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This largely mountainous region encompasses all of
northeastern Japan. Centers of population are found along the coastlines of the
Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan, and in several basins. The Tohoku region has
short summers and long winters, interspersed with beautiful spring and autumn
seasons. Shirakami Sanchi, located in south Aomori Prefecture and Akita
Prefecture, has a large-scale primeval forest of beech trees.
The Tohoku area is primarily agricultural: 65% of cultivated land is rice paddy
fields, which account for almost a quarter of all the paddy fields throughout
the country. However, it is not rare for a cool summer to damage the crops.
Fishing and forestry are also important. Industrial activities include
electrical appliances, chemical production, pulp processing, cement, and
petroleum refining, with some production of petroleum and natural gas. Sendai is
the largest city.
Matsushima, a group of more than 260 small islands in Miyagi Prefecture, is
counted among the 3 most beautiful sights in Japan. It takes about half an hour
by train from Sendai to Matsushima. Three large, colorful festivals are held
each summer in the Tohoku region. One is Nebuta Matsuri, held in Aomori and
Hirosaki; Tanabata Matsuri, in Sendai; and Kanto Matsuri, in Akita.
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Japan Regions