The Hokkaido and Tohoku regions are full of local delicacies thanks to their cold climate! Hokkaido is famous for its agricultural and dairy farms, making it famous for souvenirs made using potatoes and dairy. The Tohoku area, which includes Yamagata, Iwate, and Miyagi Prefectures, offers regional soul food and sake (Japanese rice wine) unique to each prefecture.
The Kanto and Koshinetsu areas feature many tourist hot spots, including Tokyo and Kanagawa, which attract many visitors. There are a variety of souvenirs that are not only tasty but also come in stylish packaging, making for great souvenirs for your family and friends! Niigata, one of the major rice-producing regions in Japan, has many local sake that are popular in Japan.
The Tokai and Hokuriku areas include Aichi, where Nagoya is located, Shizuoka, Ishikawa (Kanazawa), Toyama, and Fukui, where traditional Japanese culture remains strong. Sake from the Hokuriku area is particularly special because of its cold climate and pure water, which make for the ideal conditions for sake production!
The Kansai, Chugoku, and Shikoku regions include Osaka, Kyoto, and Nara, and Hiroshima and Shikoku (Kagawa, Ehime, Tokushima and Kochi) which surround the Seto Inland Sea. The area near the Seto Inland Sea, due to its favorable climate and fabulous seafood, has popular souvenirs made with seafood and lemons!
The Kyushu & Okinawa region includes Fukuoka, Kumamoto, Kagoshima and Okinawa. Kyushu has many snacks made using mentaiko (cod roe), a local specialty, and shochu, a distilled spirit. Okinawa offers a variety of unique Okinawan souvenirs such as sweets made using locally produced brown sugar and salt and "chinsuko" baked cookies.