is a
prefecture of
Japan located on the island of
Kyūshū. Kumamoto Prefecture has a population of 1,748,134 () and has a geographic area of . Kumamoto Prefecture borders
Fukuoka Prefecture
is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. Fukuoka Prefecture has a population of 5,109,323 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of 4,986 Square kilometre, km2 (1,925 sq mi). Fukuoka Prefecture borders S ...
to the north,
Ōita Prefecture to the northeast,
Miyazaki Prefecture to the southeast, and
Kagoshima Prefecture to the south.
Kumamoto
is the capital city of Kumamoto Prefecture on the island of Kyushu, Japan. , the city has an estimated population of 738,907 and a population density of 1,893 people per km2. The total area is 390.32 km2.
had a population of 1,461,000, ...
is the capital and largest city of Kumamoto Prefecture, with other major cities including
Yatsushiro
is a city located in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan.
Geography
Located at the geographic center of Kyushu, Yatsushiro City is situated on the aptly named Yatsushiro Sea in between Kumamoto and Ashikita City.
Climate
Yatsushiro has a humid subtro ...
,
Amakusa
, which means "Heaven's Grass," is a series of islands off the west coast of Kyushu, the southernmost of the four main islands of Japan.
Geography
The largest island of the Amakusa group is Shimoshima, which is 26.5 miles long and 13.5 mi ...
, and
Tamana. Kumamoto Prefecture is located in the center of Kyūshū on the coast of the
Ariake Sea
The is a body of salt water surrounded by Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, and Kumamoto Prefectures, all of which lie on the island of Kyūshū in Japan. It is the largest bay in Kyūshū. Its deepest point is only about 50 meters (165 ft) deep, and ext ...
, across from
Nagasaki Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. Nagasaki Prefecture has a population of 1,314,078 (1 June 2020) and has a geographic area of 4,130 km2 (1,594 sq mi). Nagasaki Prefecture borders Saga Prefecture to the northeast.
N ...
, with the mainland separated from the
East China Sea by the Amakusa Archipelago. Kumamoto Prefecture is home to
Mount Aso, the largest active
volcano
A volcano is a rupture in the Crust (geology), crust of a Planet#Planetary-mass objects, planetary-mass object, such as Earth, that allows hot lava, volcanic ash, and volcanic gas, gases to escape from a magma chamber below the surface.
On Ear ...
in Japan and among the largest in the world, with its peak above
sea level
Mean sea level (MSL, often shortened to sea level) is an average surface level of one or more among Earth's coastal bodies of water from which heights such as elevation may be measured. The global MSL is a type of vertical datuma standardise ...
.
History
Historically, the area was called
Higo Province; and the province was renamed Kumamoto during the
Meiji Restoration
The , referred to at the time as the , and also known as the Meiji Renovation, Revolution, Regeneration, Reform, or Renewal, was a political event that restored practical imperial rule to Japan in 1868 under Emperor Meiji. Although there were ...
. The creation of prefectures was part of the
abolition of the feudal system. The current Japanese
orthography
An orthography is a set of conventions for writing a language, including norms of spelling, hyphenation, capitalization, word breaks, emphasis, and punctuation.
Most transnational languages in the modern period have a writing system, and ...
for Kumamoto literally means "bear root/origin", or "origin of the bear".
Geography
Kumamoto Prefecture is in the center of
Kyushu, the southernmost of the four major Japanese islands. It is bordered by the
Ariake Ariake (有明: "daybreak") may refer to:
Places in Japan
*Ariake, Kagoshima, a former town in Kagoshima Prefecture
*Ariake, Kumamoto, a former town in Kumamoto Prefecture
*Ariake, Saga, a former town in Saga Prefecture
*Ariake, Tokyo, a district w ...
inland sea and the
Amakusa
, which means "Heaven's Grass," is a series of islands off the west coast of Kyushu, the southernmost of the four main islands of Japan.
Geography
The largest island of the Amakusa group is Shimoshima, which is 26.5 miles long and 13.5 mi ...
archipelago
An archipelago ( ), sometimes called an island group or island chain, is a chain, cluster, or collection of islands, or sometimes a sea containing a small number of scattered islands.
