is the third-largest island of

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

's four main islands and the most southerly of the four largest islands (i.e. excluding

Okinawa most commonly refers to: * Okinawa Prefecture, Japan's southernmost prefecture * Okinawa Island, the largest island of Okinawa Prefecture * Okinawa Islands, an island group including Okinawa itself * Okinawa (city), the second largest city in th ...

and the other

Ryukyu The , also known as the or the , are a chain of Japanese islands that stretch southwest from Kyushu to Geography of Taiwan, Taiwan: the Ryukyu Islands are divided into the Satsunan Islands (Ōsumi Islands, Ōsumi, Tokara Islands, Tokara and A ...

(''Nansei'')

Islands This is a list of the lists of islands in the world grouped by country, by continent, by body of water, and by other classifications. For rank-order lists, see the #Other lists of islands, other lists of islands below. Lists of islands by count ...

). In the past, it has been known as , and . The historical regional name referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands. Kyushu has a land area of and a population of 14,311,224 in 2018. In ancient times, there is a theory that Kyushu was home to its own independent dynasty, where a unique, southern-influenced culture and tradition distinct from that of

Honshu , historically known as , is the largest of the four main islands of Japan. It lies between the Pacific Ocean (east) and the Sea of Japan (west). It is the list of islands by area, seventh-largest island in the world, and the list of islands by ...

flourished. In the 8th-century

Taihō Code The was an administrative reorganisation enacted in 703 in Japan, at the end of the Asuka period. It was historically one of the . It was compiled at the direction of Prince Osakabe, Fujiwara no Fuhito and Awata no Mahito. Nussbaum, Louis- ...

reforms, Dazaifu was established as a special administrative term for the region.

Geography

The island is mountainous, and Japan's most active volcano,

Mount Aso or Aso Volcano is the largest active volcano in Japan and among the largest in the world. Common use relates often only to the somma volcano in the centre of Aso Caldera. It stands in Aso Kujū National Park in Kumamoto Prefecture, on the i ...

at , is on Kyūshū. There are many other signs of tectonic activity, including numerous areas of

hot spring A hot spring, hydrothermal spring, or geothermal spring is a Spring (hydrology), spring produced by the emergence of Geothermal activity, geothermally heated groundwater onto the surface of the Earth. The groundwater is heated either by shallow ...

s. The most famous of these are in

Beppu 270px, Beppu City Hall is a city in Ōita Prefecture on the island of Kyushu, Japan. As of November 30, 2023, the city had a population of 113,045 in 62,702 households, and a population density of 900 persons per km2. The total area of the ci ...

, on the east shore, and around Mt. Aso in central Kyūshū. The island is separated from

by the

Kanmon Straits The or the Straits of Shimonoseki is the stretch of water separating Honshu and Kyushu, two of Japan's four main islands. On the Honshu side of the strait is Shimonoseki (, which contributed "Kan" () to the name of the strait) and on the Kyushu ...

. Being the nearest island to the Asian continent, historically it is the gateway to Japan. The total area is which makes it the 37th largest island in the world. It is slightly larger than

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...

's total area of . The highest elevation is on

Mount Kujū , located on the border of Kokonoe and Taketa in Ōita Prefecture, Japan, is a stratovolcano in Kyushu Island, Japan, with a summit elevation of . It is one of the 100 Famous Japanese Mountains. It is part of the Aso-Kujū National Park. S ...

. The name ''Kyūshū'' comes from the nine ancient provinces of

Saikaidō The is a Japanese geographical term. It means both an ancient division of the country and the main road running through it. Saikaido was one of the main Circuit (subnational entity), circuits of the Gokishichidō system, which was originally es ...

situated on the island: Chikuzen, Chikugo, Hizen, Higo, Buzen, Bungo, Hyūga, Osumi, and

Satsuma Satsuma may refer to: * Satsuma (fruit), a citrus fruit * ''Satsuma'' (gastropod), a genus of land snails Places Japan * Satsuma, Kagoshima, a Japanese town * Satsuma District, Kagoshima, a district in Kagoshima Prefecture * Satsuma Domain, a ...

