List of city nicknames in Japan explained

Cities by prefecture

Aichi

• Takahama
  • City of Kawara (roof tiles)
• Toyota, Nagoya
  • Castle Town of Toyota
• Yatomi
  • City of Goldfish

Ehime

• Matsuyama
  • Town of Botchan (Botchan by Natsume Sōseki)
• Imabari
  • City of Towels
  • City of Kawara (roof tiles) (Kikuma)
• Uchiko
  • City of Kite
  • City of White Walled
• Uwajima
  • City of Bullfighting
  • Hometown of Pearl

Fukui

• Sabae
  • City of Glasses

Fukuoka

The Land of Bloodbath

• Fukuoka
  • City of Yatai (street stalls)
• Yanagawa
  • Venice of Japan
  • City of Water
• Yame
  • Place of Yame-tea
• Munakata (Okinoshima)
  • Island of Gods

Fukushima

Utsukushima Fukushima (Beautiful Fukushima)

Gifu

• Gifu
  • City of Fashion
• Ōgaki
  • City of Water
• Ena (Akechi)
  • Taishō Romantic Town

Gunma

Empire of Gunma

• Maebashi
  • City of Water
• Shimonita
  • Town of Konnyaku

Hiroshima

• Fukuyama
  • City of Roses (Rose City)^[1]
  • City of Geta (Japanese footwear), mostly referred to the Matsunaga area of the city^[2]
• Fuchū
  • Home of Oomurasaki (great purple, the national butterfly of Japan)
  • Town of White Walled (Jyougecho)
• Onomichi
  • City of Hills (City of Slopes)
  • City of Movies
• Innoshima
  • Island of Flower
  • Home of Hassaku
• Akitakata
  • City of Kagura (Yachiyo-Kagura, Midori-Kagura)
• Kitahiroshima (Chiyodacho)
  • Town of Kagura (Chiyoda-Kagura)
• Kure
  • City of Hills (City of Slopes)
• Hiroshima
  • City of Peace (International City of Peace and Culture)
  • City of Rivers
  • City of Water
  • Venice of Japan
• Hatsukaichi (Miyajima)
  • Itsukushima
  • Island of God
• Kumano
  • City of Brush

Hokkaidō

• Kushiro (Akan)
  • Hometown of Tanchō (wintering ground of red-crowned crane)
• Furano
  • City of Flowers
• Hakodate
  • City of Lights
• Otaru
  • City of Hills (City of Slopes)
  • Venice of Japan
• Teshikaga (Mashuko)
  • Lake of God
• Rishiri, Rishirifuji (Rishiritou)
  • Island of Flower
• Rebun (Rebuntou)
  • Island of Flower
• Haboro (Yagishiritou)
  • Island of Flower
• Kaibatou
  • Island of Flower

Hyōgo

Hyogoslavia

• Takarazuka
  • City of Music
• Kōbe
  • City of Lights
  • City of Fashion^[3]
  • Town of Shoes (Nagata)
  • Million Dollar Lights
• Minamiawaji
  • City of Kawara (roof tiles)
• Tatsuno
  • City of Aka-tombo (red dragonfly) (Japanese nursery song)
• Awaji, Sumoto, Minamiawaji (Awajishima)
  • Island of Flower
  • Island of Mythologies
• Minamiawaji (Nushima)
  • Island of Mythologies

Ishikawa

Kaga Millon Koku

Iwate

• Tono
  • City of Folktales
• Hanamaki (Ohasama)
  • Town of Hayachine-Kagura

Kagawa

Udon Prefecture

• Ayagawa
  • Home of Sanuki Udon
• Mitoyo
  • Home of Urashima Tarō
• Takamatsu
  • Home of Momotarō story
  • Town of Bonsai
• Marugame
  • City of Uchiwa (Japanese rigid paper fan)

Kagoshima

• Kagoshima
  • Naples of the Orient
  • Venice of Japan
  • City of Ishin (Meiji Restoration)
  • City of Streetcars
• Tokunoshima, Isen, Amagi, Kagoshima (Tokunoshima)
  • Town of Bullfighting
• Izumi
  • Hometown (wintering ground) of Nabezuru (hooded crane), Kurozuru (common crane), Manazuru (white-necked crane)
• Ōshima-gun (Okinoerabujima)
  • Island of Flower