Examples of archipelagos include: the Indonesian Arc ...
to the west,
Fukuoka Prefecture
is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. Fukuoka Prefecture has a population of 5,109,323 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of 4,986 Square kilometre, km2 (1,925 sq mi). Fukuoka Prefecture borders S ...
and
Ōita Prefecture to the north,
Miyazaki Prefecture to the east, and
Kagoshima Prefecture to the south.
Mount Aso (), an extensive active volcano, is in the east of Kumamoto Prefecture. This volcano is located at the centre of the
Aso caldera.
As of 31 March 2019, 21% of the total land area of the prefecture was designated as
natural parks: the
Aso Kujū and
Unzen-Amakusa National Parks;
Kyūshū Chūō Sanchi and
Yaba-Hita-Hikosan Quasi-National Parks; and
Ashikita Kaigan,
Itsuki Gokanoshō,
Kinpōzan,
Misumi-Ōyano Umibe,
Okukuma,
Shōtaisan, and
Yabe Shūhen Prefectural Natural Parks.
Cities
Fourteen cities are located in Kumamoto Prefecture:
Towns and villages
These are the towns and villages in each
district
A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or county, counties, several municipality, municipa ...
:
Mergers
Demographics
the population was 1,748,134 inhabitants with a population density of . The prefecture ranks 23rd in Japan.
Economy
There is a
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational conglomerate manufacturer of automobiles, motorcycles, and power equipment, headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan.
Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, reaching a producti ...
motorcycle plant.
Tourism
*
Mount Aso is one of the world's largest active volcanoes.
*
Kumamoto Castle
is a hilltop Japanese castle located in Chūō-ku, Kumamoto, in Kumamoto Prefecture. It was a large and well fortified castle. The is a concrete reconstruction built in 1960, but several ancillary wooden buildings remain of the original castle ...
*
Suizenji Park
*
Tsūjun Bridge
Tsūjun Bridge (通潤橋 ''-kyō'') is an aqueduct in Yamato, Kumamoto, Japan. It is an arch bridge completed in 1854 and is 84.0m long. The arch spans 27.3m. It is the largest stone aqueduct in Japan.
The Japanese Agency for Cultural Affa ...
, the largest stone aqueduct in Japan is in Yamato
The prefecture has a mascot named "
Kumamon", a black bear with red cheeks, who was created to attract tourists to the region after the
Kyushu Shinkansen
The is a Japanese Shinkansen high-speed railway network. It is an extension of the San'yō Shinkansen from Honshu connecting the city of Fukuoka (Hakata Station) in the north of Japan's Kyushu Island to the city of Kagoshima ( Kagoshima-Chuo St ...
line opened.
Education
Universities
National
*
Kumamoto University
Public
*
Kumamoto Prefectural University
Private
*
Kumamoto Gakuen University
called Gakuendai (学園大) or Shōdai (商大), is a private Japanese university in Kumamoto, Japan. It was established in 1942, at which time Eastern Language Vocational College (東洋語学専門学校 ''Tōyō Gengo Senmon Gakkō'') wa ...
*
Kyushu University of Nursing and Social Welfare
*
Kyushu Lutheran College
*
Kumamoto Health Science
*
Shokei Gakuin University
*
Sojo University
*
Heisei College of Music
is a private university in Mifune, Kumamoto, Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of J ...
Transportation
Rail
*
JR Kyushu
**
Kyushu Shinkansen
The is a Japanese Shinkansen high-speed railway network. It is an extension of the San'yō Shinkansen from Honshu connecting the city of Fukuoka (Hakata Station) in the north of Japan's Kyushu Island to the city of Kagoshima ( Kagoshima-Chuo St ...
**
Kagoshima Line
The is a major railway line operated by the Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu) between Mojikō in Kitakyushu, and Kagoshima Station in Kagoshima City, at the southern end of Kyushu. Until March 13, 2004, it extended 393 km between its tw ...
**
Hohi Line
**
Hisatsu Line
The is a railway line in Kyushu, Japan, operated by the Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). It connects Yatsushiro on the Kagoshima Main Line to Hayato station, Kirishima on the Nippo Main Line. From 1909 the line was the original rail conne ...