. Today's is a politically defined region that consists of the seven

prefecture A prefecture (from the Latin word, "''praefectura"'') is an administrative jurisdiction traditionally governed by an appointed prefect. This can be a regional or local government subdivision in various countries, or a subdivision in certain inter ...

s on the island of Kyūshū (which also includes the former Tsushima and

Iki IKI may refer to: * Internationales Kulturinstitut, in Vienna * Iodine potassium-iodide, a chemical compound * Russian Space Research Institute, originally known as IKI RAN * Iki Airport, IATA code Iki or iki may refer to: * Iki Island, a Japane ...

as part of Nagasaki), plus

Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan. It consists of three main island groups—the Okinawa Islands, the Sakishima Islands, and the Daitō Islands—spread across a maritime zone approximately 1,000 kilometers east to west an ...

to the south: * Northern Kyūshū **

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 ...

Kumamoto Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, 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 to the north, Ōita Prefecture t ...

Nagasaki Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan, mainly located on the island of Kyūshū, although it also includes a number of islands off Kyūshū's northwest coast - including Tsushima and Iki. Nagasaki Prefecture has a population of 1,246,4 ...

Ōita Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. Ōita Prefecture has a population of 1,081,646 (1 February 2025) and has a geographic area of 6,340 km2 (2,448 sq mi). Ōita Prefecture borders Fukuoka Prefecture to the northwest, K ...

Saga Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyushu. Saga Prefecture has a population of roughly 780,000 and has a geographic area of . Saga Prefecture borders Fukuoka Prefecture to the northeast and Nagasaki Prefect ...

* Southern Kyūshū **

Kagoshima Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyushu and the Ryukyu Islands. Kagoshima Prefecture has a population of 1,527,019 (1 February 2025) and has a geographic area of 9,187 Square kilometre, km2 (3,547 Square m ...

Miyazaki Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. Miyazaki Prefecture has a population of 1,028,215 as of 1 January 2025 and has a geographic area of 7,735 Square kilometre, km2 (2,986 sq mi). Miyazaki Prefectur ...

Population

Kyūshū has 10.3percent of the population of Japan. Most of Kyūshū's population is concentrated along the northwest, in the cities of

Fukuoka is the List of Japanese cities by population, sixth-largest city in Japan and the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. The city is built along the shores of Hakata Bay, and has been a center of international commerce since ancient times. ...

and

Kitakyushu is a Cities of Japan, city located in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. As of June 1, 2019, Kitakyushu has an estimated population of 940,978, making it the second-largest city in both Fukuoka Prefecture and the island of Kyushu after the city of Fuk ...

, with population corridors stretching southwest into

Sasebo is a core city located in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. It is the second-largest city in Nagasaki Prefecture, after its capital, Nagasaki. , the city had an estimated population of 230,873 in 102,670 households, and a population density of 540 per ...

and

Nagasaki , officially , is the capital and the largest Cities of Japan, city of Nagasaki Prefecture on the island of Kyushu in Japan. Founded by the Portuguese, the port of Portuguese_Nagasaki, Nagasaki became the sole Nanban trade, port used for tr ...

and south into

Kumamoto is the capital Cities of Japan, 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 populat ...

and

Kagoshima , is the capital Cities of Japan, city of Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 583,966 in 285,992 households, and a population density of 1100 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Etymology While the ...

. Except for Oita and Miyazaki, the eastern seaboard shows a general decline in population. Politically, Kyūshū is described as a stronghold of the

Liberal Democratic Party Several political parties from around the world have been called the Liberal Democratic Party, Democratic Liberal Party or Liberal Democrats. These parties have usually followed liberalism as ideology, although they can vary widely from very progr ...

. Per Japanese census data, the Kyūshū region's population with

Ryukyu Islands The , also known as the or the , are a chain of Japanese islands that stretch southwest from Kyushu to Geography of Taiwan, Taiwan: the Ryukyu Islands are divided into the Satsunan Islands (Ōsumi Islands, Ōsumi, Tokara Islands, Tokara and A ...

(

and

Prefectures) has experienced a large decline since around 2000. However, the population decline in total is mild because of the relatively high birth rate of

Ryukyuans The are a Japonic-speaking East Asian ethnic group indigenous to the Ryukyu Islands, which stretch from the island of Kyushu to the island of Taiwan. With Japan, most Ryukyuans live in the Okinawa Prefecture or Kagoshima Prefecture. They sp ...

both within the Ryukyuan lands (

and

) and throughout the Kyūshū region. In addition, the other prefectures in Kyūshū also have exceptionally high TFRs compared to the rest of Japan.

Designated cities

(population: 1,588,924) *

(population: 940,978) *

(population: 738,907)

Core cities

Kurume is a city in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 295,367 in 137,140 households, and a population density of 1309 people per km². The total area of the city is . Geography Kurume is located in the Chikugo Plain ...

