and of Japan are places of scenic beauty that are designated for protection and sustainable use 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, Asukayama Park, Fukagawa Park, Shiba Park, 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 and Kirishima—with six more in December and a further five 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 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. 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, Akkeshi-Kiritappu-Konbumori Quasi-National Park. On 25 June 2024, Hidaka-sanmyaku Erimo Quasi-National Park was redesignated Hidakasanmyaku-Erimo-Tokachi National Park, making it the 35th national park, and on 10 April 2026, Ontakesan Quasi-National Park was established, the 58th quasi-national park.
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
NameEstablished Region Area [ha] PhotoAkan Mashu National Park 1934 Hokkaidō Minami Alps National Park 1964Chūbu Amami Guntō National Park 2017 Kyūshū Ashizuri-Uwakai National Park 1972 Shikoku Aso Kujū National Park 1934 Kyūshū Bandai-Asahi National Park 1950Tōhoku Chichibu Tama Kai National Park 1950 Kantō Chūbu-Sangaku National Park 1934Chūbu Daisen-Oki National Park 1936 Chūgoku Daisetsuzan National Park 1934 Hokkaidō Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park 1936 Kantō Hakusan National Park 1962Chūbu Hidakasanmyaku-Erimo-Tokachi National Park 2024Hokkaido Iriomote-Ishigaki National Park 1972 Kyūshū Ise-Shima National Park 1946 Kinki Jōshin'etsu-kōgen National Park 1949 Kantō Kerama Shotō National Park 2014 Kyūshū Kirishima-Kinkowan National Park 1934 Kyūshū Kushiro-shitsugen National Park 1987 Hokkaidō Myōkō-Togakushi Renzan National Park 2015Chūbu Nikkō National Park 1934 Kantō Ogasawara National Park 1972 Kantō Oze National Park 1972 Tōhoku and Kantō Rishiri-Rebun-Sarobetsu National Park 1974 Hokkaidō Saikai National Park 1955 Kyūshū Sanin Kaigan National Park 1936 Kinki Sanriku Fukkō National Park 1955Tōhoku Setonaikai National Park 1934 Kinki, Chūgoku, Shikoku, Kyushu (Joint management) Shikotsu-Tōya National Park 1949 Hokkaidō Shiretoko National Park 1964 Hokkaidō Towada-Hachimantai National Park 1936Tōhoku Unzen-Amakusa National Park 1934 Kyūshū Yakushima National Park 2012 Kyūshū Yanbaru National Park 2016 Kyūshū Yoshino-Kumano National Park 1936 Kinki
List of quasi-national parks Hokkaidō Abashiri Quasi-National Park Akkeshi-Kiritappu-Konbumori Quasi-National Park Niseko-Shakotan-Otaru Kaigan Quasi-National Park Ōnuma Quasi-National Park Shokanbetsu-Teuri-Yagishiri Quasi-National Park
Tōhoku Shimokita Hantō Quasi-National Park Tsugaru Quasi-National Park Hayachine Quasi-National Park Kurikoma Quasi-National Park Minami-Sanriku Kinkazan Quasi-National Park Zaō Quasi-National Park Oga Quasi-National Park Chōkai Quasi-National Park
Kantō Suigō-Tsukuba Quasi-National Park Minami Bōsō Quasi-National Park 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 Sado-Yahiko-Yoneyama Quasi-National Park Noto Hantō Quasi-National Park Echizen-Kaga Kaigan Quasi-National Park Yatsugatake-Chūshin Kōgen Quasi-National Park Tenryū-Okumikawa Quasi-National Park Chūō Alps Quasi-National Park Ontakesan 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 Yamato-Aogaki Quasi-National Park Kōya-Ryūjin Quasi-National Park Meiji no Mori Minō Quasi-National Park Kyoto Tamba Kogen Quasi-National Park
Chūgoku and Shikoku Hyōnosen-Ushiroyama-Nagisan Quasi-National Park Hiba-Dōgo-Taishaku Quasi-National Park Nishi-Chūgoku Sanchi Quasi-National Park Kita Nagato Kaigan Quasi-National Park Akiyoshidai Quasi-National Park Tsurugisan Quasi-National Park 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 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 Okinawa Senseki Quasi-National Park
See also Special places of scenic beauty List of Ramsar sites in Japan Geography of Japan
References
External links National Parks of Japan (Ministry of the Environment)