How to say "birthplace" in Japanese

• 生まれうまれJLPT N3approx.Common
  nounThe place where a person was born; the word also means birth itself. It fits plain statements of where someone was born, with no nuance of attachment or nostalgia.
  私は生うまれも育そだちも東京とうきょうだ。↗

  I was born and raised in Tokyo.
• ふるさとCommon
  nounThe hometown or old home one comes from and feels attached to, often with nostalgia; usually written in kana. Use it when 'birthplace' means one's old home, not the mere fact of birth.
  トムは故郷ふるさとへと戻もどって行いった。↗

  Tom went back to his hometown.
• 故郷こきょうJLPT N3approx.Common
  nounOne's hometown or native place: the old home one feels attached to, like ふるさと. Either word fits when 'birthplace' means the hometown rather than the mere fact of where a person was born.
• 発祥地はっしょうちCommon
  nounThe birthplace or cradle of something — jazz, Buddhism, a civilization: the place where it began. Use it for the origins of things, not for where a person was born.
  中東ちゅうとうは文明ぶんめいの発祥地はっしょうちである。↗

  The Middle East is the cradle of civilization.
• 出自しゅつじCommon
  nounA person's origins or background — family line and roots — rather than a specific place. As 'birthplace' it is marginal: seldom the word you want when you mean where someone was born.

Use 「生まれ」 for where a person was born; 「ふるさと」 or 故郷 for the hometown one feels attached to; 発祥地 for where something such as jazz or Buddhism began; 出自 is for a person's origins rather than a place.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 生まれうまれbirth
• ふるさとhometown
• 故郷こきょうhometown
• 発祥地はっしょうちbirthplace (e.g. of jazz, Buddhism)
• 出自しゅつじorigin
• 郷里きょうりhometown
• 国元くにもとone's home
• 生地せいちbirthplace
• 出生地しゅっしょうちbirthplace
• 生まれた場所うまれたばしょbirthplace
• 揺籃の地ようらんのちbirthplace
• 発祥の地はっしょうのちbirthplace
• 創業地そうぎょうちbirthplace (of a company or business)
• 本家本元ほんけほんもとoriginal home
• 畑はたけwomb
• 産地さんちbirthplace (of a person)
• 出所しゅっしょbirthplace
• 本場ほんばplace of origin
• 本家ほんけfounder (of a certain school, style, etc.)
• 旧国きゅうこくhomeland