* Miyazaki *

Naha is the Cities of Japan, capital city of Okinawa Prefecture, the southernmost prefecture of Japan. As of 1 June 2019, the city has an estimated population of 317,405 and a population density of 7,939 people per km2 (20,562 persons per sq. mi.). ...

* Ōita *

Saga Sagas are prose stories and histories, composed in Iceland and to a lesser extent elsewhere in Scandinavia. The most famous saga-genre is the (sagas concerning Icelanders), which feature Viking voyages, migration to Iceland, and feuds between ...

Environment and agriculture

Parts of Kyūshū have a

subtropical climate The subtropical zones or subtropics are geographical and climate zones immediately to the north and south of the tropics. Geographically part of the temperate zones of both hemispheres, they cover the middle latitudes from to approximately 3 ...

, particularly

and

. Major agricultural products are

rice Rice is a cereal grain and in its Domestication, domesticated form is the staple food of over half of the world's population, particularly in Asia and Africa. Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice)—or, much l ...

tea Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by pouring hot or boiling water over cured or fresh leaves of '' Camellia sinensis'', an evergreen shrub native to East Asia which probably originated in the borderlands of south-western China and nor ...

tobacco Tobacco is the common name of several plants in the genus '' Nicotiana'' of the family Solanaceae, and the general term for any product prepared from the cured leaves of these plants. More than 70 species of tobacco are known, but the ...

sweet potato The sweet potato or sweetpotato (''Ipomoea batatas'') is a dicotyledonous plant in the morning glory family, Convolvulaceae. Its sizeable, starchy, sweet-tasting tuberous roots are used as a root vegetable, which is a staple food in parts of ...

es, and

soy The soybean, soy bean, or soya bean (''Glycine max'') is a species of legume native to East Asia, widely grown for its edible bean. Soy is a staple crop, the world's most grown legume, and an important animal feed. Soy is a key source of f ...

;

silk Silk is a natural fiber, natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be weaving, woven into textiles. The protein fiber of silk is composed mainly of fibroin and is most commonly produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoon (silk), c ...

is also widely produced. Besides the

volcanic A volcano is commonly defined as a vent or fissure in the crust of a planetary-mass object, such as Earth, that allows hot lava, volcanic ash, and gases to escape from a magma chamber below the surface. On Earth, volcanoes are most often fo ...

area of the south, there are significant mud

hot springs A hot spring, hydrothermal spring, or geothermal spring is a Spring (hydrology), spring produced by the emergence of Geothermal activity, geothermally heated groundwater onto the surface of the Earth. The groundwater is heated either by shallow ...

in the northern part of the island, around

. The springs are the site of occurrence of certain

extremophile An extremophile () is an organism that is able to live (or in some cases thrive) in extreme environments, i.e., environments with conditions approaching or stretching the limits of what known life can adapt to, such as extreme temperature, press ...

microorganism A microorganism, or microbe, is an organism of microscopic scale, microscopic size, which may exist in its unicellular organism, single-celled form or as a Colony (biology)#Microbial colonies, colony of cells. The possible existence of unseen ...

s, which are capable of surviving in extremely hot environments. There are two World Natural Heritage sites in Kyushu:

Yakushima is one of the Ōsumi Islands in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. The island, in area, has a population of 13,178. It is accessible by hydrofoil ferry, car ferry, or by air to Yakushima Airport. Administratively, the island consists of the town ...

(registered in 1993) and

Amami-Ōshima Island, Tokunoshima Island, northern part of Okinawa Island, and Iriomote Island is a serial UNESCO World Heritage Site consisting of five component parts on four Japanese islands in the Ryukyu Islands, Ryukyu Arc (Nansei Islands). The site was selected in terms of biodiversity (World Heritage Site#Selection criteria, World H ...

(registered in 2021).

Economy

Kyushu's economy accounts for approximately 10% of Japan's total economic output, making it comparable to countries such as

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the archipelago of Svalbard also form part of the Kingdom of ...

Austria Austria, formally the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine Federal states of Austria, states, of which the capital Vienna is the List of largest cities in Aust ...

, the

United Arab Emirates The United Arab Emirates (UAE), or simply the Emirates, is a country in West Asia, in the Middle East, at the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is a Federal monarchy, federal elective monarchy made up of Emirates of the United Arab E ...

, and

Thailand Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...

. It is the fourth largest economic region in Japan, following the three major metropolitan areas of

Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...

Osaka is a Cities designated by government ordinance of Japan, designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the List of cities in Japan, third-most populous city in J ...

