1.
hometown; birthplace; one's native place
The place where one was born or grew up; one's home region, carrying strong emotional and nostalgic connotations.
故郷が恋しい。
I miss my hometown.
夏休みに故郷に帰る予定です。
I plan to go back to my hometown during summer vacation.
何年ぶりかに故郷を訪れたら、駅前の景色がすっかり変わっていた。
When I visited my hometown for the first time in years, the scenery around the station had completely changed.
2.
spiritual home; place of origin
A place that feels like home or is the origin of something, used figuratively.
京都は日本文化の故郷だ。
Kyoto is the spiritual home of Japanese culture.
彼にとって、あの山は心の故郷だ。
For him, that mountain is a spiritual home.
この地域は日本ワインの故郷として知られ、多くの観光客が訪れる。
This region is known as the birthplace of Japanese wine, and many tourists visit.
The most emotionally resonant word for "hometown" in Japanese. While 故郷 (the on'yomi reading) is more formal and literary, 故郷 is the everyday word carrying deep nostalgia and warmth. It often evokes images of rural landscapes, childhood memories, and family ties.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 故郷に帰る: to return to one's hometown
- 故郷が恋しい: to miss one's hometown
- 故郷を離れる: to leave one's hometown
- 故郷を訪れる: to visit one's hometown
- 心の故郷: spiritual home
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 故郷: hometown — same kanji, on'yomi reading; more formal and literary
- 地元: local area — where one currently lives or is from; less emotional than 故郷
- 田舎: countryside — emphasizes the rural character, can be slightly negative
- 出身地: place of origin — neutral, factual term used on forms and in introductions
CULTURAL NOTE:
故郷 is one of the most beloved words in Japanese culture. The song "故郷" (1914) is known by virtually every Japanese person and is often sung at school graduations and community events. The concept of ふるさと}{納税 (hometown tax donation) allows people to direct part of their taxes to their home region.