Japanese Town Name Generator
Real and invented Japanese town and city names
Generate Japanese town names built from real place-name kanji: castle towns like Matsumoto and Hikone, post towns, onsen resorts, seaside ports and invented towns such as Sakuragawa and Kitahoshi. Ideal for anime, manga, JRPG maps, and stories set anywhere from Hokkaido to Okinawa.
About Japanese town names
Japanese town names are usually two or three kanji describing terrain, direction or something that once stood there. The most common building blocks are landscape words: yama (mountain), kawa/gawa (river), hama (beach), saki/zaki (cape), shima/jima (island), hara/wara (plain), tani/dani (valley), oka (hill), numa (marsh), ta/da (rice field) and matsu (pine). Direction and position words are just as frequent: kita, minami, higashi, nishi (north, south, east, west), kami/shimo (upper/lower), naka (middle) and shin (new). Put two together and you get real towns like Takayama (tall mountain), Nagahama (long beach), Kitakami (north upper) and Fujisawa (wisteria marsh).
History adds another layer. Castle towns (jōkamachi) such as Hikone, Matsumoto and Hirosaki grew around a keep, post towns on the old highways kept the -juku suffix, and hot-spring resorts add Onsen to the name (Kusatsu Onsen, Kurokawa Onsen). Cities take the suffix -shi, towns -machi or -chō, and villages -mura, though English usually drops these. Suffixes like -zaki, -saki, -numa and -kōji quietly tell a Japanese reader whether a place is coastal, marshy or urban.
The list pairs real towns from every region with invented ones such as Sakuragawa, Kitahoshi and Hotarugaoka that follow the same rules, so anime-style settings sound as grounded as the real map. Hokkaido towns with Ainu-derived names, Okinawan island towns, post stations and onsen resorts appear too.
How to choose Japanese town names
- Choose the terrain first, then the kanji: a coastal town should carry hama, ura, saki, minato or shima; a mountain town takes yama, mine, tani or taka.
- Add a direction or 'new/upper/lower' prefix to create a sister town cheaply: Furano has Kamifurano upstream, and Oguni has Minamioguni to its south.
- For anime, pick a name whose meaning echoes the theme, like Hotarugaoka (firefly hill) for a nostalgic summer story or Fuyutsuki (winter moon) for something colder.
- Rendaku matters: when kawa, saki or shima follow another element they often voice to gawa, zaki, jima (Momijigawa, Akanezaki, Tsukishima), which makes invented names sound native.
- Real towns such as Sawara, Uchiko or Tsuwano make excellent models; study their two-kanji structure before inventing your own.
Frequently asked questions
What do common Japanese town name endings mean?
-shi is city, -machi/-chō is town, -mura is village, and -ku is a city ward. Landscape endings are common too: -yama (mountain), -kawa/-gawa (river), -hama (beach), -saki/-zaki (cape), -shima/-jima (island), -oka (hill), -numa (marsh).
Are these real Japanese towns?
Most are real, from big cities like Sendai to small towns like Ine and Tsuwano. About one name in ten is an invented name such as Sakuragawa and Kitahoshi that follows the same kanji conventions for fictional settings; combinations this natural can also exist as real place names.
How do I invent a Japanese town name for an anime or manga?
Combine a nature or seasonal word (sakura, hoshi, tsuki, kaze, momiji) with a terrain word (gawa, zaki, oka, hara, machi). Sakurano, Hoshimigaoka and Kazehara are all plausible; check the result is not a well-known real place.
Why do some names look like two towns joined together?
Japan merged thousands of municipalities in 1955 and again in the 2000s, producing combined names such as Aizuwakamatsu, Omihachiman, Nagaokakyo and Sakaiminato. Doing the same in fiction is realistic.