, and

Nagoya is the largest city in the Chūbu region of Japan. It is the list of cities in Japan, fourth-most populous city in Japan, with a population of 2.3million in 2020, and the principal city of the Chūkyō metropolitan area, which is the List of ...

. Kyūshū's economy has a well-balanced industrial structure, ranging from primary industries such as agriculture, to secondary industries such as manufacturing, and tertiary industries such as retail, services, and tourism. Agricultural output in the region amounts to 1.8 trillion yen (20% share of the national total), and the region is a major domestic production center for the

automobile A car, or an automobile, is a motor vehicle with wheels. Most definitions of cars state that they run primarily on roads, Car seat, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport private transport#Personal transport, peopl ...

and

semiconductor A semiconductor is a material with electrical conductivity between that of a conductor and an insulator. Its conductivity can be modified by adding impurities (" doping") to its crystal structure. When two regions with different doping level ...

industries. Kyūshū also has a thriving healthcare industry, including medical and nursing care, and numerous research and manufacturing facilities in the fields of

hydrogen Hydrogen is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol H and atomic number 1. It is the lightest and abundance of the chemical elements, most abundant chemical element in the universe, constituting about 75% of all baryon, normal matter ...

solar power Solar power, also known as solar electricity, is the conversion of energy from sunlight into electricity, either directly using photovoltaics (PV) or indirectly using concentrated solar power. Solar panels use the photovoltaic effect to c ...

, and other renewable energies. Furthermore,

Fukuoka City is the sixth-largest city in Japan and the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. The city is built along the shores of Hakata Bay, and has been a center of international commerce since ancient times. The area has long been considered the ...

Kitakyushu City is a Cities of Japan, city located in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. As of June 1, 2019, Kitakyushu has an estimated population of 940,978, making it the second-largest city in both Fukuoka Prefecture and the island of Kyushu after the city of Fuk ...

and

have been designated as National Strategic Special Zones, which are expected to have an economic ripple effect on the entire Kyūshū region through the creation of innovation in industry and the promotion of new entrepreneurship and start-ups. Kyūshū is a region with strong economic ties to Asia. For example, Asia accounted for 420 (77.9%) of the 539 overseas expansion cases of Kyūshū-Yamaguchi companies from 2010 to 2019, and Asia accounted for 61.1% of Kyūshū-Yamaguchi's total exports in 2019, 7.4 percentage points higher than the nation as a whole. As the logistics node between Japan and Asia, the ports of Hakata and Kitakyushu handle a large number of international containers. In addition, the number of cruise ship calls in 2019 was 772, with Kyūshū accounting for 26.9% of the nation's total. Kyūshū is noted for various types of

porcelain Porcelain (), also called china, is a ceramic material made by heating Industrial mineral, raw materials, generally including kaolinite, in a kiln to temperatures between . The greater strength and translucence of porcelain, relative to oth ...

, including Arita, Imari, Satsuma, and Karatsu.

Heavy industry Heavy industry is an industry that involves one or more characteristics such as large and heavy products; large and heavy equipment and facilities (such as heavy equipment, large machine tools, huge buildings and large-scale infrastructure); o ...

is concentrated in the north around Fukuoka, Kitakyushu, Nagasaki, and Oita and includes chemicals, automobiles, semiconductors, metal processing, shipbuilding, etc. The island of

Tanegashima is one of the Ōsumi Islands belonging to Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. The island, in area, is the second largest of the Ōsumi Islands, and has a population of 33,000 people. Access to the island is by ferry, or by air to New Tanegashima Airp ...

hosts the

Tanegashima Space Center The (TNSC) is Japan's primary spaceport, covering approximately about . It is located on the southeastern tip of Tanegashima, the easternmost of the Ōsumi Islands, approximately south of the major island of Kyushu. The site was selected on ...

, which is the largest rocket-launch complex in Japan.

Transportation

Kyūshū is linked to the larger island of

by the

Kanmon Railway Tunnel The was the first undersea tunnel in Japan. It goes underneath the Kanmon Straits, connecting the islands of Honshu and Kyushu. It is an important link in the Japanese rail network. Its construction began in 1936, and it was completed in Novem ...

, which carries the non-

Shinkansen The , colloquially known in English as the bullet train, is a network of high-speed railway lines in Japan. It was initially built to connect distant Japanese regions with Tokyo, the capital, to aid economic growth and development. Beyond lon ...

trains of the

Kyūshū Railway Company The , also referred to as , is one of the seven constituent companies of Japan Railways Group (JR Group). It operates intercity rail services within Kyushu, Japan. It formerly operated the Beetle (JR Kyushu), Beetle hydrofoil service across th ...

