北東 (hokutou) and 東北 (touhoku) are written with the same two kanji — 北 (north) and 東 (east) — just in reversed order. Both can translate as “northeast” in English, which makes them look identical. But in Japanese they are used in very different ways: one is a pure compass direction, and the other is a proper regional name. Using the wrong one in the wrong context will confuse native speakers — even though they share the same characters.
YukaHey Rei! I keep mixing up 北東 and 東北. Can you break it down for me?
ReiSure! They’re both useful words but used in different situations. Let me walk you through it with some examples!
At a Glance: 北東 vs. 東北
| Feature | 北東 (hokutou) | 東北 (touhoku) |
|---|---|---|
| Kanji | 北東 | 東北 |
| Reading | ほくとう (hokutou) | とうほく (touhoku) |
| Primary meaning | Northeast (compass direction) | Tohoku (region of northern Japan) OR northeast (less common) |
| Used as a direction? | Yes — always | Rarely — mostly for the Japanese region |
| Used as a place name? | No | Yes — 東北地方 (Tohoku region) |
| Register | Neutral / technical | Regional / cultural |
| JLPT level | N3 | N3 |
北東 (hokutou) — The Compass Direction
北東 is the standard word for the cardinal direction “northeast.” It is a purely geographical term used in weather forecasts, maps, navigation, and any situation where you need to indicate a direction between north and east. It has no cultural or regional associations — it simply means the direction.
The structure is logical: 北 (kita = north) + 東 (higashi = east) = 北東 (northeast). Similarly, 南西 = southwest, 北西 = northwest, 南東 = southeast.
Example 1 — weather forecast:
今日は北東の風が吹いています。
Kyou wa hokutou no kaze ga fuiteimasu.
Today there is a wind blowing from the northeast.
Example 2 — map / navigation:
その島は日本の北東にあります。
Sono shima wa Nihon no hokutou ni arimasu.
That island is to the northeast of Japan.
Example 3 — directional description:
駅から北東に進むと公園があります。
Eki kara hokutou ni susumu to kouen ga arimasu.
If you head northeast from the station, there is a park.
YukaOh, so 北東 is used that way! I never thought about it like that.
ReiExactly! Once you see it in context a few times, it starts to feel natural. The key is paying attention to 北東 when you read or listen.
東北 (touhoku) — The Region and Its Cultural Weight
東北 primarily refers to the Tohoku region — the northern part of Honshu (Japan’s main island), comprising six prefectures: Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi, Akita, Yamagata, and Fukushima. When Japanese people say 東北, they almost always mean this specific region, not just “northeast” as a direction.
東北 carries strong cultural and regional associations: famous for its snowy winters, rice, sake, festivals like the Sendai Tanabata, and the 2011 earthquake and tsunami recovery. Using 東北 in a directional sense (to mean “northeast of X”) is possible but uncommon — native speakers would typically use 北東 for pure direction.
Example 1 — referring to the region:
東北地方は雪が多いです。
Touhoku chihou wa yuki ga ooi desu.
The Tohoku region gets a lot of snow.
Example 2 — travel:
東北新幹線で仙台に行きました。
Touhoku Shinkansen de Sendai ni ikimashita.
I went to Sendai on the Tohoku Shinkansen.
Example 3 — food / culture:
東北のお米はおいしいと有名です。
Touhoku no okome wa oishii to yuumei desu.
Tohoku rice is famous for being delicious.
YukaAnd what about 東北? I always thought it was the same as 北東…
ReiEasy mistake! 東北 has its own distinct meaning. The difference becomes really clear once you compare them side by side — which is exactly what we’re doing here!
Why the Same Characters, Different Order?
In Japanese (and Chinese), compound words made of two directions can be ordered either way, but convention determines which reading dominates. 北東 (north-east order) became the standard compass direction. 東北 (east-north order) became the name of the region — following a historical naming tradition where 東 (east) comes first to emphasize the eastern half of northern Japan. This is similar to how “Midwest” and “Western” in English can coexist as different concepts despite related meanings.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Context | 北東 (hokutou) | 東北 (touhoku) |
|---|---|---|
| Weather forecast direction | ✓ 北東の風 (northeast wind) | ✗ Not used as a direction here |
| Map compass direction | ✓ 北東に進む | Possible but uncommon |
| Japan’s regional name | ✗ Not used | ✓ 東北地方 |
| Train / travel destination | ✗ Not used | ✓ 東北新幹線 |
| Cultural / food reference | ✗ Not used | ✓ 東北の食文化 |
| Northeast of Australia (e.g.) | ✓ オーストラリアの北東 | ✗ Awkward / wrong nuance |
Other Compass Direction Words
For completeness, here are all four intercardinal directions — all follow the 北東 pattern (standard compass directions use Sino-Japanese readings):
| Direction | Kanji | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Northeast | 北東 | ほくとう (hokutou) |
| Southeast | 南東 | なんとう (nantou) |
| Southwest | 南西 | なんせい (nansei) |
| Northwest | 北西 | ほくせい (hokusei) |
Decision Flowchart: 北東 or 東北?
Are you talking about "northeast"?
|
v
Is it specifically the TOHOKU REGION of Japan?
(Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi, Akita, Yamagata, Fukushima)
| |
YES NO
| |
v v
東北 (touhoku) Are you giving a COMPASS DIRECTION
東北地方 or geographic direction?
東北新幹線 |
YES
|
v
北東 (hokutou)
北東の風, 北東に進むQuick Quiz — Test Yourself!
YukaOkay, I feel a lot more confident about 北東 and 東北 now! Should we test it with a quiz?
ReiLet’s do it! A quick quiz is the best way to make sure the difference really sticks.
Fill in the blank with 北東 or 東北.
Q1. The wind is blowing from the northeast today.
今日は＿＿＿からの風が吹いています。
Kyou wa ___ kara no kaze ga fuiteimasu.
Answer: 北東 (hokutou)
Reason: This is a compass direction in a weather context — 北東 is always used for direction.
Q2. I want to visit the Tohoku region someday.
いつか＿＿＿地方に行ってみたい。
Itsuka ___ chihou ni itte mitai.
Answer: 東北 (touhoku)
Reason: This refers to the specific region of Japan — 東北地方 is the correct term.
Q3. Osaka is to the northeast of Fukuoka.
大阪は福岡の＿＿＿にあります。
Osaka wa Fukuoka no ___ ni arimasu.
Answer: 北東 (hokutou)
Reason: This is a directional statement about two cities — 北東 is the compass direction word.
Q4. The Tohoku Shinkansen goes to Sendai.
＿＿＿新幹線で仙台に行けます。
___ Shinkansen de Sendai ni ikemasu.
Answer: 東北 (touhoku)
Reason: This is the proper name of the train line — 東北新幹線 is always 東北, not 北東.
Q5. Sendai is in the northeastern part of Honshu.
仙台は本州の＿＿＿部にあります。
Sendai wa Honshu no ___ bu ni arimasu.
Answer: 北東 (hokutou) — or 東北 (acceptable when referring to the region)
Reason: When used as a directional description (the northeast part of Honshu), 北東 is the cleaner choice. 東北部 is also used and refers to the Tohoku area.
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あわせて読みたい
Now that you know north-east, make sure you can navigate all four main directions — start with left and right:
And for up vs. down — essential for giving directions in Japanese:
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