Kyushu (九州, Kyūshū, pronounced [kʲɯꜜːɕɯː] (listen), lit. "Nine Provinces") is the third-largest island of Japan's five main islands and the most southerly of the four largest islands (i.e. excluding Okinawa).[3][4] In the past, it has been known as Kyūkoku (九国, "Nine Countries"), Chinzei (鎮西, "West of the Pacified Area") and Tsukushi-no-shima (筑紫島, "Island of Tsukushi"). The historical regional name Saikaidō (西海道, lit. West Sea Circuit) referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands. Kyushu has a land area of 36,782 square kilometres (14,202 sq mi) and a population of 14,311,224 in 2018.[5]

Kyushu

Native name: 九州
October 2009 NASA satellite image of Kyushu
Kyushu region of Japan and the current prefectures on the island of Kyushu
Geography
Location	East Asia
Coordinates	33°N 131°E
Archipelago	Japanese Archipelago
Area	36,782.37[1] km2 (14,201.75 sq mi)
Area rank	37th
Coastline	12,221 km (7593.8 mi)
Highest elevation	1,791 m (5876 ft)
Highest point	Mount Kujū[2]
Administration
Japan
Prefectures	Fukuoka Prefecture  Kagoshima Prefecture  Kumamoto Prefecture  Miyazaki Prefecture  Nagasaki Prefecture  Ōita Prefecture  Okinawa Prefecture  Saga Prefecture
Largest settlement	Fukuoka
Demographics
Population	12,650,847 (as of June 2022)
Pop. density	307.13/km2 (795.46/sq mi)
Ethnic groups	Japanese, Ryukyuan
Additional information
Time zone	Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)

In the 8th-century Taihō Code reforms, Dazaifu was established as a special administrative term for the region.[6]

Geography

The island is mountainous, and Japan's most active volcano, Mount Aso at 1,591 metres (5,220 ft), is on Kyushu. There are many other signs of tectonic activity, including numerous areas of hot springs. The most famous of these are in Beppu, on the east shore, and around Mt. Aso in central Kyushu. The island is separated from Honshu by the Kanmon Straits. Being the nearest island to the Asian continent,[7] historically it is the gateway to Japan.[8]

The total area is 36,782.37 km² (14,201.75 sq mi) which makes it the 37th largest island in the world.[1] It's slightly larger than Taiwan island 35,808 km² (13,826 sq mi).[5] The highest elevation is 1791 meters (5876 feet) on Mount Kujū.[9]

The name Kyūshū comes from the nine ancient provinces of Saikaidō situated on the island: Chikuzen, Chikugo, Hizen, Higo, Buzen, Bungo, Hyūga, Osumi, and Satsuma.[10]

Today's Kyushu Region (九州地方, Kyūshū-chihō) is a politically defined region that consists of the seven prefectures on the island of Kyushu (which also includes the former Tsushima and Iki as part of Nagasaki), plus Okinawa Prefecture to the south:

• Northern Kyushu
  • Fukuoka Prefecture
  • Kumamoto Prefecture
  • Nagasaki Prefecture
  • Ōita Prefecture
  • Saga Prefecture
• Southern Kyushu
  • Kagoshima Prefecture
  • Miyazaki Prefecture
• Okinawa
  • Okinawa Prefecture

Population

Kyushu has 10.3 percent of the population of Japan.[11] Most of Kyushu's population is concentrated along the northwest, in the cities of Fukuoka and Kitakyushu, with population corridors stretching southwest into Sasebo and Nagasaki and south into Kumamoto and Kagoshima. Except for Oita and Miyazaki, the eastern seaboard shows a general decline in population.

Politically, Kyushu is described as a stronghold of the Liberal Democratic Party.[12]

Per Japanese census data,[13][14] the Kyushu region's population with Ryukyu Islands (Okinawa and Kagoshima Prefectures) has experienced a large population decline since around 2000. However, the population decline is mild mainly due to relatively high birth rate of Ryukyuans both within the Ryukyuan lands (Okinawa and Kagoshima) and throughout the Kyushu region. In addition, the other prefectures in Kyushu also have exceptionally high TFRs compared to the rest of Japan.[15][16] The Ryukyuans are an indigenous minority group in Japan.

