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Kyushu, the southernmost of the 4 major islands, and more than 1,400
surrounding islands make up the Kyushu region. Kyushu Island has a
mountainous interior, with plains along the coast, volcanoes, and hot
springs. The climate is subtropical. Agriculture, stock farming, hog
raising, and fishery all flourish. The Kita Kyushu Industrial Zone
contains a concentration of heavy and chemical industries.
Kyushu is connected to Honshu by a bridge, submarine tunnels, by road
and rail. Hakata Station in Fukuoka Prefecture is the terminal of the
Sanyo Shinkansen. Major sightseeing spots are Beppu in Oita Prefecture,
a resort town famous for its hotsprings; Mt. Aso in Kumamoto Prefecture;
and Sakurajima in Kagoshima Prefecture.
Okinawa Prefecture is a chain of 60 islands located far to the south of
K yushu. Okinawa, once called Ryukyu, was an independent kingdom until
the seventeenth century and, as such, developed its own distinct dialect
and cultural traditions. After World War II and until 1972, Okinawa was
controlled by the U.S. military. Tourism is the main industry. Because
of the warm climate throughout the year, marine sports are popular.
There are many beautiful islands in Okinawa such as Ishigaki-jima and
Miyako-jima, known for their coral reefs.
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Japan
Regions