, and the newer

Shin-Kanmon Tunnel The is a long undersea railway tunnel under the Kanmon Straits connecting Shin-Shimonoseki Station and Kokura Station. At the time of opening in March of 1975, it was the longest railway tunnel in Japan before being overtaken by in 1988 t ...

carrying the

San'yō Shinkansen The is a line of the Japanese Shinkansen high-speed rail network, connecting Shin-Osaka in Osaka with Hakata Station in Fukuoka, the two largest cities in western Japan. Operated by the West Japan Railway Company (JR West), it is a westward co ...

. Railways on the island are operated by the Kyūshū Railway Company and

West Japan Railway Company , also referred to as , is one of the Japan Railways Group (JR Group) companies and operates in western Honshu. It has its headquarters in Kita-ku, Osaka. It is listed in the Tokyo Stock Exchange, is a constituent of the TOPIX Large70 index, ...

, as well as a variety of smaller companies such as Amagi Railway and Nishitetsu Railway.

Kyūshū 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 ...

trains operate between major cities on the island, such as

and

, with an additional route between and

which has been in operation since September 2022. Kyūshū is also known for its scenic train services, such as the Limited Express Yufuin no Mori and Limited Express Kawasemi Yamasemi. The

Kanmon Bridge The (Asian Highway Network ) is a suspension bridge crossing the Kanmon Straits, a stretch of water separating two of Japan's four main islands. On the Honshū side of the bridge is Shimonoseki (, which contributed ''Kan'' to the name of the s ...

and Kanmon Roadway Tunnel also connect the island with Honshu, allowing for vehicular transport between the two. The

Kyūshū Expressway (Asian Highway Network ) is one of the Expressways of Japan from Kitakyūshū (and the bridge to Honshū) to west of Kagoshima linking with the Higashikyushu Expressway and the Ibusuki Skyline. It runs through the prefectures of Fukuoka, the e ...

spans the length of the island, linking the Higashikyushu Expressway and Ibusuki Skyline, connecting major cities such as

and

along the way. There are also many quiet country roads, including popular tourist routes such as the Nichinan coast road and the Aso Panorama Line in

. Bus services are available and cover 2,400 routes within Kyūshū's cities, connecting many other destinations. Several passenger and car ferry services connect both northern and southern Kyūshū with main port cities on the main island of Honshu (Kobe, Osaka, Tokyo) and

Shikoku is the smallest of the List of islands of Japan#Main islands, four main islands of Japan. It is long and between at its widest. It has a population of 3.8 million, the least populated of Japan's four main islands. It is south of Honshu ...

Education

Major universities and colleges in Kyūshū: * National universities **

Fukuoka University of Education (UTEF) is a national university in Munakata, Fukuoka, Japan. The predecessor of the school was founded in 1876, and it was chartered as a university in 1949. The present name was adopted in 1966. Campus and Location Located in Munakata, a city ...

Kagoshima University , abbreviated to , is a Japanese national university located in Kagoshima, Kagoshima, Kagoshima, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. History The university was established in 1949 consolidating the following schools because of educational reform in ...

Kumamoto University , abbreviated to ''Kumadai'' (熊大), is a Japanese national university located in Kumamoto, Kumamoto Prefecture in the Kyushu region of Japan. It was established on May 31, 1949, at which time the following institutions were subsumed into it; ...

** Kyūshū Institute of Technology ** Kyūshū University – One of seven former "Imperial Universities" **

Miyazaki University is a national university primarily in the Kibana neighborhood of southern Miyazaki city, Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan. The name is sometimes shortened to the abbreviation "UoM" or the portmanteau "Miyadai." The predecessor of the school was founde ...

** Nagasaki University **

National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Kanoya is a national university in Kanoya, Kagoshima, Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends fro ...

Oita University is a national university in Ōita, Ōita Prefecture, Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and ext ...

Saga University ; abbreviated as or , is a national university in Saga, Saga Prefecture, Japan. The university has five faculties with around 7,000 students. Its two campuses are in and . History The history of Saga University is complicated. The oldest Saga t ...

University of the Ryukyus The , abbreviated to , is a Japanese national university in Nishihara, Okinawa, Japan. Established in 1950, it is the westernmost national university of Japan and the largest public university in Okinawa Prefecture. Located in the Senbaru ne ...

* Universities run by local governments ** Fukuoka Prefectural University **

Fukuoka Women's University is a public university in Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. Established in 1923, it was chartered as a university in 1950. Alongside Gunma Prefectural Women's University, it is one of the two public women's universities in Japan. Its abbrevia ...

