Honshū (本州) is the largest island of Japan, housing the great majority of its population and hosting most of the visitors as well. Due to its size, it is commonly subdivided into smaller regions. From northeast to southwest:

• Tohoku - the remote northern part of the island, known for seafood, skiing and hot springs

• Kanto - the eastern plateau dominated by capital Tokyo, the world's largest city, and shadowed by Mount Fuji, Japan's iconic mountain

• Chubu - the central section, which includes Nagoya, the Japan Alps, and the Ise shrine

• Kansai - the western plateau, home to Osaka, Kyoto and Kobe

• Chugoku - the western tip near Kyushu, a largely rural area best known for Hiroshima and Shimonoseki