.

By: JapanZone

JapanZone — Thu, 28 May 2009 02:25:27 +0000

And don’t forget that Utsunomiya is the home of Gyoza and one of the best places to go Yakuza spotting

By: David in Nishinomiya

David in Nishinomiya — Thu, 28 May 2009 00:25:02 +0000

Awww, I love Shimane.

It has the sand museum.

By: Ryan

Ryan — Wed, 27 May 2009 18:06:36 +0000

Interesting article. Don’t get too offended Yamagatans!

By: astronautcowboy3

astronautcowboy3 — Wed, 27 May 2009 15:42:58 +0000

That’s pretty harsh dude, considering an earthquake hitting Kobe was a serious, heart-wrenching disaster that actually did occur there.

That’s like saying I hate big cities like NY, if a plane flew into a building and killed a bunch of people there, I wouldn’t care, I’d go run through a field of daisies.

By: Jeshii

Jeshii — Mon, 25 May 2009 17:30:25 +0000

Yeah, they don’t care about Gunma, but you know, that’s part of what makes it so great! Don’t want people clogging up my 温泉 and 峠!

By: Patrick

Patrick — Mon, 25 May 2009 08:20:04 +0000

Whoo, totally agree! Quiet, almost-deserted railways, almost-pristine countryside …

By: Dangomushi

Dangomushi — Sun, 24 May 2009 22:08:40 +0000

Miyazaki is where I’m going for my year-long exchange program this coming fall. I’m already totally aware it’s not “big city Japan” by any means, but still… to be “uncared” for… awww… At least it’s not in the top 10 (barely).

By: ini

ini — Sun, 24 May 2009 14:45:02 +0000

yeah, I climbed it too, from Kawaguchi 5th station.. found no nashi as well >_>

By: La

La — Sun, 24 May 2009 11:33:33 +0000

Ibaraki’s not on there! Dude!

By: BruceD

BruceD — Sun, 24 May 2009 09:54:53 +0000

Iwate is the least densely populated prefecture in Japan and that’s why I love it! You know which parts of Japan I least care about? Tokyo, Osaka, Kobe, Nagoya – big cities. If an earthquake hit and all the buildings fell down I wouldn’t even watch on TV. I’d just go outside and pick blueberries in my garden and enjoy the fresh air! Ahhh!

By: Patrik

Patrik — Sat, 23 May 2009 18:35:38 +0000

This poll doesn’t make much sense in its form, considering that the prefecture you would care less about is often one you don’t remember…

By: KokuRyu

KokuRyu — Sat, 23 May 2009 17:04:49 +0000

I lived in Fukui and Ishikawa for ten years. Fukui is a little frumpy, but it’s an awesome place to raise a family. Lots of hiking, fishing, sandy beaches and good food. Ishikawa is even better because it has Kanazawa, the most beautiful city in Japan.

By: Bad Wolf

Bad Wolf — Sat, 23 May 2009 14:25:25 +0000

Whilst technically you are a dick; semincolon here that ends with “duh”

By: Bad Wolf

Bad Wolf — Sat, 23 May 2009 13:54:26 +0000

Right. No foreigners in Hokkaido. And those of us who are here can’t be bothered to learn Japanese cause we’re too busy running from to bears.

Stupid ass mainlanders.

By: nikonninja

nikonninja — Sat, 23 May 2009 08:45:22 +0000

Aside from having family in and around there, its sad to see Miyazaki on that list. I’ve been there, it’s not that forgetful – had fun there, met nice people.

But then again, it’s just a poll. (No worries)

By: astronautcowboy3

astronautcowboy3 — Sat, 23 May 2009 02:57:48 +0000

I recently did a 7 prefecture hitchhiking tour of Kyushu. I had my best experience in Saga, but the best prefecture insofar as beauty was concerned was far and away Miyazaki. Hang in there guys!

Of course, no surprise my home Hyogo isn’t on there.

By: Ido

Ido — Sat, 23 May 2009 02:01:41 +0000

I’m surprised to see Gunma in there..

By: matt

matt — Sat, 23 May 2009 01:20:07 +0000

I have lived in Fukui for the past 4 years. It’s not that interesting, but #2? We have like 10 nuclear power plants! And a lot of rice fields! Anyway it’s way cooler than northern Honshu, for shame…
That said most Japanese people outside of Hokuriku have no idea where it is.

By: M

Fri, 22 May 2009 23:07:17 +0000

Dear 3,000 Japanese people,

Thank you. Please stay away from Tokushima. This way I can enjoy the whirlpools of Naruto, the gorgeous gorges and their rafting oppertunities, the fantastic beaches and surfing, the Tanuki Matsuri, the start of the 88 temple pilgrimage, the unbelieveably kind people, the various outdoor activities (from paragliding to skiing), and the amazing hiking through some of the greenest areas of Japan without the crowds!

