and in

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the n ...

are places of scenic beauty designated for protection and sustainable usage by the Minister of the Environment under the of 1957. National Parks are designated and in principle managed by the Ministry of the Environment. Quasi-National Parks, of a slightly lesser beauty, size, diversity, or state of preservation, are recommended for ministerial designation and managed by the Prefectures under the supervision of the ministry.

History

Japan established its first or public parks in 1873 (

Asakusa Park is a district in Taitō, Tokyo, Japan. It is known as the location of the Sensō-ji, a Buddhist temple dedicated to the bodhisattva Kannon. There are several other temples in Asakusa, as well as various festivals, such as the . History The ...

Asukayama Park is a public park in Kita, Tokyo, Japan. History In the early eighteenth century, Tokugawa shogunate, shōgun Tokugawa Yoshimune planted many Cherry blossoms, cherry trees in the area and opened up the land for the Hanami, enjoyment of the "Ed ...

, Fukagawa Park,

Shiba Park is a public park in Minato, Tokyo, Japan built around the temple of Zōjō-ji. The park is located between the Minato municipal offices and Tokyo Tower. Many of the footpaths in the park offer excellent views of Tokyo Tower, so the park is a popu ...

, and Ueno Park). In 1911 local citizens petitioned that the shrines and forests of Nikkō be placed under public protection. In 1929 the National Parks Association was formed. In 1931 the first was passed. After much study and survey, in March 1934 the first parks were established — Setonaikai,

Unzen is an active volcanic group of several overlapping stratovolcanoes, near the city of Shimabara, Nagasaki on the island of Kyushu, Japan's southernmost main island. In 1792, the collapse of one of its several lava domes triggered a megatsunami ...

and Kirishima — with five more in December and a further four two years later. Three further parks were established under the old National Parks Law, in colonial Taiwan in 1937: the Tatun National Park (the smallest in Japan); Tsugitaka- Taroko National Park, (the largest); and Niitaka-

Arisan An ''arisan'' is a form of Rotating Savings and Credit Association in Indonesian culture, a form of Microfinance. Generally the ''arisan'' is a social gathering that takes place at a fixed interval (this being an informal social network this m ...

National Park (with the highest mountain in then Japan). Ise-Shima was the first to be created after the war, and a further seven had been added by 1955. In 1957 the Natural Parks Law replaced the earlier National Parks Law, allowing for three categories: the National, Quasi-National, and Prefectural Natural Parks. With minor amendments this established the framework that operates today. As of 1 April 2014, there were 31 National Parks and 56 Quasi-National Parks, with the National Parks covering 20,996 km² (5.6% of the land area) and the Quasi-National Parks 13,592 km² (3.6% of the land area). In addition, there were 314 Prefectural Parks covering 19,726 km² (5.2% of the land area). On 27 March 2015, the 32nd National Park was established, Myōkō-Togakushi Renzan National Park, on 15 September 2016, the 33rd, Yanbaru National Park, and on 7 March 2017, the 34th, Amami Guntō National Park, subsuming

Amami Guntō Quasi-National Park The The name ''Amami-guntō'' was standardized on February 15, 2010. Prior to that, another name, ''Amami shotō'' (奄美諸島), was also used. is an archipelago in the Satsunan Islands, which is part of the Ryukyu Islands, and is southwest o ...

. On 25 March 2016, a further Quasi-National Park was established, Kyoto Tamba Kogen Quasi-National Park, on 27 March 2020, Chūō Alps Quasi-National Park, and, on 30 March 2021, the 58th,

Akkeshi-Kiritappu-Konbumori Quasi-National Park is a Quasi-National Park in eastern Hokkaidō, Japan. Established in 2021, the park spans the municipalities of Akkeshi, Hamanaka, Kushiro, and Shibecha. It subsumes and replaces the former Akkeshi Prefectural Natural Park, established in 195 ...

