The , (literally, "Northeast Region") consists of the northeastern portion of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. This traditional region consists of six prefectures (ken): Akita, Aomori, Fukushima, Iwate, Miyagi and Yamagata. Tohoku retains a reputation as a remote, scenic region with a harsh climate. In the 20th century, tourism became a major industry in the Tohoku region.