This series of enamel pins, with each representing one of Japan’s 47 prefectures, are the perfect way to show love for your hometown, or simply keep as mementos from your travels. Not only do they accurately capture the shape of each prefecture but the colors were also carefully selected to align with what the prefecture is known for.
hokkaido, known for its rolling hills and lavender plants, combines greens and purples
We love the small details in these pins. The gold edges are lovely highlights that complement the nuanced matte color scheme. And then name of each prefecture is written on the back, just in case you forget. We would probably choose Tokyo, our hometown, as well as two of our favorite places to travel to: Hokkaido and Kagawa. Which pins would you choose?
The pins are made by Zenrin, a Japanese company known for their maps. So you can be assured that the pins are geographically accurate. They’re available for 1,100 yen a pop, over at Map Design Gallery which is the company’s web shop where they sell geography-inspired items.
Tokyo’s colors are greys and blues, inspired the the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building
Kagawa is known for its udon and the pin colors are based on the dish
February 25, 2024 at 9:36 pm
Good morning.
I’m a long-time reader and this is my first post here.
Are the pins produced to the same scale, meaning can they be all aligned to form a map of Japan?
Many thanks.
February 26, 2024 at 10:03 am
Hi See TH – thanks for reading! No, not produced at the same scale. Hokkaido (the largest prefecture) and Kagawa (smallest) are basically the same size.
March 2, 2024 at 5:04 pm
What do the partitions in each pin represent please?
March 3, 2024 at 4:24 pm
They represent the various subdivisions in each prefecture!
March 7, 2024 at 3:15 pm
I would love to buy some of these for my daughter, but it looks like they only ship within Japan. Are there options for International Shipping (USA)?