**
Misumi Line
is a railway line in Kyushu, Japan, operated by the Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). It connects Uto Station in Uto, Kumamoto Prefecture with Misumi Station in Uki Uki or UKI may refer to:
*Uki Goñi, writer, journalist and musician
*Uki ...
*
Kumamoto Electric Railway
The is a public transport company in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan. It is abbreviated as or . The company was founded in 1909. The company operates railway and bus lines.
Lines
* Kikuchi Line (菊池線)
** Kami-Kumamoto — Miyoshi:
* Fu ...
*
Kumagawa Railroad
*
Minami Aso Railway
The is a Japanese railway line in Kumamoto Prefecture, between Tateno Station, Minamiaso, and Takamori Station, Takamori. This is the only railway line operates. As the company name suggests, the line traverses the south part of Mount Aso ca ...
*
Hisatsu Orange Railway
is a third-sector railway company which operates Hisatsu Orange Railway Line in Kumamoto and Kagoshima prefectures. The line follows the former part of the JR Kyushu Kagoshima Main Line that connected Yatsushiro and Sendai in Kumamoto and Kago ...
Tramway
*
Kumamoto City Transportation Bureau
Road
Expressways and toll roads
*
Kyushu Expressway
*
South Kyushu Expressway
*
Kumamoto Amakusa Road
National highways
*
Route 3
*
Route 57
*
Route 208 (Kumamoto-Tamana-Arao-
Ōmuta)
*
Route 212
*
Route 218 (Kumamoto-
Takachiho-
Nobeoka
is a Cities of Japan, city located in the north of Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan. As of June 1, 2019, the city has an estimated population of 119,521 and a population density of 138 persons per km². The total area is .
History
The city was offici ...
)
*
Route 219
*
Route 265
*
Route 266
*
Route 267 (Hitoyoshi-
Isa-
Satsuma-
Satsumasendai)
*
Route 268
*
Route 324
*
Route 325 (Yamaga-Minamiaso-Takamori-Takachiho)
*
Route 387
*
Route 388 (
Saiki-Nobeoka-Unomae)
*
Route 389
*
Route 442
*
Route 443
*
Route 445
*
Route 501 (Ōmuta-Arao-Udo)
*
Route 503
Ports
Ferry routes
*
Kumamoto
is the capital city of Kumamoto Prefecture on the island of Kyushu, Japan. , the city has an estimated population of 738,907 and a population density of 1,893 people per km2. The total area is 390.32 km2.
had a population of 1,461,000, ...
-
Shimabara
*
Nagasu-
Unzen
*
Ushibuka-
Kuranomoto (
Nagashima
was a series of fortresses and fortifications controlled by the Ikkō-ikki, a sect of warrior monks in Japan's Sengoku period who opposed samurai rule. It was attacked and destroyed by Oda Nobunaga in the 1570s. This, combined with the surrende ...
)
*
Yatsushiro
is a city located in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan.
Geography
Located at the geographic center of Kyushu, Yatsushiro City is situated on the aptly named Yatsushiro Sea in between Kumamoto and Ashikita City.
Climate
Yatsushiro has a humid subtro ...
-
Kamiamakusa
*
Reihoku-
Nagasaki
Airport
*
Kumamoto Airport
, also known as , is an airport in Mashiki, Kumamoto, Japan.
History
The first Kumamoto Airport opened in 1960 on the site of a former Imperial Japanese Army air base and had a 1,200 m runway. It was replaced by the current Kumamoto Airport i ...
*
Amakusa Airport
Sports
These sports teams are based in the prefecture:
*Professional:
**
Roasso Kumamoto
is a Japanese football club based in Kumamoto, the capital city of Kumamoto Prefecture. The club currently plays in the J2 League, which is the second tier of football in the country. ''Roasso'' is a portmanteau of the Italian words ''rosso'' a ...
- Men's football and
J League Second Division
**Blaze Kumamoto - Men's
association football
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...
**Mashiki Renaissance Kumamoto - Women's association football
*Amateur:
**Kumamoto Golden Larks - regional baseball
The Kumamoto Prefecture hosted the
2019 World Women's Handball Championship
The 2019 IHF World Women's Handball Championship, the 24th event hosted by the International Handball Federation, was held in Japan from 30 November to 15 December 2019.
