Kyushu
Japan · Asia
About
Kyushu (Kyūshū; pronounced [kʲɯː.ɕɯː]; lit. 'nine provinces') is the third-largest and most southerly of Japan's four main islands. In the past, it has been known as Kyūkoku ("Nine Countries"), Chinzei ("West of the Pacified Area") and Tsukushi-no-shima ("Island of Tsukushi"). The historical regional name Saikaidō (lit. West Sea Circuit) referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands. Kyushu has a land area of 36,782 square kilometres (14; 202 sq mi) and a population of 12,382,121 as of 2025.
There is a theory that Kyushu was in ancient times home to its own independent dynasty, where a unique, southern-influenced culture and tradition distinct from that of Honshu flourished.
In the 8th-century Taihō Code reforms, Dazaifu was established as a special administrative term for the region.
Adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA). Photography via Wikimedia Commons.