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All 1,000 Japanese town names
A: 56 names
- Abashiri
- Abiko
- Abu
- Agano
- Agematsu
- Ainokura
- Aioi
- Aizubange
- Aizumisato
- Aizuwakamatsu
- Ajigasawa
- Ajisaizaka
- Akakura
- Akanezaki
- Akashi
- Akatsukihama
- Aki
- Akikawa
- Akiruno
- Akita
- Akitakata
- Akizorahama
- Akkeshi
- Ako
- Akune
- Amanogawa
- Amanohashidate
- Anamizu
- Anan
- Anjo
- Annaka
- Aomori
- Aoshima
- Aotsuki
- Arida
- Arima Onsen
- Arimatsu
- Arita
- Asagaomachi
- Asagirihara
- Asago
- Asahikawa
- Asamushi Onsen
- Ashibetsu
- Ashikaga
- Ashiya
- Ashoro
- Aso
- Asuka
- Atami
- Atsugi
- Awara
- Awazu
- Ayabe
- Azabu
- Azumino
B: 11 names
- Bandai
- Beppu
- Bessho Onsen
- Bibai
- Biei
- Bihoro
- Biratori
- Bizen
- Bungoono
- Bungotakada
- Buzen
C: 15 names
- Chatan
- Chichibu
- Chidorihama
- Chigasaki
- Chihayaakasaka
- Chikugo
- Chikuma
- Chikushino
- Chino
- Chiran
- Chiryu
- Chita
- Chizu
- Chofu
- Choshi
D: 4 names
- Daisen
- Dazaifu
- Denenchofu
- Dogo Onsen
E: 9 names
- Ebetsu
- Ebino
- Echigawa
- Echizen
- Ena
- Engaru
- Eniwa
- Enzan
- Erimo
F: 26 names
- Fudai
- Fuefuki
- Fuji
- Fujieda
- Fujiidera
- Fujimino
- Fujinomiya
- Fujioka
- Fujisawa
- Fujiyoshida
- Fukaura
- Fukaya
- Fukuchiyama
- Fukui
- Fukuoka
- Fukuroi
- Fukusaki
- Fukushima
- Fukuyama
- Furano
- Furinzaka
- Furubira
- Fussa
- Futagawa
- Futtsu
- Fuyutsuki
G: 18 names
- Gamagori
- Gero
- Gifu
- Ginowan
- Ginoza
- Ginzan Onsen
- Gobo
- Gojo
- Gojome
- Gokase
- Gose
- Gosen
- Goshogawara
- Gotemba
- Gotsu
- Goyu
- Gujo Hachiman
- Gyoda
H: 66 names
- Habikino
- Haboro
- Hachijo
- Hachimanbori
- Hachimantai
- Hachinohe
- Hachioji
- Hachirogata
- Hadano
- Haebaru
- Hagi
- Hakata
- Hakodate
- Hakone
- Hakuba
- Hakui
- Hakusan
- Hamada
- Hamamatsu
- Hamatonbetsu
- Hanabimachi
- Hanamaki
- Hanawa
- Handa
- Hanno
- Harugaoka
- Harukazecho
- Hasami
- Hashimoto
- Hatsukaichi
- Hayama
- Hida
- Hidamarizaka
H, continued
- Higashidori
- Higashihiroshima
- Higashiizu
- Higashikagawa
- Higashimurayama
- Higashinada
- Higashine
- Higashiosaka
- Hiji
- Hikari
- Hikarigaoka
- Hikone
- Himawarino
- Himeji
- Himi
- Hinodezaki
- Hinoemata
- Hirafuku
- Hiraizumi
- Hiratsuka
- Hirayu Onsen
- Hirosaki
- Hirugami
- Hisuidani
- Hita
- Hitachi
- Hitachinaka
- Hitachiota
- Hitoyoshi
- Hodogaya
- Hofu
- Hoshimigaoka
- Hotarugaoka
I: 66 names
- Ibara
- Ibaraki
- Ibigawa
- Ibo
- Ibusuki
- Ichihara
- Ichinohe
- Ichinomiya
- Ichinoseki
- Ichobashi
- Iga
- Iheya
- Iida
- Iitate
- Iiyama
- Iizaka Onsen
- Iizuka
- Iizuna
- Ikaho
- Ikata
- Ikeda
- Iki
- Ikoma
- Imabari
- Imaicho
- Imari
- Ina
- Inabe
- Inawashiro
- Inazawa
- Ine
- Ino
- Inuyama
I, continued
- Inzai
- Iruma
- Isahaya