Kanagawa

• Kamakura
  • Ancient City
  • City of History
• Minamiashigara
  • Home of Kintaro (a Japanese folk hero)

Kōchi

• Kōchi
  • Birthplace of Yosakoi-Matsuri (traditional summer dance festival)

Kumamoto

• Kumamoto
  • City of Woods
• Nagasu
  • Town of Goldfish
• Uki
  • City of Dekopon (a Japanese orange_

Kyoto

• Kyoto
  • Kyo
  • Ancient City
  • City of History
• Ine
  • Home of Urashima Tarō
• Uji
  • Place of Uji-tea
• Maizuru (Kammurijima)
  • Island of God

Mie

• Iga
  • Hometown of Ninja
• Shima
  • Home of Urashima Tarō
  • Hometown of Pearl

Miyagi

• Sendai
  • City of Trees (City of Green) (Capital with the Groves)
• Shibata
  • City of Chrysanthemum

Miyazaki

• Takachiho
  • Town of Mythologies
  • Town of Takachiho-Kagura

Nagasaki

• Nagasaki
  • City of Peace
  • City of Hills (City of Slopes)
  • City of Lights
  • City of Streetcars
  • Naples of the Orient (Naples of Japan)
• Iki (Iki Island)
  • Island of Mythologies

Nara

• Nara
  • Ancient City
• Yamatokoriyama
  • City of Goldfish

Niigata

• Ojiya
  • Home of Nishikigoi
  • City of Bullfighting
• Niigata, Shirone
  • City of Kite
• Sado
  • Island of Flower

Ōita

Onsen Prefecture

• Beppu
  • Naples of the Orient
  • Hot spring Capital of the World
• Bungotakada
  • City of Shōwa

Okayama

• Okayama
  • Hometown of Momotarō
• Kurashiki
  • City of White Walled
  • Venice of Japan
• Bisei
  • Home of Stars
• Kasaoka (Manabeshima, Takashima)
  • Island of Flower
  • Island of Mythologies
• Takahashi (Nariwacho)
  • Town of Bitchu-Kagura

Okinawa

• Naha
  • Capital of the Ryūkyū Kingdom
• Itoman
  • City of Peace
• Uruma
  • City of Bullfighting
• Nanjo (Kudakajima)
  • Island of God
  • Island of Mythologies
• Uruma (Hamahigashima)
  • Island of God
  • Island of Mythologies
• Nakijin (Kourijima)
  • Island of God
• Kohama
  • Hometown of Churasan

Osaka

• Osaka
  • Naniwa
  • City of Water
  • Venice of Japan
  • City of Business
  • City of Kuidaore (eat until you drop)
• Sakai
  • Venice of Japan
• Izumisano
  • Rinku Town
  • City of Towels
• Kishiwada
  • City of Danjiri Matsuri

Saga

• Karatsu
  • City of Karatsu Kunchi
• Kawasoe
  • City of Nori

Saitama

• Saitama
  • Town of Bonsai
• Kazo
  • City of Koinobori
• Kounosu, Iwatsuki
  • Town of Dolls
  • Town of Hina-ningyo (dolls for Girls' Dayy)
  • Town of Gogatsu-ningyo (dolls for Children's Day)

Shiga

• Kōka
  • Hometown of Ninja

Shimane

• Matsue
  • City of Water
  • Venice of Japan
  • City of Kawara (roof tiles)
• Izumo
  • City of Mythologies
• Gotsu (Sakuraecho)
  • Town of Kagura (Omoto-Kagura)
• Hamada (Kanagi)
  • Town of Iwami-Kagura
• Oda
  • City of Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine
• Okinoshima
  • Island of Pictures
  • Island of Flower
  • Town of Bullfighting

Shizuoka

• Atami
  • City of Lights
  • Naples of the Orient
• Fuji
  • City of Paper
• Hamamatsu
  • City of Music
• Oyama
  • Hometown of Kintaro (a folk hero)
• Shizuoka, Okabe, Fujieda
  • Places of Shizuoka-tea