Protection status

The area of each National and Quasi-National Park is divided into ordinary, special and marine park zones. Special zones are further subdivided into special protection and class I, II, and III special zones, restricting access and use for preservation purposes. The state owns only approximately half of the land in the parks.

Map of National Parks

This map shows the locations of the national parks in Japan. Note Ogasawara National Park is not visible on the map.

List of
National Parks A national park is a natural park in use for conservation purposes, created and protected by national governments. Often it is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individua ...

List of Quasi-National Parks

Hokkaidō

* Abashiri Quasi-National Park *

Hidaka-sanmyaku Erimo Quasi-National Park is the largest quasi-national park in Japan.List of Quasi-National Parks
'' ...

* Niseko-Shakotan-Otaru Kaigan Quasi-National Park *

Ōnuma Quasi-National Park is a quasi-national park on the Oshima Peninsula in southwest Hokkaidō, Japan. The park encompasses the volcanic as well as the and ponds, which abut against the west slope of the mountain. The park, which was designated as quasi-national i ...

Shokanbetsu-Teuri-Yagishiri Quasi-National Park is a quasi-national park in Hokkaidō, Japan.List of Quasi-National Parks
...

Tōhoku

* Shimokita Hantō Quasi-National Park * Tsugaru Quasi-National Park *

Hayachine Quasi-National Park is a quasi-national park in central Iwate Prefecture, in the Tōhoku region of northern Japan. It is rated a protected landscape (category II) according to the IUCN. Established in 1982, the park's central features are Mount Hayachine () ...

* Kurikoma Quasi-National Park *

Minami-Sanriku Kinkazan Quasi-National Park was a Quasi-National Park on the Pacific coast of northern Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. Established in 1979, the park extended along 180 km of the coast of southern Sanriku and encompassed Mount Kinka. On 31 March 2015, in the aftermath of ...

Zaō Quasi-National Park is a Quasi-National Park that extends in the Ōu Mountains between Miyagi and Yamagata Prefectures, Japan. Established in 1963, the central feature of the park is Mount Zaō. It is rated a protected landscape (Category V) according to the IUC ...

* Oga Quasi-National Park * Chōkai Quasi-National Park

Kantō

* Suigō-Tsukuba Quasi-National Park *

Minami Bōsō Quasi-National Park is a quasi-national park in the Kantō region of Honshū in Japan. It is rated a protected landscape (category V) according to the IUCN. The park includes numerous widely separated portions of the coastal areas of southern Bōsō Peninsula, r ...

* Meiji no Mori Takao Quasi-National Park * Tanzawa-Ōyama Quasi-National Park

Chūbu

* Echigo Sanzan-Tadami Quasi-National Park *

Myōgi-Arafune-Saku Kōgen Quasi-National Park is a Quasi-National Park on the borders of Gunma and Nagano Prefectures, Japan. Established in 1969, the central feature of the park are Mounts (1,423 m) and Myōgi (1,104 m). Related municipalities * Gunma: Annaka, Nanmoku, Shimonita, ...

Sado-Yahiko-Yoneyama Quasi-National Park is a Quasi-National Park in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. Designated on 27 July 1950, it has an area of 29,364 ha. It is rated a protected landscape (category V) according to the IUCN. Like all Quasi-National Parks in Japan, the park is managed ...

* Noto Hantō Quasi-National Park *

Echizen-Kaga Kaigan Quasi-National Park is a Quasi-National Park on the coast of Fukui and Ishikawa Prefectures, Japan. The park was established in 1968. It is rated a protected landscape (category Ib) according to the IUCN. Like all Quasi-National Parks in Japan, Echizen-Kaga Ka ...

