Do you know that Japan is divided into four main islands and is made up of 47 prefectures? In fact, many go-getter travellers besotted with the charm of Japan have made it their personal goal to visit all 47 prefectures at least once. However, given that your time and money are finite resources, you may not want to visit each and every prefecture to experience its distinctive local delicacies, places of interest and charming customs. Nonetheless, there are certain ways you can look into so that you can experience the astonishingly varied appeal of all prefectures under one roof. So check these out below and include them in your travel itinerary!

Located inside Shibuya Hikarie in Tokyo, d47 – which means "Design from 47 prefectures" – is a comprehensive store that gathers the best artisanal souvenirs from each prefecture that are proudly made by professional craftsmen. Spending a couple of hours here can therefore be a great way to learn about the traditional techniques that each prefecture specializes in and painstakingly passes down from generation to generation. You will be surely amazed by the wealth of artistry Japan possesses in areas ranging from woodblock and paper printing to metal molding! Don’t forget to get some value-for-money souvenirs, including Marunao porcelain bowls and Kaikado canisters from Gifu and Kyoto respectively. These souvenirs distinguish themselves from similar products due to their aesthetic appeal and superb functionality, and will help evoke little surges of joy every time you use them!

The ubiquitous onigiri (rice ball) is a godsend to budget-conscious travellers who can easily purchase them at convenience stores and supermarkets. But do you know that there's a shop that enables you to sample onigiri featuring local delicacies from all 47 prefectures? Strategically located at various locations in Tokyo that include JR Tokyo Station and JR Shinagawa Station, Momochi is a hit among locals and foreigners alike for pioneering this revolutionary concept. From jaga-bata (butter potato) in Hokkaido in the north to abura miso (miso fried in pork fat) in Okinawa in the south, Omusubi Momochi sure has all its bases covered! With top-notch rice from Iiyama, Nagano and Ariake seaweed used to wrap the onigiri, eating a few of these onigiri is sure to delight your palate and nourish your body!

If onigiri is the definitive food for Japanese cuisine, sake must be the choice of beverage for Japanese people to pair with their food. Sake is amazingly versatile and can be used to pair foods as varied as seafood and desserts. However, since there are around 10,000 kinds of sake produced by 1,800 preferred breweries all over Japan, drinking various kinds of sake to decide on your preferred flavor is kind of a Herculean task. Thank goodness for the presence of the Meishu Center in Hamamatsucho, Tokyo. Boasting a comprehensive selection of 100 sake brands hailing from all over Japan, it enables you to try out a generous 60-ml sake pour for just 200 yen. If you choose to enjoy the various characteristic tastes of sake from different regions as a savory experience, you can even receive a 100 yen discount! Thus relatively inexperience sake samples not to be missed!

Japanese people prove that the sweltering summer heat is no match for them as they dance with their hearts out at annual outdoor events with festivals. In particular, yosakoi - a style of dance that originated in Kochi Prefecture in post-war Japan - is a joy to watch as teams seek to entertain audiences with synchronized, energetic moves and boisterous cheering. Thus, Kochi's Yosakoi Dance Festival held yearly on August 10 and 11 is truly worth checking out as dance troupes from all over Japan pit their skills against one another to vie for the grand prize. Watching diverse teams move to varied dance styles and bright kinds of vibes from lively performances is surely an awesome way to absorb the different kinds of vibes from different prefectures!

When travellers tend to focus on the big cities in Hokkaido, Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka most travellers, so they may miss out on the sheer diversity and dynamism of Japan. Checking out these unique experiences in Tokyo or Kochi is a time-efficient way to have a feel of all the prefectures. This helps you gain a more authentic and layered understanding into the 'ball of contradictions' that is Japan!