If you take a look at the Japan symbols on
a prefecture stamp, you will see that a calligraphy-type font is used, so the
symbol for Japan is slightly different looking than the Japan symbol on a
commemorative. The commemorative stamp's symbol is more rectangular,
with a line drawn completely through the middle. On the prefecture
symbol, there's also a
line in the middle, but it doesn't touch sides. If you study the two
examples below (symbols are within blue boxes), I believe you will see the
difference.
Japanese sense of prefecture
In the Japanese system, the word prefecture is used for translating references to an administrative district, ken (県), which is about the size of a county.
The local self-governing system of Japan consists of 2 classes: prefectures as the large area local governing units and municipalities the basic local governing units. In the Eastern sense, the administrative segregation of a unified nation is usually trifold: the nation, large area local governing units, and basic local governing units. Japan fits this pattern.
Japan is divided into 47 prefectures and each prefecture is further divided into municipalities. These prefectures and municipalities have no overlapping districts or uncovered areas. In short, all the residents in Japan are sure to belong to one prefecture and one municipality.
These prefectures and municipalities are not merely set up as the nation's
administrative section, but also as corporate bodies independent from the
country that possesses their own basic governing areas and local residents as
their constituents. They hold administrative power within the districts in
question. In Okinawa, Nagasaki and Hokkaido, subprefectures
are used as special administrative units because such regions are too large or
remote for a single prefectural government to govern.
List of prefectures