- Isawa
- Ise
- Isehara
- Isesaki
- Ishibe
- Ishigaki
- Ishihama
- Ishikari
- Ishinomaki
- Ishioka
- Ishiyakushi
- Isumi
- Itabashi
- Itako
- Itami
- Ito
- Itoigawa
- Itoman
- Itoshima
- Iwaizumi
- Iwakuni
- Iwamizawa
- Iwanai
- Iwanuma
- Iwata
- Izena
- Izumiotsu
- Izumisano
- Izumo
- Izumozaki
J: 4 names
- Jinsekikogen
- Joetsu
- Joyo
- Jozankei
K: 153 names
- Kadena
- Kaedezawa
- Kaga
- Kagamihara
- Kagoshima
- Kaguraoka
- Kahoku
- Kaike Onsen
- Kainan
- Kaisei
- Kaiyo
- Kaizuka
- Kakegawa
- Kakogawa
- Kakunodate
- Kamaishi
- Kamakura
- Kambara
- Kameoka
- Kameyama
- Kamifurano
- Kamigori
- Kamikatsu
- Kaminoseki
- Kaminoyama
- Kaminoyu
- Kamisuwa
- Kamiyama
- Kamo
- Kamoenai
- Kamogawa
- Kamomezaki
- Kanaya
- Kanazawa
- Kannawa
- Kanonji
- Kanoya
- Kanuma
- Kanzanji
- Karatsu
- Kariya
- Karuizawa
- Kasagi
- Kasai
- Kasama
- Kasaoka
- Kashihara
- Kashima
- Kashiwa
- Kashiwabara
- Kashiwara
K, continued
- Kashiwazaki
- Kasugai
- Kasukabe
- Kasumizato
- Katashina
- Kato
- Katori
- Katsuragi
- Katsurao
- Katsuura
- Katsuyama
- Kawaba
- Kawachinagano
- Kawagoe
- Kawaguchiko
- Kawatana
- Kawazu
- Kazehara
- Kazenomori
- Kazuno
- Kesennuma
- Kibune
- Kichijoji
- Kihoku
- Kikai
- Kimitsu
- Kimotsuki
- Kinokawa
- Kinomoto
- Kinosaki
- Kinugawa
- Kirishima
- Kiriyama
- Kiryu
- Kisakata
- Kisarazu
- Kishiwada
- Kitahoshi
- Kitakami
- Kitakata
- Kitakyushu
- Kitami
- Kitashiobara
- Kitsuki
- Kiyose
- Kizugawa
- Kobe
- Kochi
- Kodaira
- Kofu
- Koga
K, continued
- Kogarashizaka
- Kohakugawa
- Koka
- Kokubunji
- Kokura
- Komagane
- Komaki
- Komatsu
- Komono
- Komorebidai
- Komoro
- Koriyama
- Kosai
- Koshigaya
- Kotohira
- Koya
- Kozagawa
- Kozushima
- Kudamatsu
- Kudoyama
- Kuji
- Kujukuri
- Kumagawajuku
- Kumagaya
- Kumakogen
- Kumamoto
- Kumano
- Kumejima
- Kunigami
- Kunisaki
- Kunitachi
- Kurama
- Kurashiki
- Kurayoshi
- Kure
- Kurobe
- Kurokawa Onsen
- Kurotani
- Kurume
- Kusatsu
- Kusatsu Onsen
- Kushimoto
- Kushiro
- Kusu
- Kutchan
- Kuwana
- Kuzumaki
- Kyonan
- Kyotanabe
- Kyotango
- Kyoto
M: 87 names
- Maboroshigaoka
- Machida
- Maebashi
- Magome
- Maibara
- Maisaka
- Maizuru
- Makubetsu
- Makurazaki
- Mamurogawa
- Manazuru
- Maniwa
- Manza Onsen
- Mariko
- Marugame
- Marumori
- Mashike
- Mashiki
- Mashiko
- Masuda
- Matsue
- Matsuida
- Matsukazeura
- Matsumae
- Matsumoto
- Matsusaka
- Matsushima
- Matsuyama
- Matsuzaki
- Mihama
- Mihara
- Miharu
- Mikazukiura
- Miki
- Mima
- Mimasaka
- Minabe
- Minakami
- Minakuchi
- Minamata
- Minamiboso
- Minamiise
- Minamiizu
M, continued
- Minamioguni
- Minamisanriku
- Minamishimabara
- Minamisoma
- Minamisora
- Minamiuonuma
- Mine
- Mino
- Minobu
- Minoh
- Minowa
- Misaki
- Misasa
- Misawa
- Mishima
