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Japanese Prefectures

Last modified: 2025-05-03 by zachary harden
Keywords: japan | prefectures | islands: japan | mon |
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[Japan]
by Antonio Martins

See also:

Prefectures ordered alphabetically

 Prefectures ordered geographically
  • region
    • prefecture

Mon symbols

The flags of the Japanese prefectures use Mon symbols. I view them as heraldry made modern. The Kanji written by them reflect not only ancient Chinese pictograms, but also alliteration or sound. From a language viewpoint, the Mon of the various prefectures make much more meaning than most of the western world's corporate logos.
Bruce Ward, 5 March 1996

Karafuto (former Prefecture)

[Japan]
speculative;image located by Daniel Rentería, 05 February 2025

"Karafuto" is the Japanese name for Sakhalin; the southern half of it, as Karafuto Prefecture, become part of Japan’s External Lands in 1905 and was lost to the Soviet Union in 1945.
Antonio Martins, 09 February 2025

In reality, it appears the flag looked closer to the drawing at the Wikimedia Commons. It does have a source, being found on a postcard which displays it at an exposition (from around 1913): source. Note that it is unclear if the actual governmental body of Karafuto actually used the flag, so it appears the flag might have been unofficial.
Daniel Rentería, 05 February 2025

[Japan]
speculative;image located by Nozomi Kariyasu, 06 April 2015 from Wikipedia. [There is no evidence this pattern existed - Ed.]

The former Prefecture of Karafuto (South Sakhalin) was established on Apr 1st 1907 by Imperial Ordinance No 33 dated Mar 15th 1907. They used the prefecture emblem during 1911-1945 which depicts three leaves and berries of white birch. With the defeat of Japan in WWII Karafuto Prefecture was occupied by Soviet troops and Japan lost the territory.
Nozomi Kariyasu, 06 April 2015

Symbol Marks

The following prefectures adopted its symbol mark: Tokyo, Aomori, Niigata, Gifu, Wakayama, Shimane, Saga and Kagoshima.
Similarly following prefectures adopted its logo in different name other than official prefectural emblem:
Fukushima: Image Design
Gumma: Mascot
Saitama: Campaign Mark
Kochi: Image Character
Kagawa: Image Up Mark
Tottori: Image of the prefecture
Shiga, Fukui and Ishikawa: Communication Mark
Nagano: Logo Mark of the prefecture
See also: http://members.just-size.net/pflag/list1.html (Please click blue Japanese letters in the rightmost column then you can see images.)
Nozomi Kariyasu, 11 April 2014