* Yatsugatake-Chūshin Kōgen Quasi-National Park * Tenryū-Okumikawa Quasi-National Park * Chūō Alps Quasi-National Park * Ibi-Sekigahara-Yōrō Quasi-National Park * Hida-Kisogawa Quasi-National Park * Aichi Kōgen Quasi-National Park * Mikawa Wan Quasi-National Park

Kansai

* Suzuka Quasi-National Park * Wakasa Wan Quasi-National Park * Tango-Amanohashidate-Ōeyama Quasi-National Park * Biwako Quasi-National Park * Murō-Akame-Aoyama Quasi-National Park *

Kongō-Ikoma-Kisen Quasi-National Park is a Quasi-National Park in Nara, Ōsaka, and Wakayama Prefectures, Japan. It was established in 1958. Places of interest * Mount Ikoma, Mount Kongō, , , Hōzan-ji, Taima-dera, , the burial place of Shōtoku Taishi, the ruins of , Chihaya ...

Yamato-Aogaki Quasi-National Park is a Quasi-National Park in northeast Nara Prefecture, Japan. Established in 1970, the park consists of one continuous area spanning the borders of the municipalities of Nara, Tenri, and Sakurai. The park encompasses Mount Miwa, , , Enshō- ...

Kōya-Ryūjin Quasi-National Park is a Quasi-National Park in Nara and Wakayama Prefectures, Japan. It was established in 1967. Places of interest * Kōya-san * , connected with the legend of Anchin and Kiyohime * Related municipalities * Nara: Nosegawa, Totsukawa * Wa ...

* Meiji no Mori Minō Quasi-National Park * Kyoto Tamba Kogen Quasi-National Park

Chūgoku and Shikoku

Hyōnosen-Ushiroyama-Nagisan Quasi-National Park is a Quasi-National Park in Hyōgo Prefecture, Tottori Prefecture, and Okayama Prefecture, Japan. It was founded on 10 April 1969 and has an area of . Overview Hyōnosen-Ushiroyama-Nagisan Kokutei Kōen comprises three areas of the Chūgoku Mo ...

* Hiba-Dōgo-Taishaku Quasi-National Park * Nishi-Chūgoku Sanchi Quasi-National Park * Kita Nagato Kaigan Quasi-National Park *

Akiyoshidai Quasi-National Park is a Quasi-National Park in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. It was founded on 1 November 1955 and has an area of 45.02 km². It includes part of the , a 130 square kilometre area of karst topography, as well as over 400 limestone caves. The ...

Tsurugisan Quasi-National Park is a Quasi-National Park that spans the borders of Tokushima and Kōchi Prefectures, Japan. It was founded on 3 March 1964 and has an area of . Within Tokushima Prefecture, the park includes a stretch of the Yoshino River and the Iya Valley. ...

* Muroto-Anan Kaigan Quasi-National Park * Ishizuchi Quasi-National Park

Kyūshū

* Kitakyūshū Quasi-National Park * Genkai Quasi-National Park * Yaba-Hita-Hikosan Quasi-National Park *

Iki-Tsushima Quasi-National Park is a Quasi-National Park on Iki Island and Tsushima Island, Nagasaki Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. Nagasaki Prefecture has a population of 1,314,078 (1 June 2020) and has a geographic area of 4,130 k ...

* Kyūshū Chūō Sanchi Quasi-National Park * Nippō Kaigan Quasi-National Park * Sobo Katamuki Quasi-National Park * Nichinan Kaigan Quasi-National Park *

Okinawa Kaigan Quasi-National Park is a Quasi-National Park on the coast of Okinawa and the Kerama Islands, Japan. It was established as a Prefectural Park in 1965 and re-designated with the return of Okinawa to Japanese administration in 1972. See also * List of national parks ...

Okinawa Senseki Quasi-National Park is a Quasi-National Park around the battlefields of south Okinawa, Japan. It was established as a Prefectural Park in 1965 and redesignated with the return of Okinawa to Japanese administration in 1972. See also * List of national parks of Jap ...

References

External links

National Parks of Japan
(

Ministry of the Environment An environmental ministry is a national or subnational government agency politically responsible for the environment and/or natural resources. Various other names are commonly used to identify such agencies, such as Ministry of the Environment ...

) {{Authority control

National parks A national park is a natural park in use for conservation purposes, created and protected by national governments. Often it is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individua ...