Peninsulas of Japan

JAPAN is known for being an archipelago with large and small islands, and therefore the Land of the Rising Sun country has plenty of peninsulas attached to some of its islands. From north to south, peninsulas attached to the main islands of Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu are featured in the map above and text below.

Peninsulas on Japan's northernmost large island, Hokkaido, include Oshima in the south, Shakotan in the northwest, a unicorn horn-shaped Shiretoko peninsula in the northeast, and Nemuro in the east with Nosappu-misaki (Cape Nosappu) as Hokkaido's easternmost tip. Known in the English language as Cape Soya, Sōya-misaki is the northernmost point of Hokkaido and serves as the tip of “Kitami” peninsula. I have Kitami surrounded by quotation marks because it does not have an official name, but the Kitami Mountains are located on this peninsula. The city of Kitami is located just southeast of the namesake peninsula. “Erimo” peninsula is also in quotation marks; several research papers call this southeasterly peninsula Erimo and there is an Erimo town, but maps and atlases do not usually show the word Erimo.

Japan's largest island, Honshu boasts many small and large projections and peninsulas jutting out into the Pacific Ocean to the east and Sea of Japan to the west. Honshu's peninsulas include Atsumi, Bōsō (Boso), Chita, Izu, Kii, Miura, Noto, Oga, Oshika, Shimokita, and Tsugaru. Bōsō and Miura are near Yokohama city, while Atsumi and Chita are near Nagoya city. More specifically, Atsumi is west of Toyohashi city and includes communities such as Akabane, Atsumi (of course), and Tahara.

Southwest of Honshu island, Shikoku boasts multiple peninsulas, but many of them do not have official names. Sadamisaki is a narrow peninsula jutting from Shikoku's western area. Capes include Ashizuri-misaki and Muroto-misaki to the east, both on the southern coast. Muroto-misaki and the larger “Muroto Peninsula” boast shrines and temples such as Hotsumisaki-ji, created by the founder of Shingon Buddhism: Kūkai (Kōbō Daishi). More info about Muroto-misaki can be found on Lonely Planet - link opens in new tab or window.

Finally, Kyushu island in southwestern Japan has a relatively jagged coast with small peninsulas. Ōsumi and Satsuma are two peninsulas on the southern coast. Nagasaki, Nishisonogi, and Shimabara are three neighboring peninsulas attached to a larger southward extension, located in the northwestern area of Kyushu. Nagasaki city is located at the junction of Nagasaki and Nishisonogi peninsulas, west of isahaya city and the Shimabara peninsula.