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Kumamoto Prefecture

March 29, 2023

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 Prefecture
熊本県
Prefecture
Japanese transcription(s)
 • Japanese熊本県
 • RōmajiKumamoto-ken
The towns of Takamori and Minamiaso in the heart of Nango-dani valley in Aso district, Kumamoto prefecture. This land is completely located in the giant caldera of the Aso volcano
Flag
Symbol
Anthem: Kumamoto kenmin no uta
Coordinates: 32°43′N 130°40′E / 32.717°N 130.667°E / 32.717; 130.667Coordinates: 32°43′N 130°40′E / 32.717°N 130.667°E / 32.717; 130.667
Country Japan
RegionKyushu
IslandKyushu
CapitalKumamoto
SubdivisionsDistricts: 9, Municipalities: 45
Government
 • GovernorIkuo Kabashima
Area
 • Total7,409.48 km2 (2,860.82 sq mi)
 • Rank15th
Population
 (1 June 2019)
 • Total1,748,134
 • Rank23rd
 • Density240/km2 (610/sq mi)
ISO 3166 codeJP-43
Websitewww.pref.kumamoto.jp
Symbols of Japan
BirdEurasian skylark (Alauda arvensis)
FlowerGentian (Gentiana scabra var. buergeri)
TreeCamphor tree (Cinnamomum camphora)

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

Main article: History of Kumamoto Prefecture
See also: Historic Sites of Kumamoto Prefecture

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

 
Map of Kumamoto Prefecture showing municipal boundaries
     Government Ordinance Designated City      City      Town      Village

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.[4]

Cities

See also: List of cities in Kumamoto Prefecture by population
 
Hitoyoshi
 
Kumamoto City
 
Itsuki Village
 
Aso City
 
Minamata

Fourteen cities are located in Kumamoto Prefecture:

Name Area (km2) Population Map
Rōmaji Kanji
  Amakusa 天草市 683.17 83,082  
  Arao 荒尾市 57.15 53,675  
  Aso 阿蘇市 376.25 27,039  
  Hitoyoshi 人吉市 210.55 33,461  
  Kami-Amakusa 上天草市 126.94 27,603  
  Kikuchi 菊池市 276.66 49,455  
  Kōshi 合志市 53.19 61,022  
  Kumamoto (capital) 熊本市 390.32 738,907  
  Minamata 水俣市 162.88 25,310  
  Tamana 玉名市 152.55 70,530  
  Uki 宇城市 188.56 59,928  
  Uto 宇土市 74.17 37,442  
  Yamaga 山鹿市 299.67 53,404  
  Yatsushiro 八代市 680.59 129,358  

Towns and villages

These are the towns and villages in each district:

Name Area (km2) Population District Type Map
Rōmaji Kanji
  Asagiri あさぎり町 159.56 15,796 Kuma District Town  
  Ashikita 芦北町 233.48 16,306 Ashikita District Town  
  Gyokutō 玉東町 24.4 5,363 Tamana District Town  
  Hikawa 氷川町 33.29 12,250 Yatsushiro District Town  
  Itsuki 五木村 252.94 1,136 Kuma District Village  
  Kashima 嘉島町 16.66 9,119 Kamimashiki District Town  
  Kikuyō 菊陽町 37.57 41,411 Kikuchi District Town  
  Kōsa 甲佐町 57.87 10,924 Kamimashiki District Town  
  Kuma 球磨村 207.73 3,863 Kuma District Village  
  Mashiki 益城町 65.67 33,001 Kamimashiki District Town  
  Mifune 御船町 99 16,901 Kamimashiki District Town  
  Minamiaso 南阿蘇村 137.3 11,086 Aso District Village  
  Minamioguni 南小国町 115.86 3,977 Aso District Town  
  Misato 美里町 144.03 10,532 Shimomashiki District Town  
  Mizukami 水上村 192.11 2,276 Kuma District Village  
  Nagasu 長洲町 19.43 16,125 Tamana District Town  
  Nagomi 和水町 98.75 10,030 Tamana District Town  
  Nankan 南関町 68.92 9,572 Tamana District Town  
  Nishihara 西原村 77.23 6,752 Aso District Village  
  Nishiki 錦町 84.87 10,899 Kuma District Town  
  Oguni 小国町 137 8,735 Aso District Town  
  Ōzu 大津町 99.09 33,793 Kikuchi District Town  
  Reihoku 苓北町 67.06 7,462 Amakusa District Town  
  Sagara 相良村 94.54 4,598 Kuma District Village  
  Takamori 高森町 174.9 6,189 Aso District Town  
  Taragi 多良木町 165.87 9,604 Kuma District Town  
  Tsunagi 津奈木町 33.97 4,574 Ashikita District Town  
  Ubuyama 産山村 60.72 1,542 Aso District Village  
  Yamae 山江村 121.2 3,553 Kuma District Village  
  Yamato 山都町 544.83 15,771 Kamimashiki District Town  
  Yunomae 湯前町 48.41 4,046 Kuma District Town  