By: niels

niels — Fri, 22 May 2009 19:59:13 +0000

Kumamoto strawberries are way better tasting though…

By: Dave

Dave — Fri, 22 May 2009 19:57:29 +0000

Interesting – now I actually want to visit some of these places the next time I’m in Japan.

By: tt

tt — Fri, 22 May 2009 17:14:48 +0000

who cares.. now what about swine flu?

By: Miss_igirisu

Miss_igirisu — Fri, 22 May 2009 16:59:57 +0000

Gifu FTW

By: Alex

Alex — Fri, 22 May 2009 14:24:18 +0000

All right! Another Gifu fan!

By: Alex

Alex — Fri, 22 May 2009 14:21:55 +0000

I climbed up Fuji and I can tell you this – There are no nashi at all on that yama. What a major let down that trip was.

By: Alex

Alex — Fri, 22 May 2009 14:18:57 +0000

You’re obviously not an eat-out-breakfast sort of person, then!

By: Kirbz

Kirbz — Fri, 22 May 2009 14:09:06 +0000

Sapporo does have a lot of foreign influence in its planning and history, plus up until the Meiji period Hokkaido was treated really as another country to mainland Honshu and the rest of Japan. I have found that you meet and have conversations with really interesting people there because many people there don’t get to see/talk to a foreigner, especially one that can speak and understand Japanese.

By: ini

ini — Fri, 22 May 2009 13:11:42 +0000

Yama-what?!?

By: ini

ini — Fri, 22 May 2009 13:09:42 +0000

let’s just say I don’t care at all about the comment above..

By: MaryWitzl

MaryWitzl — Fri, 22 May 2009 13:01:04 +0000

Oita isn’t popular? I lived in Oita and it was wonderful! They’ve got hot springs and the sea and stone Buddhas and an entire mountain populated by monkeys and a fantastic aquarium. And great seafood…

And Gifu-ken and Miyazaki-ken are just stunning. Somebody please give me either one.

By: Dusty

Dusty — Fri, 22 May 2009 12:32:40 +0000

Fair enough, but I would like to point out that the tiny formerly unknown fishing village of Obama is located in #2 Fukui. There has to be nearly as many Japanese that care about that little village as care about whatever godforsaken locale promoted a cat to eki master.

On second thought, perhaps not. We love you Tama.

By: Hien

Hien — Fri, 22 May 2009 11:37:30 +0000

i’m not suprised that Saga is ranked high on this currently i live in Saga as an exchange student. Believe me there is nothing to do >_<

By: TofuUnion

TofuUnion — Fri, 22 May 2009 10:02:24 +0000

I agree. I guess lots of people have forgotten that Toyama exists.

By: level3

level3 — Fri, 22 May 2009 08:37:42 +0000

LOL
10 points for that joke!

By: Brian

Brian — Fri, 22 May 2009 07:37:57 +0000

Over in Tochigi-ken, people always talked about Gunma women being strong.

By: Brian

Brian — Fri, 22 May 2009 07:35:08 +0000

I visited Hokkaido only for Yuki-Matsuri, but it was very friendly and had a nice atmosphere. I was in Japan to study language, so reading and speaking Japanese wasn’t a problem, but the trains were more accommodating for English speakers than my train experiences in Tokyo. Also, there was less of an accent.

I think it also helps that everyone in Hokkaido is kind of weird, compared to Honshu, that is. I knew a handful of people from Hokkaido at the University I went to in Tochigi-ken, and they were always interesting people. I would wager that it’s because, in a way, Hokkaido is a lot more like western countries, where everything is sprawled out instead of compacted into huge cities, people drive cars all over, and you spent a lot of time indoors.

By: Brian

Brian — Fri, 22 May 2009 07:30:18 +0000

Tochigi? But they’re famous for strawberries! And thunderstorms!

Not to mention Nikko, which is a world heritage site, hosts the mausoleum of Tokugawa Ieyasu, is the origin of the Hear, Speak, and See No Evil monkeys, the (in)famous I-Ro-Ha road, the long trail (日光街道) of giant cedar trees planted from Utsunomiya to Nikko to aid in pilgrimages. Nikko is also one of the largest tourist areas in Japan.

/I’m a Tochigi-ken…er.

By: Rated-R

Rated-R — Fri, 22 May 2009 07:20:50 +0000

WOW. Yamanashi is so unpopular, it doesn’t even make the list!

By: Roger

Roger — Fri, 22 May 2009 07:10:46 +0000

Much rather stay in one of these rural places than Tokyo. I hear people in Hokkaido are more open to foreigners and outsiders than in other Honshu. Because Hokkaido is a land populated by immigrants from other places in Japan therefore outsiders can glide easier into the Hokkaido society.

By: aririn

aririn — Fri, 22 May 2009 07:04:04 +0000

I guess being featured in a manga didn’t help shimane’s popularity at all, huh?

By: francois

francois — Fri, 22 May 2009 06:44:00 +0000

Shimane is just north of Hiroshima on the Sea of Japan, west of Tottori