A total of 29 sites throughout Japan—from Hokkaido in the north to Okinawa and the Ogasawara Islands in the south—have been officially designated National Parks.
This page provides a brief description of each of these National Parks.
Joshin'etsukogen National Park
Designation: September 7, 1949
Area: 188,046 ha
Prefectures: Gunma, Niigata, Nagano
Joshin'etsukogen National Park is the second largest national park in Japan and consists of mountains and highlands that extend across Gunma, Nagano, and Niigata prefectures. This park is the site of Mt. Tanigawa-dake and numerous other steep mountains that rise 2,000 meters above sea level or higher as well as a number of well-known volcanoes, such as Mt. Asama and Mt. Myoko. Shigakogen, Myokokogen, Sugadaira, and other spacious highland areas are scattered throughout the park.
Chubusangaku National Park
Designation: December 4, 1934
Area: 174,323 ha
Prefectures: Niigata, Toyama, Nagano, Gifu
Chubusangaku National Park is a mountainous park with a string of some of Japan's most famous mountains rising 3,000 meters from north to south, including Mt. Shirouma-dake, Mt. Tateyama, Mt. Yarigatake, Mt. Hodaka-dake, and Mt. Norikura-dake of the Northern Alps. Ravines and mountain streams formed by such waterways as the Kurobe and Azusa rivers infuse the park with beauty. Fields of flowers bloom in places like Midagahara and Goshikigahara and alpine plants run riot during the summer season. This area is also an important habitat of the ptarmigan.
Hakusan National Park
Designation: November 12, 1962
Area: 47,700 ha
Prefectures: Toyama, Ishikawa, Fukui, Gifu
Hakusan has long been a destination for climbers as one of the three most sacred mountains in Japan, alongside Mt. Fuji and Mt. Tateyama. Home to a wealth of alpine plants, this park boasts a long history of plant research, as evidenced by the many plants that have been given names that connect them to Hakusan. This area is also famous as a habitat for black bears, antelopes, and other species of wildlife.
Ise-Shima National Park
Designated: November 20, 1946
Area: 55,544 ha
Prefecture: Mie
Ise-Shima National Park boasts graceful vistas formed by islets and a row of deep coves stretching from Toba Bay to Matoya Bay, Ago Bay, and Gokasho Bay. Ise-Jingu Shrine is an important site in religious, historical, and cultural terms. Behind the shrine are natural forests comprising a mix of Japanese chinquapin, cedar, and red pine trees.