Tokushima

• Tokushima
  • Birthplace of Awa Dance Festival

Tokyo

Flowery City

• Shibuya, Harajuku
  • Town for Young People
• Sugamo
  • Obaachan no Harajuku (Grandma's Harajuku)
• Akihabara
  • Town for Otaku
  • The Electric Town
• Katsushika-Shibamata
  • Hometown of Tora-san (from the film series Otoko wa Tsurai yo)
• Fuchū
  • City of Woods
• Shinjuku
  • City of the Beasts (from manga and anime series Hyper Police)

Tottori

• Kurayoshi
  • City of White Walled
  • City of Red Roof
• Sakaiminato
  • City of Yōkai (from the manga series Ge Ge Ge no Kitaro)

Toyama

• Toyama
  • City of Medicine

Yamagata

• Higashine
  • City of Cherries
• Nanyō
  • City of Chrysanthemum

Yamaguchi

• Hagi
  • City of "Ishin" (Meiji Restoration)
• Yanai
  • City of White Walled
• Iwakuni
  • Taishō Romantic Town
• Shimonoseki
  • City of Fuku (pufferfish) ("Fuku": Happiness)
• Shimonoseki (Futaoijima)
  • Island of Mythologies
• Shunan
  • Hometown of Nabezuru (wintering ground of hooded crane)

Yamanashi

• Hokuto (Nagasaka)
  • Town of Oomurasaki (great purple, the national butterfly of Japan)

Cities referred to as Little Kyoto, by region

In Japanese .

Tōhoku

• Hirosaki, Aomori
• Iwadeyama, Miyagi
• Kakunodate, Akita
• Morioka, Iwate
• Murata, Miyagi
• Sakata, Yamagata
• Tono, Iwate
• Yamagata, Yamagata
• Yuzawa, Akita

Kantō, Kōshinetsu

• Ashikaga, Tochigi
• Iida, Nagano
• Iiyama, Nagano
• Kamo, Niigata
• Koga, Ibaraki
• Ogawa, Saitama
• Ranzan, Saitama
• Sano, Tochigi
• Tochigi, Tochigi
• Yugawara, Kanagawa

Chūbu (Hokuriku, Tōkai)

• Gujohachiman, Gifu
• Inuyama, Aichi
• Johana, Toyama
• Kanazawa, Ishikawa
• Nishio, Aichi
• Obama, Fukui
• Takayama, Gifu

Kinki

• Igaueno, Mie
• Izushi, Hyogo
• Sasayama, Hyogo
• Tatsuno, Hyogo

Chūgoku (San'in, San'yō)

• Hagi, Yamaguchi
• Kurayoshi, Tottori
• Matsue, Shimane
• Onomichi, Hiroshima
• Takahashi, Okayama
• Takehara, Hiroshima
• Tsuwano, Shimane
• Tsuyama, Okayama
• Yamaguchi, Yamaguchi

Shikoku

• Nakamura, Kōchi
• Ōzu, Ehime

Kyūshū

• Asakura, Fukuoka
• Chiran, Kagoshima
• Hita, Oita
• Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto
• Imari, Saga
• Kitsuki, Oita
• Nichinan, Miyazaki
• Ogi, Saga

Cities referred to as Little Edo, by region

In Japanese .

Kantō

• Atsugi, Kanagawa
• Katori, Chiba
• Kawagoe, Saitama
• Otaki, Chiba
• Tochigi, Tochigi

Tōkai

• Iwata, Shizuoka (Asaba, Shizuoka)

Kinki

• Hikone, Shiga

See also

• Lists of nicknames – nickname list articles on Wikipedia

Notes and References

1. Web site: Muraoka . Maiko . Fukuyama, City of Roses, to host world convention and expo . The Japan Times . 10 March 2022 . 2 February 2024.
2. Web site: Discover Fukuyama . 8 . City of Fukuyama . 2 February 2024.
3. Web site: Kobe Fashion Museum . Google Arts & Culture . 25 April 1997 . 2 February 2024.