** Kyūshū Dental College **

Miyazaki Municipal University is a public university in Miyazaki, Miyazaki, Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from ...

** Miyazaki Prefectural Nursing University **

Nagasaki Prefectural University was a public university in Sasebo, Nagasaki, Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from t ...

Oita University of Nursing and Health Sciences Oita University of Nursing and Health Sciences is a public university in Ōita, Ōita, Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the ...

Okinawa Prefectural University of Arts is a public university in Naha, Okinawa, Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from th ...

** Prefectural University of Kumamoto ** University of Kitakyushu * Major private universities **

Fukuoka University Fukuoka University is a private research university located in Fukuoka, Japan. The university has nine faculties with a total of around 20,000 students, 800 of whom are foreign. Its two campuses are in Nanakuma and Kitakyushu. Fukuoka Universit ...

– University with the largest number of students in Kyushu ** Kumamoto Gakuen University ** Kurume University ** Kyūshū Sangyo University – Baseball team won the Japanese National Championship in 2005 **

Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University , commonly referred to as APU, is a private university in Beppu, Ōita, Japan. APU was established in 2000 through the collaboration of three parties from the public and private sectors: Ōita Prefecture, Beppu City, and the Ritsumeikan Trust ...

Seinan Gakuin University is a Baptist Christian university in Fukuoka, Japan. It is one of the leading privately-funded universities in Western Japan, known for its strong focus on humanities and international exchange. History It was founded in 1916 as an academy f ...

** University of Occupational and Environmental Health

Culture

Kyushu has maintained the strongest economic and cultural ties with Okinawa (Ryukyu) from ancient times to the present. Traces of Okinawan culture can be seen throughout Kyushu, and vice versa. Okinawan musical scales are often found in local folk songs, and there are many similarities in cuisine and language. Kyushu is also home to a unique traditional instrument called the '' gottan'', which resembles the ''

sanshin The is a Ryukyu Islands, Ryukyuan musical instrument and precursor of the mainland Japanese (). Often likened to a banjo, it consists of a snakeskin-covered body, neck and three strings. Origins The sanshin is believed to have originated fro ...

'' and ''

shamisen The , also known as or (all meaning "three strings"), is a three-stringed traditional Japanese musical instrument derived from the Chinese instrument . It is played with a plectrum called a bachi. The Japanese pronunciation is usually b ...

''. The region boasts a rich tradition of craftsmanship, with numerous traditional crafts such as

Hakata-ori is a traditional Japanese textile that has been produced in Fukuoka Prefecture for more than 770 years. There are two varieties of : and . is woven in a traditional pattern related to Buddhist beliefs, and was influenced by fabrics produced i ...

(博多織), Beppu bamboo crafts(別府竹細工),

Kurume Kasuri Kurume Kasuri (久留米絣) is a traditional Japanese ''kasuri'' (ikat) textile produced in Kurume City and its surrounding areas in Fukuoka Prefecture, formerly part of the Kurume Domain. It is a cotton-based fabric primarily dyed with indigo, ...

(久留米絣), and Sathuma Kiriko

People

People in Kyushu are known for being conservative even within Japan. In particular, men from Kyushu are often referred to as " Kyushu danji" (九州男児), evoking an image of being wild and strong. It is said that this term has existed since ancient times, originally used to inspire and encourage soldiers. Being from Kyushu is a source of great pride for its people. Thanks to this cultural spirit, Kyushu has preserved a rich variety of unique traditional cultures that continue to thrive today.

Food

The main features of Kyushu cuisine are the use of fresh ingredients nurtured by the region’s geography, which is surrounded by the sea and blessed with rich nature, along with distinctive seasonings such as sweet soy sauce ( Kyushu soy sauce) and barley miso, which differ from those used in