- Mitaka
- Mito
- Mitsuke
- Miura
- Miyajima
- Miyako
- Miyakonojo
- Miyanokoshi
- Miyazaki
- Miyazu
- Miyoshi
- Miyota
- Mizunami
- Mizusawa
- Mobara
- Mojiko
- Mombetsu
- Momijigawa
- Mooka
- Morioka
- Motegi
- Motobu
- Mugi
- Munakata
- Murakami
- Murayama
- Muroran
- Muroto
- Myoko
N: 83 names
- Nabari
- Nachikatsuura
- Nagahama
- Nagano
- Naganohara
- Nagaoka
- Nagaokakyo
- Nagareyama
- Nagasaki
- Nagashima
- Nagato
- Nagiso
- Nago
- Nagoya
- Naha
- Nahari
- Naito Shinjuku
- Nakagusuku
- Nakahara
- Nakano
- Nakanojo
- Nakasu
- Nakatsugawa
- Nakijin
- Namerikawa
- Namie
- Namiotozaki
- Nanao
- Nanjo
- Nankoku
- Nanohanadai
- Nanto
- Naoshima
- Nara
- Naraha
- Narai
- Naramachi
- Narita
- Naruko Onsen
- Narusawa
- Naruto
N, continued
- Nasu
- Nasukarasuyama
- Nasushiobara
- Natori
- Natsukawa
- Nayoro
- Nemuro
- Nichinan
- Nihonmatsu
- Niigata
- Niihama
- Niijima
- Niikappu
- Niimi
- Nijinohama
- Nikaho
- Nikko
- Ninohe
- Ninomiya
- Nirasaki
- Niseko
- Nishiizu
- Nishinomiya
- Nishinoomote
- Nishinoshima
- Nishio
- Nishitsuki
- Nishiwaki
- Nissaka
- Niyodogawa
- Nobeoka
- Noboribetsu
- Noda
- Nogata
- Noheji
- Nomi
- Noshiro
- Noto
- Nozawa Onsen
- Numata
- Numazu
- Nyuzen
O: 62 names
- Oarai
- Obama
- Obanazawa
- Obihiro
- Obuse
- Oda
- Odate
- Odawara
- Ofunato
- Oga
- Ogaki
- Ogano
- Ogimi
- Ogori
- Ogose
- Ogoto
- Oguni
- Ohara
- Oishida
- Oiso
- Oita
- Oiwake
- Ojika
- Ojiya
- Okaya
- Okazaki
- Okegawa
- Okoppe
- Okuizumo
- Okushiri
- Okutsu
O, continued
- Oma
- Omachi
- Omaezaki
- Omagari
- Ome
- Omihachiman
- Omuta
- Onagawa
- Onjuku
- Onna
- Ono
- Onomichi
- Osaka
- Oshino
- Oshu
- Ota
- Otake
- Otaki
- Otaru
- Otawara
- Otofuke
- Otoineppu
- Otoyo
- Otsu
- Otsuchi
- Otsuki
- Ouchijuku
- Owani
- Owase
- Oyama
- Ozu
R: 12 names
- Rankoshi
- Rausu
- Rebun
- Rifu
- Rikuzentakata
- Rishiri
- Ritto
- Rumoi
- Rurigahama
- Rusutsu
- Ryugasaki
- Ryusei
S: 113 names
- Sabae
- Sado
- Sagae
- Sagamihara
- Saijo
- Saikai
- Saiki
- Sakai
- Sakaide
- Sakaimachi
- Sakaiminato
- Sakata
- Saku
- Sakunami
- Sakura
- Sakuragawa
- Sakurai
- Sakurano
- Samegai
- Sammu
- Sanda
- Sangenjaya
- Sanjo
- Sannohe
- Sano
- Sanuki
- Sapporo
- Sarufutsu
- Sasebo
- Satsumasendai
- Sawara
- Sayama
- Sayo
- Seba
- Seiyo
- Seki
- Sekigahara
- Semboku
- Sendai
- Sennan
- Seto
- Setouchi
- Shakotan
- Shari
- Shibamata
- Shibata
- Shibecha
- Shibu Onsen
- Shibukawa
- Shibushi
- Shichikashuku
- Shichinohe
- Shigurezawa
- Shiiba
- Shimabara
- Shimada
S, continued
- Shimanto
- Shimizu
- Shimoda
- Shimogo
- Shimonita
- Shimonoseki
- Shimosato
- Shimosuwa
- Shimotsuma
- Shimukappu
- Shinchi
- Shingu
- Shinjo
- Shinkamigoto
- Shinonsen
- Shinsekai
- Shinshiro
- Shiobara
- Shiogama