Mergers

Main article: List of mergers in Kumamoto Prefecture

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

 
Tsūjun Bridge in Yamato, Kamimashiki

There is a Honda motorcycle plant.

Tourism

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.[5][6]

Education

Universities

National

Public

Private

Transportation

Rail

Tramway

Road

Expressways and toll roads

National highways

Ports

Ferry routes

Airport

Sports

 
Roasso Kumamoto franchise stadium in KKWing of Kumamoto

These sports teams are based in the prefecture:

  • Professional:
  • Amateur:
    • Kumamoto Golden Larks - regional baseball

The Kumamoto Prefecture hosted 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

Notes

  1. ^ Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Kumamoto prefecture" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 572, p. 572, at Google Books.
  2. ^ Nussbaum, "Kumamoto" in p. 572, p. 572, at Google Books.
  3. ^ Nussbaum, "Provinces and prefectures" in p. 780, p. 780, at Google Books.
  4. ^ 自然公園都道府県別面積総括 [General overview of area figures for Natural Parks by prefecture] (PDF) (in Japanese). Ministry of the Environment. 31 March 2019. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
  5. ^ The Life and Times of Japan's Mascots
  6. ^ "Top Ten Japanese Character Mascots". Finding Fukuoka. 2012-01-13. Retrieved 2013-02-16.
  7. ^ JpopAsia. "Miku (BAND-MAID) | JpopAsia". JpopAsia. Retrieved 2018-03-11.
  8. ^ "Eiichiro Oda, Hajime Isayama Show Their Support After Kumamoto Earthquakes". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2018-03-11.
  9. ^ "Real-life Locations of "Natsume's Book of Friends" in Kumamoto's Countrysides (Part 1)". So Japan. Retrieved 2022-11-29.
  10. ^ "A Forest Shrine in Japan". Twisted Sifter. 17 October 2014. Retrieved 2022-11-29.
  11. ^ "Hitomi at AV Idol Directory". in Japanese

References

External links

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kumamoto prefecture.
 
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Kumamoto_prefecture.
  • Official website
  • National Archives of Japan
  •   Geographic data related to Kumamoto Prefecture at OpenStreetMap