The Netherlands won their first title after defeating Spain in the final.
...
, having previously hosted the
1997 World Men's Handball Championship.
Sister cities
Kumamoto Prefecture is the 'sister state/prefecture' of
Montana
Montana () is a state in the Mountain West division of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota and South Dakota to the east, Wyoming to the south, and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columb ...
in the United States.
Kumamoto has a sister city located in Texas named
San Antonio
("Cradle of Freedom")
, image_map =
, mapsize = 220px
, map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = United States
, subdivision_type1= State
, subdivision_name1 = Texas
, subdivision_t ...
, which holds an annual fall festival 'akimatsuri' for its Japanese citizens. In 2015 the mascot, 'Kumamon' visited as an honorary ambassador during the festival located at the Japanese Tea Gardens.
Notable people
*
Jun Kunimura
is a Japanese actor who has performed in Japan, Hollywood and Hong Kong. He won Best Supporting Actor and the Popular Star Award at the 37th Blue Dragon Film Awards for his performance in the South Korean horror film ''The Wailing (film), The Wa ...
, a popular Japanese actor
*
Tetsu Komai, a Hollywood actor
*
Kazuaki Kiriya, a filmmaker
*
Kimeru, a pop artist
* Miku Kobato, founder and vocalist of
Band-Maid
*
Moe Kamikokuryou
is a Japanese pop singer and model. She is a fourth-generation member of the idol pop group Angerme.
Biography
Moe Kamikokuryo was born on October 24, 1999, in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan.
In November 2015, Kamikokuryo was chosen as the sole fo ...
, a Japanese idol
*
Yuri Masuda
, better known by her stage name yuri, is a Japanese singer, best known as a vocalist of the Japanese band m.o.v.e. She began her musical career at 19 years old in 1996, and released her first song as a solo artist in 1997, the Eurobeat song “PA ...
, singer
*
Shodai Naoya, Sumo wrestler
*
Tomiko Van
, is a Japanese pop singer and occasional actress. She is as a member of the band Do As Infinity (DAI), along with Ryo Owatari and Dai Nagao, that has resumed activities after their 2005 split.
Career
Do As Infinity
Beginnings as solo a ...
, singer, vocalist of
Do As Infinity
Do As Infinity is a Japanese pop and rock band that formed in 1999 with three members: vocalist Tomiko Van, guitarist Ryo Owatari, and guitarist and composer Dai Nagao. The band's name is sometimes abbreviated as DAI, alluding to the fact that ...
*
Eiichiro Oda, manga author, creator of ''
One Piece
''One Piece'' (stylized in all caps) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda. It has been serialized in Shueisha's ''shōnen'' manga magazine '' Weekly Shōnen Jump'' since July 1997, with its individual cha ...
''
*
Yuki Midorikawa
is a Japanese Mangaka, manga artist.
She is primarily known for her shōjo manga, ''shōjo'' manga works in the magazines ''LaLa'' and ''LaLa DX'', published by Hakusensha.
Her most successful works have been ''Hotarubi no Mori e'', which rece ...
, manga author, creator of ''
Natsume's Book of Friends'' and ''
Hotarubi no Mori e''
*
Tetsuya Noda
is a contemporary artist, printmaker and educator.
Government of Japan, Embassy of J ...
, contemporary artist
*
Katsuhiro Ueo, drifting driver
*
Ichiki Tatsuo, journalist and defector in the
Indonesian National Revolution
*
Madoka Hisagae, female Japanese
fencer
*
Hitomi Tanaka, pornographic actress
[ in Japanese]
* Kenta Matsumoto, vocalist and bassist of
WANIMA
* Koushin Nishida, guitarist of
WANIMA
* Kouki Fujiwara, drummer of
WANIMA
Notes
References
* Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric and Käthe Roth. (2005)
''Japan encyclopedia.''Cambridge:
Harvard University Press
Harvard University Press (HUP) is a publishing house established on January 13, 1913, as a division of Harvard University, and focused on academic publishing. It is a member of the Association of American University Presses. After the retir ...
.
OCLC 58053128
External links
*
* National Archives of Japa
... Kumamoto map (1891)*
{{Authority control
Kyushu region
Prefectures of Japan