The four cardinal directions are the directions **north**, **east**, **south**, and **west**. The intermediate directions are **northeast**, **southeast**, **southwest**, and **northwest**. In English it would be incorrect to say *eastnorth*, for example. But in Japanese 東北 (literally *eastnorth*) and 西北 (literally *westnorth*) are quite right *(BUT 南東 and 南西!)*

Which directions are considered primary and intermediate in Japan? If everything is just the same as in the West, why do we say 東北, not 北東, and 西北 instead of 北西?

Thank you!