March 29, 2023
kumamoto, prefecture, 熊本県, kumamoto, prefecture, japan, located, island, kyūshū, population, june, 2019, update, geographic, area, square, kilometres, borders, fukuoka, prefecture, north, Ōita, prefecture, northeast, miyazaki, prefecture, southeast, kagoshima,. Kumamoto Prefecture 熊本県 Kumamoto ken is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyushu 1 Kumamoto Prefecture has a population of 1 748 134 as of 1 June 2019 update 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 Prefecture 熊本県PrefectureJapanese transcription s Japanese熊本県 RōmajiKumamoto kenThe towns of Takamori and Minamiaso in the heart of Nango dani valley in Aso district Kumamoto prefecture This land is completely located in the giant caldera of the Aso volcanoFlagSymbolAnthem Kumamoto kenmin no utaCoordinates 32 43 N 130 40 E 32 717 N 130 667 E 32 717 130 667 Coordinates 32 43 N 130 40 E 32 717 N 130 667 E 32 717 130 667Country JapanRegionKyushuIslandKyushuCapitalKumamotoSubdivisionsDistricts 9 Municipalities 45Government GovernorIkuo KabashimaArea Total7 409 48 km2 2 860 82 sq mi Rank15thPopulation 1 June 2019 Total1 748 134 Rank23rd Density240 km2 610 sq mi ISO 3166 codeJP 43Websitewww wbr pref wbr kumamoto wbr jpSymbols of JapanBirdEurasian skylark Alauda arvensis FlowerGentian Gentiana scabra var buergeri TreeCamphor tree Cinnamomum camphora 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 Kyushu 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 Contents 1 History 2 Geography 2 1 Cities 2 2 Towns and villages 2 3 Mergers 3 Demographics 4 Economy 4 1 Tourism 5 Education 5 1 Universities 5 1 1 National 5 1 2 Public 5 1 3 Private 6 Transportation 6 1 Rail 6 2 Tramway 6 3 Road 6 3 1 Expressways and toll roads 6 3 2 National highways 6 4 Ports 6 4 1 Ferry routes 6 5 Airport 7 Sports 8 Sister cities 9 Notable people 10 Notes 11 References 12 External linksHistory EditMain article History of Kumamoto Prefecture See also Historic Sites of Kumamoto Prefecture 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 Edit Map of Kumamoto Prefecture showing municipal boundaries Government Ordinance Designated City City Town Village 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 Kuju and Unzen Amakusa National Parks Kyushu Chuō Sanchi and Yaba Hita Hikosan Quasi National Parks and Ashikita Kaigan Itsuki Gokanoshō Kinpōzan Misumi Ōyano Umibe Okukuma Shōtaisan and Yabe Shuhen Prefectural Natural Parks 4 Cities Edit See also List of cities in Kumamoto Prefecture by population Hitoyoshi Kumamoto City Itsuki Village Aso City Minamata Fourteen cities are located in Kumamoto Prefecture Name Area km2 Population MapRōmaji Kanji Amakusa 天草市 683 17 83 082 Arao 荒尾市 57 15 53 675 Aso 阿蘇市 376 25 27 039 Hitoyoshi 人吉市 210 55 33 461 Kami Amakusa 上天草市 126 94 27 603 Kikuchi 菊池市 276 66 49 455 Kōshi 合志市 53 19 61 022 Kumamoto capital 熊本市 390 32 738 907 Minamata 水俣市 162 88 25 310 Tamana 玉名市 152 55 70 530 Uki 宇城市 188 56 59 928 Uto 宇土市 74 17 37 442 Yamaga 山鹿市 299 67 53 404 Yatsushiro 八代市 680 59 129 358 Towns and villages Edit These are the towns and villages in each district Name Area km2 Population District Type MapRōmaji Kanji Asagiri あさぎり町 159 56 15 796 Kuma District Town Ashikita 芦北町 233 48 16 306 Ashikita District Town Gyokutō 玉東町 24 4 5 363 Tamana District Town Hikawa 氷川町 33 29 12 250 Yatsushiro District Town Itsuki 五木村 252 94 1 136 Kuma District Village Kashima 嘉島町 16 66 9 119 Kamimashiki District Town Kikuyō 菊陽町 37 57 41 411 Kikuchi District Town Kōsa 甲佐町 57 87 10 924 Kamimashiki District Town Kuma 球磨村 207 73 3 863 Kuma District Village Mashiki 益城町 65 67 33 001 Kamimashiki District Town Mifune 御船町 99 16 901 Kamimashiki District Town Minamiaso 南阿蘇村 137 3 11 086 Aso District Village Minamioguni 南小国町 115 86 3 977 Aso District Town Misato 美里町 144 03 10 532 Shimomashiki District Town Mizukami 水上村 192 11 2 276 Kuma District Village Nagasu 長洲町 19 43 16 125 Tamana District Town Nagomi 和水町 98 75 10 030 Tamana District Town Nankan 南関町 68 92 9 572 Tamana District Town Nishihara 西原村 77 23 6 752 Aso District Village Nishiki 錦町 84 87 10 899 Kuma District Town Oguni 小国町 137 8 735 Aso District Town Ōzu 大津町 99 09 33 793 Kikuchi District Town Reihoku 