Designated cities

• Fukuoka (population: 1,588,924)
• Kitakyushu (population: 940,978)
• Kumamoto (population: 738,907)

Core cities

• Kagoshima
• Ōita
• Nagasaki
• Miyazaki
• Naha
• Kurume
• Sasebo
• Saga

Environment and agriculture

Parts of Kyushu have a subtropical climate, particularly Miyazaki prefecture and Kagoshima prefecture. Major agricultural products are rice, tea, tobacco, sweet potatoes, and soy; also, silk is widely produced.

Besides the volcanic area of the south, there are significant mud hot springs in the northern part of the island, around Beppu. The springs are the site of occurrence of certain extremophile microorganisms, which are capable of surviving in extremely hot environments.[17]

Economy

Kyushu is noted for various types of porcelain, including Arita, Imari, Satsuma, and Karatsu. Heavy industry is concentrated in the north around Fukuoka, Kitakyushu, Nagasaki, and Oita and includes chemicals, automobiles, semiconductors, metal processing, shipbuilding, etc.[18]

In 2010, the graduate employment rate in the region was the lowest nationwide, at 88.9%.[19]

Education

Major universities and colleges in Kyushu:

• National universities
  • Kyushu University – One of seven former "Imperial Universities"
  • Kyushu Institute of Technology
  • Saga University
  • Nagasaki University
  • Kumamoto University
  • Fukuoka University of Education
  • Oita University
  • Miyazaki University
  • Kagoshima University
  • National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Kanoya
  • University of the Ryukyus
• Universities run by local governments
  • University of Kitakyushu
  • Kyushu Dental College
  • Fukuoka Women's University
  • Fukuoka Prefectural University
  • Nagasaki Prefectural University
  • Oita University of Nursing and Health Sciences
  • Prefectural University of Kumamoto
  • Miyazaki Municipal University
  • Miyazaki Prefectural Nursing University
  • Okinawa Prefectural University of Arts
• Major private universities
  • Fukuoka University – University with the largest number of students in Kyushu
  • Kumamoto Gakuen University
  • Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University
  • Seinan Gakuin University
  • Kyushu Sangyo University – Baseball team won the Japanese National Championship in 2005
  • University of Occupational and Environmental Health
  • Kurume University

Transportation

Kyushu is linked to the larger island of Honshu by the Kanmon Railway Tunnel,[20] which carries the non-Shinkansen trains of the Kyushu Railway Company, and the newer Shin-Kanmon Tunnel carrying the San'yō Shinkansen. Railways on the island are operated by the Kyushu Railway Company and West Japan Railway Company, as well as a variety of smaller companies such as Amagi Railway[21] and Nishitetsu Railway.[22] Kyushu Shinkansen trains also operate between major cities on the island,[23] such as Fukuoka and Kagoshima,[24] with an additional route under construction between Fukuoka and Nagasaki expected to be in operation from 2023.[25] Kyushu is also known for its scenic train services, such as the Limited Express Yufuin no Mori and Limited Express Kawasemi Yamasemi.[23]

The Kanmon Bridge and Kanmon Roadway Tunnel also connect the island with Honshu, allowing for vehicular transport between the two.[26] The Kyushu Expressway spans the length of the island, linking the Higashikyushu Expressway and Ibusuki Skyline, connecting major cities such as Fukuoka and Kumamoto along the way.^{[citation needed]} There are also many quiet country roads, including popular tourist routes such as the Nichinan coast road and the Aso Panorama Line in Kumamoto Prefecture. Bus services are available and cover 2,400 routes within Kyushu's cities, connecting many other destinations.[23]

Several passenger and car ferry services connect both northern and southern Kyushu with main port cities on the main island of Honshu (Kobe, Osaka, Tokyo) and Shikoku.[27]

See also

• Azumi people, an ancient group of people who inhabited parts of Northern Kyūshū
• Geography of Japan
• Group Kyushu
• Hoenn, a fictional region in the Pokémon franchise which is based on Kyushu
• Japanese archipelago
• Kanmonkyo Bridge, that connects Kyūshū with Honshū
• Kyushu National Museum
• Kyushu dialects, Hichiku dialect, Hōnichi dialect, and Kagoshima dialect
• List of regions in Japan
• Northern Kyushu, Southern Kyushu
• United States Fleet Activities Sasebo
• Western Army (Japan)

References

External links

• The dictionary definition of Kyushu at Wiktionary
• Media related to Kyushu (category) at Wikimedia Commons
• Kyushu travel guide from Wikivoyage

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