. Each region has its own culinary characteristics: seafood-based dishes are prominent in the north, while meat dishes are more common in the south. * Fukuoka – Hakata ramen (博多ラーメン), gameni (がめ煮, 筑前煮), motsunabe (もつ鍋), kashiwa-meshi (かしわ飯), okyu-to (おきゅうと) * Saga – Tsunkī dago jiru (つんきーだご汁), noppe jiru (のっぺ汁), funanko-gui (ふなんこぐい), noppe jiru (のっぺ汁) * Nagasaki – Nagasaki champon (長崎ちゃんぽん), sara udon (皿うどん), rokube (ろくべえ), Omura-zushi (大村寿司) * Oita – dango jiru (だんご汁), ami-meshi (あみめし), kirasu-meshi (きらすまめし), toriten (とり天), hocho (鮑腸) * Kumamoto – Nankan-age maki-zushi (南関あげ巻き寿司), takana zuke (高菜漬け), karashi renkon (からし蓮根), dago jiru (だご汁) * Miyazaki – nishime (煮しめ), chicken nanban (鶏南蛮), na-dōfu (菜豆腐), hiyajiru (冷や汁), hie-zushi (稗ずーしー) * Kagoshima – keihan (鶏飯), abura-zōmen (油ゾーメン), satsuma-sumoji (さつますもじ), buri-daikon (ぶり大根), gane(がね) * Okinawa – goyā champurū (ゴーヤーチャンプルー), Okinawa soba (沖縄そば), rafutē (ラフテー), kufājiushi (クファジューシー)

Sweets

Confectionery in Kyushu tends to use more sugar compared to other regions of Japan. This is because Kyushu has historically had close ties with

(

), a major producer of sugar. As a result, many traditional sweets from Kyushu incorporate characteristics of

Ryukyuan culture Ryukyuan culture (琉球の文化, ''Ryūkyū no bunka'') are the cultural elements of the indigenous Ryukyuan people, an ethnic group native to Okinawa Prefecture and parts of Kagoshima Prefecture in southwestern Japan. The cultural elements of t ...

. * Karukan (かるかん) * Umegae Mochi (梅ヶ枝餅) * Ikinari Dango (いきなり団子) * Jiriyaki (じり焼き) * Ogi ''Yōkan'' ''(''小城羊羹) *

Kurobo Kurob''ō'' (黒棒) is a type of baked confectionery that has been traditionally made mainly in the Kyushu region of Japan. Overview The preparation method involves kneading and resting a dough made from brown sugar, eggs, flour, and baking s ...

(黒棒) * Kashamochi (かしゃもち) * Imo manju (いも饅頭) * Akumaki (あくまき) * Yubeshi（柚餅子） * Sake Manjū (酒まんじゅう)

Musical instruments

In Kyushu, there exists a traditional stringed instrument known as the '' gottan(ゴッタン)'', which developed independently within the region’s unique cultural and geographic context. The instrument is considered to be a midpoint between the ''

'' of

mainland Japan is a term used to distinguish Japan's core land area from its outlying territories. "Mainland Japan" was an official term in the pre-war period, distinguishing Japan proper from its overseas territories (外地, ''gaichi'', lit. "outer lands ...

and the ''

'' of

, incorporating characteristics of both. Structurally, it resembles the sanshin more closely—for example, it lacks the ''sawari'', a buzzing mechanism found in the shamisen. This absence, along with its simplified wooden box construction and single string, aligns it with the more minimalistic design typical of southern instruments. Musically, the '' gottan'' is sometimes used to perform melodies that reflect the Ryukyuan pentatonic scale, suggesting a subtle but notable influence from Okinawan musical traditions. While it remains a distinct and localized folk instrument of Kyushu, its sound and structure reveal traces of a broader cultural exchange within the southern Japanese archipelago, embodying a hybrid identity between the mainland and the Ryukyus. * Gottan (ゴッタン) *

Sanshin The is a Ryukyu Islands, Ryukyuan musical instrument and precursor of the mainland Japanese (). Often likened to a banjo, it consists of a snakeskin-covered body, neck and three strings. Origins The sanshin is believed to have originated fro ...

(三線) * Chikuzen Biwa (筑前琵琶) * Sathuma Biwa (薩摩琵琶) * Thuchibue (土笛) * Iwabue (石笛)

World Heritage Sites

Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu The is an UNESCO World Heritage Site which consists of nine sites all located in the Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. The heritage sites include two '' utaki'' (or sacred sites, one a gate and the other a grove), the Tamaudun mausoleum, one garden, and ...

, registered in 2000 * Sites of Japan's Meiji Industrial Revolution: Iron and Steel, Shipbuilding and Coal Mining, registered in 2015 * Sacred Island of Okinoshima and Associated Sites in the Munakata Region, registered in 2017 *

Hidden Christian Sites in the Nagasaki Region Hidden Christian Sites in the Nagasaki Region () is a group of twelve sites in Nagasaki Prefecture and Kumamoto Prefecture relating to the history of Christianity in Japan. The Nagasaki churches are unique in the sense that each tells a story about ...