苓北町 67 06 7 462 Amakusa District Town Sagara 相良村 94 54 4 598 Kuma District Village Takamori 高森町 174 9 6 189 Aso District Town Taragi 多良木町 165 87 9 604 Kuma District Town Tsunagi 津奈木町 33 97 4 574 Ashikita District Town Ubuyama 産山村 60 72 1 542 Aso District Village Yamae 山江村 121 2 3 553 Kuma District Village Yamato 山都町 544 83 15 771 Kamimashiki District Town Yunomae 湯前町 48 41 4 046 Kuma District Town Mergers Edit Main article List of mergers in Kumamoto PrefectureDemographics EditAs of 1 June 2019 update 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 Edit Tsujun Bridge in Yamato Kamimashiki Kumamoto Castle There is a Honda motorcycle plant Renge in Tanjō ji Tourism Edit Mount Aso is one of the world s largest active volcanoes Kumamoto Castle Suizenji Park Tsujun Bridge the largest stone aqueduct in Japan is in YamatoThe 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 5 6 Education EditUniversities Edit National Edit Kumamoto UniversityPublic Edit Kumamoto Prefectural UniversityPrivate Edit Kumamoto Gakuen University Kyushu University of Nursing and Social Welfare Kyushu Lutheran College Kumamoto Health Science Shokei Gakuin University Sojo University Heisei College of MusicTransportation EditRail Edit JR Kyushu Kyushu Shinkansen Kagoshima Line Hohi Line Hisatsu Line Misumi Line Kumamoto Electric Railway Kumagawa Railroad Minami Aso Railway Hisatsu Orange RailwayTramway Edit Kumamoto City Transportation BureauRoad Edit Expressways and toll roads Edit Kyushu Expressway South Kyushu Expressway Kumamoto Amakusa RoadNational highways Edit 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 503Ports Edit Ferry routes Edit Kumamoto Shimabara Nagasu Unzen Ushibuka Kuranomoto Nagashima Yatsushiro Kamiamakusa Reihoku NagasakiAirport Edit Kumamoto Airport Amakusa AirportSports Edit 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 baseballThe Kumamoto Prefecture hosted the 2019 World Women s Handball Championship having previously hosted the 1997 World Men s Handball Championship Sister cities EditKumamoto 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 EditThis section needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Kumamoto Prefecture news newspapers books scholar JSTOR September 2020 Learn how and when to remove this template message 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 Yuki Midorikawa manga author creator of Natsume s Book of Friends and Hotarubi no Mori e 9 10 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 11 Kenta Matsumoto vocalist and bassist of WANIMA Koushin Nishida guitarist of WANIMA Kouki Fujiwara drummer of WANIMANotes Edit Nussbaum Louis Frederic 2005 Kumamoto prefecture in Japan Encyclopedia p 572 p 572 at Google Books Nussbaum Kumamoto in p 572 p 572 at Google Books Nussbaum Provinces and prefectures in p 780 p 780 at Google Books 自然公園都道府県別面積総括 General overview of area figures for Natural Parks by prefecture PDF in Japanese Ministry of the Environment 31 March 2019 Retrieved 3 August 2019 The Life and Times of Japan s Mascots Top Ten Japanese Character Mascots Finding Fukuoka 2012 01 13 Retrieved 2013 02 16 JpopAsia Miku BAND MAID JpopAsia JpopAsia Retrieved 2018 03 11 Eiichiro Oda Hajime Isayama Show Their Support After Kumamoto Earthquakes Anime News Network Retrieved 2018 03 11 Real life Locations of Natsume s Book of Friends in Kumamoto s Countrysides Part 1 So Japan Retrieved 2022 11 29 A Forest Shrine in Japan Twisted Sifter 17 October 2014 Retrieved 2022 11 29 Hitomi at AV Idol Directory in JapaneseReferences Edit Japan portal Geography portalNussbaum Louis Frederic and Kathe Roth 2005 Japan encyclopedia Cambridge Harvard University Press ISBN 978 0 674 01753 5 OCLC 58053128External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kumamoto prefecture Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Kumamoto prefecture Official website National Archives of Japan Kumamoto map 1891 Geographic data related to Kumamoto Prefecture at OpenStreetMap Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Kumamoto Prefecture amp oldid 1146608683, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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