Prefectures of Japan

are one of the basic local entities of Japan. They are the 47 subdivisions of the country. Prefectures are the governmental bodies of Japan which are larger than cities, towns, and villages.
History.
The former provinces of Japan were converted into prefectures between 1876 and 1879.
The word "todōfuken" combines the suffixes of the names of the 47 prefectures. The four suffixes are: 
Before World War II, different laws applied to "fu" and "ken," but now two types of prefecture are the same, outside of their names.
Lists of prefectures.
List in Japanese ISO order.
The prefectures are often grouped into these nine regions ("Chihō"). The regions are not formally specified, they do not have elected officials, and they are not corporate bodies. However, the practice of ordering prefectures based on their geographic region is traditional. This ordering is mirrored in Japan's International Organization for Standardization (ISO) coding. From north to south, the prefectures of Japan and their commonly associated regions are listed in traditional and in order:
Okinawa Prefecture is traditionally thought of as part of the Kyūshū region of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is made up of islands which are southwest of the island of Kyushu. The Japanese government recognizes the prefecture as its own region in new 9-region, 11-region and 13-region systems.