Wanderlust World Wanderlust World Kanto is set against the eastern coast in the center of Honshu, Japan's largest island. Approximately forty percent of the region is comprised of the Kanto plain, the largest plain in Japan. Hills and mountains rim the inland. Hot springs lie in the Gunma mountains north of Tokyo and other places, while the beautiful Mount Fuji, Japan's tallest mountain, and its five lakes can be seen to the southwest. Long, cool winters and short, humid summers characterize the weather.
The Kanto region is the most populous area of Japan. It is home to the cities of Tokyo, Kawasaki, Yokohama and Chiba. A portion of the region is used for farming, but most of it is devoted to residential, industrial and commercial construction. In 1991, the population density was 1,192 persons per square kilometer. Tokyo, Japan's capital, is one of the largest cities in the world, holding roughly 13 million people, with a density of 5,937 persons per square kilometer, as of August of 2011.
Tokyo-Yokohama is considered the center of Japan's commerce and industry. Japan's largest industrial region contains the Keihin and Keiyo Industrial Zones, which stretch along Tokyo Bay and host a mixture of light and heavy industry. Within Tokyo proper, 765,600 businesses employ 8.2 million workers, as of August of 2011. Kanto's primary industries are agriculture, fishing, forestry, construction, manufacturing, mining, commerce, transportation and communication. The people of the Kanto region produce everything from crude oil and steel to semi-conductors and technical instruments.
Historically, the Kanto region contained Japan's seat of military power, the Tokugawa shogunate and Edo. Today, you can visit a mausoleum honoring this tradition in the historical city of Nikko, or you can take in the finest of classical and modern music in one of Tokyo's many concert halls. You can also visit Kairakuen, one of the largest gardens in the world, to see the garden's 3,000 plum trees in blossom, or you can stroll through a museum or art gallery. Tokyo is also home to dozens of universities and junior colleges, making it the principal city for education in Japan.