Surrounded by sea, more than 70% occupied by mountains, long island from north to south, under these situations Japan has variety of climate by area and season.
In order to understand Japan, first required to know about geographical information.
Japan is divided into 47 prefectures and 8 regions. When we think about climates, we can divide Japan into 12 regions as below.

 

Hokkaido 北海道

Hokkaido has the region which has the largest area. On this vast land, farming acts large proportion in the economy.
Almost half of the year is winter and heavily snow. It is quite rare to be more than 30℃ in summer.

Prefectures: Hokkaido

 

Tohoku 東北

Ouu mountain range runs in the middle of Tohoku north to south, and most of the land is occupied by mountains area.
Winter season is long same as Hokkaido. Agriculture and fishing are popular and more than 25% of rice in Japan is coming from this area

Prefectures: Aomori, Akita, Iwate, Yamagata, Miyagi, Fukushima

 

North Kanto 北関東

Agricultural area, blessed with full of nature, located at north of Kanto plain
In addition to the agriculture, manufacturing is also popular and so-called North Kanto Industrial area

Prefectures: Ibaragi, Tochigi, Gunma, Saitama

 

South Kanto 南関東

Highest population density as you can tell that Tokyo, capital city is in this area. Suburb in west and city area in east is distinctive.
There is 10℃ difference in temperature at maximum throughout year

Prefectures: Chiba, Tokyo, Saitama

 

 

Chubu Hokuriku Koushin 中部北陸甲信

Mainly facing sea of Japan, separated from pacific sea area by Echigo mountain-region and Hida mountain range
winter season is quite severe, but as coast area is a plain an agriculture is popular and famous for rice production

Prefectures: Niigata, Toyama, Ishikawa, Fukui, Yamanashi, Nagano

 

 

Chubu Tokai 中部東海

Located almost center of Honshu island. Four seasons are distinctive; hot summer and heavy snow in winter
Typhoon often go through Mie in Autumn

Prefectures: Gifu, Aichi, Mie

 

 

Kinki 近畿

Sea of Japan at North and Pacific ocean at South. It has the biggest lake called Biwako, suppling plenty of water in the area
Nada Hyogo and Fushimi Kyoto are famous Sake brewing area

Prefectures: Shiga, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyogo, Nara, Wakayama

 

Chugoku 中国

2 distinctive area: industrial area along inland sea of Seto called “San Yo” and Agricultural area with ancient Izumo culture along sea of Japan called “San In”
Climate of San Yo is moderate and stable, but in San In it snows heavily in winter

Prefectures: Tottori, Shimane, Okayama, Hiroshima, Yamaguchi

 

Shikoku 四国

Like Chugoku, Northern inland sea of Seto area and Southern Pacific ocean area is different.
Stable northern climate and heavy rain and typhoon in South.

Prefectures: Kagawa, Tokushima, Ehime, Kochi

 

North Kyushu 北九州

Relatively warm throughout the year. There is an agricultural area around Tsukushi plain
Kyushu is famous for Shochu production, but brew Sake as well in this area especially in Ooita

Prefectures: Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, Ooita

 

South Kyushu 南九州

South end of Honshu island. There are a lot of volcanos such as Kirishima volcano
Famous for hog raising, and shochu production using sweet potato grown in this area

Prefectures:  Kumamoto, Miyazaki, Kagoshima

 

Okinawa 沖縄

Isolated islands at south of Honshu, and have unique Ryukyu culture
What they can get from farming and fishing is unique. Famous for awamori using sugar cane grown in this island

Prefectures: Okinawa