, registered in 2018

Sports

Historically some Kyushu-based

sports Sport is a physical activity or game, often competitive and organized, that maintains or improves physical ability and skills. Sport may provide enjoyment to participants and entertainment to spectators. The number of participants in ...

team has competed in the top Japanese division of

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...

( NPB),

football (soccer) Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 Football player, players who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a Ball (association football), ball around a rectangular f ...

(

J.League The , commonly a.k.a. shortened to the , and officially known as the for sponsorship with Meiji Yasuda Life, is the men's association football league in Japan. It is responsible for organizing Japan's major professional football tournaments, in ...

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...

( B.League) or even

rugby union Rugby union football, commonly known simply as rugby union in English-speaking countries and rugby 15/XV in non-English-speaking world, Anglophone Europe, or often just rugby, is a Contact sport#Terminology, close-contact team sport that orig ...

( League One). Currently the major teams competing in Kyushu's major cities include: *

Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks The are a Japanese professional baseball team based in Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture. They compete in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) as a member of the Pacific League. Founded on February 22, 1938, as the Nankai Club, being the first Kansai t ...

(baseball);

Avispa Fukuoka is a Japanese professional football club based in Hakata, Fukuoka. They currently compete in the J1 League, which is the top tier of football in the country. History Earlier years in Fujieda The club were originally based in Fujieda, Shizu ...

Giravanz Kitakyushu is a Japanese football club based in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture. They currently play in J3 League, Japanese third tier of professional league football. History Mitsubishi Chemical SC (1947 –2000) The club was formed in 1947 as part o ...

(football); Rizing Zephyr Fukuoka (basketball); Kyuden Voltex (Rugby) *

Sagan Tosu is a Japanese professional Association football, football club based in Tosu, Saga, Tosu, Saga Prefecture. The club plays in the J2 League, the second tier of Japanese football, since 2025 following relegation from the J1 League in 2024 J1 Leag ...

(football); Saga Ballooners (basketball) *

V-Varen Nagasaki is a Japanese association football, football club based in Nagasaki, Capital of Nagasaki Prefecture. They currently play in J2 League, the Japanese second tier professional in football league. History The club was established in 1985 as Ari ...

(football);

Nagasaki Velca The is a Japanese professional basketball team based in Nagasaki Prefecture that competes in the first division of the B.League. Franchise history Foundation In 2020, Japanet announced the creation of Nagasaki Prefecture's first professi ...

(basketball) *

Roasso Kumamoto is a Japanese football club based in Kumamoto, the capital city of Kumamoto Prefecture. The club currently plays in the J2 League, Japan's 2nd tier of professional league football. Name origin ''Roasso'' is a portmanteau of the Italian words ...

(football); Kumamoto Volters (basketball) * Ōita:

Oita Trinita is a Japanese football club located in Ōita, Capital of Ōita Prefecture. They currently play in J2 League, Japanese second tier of professional football. Name origin The club's name, ''Trinita'', is the Italian translation of the word ' ...

(football) * Miyazaki:

Tegevajaro Miyazaki is a Japanese football club based in Miyazaki, the capital city of Miyazaki Prefecture. They currently play in the J3 League, Japanese third tier of professional football. History Born in 1965 as ''Kadokawa Club'', the club have twice change ...

(football) *

Kagoshima United FC is a Japanese professional football club based in Kagoshima, Capital of Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. That was formed from the merger of ''Volca Kagoshima'' and ''FC Kagoshima''. Both clubs played in the Kyushu Soccer League before the merger. T ...

(football);

Kagoshima Rebnise Kagoshima Rebnise is a Japanese professional basketball team located in Kagoshima, Kagoshima. The team currently competes in the B.League. Some players were not paid in 2016–17. Roster Notable players * Yoshihiko Amano * Chri ...

(basketball) *

FC Ryukyu is a Japanese professional football club based in Okinawa. The club plays in the J3 League, Japanese third tier of professional football. The team's home stadium is Okinawa Athletic Park Stadium, in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. The team derive ...

(football);

Ryukyu Golden Kings The are a Japanese professional basketball team based in Okinawa (city), Okinawa, Okinawa Prefecture. They compete in the B.League, the top-tier professional basketball league of Japan. The Golden Kings have won the Japanese national title f ...

(basketball)

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Kyushu Islands of Okinawa Prefecture Islands of Kagoshima Prefecture Kyushu region Islands of Japan Japanese archipelago

Geography

Population

Designated cities

Core cities

Environment and agriculture

Economy

Transportation

Education

Culture

People

Food

Sweets

Musical instruments

World Heritage Sites

Sports

See also

References

External links