Kanto
The Kanto region of Japan, located on the island of Honshu is the most highly developed, urbanized, and industrialized part of Japan
The region comprises seven prefectures; Tokyo, Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Saitama, Chiba and Kanagawa.
The total population of the Kanto region numbers of 40 million people (about a third of Japan's total population), with over 34 million living in the Greater Tokyo Area.
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Geography
Kanto region is on the eastern side of the main island Honshu, which is a broad plain dominated by and nearly synonymous with the megalopolis of Tokyo and its suburbs.
The Kantō Plain, Japan's largest plain, spreads out in the center. The north side is the mountain zone, the southeast side faces the Pacific Ocean.There is the Boso Peninsula (Chiba) on the eastern part, the Miura Peninsula (Kanagawa) on the southern part which both stuck out in the Pacific Ocean. Between the Boso Peninsula and the Miura Peninsula there is the Tokyo Bay, between the Miura Peninsula and the Manaduru Peninsula there is the Sagami Bay.
Climate
By locating on the coast of the Pacific Ocean, the area is the "Pacific Ocean climate" and rains a lot in the summer and has a dry-weather in the winter. The offshore is the path for the Kuroshio Current. However, the South foot of Sangoku mountains is the "Sea of Japan climate". Above that, Tokyo and Ibaraki, Chiba, Kanagawa Prefecture is an oceanic climate, and the other areas are the continental climate.
The cause of the ridge of the mountain makes the temperature fall steeply than the west area of Tokai Region.
Tochigi, Gunma, the northern part of Saitama Prefecture often has thunder after the shower.
In the heavy snowfall area of Gunma and Tochigi Prefecture, it snows a lot because of the snow cloud which flows from the Sea of Japan area. Especially, the town Katashina in Gunma Prefecture is the only extraordinary heavy snowfall area.
In Winter, when the southern coast low pressure passes by, it is apt to rain and snow. In the areas of the Coast Plain like Tokyo and Mito, the snow tend to be the powdery snow or the sleet.
Economy
Kanto region has the one third of Japan's population, among all, with only one metropolitan and three prefectures in the south of Rikon River, there are more than 3,400 million people which makes 153,500,000,000 yen of the GDP.
Prefectures
Major cities and towns
Chiba - another Tokyo offshoot to the east
Saitama — The eponymous prefectural capital
Tokyo - capital of Japan, largest city in the world
Kawasaki - suburb sandwiched between Tokyo and Yokohama (Kanagawa Prefecture)
Yokohama - officially Japan's 2nd largest city, in practice a giant Tokyo suburb (Kanagawa Prefecture)
Mito — Famous for Kairakuen Park and Lake Semba, also largest producer of natto (Ibaraki Prefecture)
Isesaki - Fastest growing city in Gunma.
Utsunomiya — the prefectural capital, known for gyoza dumplings and jazz (Tochigi Prefecture)
Other destinations
Chichibu - a city in Saitama_prefecture,which is a beautiful town about one and a half hours from Tokyo. It is very famous for autumn leaves and a night festival.
Tsukuba — Home of Tsukuba University and the surrounding modern research town, and beautiful and historically significant Mount Tsukuba (Ibaraki Prefecture)
Narita - small city overshadowed by its huge airport, also home to the Narita-san Temple (Chiba Prefecture)
Kusatsu — hot spring resort in Gunma Prefecture.
Nikko — UNESCO Heritage Site for its temples and national parks (Tochigi Prefecture)
Hakone - part of a large national park known for its hot springs and views of Mount Fuji (Kanagawa Prefecture)
Things to do
Enoshima - Japan's surfing paradise in style and attitude (a shame there isn't much in the way of waves)
Kamakura - temple town within easy striking distance of Tokyo (in Kanagawa Prefecture)
Yokohama China Toｗｎ - famous spot for Chinese culture in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture
Asakusa - a part of Tokyo's downtown district best known for its famous temples, particularly Sensōji.
Nikko - the grandiose mausoleum of the Tokugawa shoguns in Tochigi Prefecture
Odaiba - a large artificial island in Tokyo, featuring many hyper modern strange buildings. The night view is ver beautiful.
Specialties
Monjyayaki
Shumai
Places to stay
Kinugawa Hot Spring（Tochigi）
Kusatsu Hot Spring(Gunma)
Getting in
Most visitors arrive in the Kanto region via Tokyo, and most of those arrive via Narita Airport, Japan's main international gateway.
Getting around
Tokyo Metro, the City Subway
JR: Keihintohoku Line, Tokaido Line, Yokosuka Line, Shonan-shinjuku Line, Saikyo Line, Chuo Line, Yokohama Line
Keihinyuko Line, Tokyu-Toyoko Line, Tokyu-Denentoshi Line, Odakyu Line, Keio Line,
See also
Links
Some content adapted from Wikipedia.org.