- Shiojiri
- Shiosaihama
- Shirahama
- Shirahone Onsen
- Shirakawa
- Shirakawago
- Shiraoi
- Shirasagiura
- Shirasuka
- Shirataka
- Shiroishi
- Shiromori
- Shizukuishi
- Shizuoka
- Shobara
- Shodoshima
- Shonai
- Shono
- Shunan
- Shuzenji
- Sodegaura
- Soja
- Soka
- Soni
- Sotogahama
- Suita
- Sukagawa
- Sukumo
- Sumita
- Susaki
- Susono
- Suttsu
- Suwa
- Suzaka
- Suzu
- Suzuka
- Suzukaze
- Suzuranzaka
T: 114 names
- Tabuse
- Tachibanashi
- Tadami
- Tadotsu
- Taga
- Tagajo
- Tagawa
- Tahara
- Taiji
- Tainai
- Tajimi
- Takahagi
- Takahama
- Takahashi
- Takahata
- Takamatsu
- Takamiya
- Takaoka
- Takarazuka
- Takasago
- Takasaki
- Takashima
- Takatsuki
- Takayama
- Takehara
- Takenokoji
- Takeo
- Taketa
- Taketomi
- Takikawa
- Takko
- Tamana
- Tamano
- Tamatsukuri Onsen
- Tamba Sasayama
- Tanabe
- Tanagura
- Tanohata
- Tara
- Tarama
- Tarumizu
- Tasogarebashi
- Tatebayashi
- Tateshina
- Tateyama
- Tatsugo
- Tatsuno
- Tawaramoto
- Tenjin
- Tenkawa
- Tenri
- Teshikaga
- Teshio
- Toba
- Tobe
- Tochigi
- Togane
T, continued
- Tokai
- Tokamachi
- Tokashiki
- Toki
- Tokoname
- Tokorozawa
- Tokushima
- Tokyo
- Tomakomai
- Tombogaike
- Tomigusuku
- Tomioka
- Tomoegawa
- Tomonoura
- Tonaki
- Tonami
- Tondabayashi
- Tono
- Toride
- Toriimoto
- Torikai
- Tosashimizu
- Tosu
- Totsuka
- Totsukawa
- Tottori
- Towada
- Toyako
- Toyama
- Toyohashi
- Toyokawa
- Toyonaka
- Toyooka
- Toyota
- Tsu
- Tsubakino
- Tsubame
- Tsuchiura
- Tsuchiyama
- Tsuchiyu
- Tsuetate
- Tsukikagebashi
- Tsukimidai
- Tsukishima
- Tsukuba
- Tsukumi
- Tsumago
- Tsumagoi
- Tsunan
- Tsuru
- Tsuruga
- Tsuruhashi
- Tsurunomine
- Tsuruoka
- Tsushima
- Tsuwano
- Tsuyama
U: 28 names
- Ube
- Uchiko
- Ueda
- Uenohara
- Ugo
- Uji
- Ujitawara
- Ukiha
- Umaji
- Umizora
- Unazuki Onsen
- Unnan
- Unnojuku
- Unuma
- Unzen Onsen
- Uozu
- Urakawa
- Urasoe
- Urawa
- Ureshino
- Uruma
- Usa
- Usagidaira
- Ushiku
- Usuki
- Utakatahama
- Utsunomiya
- Uwajima
W: 9 names
- Wadomari
- Wajima
- Wakabadai
- Wakasa
- Wakayama
- Wakkanai
- Wakura Onsen
- Watari
- Wazuka
Y: 60 names
- Yabu
- Yabuhara
- Yachimata
- Yahiko
- Yaizu
- Yakage
- Yakushima
- Yamaga
- Yamagata
- Yamaguchi
- Yamanaka Onsen
- Yamanoue
- Yamashiro Onsen
- Yamatokoriyama
- Yamatotakada
- Yame
- Yanagawa
- Yanai
- Yanaizu
- Yao
- Yaotsu
- Yasugi
- Yatsushiro
- Yawata
- Yawatahama
- Yayoizaka
- Yoichi
- Yokkaichi
- Yokosuka
- Yomitan
- Yonabaru
- Yonago
- Yonaguni
- Yonezawa
- Yorii
- Yoro
- Yoron
- Yosano
- Yoshino
- Yotsuya
- Yubara
- Yubari
- Yudanaka
- Yufuin
- Yugashima
- Yugawara
- Yugirizawa
- Yui
- Yukimachi
- Yukuhashi
- Yumenosato
- Yumura
- Yunishigawa
- Yunogo
- Yunokawa
- Yunomine Onsen
- Yurihonjo
- Yusuhara
- Yuyakezaki
- Yuzawa