Prefectures of Japan Kumamoto

Kumamoto Prefecture (熊本県, Kumamoto-ken) is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū.[1] Kumamoto Prefecture has a population of 1,748,134 (as of 1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of 7,409 square kilometres (2,861 sq mi). Kumamoto Prefecture borders Fukuoka Prefecture to the north, Ōita Prefecture to the northeast, Miyazaki Prefecture to the southeast, and Kagoshima Prefecture to the south.

Kumamoto is the capital and largest city of Kumamoto Prefecture, with other major cities including Yatsushiro, Amakusa, and Tamana.[2] Kumamoto Prefecture is located in the center of Kyūshū on the coast of the Ariake Sea, across from Nagasaki Prefecture, with the mainland separated from the East China Sea by the Amakusa Archipelago. Kumamoto Prefecture is home to Mount Aso, the largest active volcano in Japan and among the largest in the world, with its peak 1,592 metres (5,223 ft) above sea level.

History

Historically, the area was called Higo Province; and the province was renamed Kumamoto during the Meiji Restoration.[3] The creation of prefectures was part of the abolition of the feudal system. The current Japanese orthography 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 inland sea and the Amakusa archipelago to the west, Fukuoka Prefecture and Ōita Prefecture to the north, Miyazaki Prefecture to the east, and Kagoshima Prefecture to the south.

Mount Aso (1,592 m (5,223 ft)), 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.

Demographics

As of 1 June 2019, the population was 1,748,134 inhabitants with a population density of 236 inhabitants per square kilometre (610/sq mi). The prefecture ranks 23rd in Japan.

Economy

There is a Honda motorcycle plant.

Tourism

Mount Aso is one of the world’s largest active volcanoes.
Kumamoto Castle
Suizenji Park
Tsūjun Bridge, 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 line opened.

Education

Universities

National

Kumamoto University

Public

Kumamoto Prefectural University

Private

Kumamoto Gakuen University
Kyushu University of Nursing and Social Welfare
Kyushu Lutheran College
Kumamoto Health Science
Shokei Gakuin University
Sojo University
Heisei College of Music

Transportation

Rail

JR Kyushu
Kyushu Shinkansen
Kagoshima Line
Hohi Line
Hisatsu Line
Misumi Line
Kumamoto Electric Railway
Kumagawa Railroad
South Aso Railway
Hisatsu Orange Railway

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)
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-Shimabara
Nagasu-Unzen
Ushibuka-Kuranomoto (Nagashima)
Yatsushiro-Kamiamakusa
Reihoku-Nagasaki

Airport

Kumamoto Airport
Amakusa Airport

Sports

These sports teams are based in the prefecture:

Professional:

Roasso Kumamoto – Men’s football and J League Second Division
Blaze Kumamoto – Men’s association football
Mashiki Renaissance Kumamoto – Women’s association football

Amateur:

Kumamoto Golden Larks – regional baseball

The Kumamoto Prefecture will host the 2019 World Women’s Handball Championship, having previously hosted the 1997 World Men’s Handball Championship.

Sister cities

Kumamoto Prefecture is the ‘sister state/prefecture’ of Montana in the United States.

Kumamoto has a sister city located in Texas named San Antonio, 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, 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[7]
Moe Kamikokuryou, a Japanese idol
Yuri Masuda, singer
Shodai Naoya, Sumo wrestler
Tomiko Van, singer, vocalist of Do As Infinity
Eiichiro Oda, manga author, creator of One Piece[8]
Tetsuya Noda, 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[9]
Kenta Matsumoto, vocalist and bassist of WANIMA
Koushin Nishida, guitarist of WANIMA
Kouki Fujiwara, drummer of WANIMA