Kumamoto Prefecture

Kumamoto Prefecture
Japanese transcription(s)
• Japanese	熊本県
• Rōmaji	Kumamoto-ken
Symbol of Kumamoto Prefecture
Country	Japan
Region	Kyushu
Island	Kyushu
Capital	Kumamoto
Government
• Governor	Ikuo Kabashima
Area
• Total	7,404.14 km2 (2,858.75 sq mi)
Area rank	16th
Population (May 1, 2011)
• Total	1,812,255
• Rank	23rd
• Density	244.76/km2 (633.9/sq mi)
ISO 3166 code	JP-43
Districts	9
Municipalities	45
Flower	Gentian (Gentiana scabra var. buergeri)
Tree	Camphor tree (Cinnamomum camphora)
Bird	Eurasian Skylark (Alauda arvensis)
Website	www.pref.kumamoto.jp/ english/list.html

Kumamoto Prefecture (熊本県, Kumamoto-ken) is a prefecture of Japan located on Kyushu Island. The capital is the city of Kumamoto.

History

Main article: History of Kumamoto Prefecture

Historically the area was called Higo Province; and the province was renamed Kumamoto during the Meiji Restoration. 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

Map of Kumamoto Prefecture showing municipal boundaries

Kumamoto Prefecture is located in the center of Kyūshū, 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.

Mt. Aso (1592 m), an extensive active volcano, is in the east of Kumamoto Prefecture. This volcano is located at the center of the Aso caldera.

There are nine districts and 45 municipalities.

As of 31 March 2008, 21% of the total land area of the prefecture was designated as Natural Parks, namely 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:

Amakusa Arao Aso Hitoyoshi Kami-Amakusa

Kikuchi Kōshi Kumamoto (capital) Minamata Tamana

Uki Uto Yamaga Yatsushiro

Towns and villages

Towns and villages in each district:

Amakusa District Reihoku Ashikita District Ashikita Tsunagi Aso District Minamiaso Minamioguni Nishihara Oguni Takamori Ubuyama Kamimashiki District Kashima Kōsa Mashiki Mifune Yamato

Kikuchi District Kikuyō Ōzu Kuma District Asagiri Itsuki Kuma Mizukami Nishiki Sagara Taragi Yamae Yunomae

Shimomashiki District Misato Tamana District Gyokutō Nagasu Nagomi Nankan Yatsushiro District Hikawa

Mergers

Main article: List of mergers in Kumamoto Prefecture

Demographics

The population is 1,812,255. The prefecture ranks 23rd in Japan. The population density is 244.76 people per square kilometer.

Economy

There is a Honda automobile plant.

In 2007, one of the Honda factories began to produce non-silicon solar cells for homes and businesses, with a projected capacity roughly equivalent to 8,000 households/year.^{[citation needed]}

Tourism

• Mt. Aso is one of the worlds largest active volcanoes.
• Kumamoto castle
• Suizenji park.
• Tsūjun Bridge, the largest stone aqueduct in Japan is in Yamato.

Tsūjun Bridge in Yamato, Kamimashiki

Kumamoto Castle

Education

University

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

Transportation

Railroad

• 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

Expressway and Toll Road

• Kyushu Expressway
• South Kyushu Expressway
• Kumamoto Amakusa Road

National Highway

• 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 (Saeki-Nobeoka-Unomae)
• Route 389
• Route 442
• Route 443
• Route 445
• Route 501 (Ōmuta-Arao-Udo)
• Route 503

Port

Ferry Route

• Kumamoto-Shimabara
• Nagasu-Unzen
• Ushibuka-Kuranomoto
• Yatsushiro-Kamiamakusa
• Reihoku-Nagasaki

Airport

• Kumamoto Airport
• Amakusa Airport

Sports

Roasso Kumamoto franchise stadium in KKWing of Kumamoto

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

Sister cities

• Kumamoto Prefecture is the 'sister state/prefecture' of Montana in the United States.

Notable people

Kumamoto is the birthplace of Hollywood actor Tetsu Komai, filmmaker Kazuaki Kiriya, J-pop artist Kimeru, as well as J-Pop musician Tomiko Van, author of One Piece Eiichiro Oda and Takarazuka Revue actress Yu Todoroki. AV Star Hitomi Tanaka was also born here.

References

• Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric and Käthe Roth. (2005). Japan encyclopedia. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. 10-ISBN 0-674-01753-6; 13-ISBN 978-0-674-01753-5; OCLC 58053128

External links

Media related to Kumamoto Prefecture at Wikimedia Commons

• Official Kumamoto Prefecture homepage
• Kumamoto Links
• Wikitravel guide to Kumamoto Prefecture
• National Archives of Japan ... Kumamoto map (1891)