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Kumamoto Prefecture

Prefecture of Japan

Field	Value
<!-- See Template:Infobox settlement for additional fields and descriptions -->	name	Kumamoto Prefecture
native_name	熊本県
settlement_type	Prefecture
translit_lang1	Japanese
translit_lang1_type	Japanese
translit_lang1_info	熊本県
translit_lang1_type1	Rōmaji
translit_lang1_info1	Kumamoto-ken
image_skyline	{{multiple image
border	infobox
total_width	290
image_style	border:1;
perrow	1/2/2
image1	阿蘇の朝 - panoramio.jpg
caption1	Mount Aso and Aso Caldera
image2	Kumamoto Castle 02n3200.jpg
caption2	Kumamoto Castle
image3	Tsujyunkyo.jpg
caption3	Tsūjun Aqueduct
image4	裏から見る鍋ヶ滝.jpg
caption4	Nabegataki Falls
image5	Kumamoto Suizenji-jojuen01n4272.jpg
caption5	Suizen-ji Jōju-en
image_flag	Flag of Kumamoto Prefecture.svg
flag_size	100px
image_blank_emblem	Emblem of Kumamoto Prefecture.svg
blank_emblem_size	80px
blank_emblem_type	Symbol
image_map	Map of Japan with highlight on 43 Kumamoto prefecture.svg
coordinates
subdivision_type	Country
subdivision_name	Japan
subdivision_type1	Region
subdivision_name1	Kyushu
subdivision_type2	Island
subdivision_name2	Kyushu
seat_type	Capital
seat	Kumamoto
parts_type	Subdivisions
parts_style	para
p1	Districts: 9
p2	Municipalities: 45
leader_title	Governor
leader_name	Takashi Kimura
area_total_km2	7409.48
area_water_percent	0.2
area_rank	15th
population_total	1,683,115
population_as_of	1 October 2025
population_rank	23rd
population_density_km2	auto
demographics_type2	GDP
demographics2_footnotes
demographics2_title1	Total
demographics2_info1	JP¥ 6,363 billion
US$ 58.4 billion (2019)
iso_code	JP-43
website
module	{{Infobox place symbols	embedded=yes
country	Japan
bird	Eurasian skylark (Alauda arvensis)
flower	Gentian (Gentiana scabra var. buergeri)
tree	Camphor tree (Cinnamomum camphora)
anthem

US$ 58.4 billion (2019) Kumamoto Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. Kumamoto Prefecture has a population of 1,683,115 () and has a geographic area of 7409 km2. 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. 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 1592 m 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. 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." However, Man'yōgana-like phonetic transcriptions based on the kanji for "a ball, a sphere" (球 /ku/ ~ /kjū/) and "to polish, to grind, to brush (one's teeth)" (磨 /ma/) are used for the names of the Kuma River (球磨川) and Kuma District (球磨郡). The Kuma element also appears in the ancient Kumaso.

Geography

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 (1592 m), 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.

Cities

Fourteen cities are located in Kumamoto Prefecture:

Name	Area (km2)	Population	Map	Rōmaji	Kanji
[[File:Flag of Amakusa, Kumamoto.svg	frameless	25x25px]] Amakusa	天草市	683.17	83,082	[[File:Amakusa in Kumamoto Prefecture Ja.svg	frameless	50x50px]]
[[File:Flag of Arao, Kumamoto.svg	frameless	25x25px]] Arao	荒尾市	57.15	53,675	[[File:Arao in Kumamoto Prefecture Ja.svg	frameless	50x50px]]
[[File:Flag of Aso, Kumamoto.svg	frameless	25x25px]] Aso	阿蘇市	376.25	27,039	[[File:Aso in Kumamoto Prefecture Ja.svg	frameless	50x50px]]
[[File:Flag of Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto.svg	frameless	25x25px]] Hitoyoshi	人吉市	210.55	33,461	[[File:Hitoyoshi in Kumamoto Prefecture Ja.svg	frameless	50x50px]]
[[File:Flag of Kamiamakusa, Kumamoto.svg	frameless	25x25px]] Kami-Amakusa	上天草市	126.94	27,603	[[File:Kamiamakusa in Kumamoto Prefecture Ja.svg	frameless	50x50px]]
[[File:Flag of Kikuchi, Kumamoto.svg	frameless	25x25px]] Kikuchi	菊池市	276.66	49,455	[[File:Kikuchi in Kumamoto Prefecture Ja.svg	frameless	50x50px]]
[[File:Flag of Koshi Kumamoto vector.svg	frameless	25x25px]] Kōshi	合志市	53.19	61,022	[[File:Koshi in Kumamoto Prefecture Ja.svg	frameless	50x50px]]
[[File:Flag of Kumamoto, Kumamoto.svg	frameless	25x25px]] Kumamoto (capital)	熊本市	390.32	738,907	[[File:Kumamoto in Kumamoto Prefecture Ja.svg	frameless	50x50px]]
[[File:Flag of Minamata, Kumamoto.svg	frameless	25x25px]] Minamata	水俣市	162.88	25,310	[[File:Minamata in Kumamoto Prefecture Ja.svg	frameless	50x50px]]
[[File:Flag of Tamana, Kumamoto.svg	frameless	25x25px]] Tamana	玉名市	152.55	70,530	[[File:Tamana in Kumamoto Prefecture Ja.svg	frameless	50x50px]]
[[File:Flag of Uki, Kumamoto.svg	frameless	25x25px]] Uki	宇城市	188.56	59,928	[[File:Uki in Kumamoto Prefecture Ja.svg	frameless	50x50px]]
[[File:Flag of Uto Kumamoto.svg	frameless	25x25px]] Uto	宇土市	74.17	37,442	[[File:Uto in Kumamoto Prefecture Ja.svg	frameless	50x50px]]
[[File:Flag of Yamaga, Kumamoto.svg	frameless	25x25px]] Yamaga	山鹿市	299.67	53,404	[[File:Yamaga in Kumamoto Prefecture Ja.svg	frameless	50x50px]]
[[File:Flag of Yatsushiro, Kumamoto.svg	frameless	25x25px]] Yatsushiro	八代市	680.59	129,358	[[File:Yatsushiro in Kumamoto Prefecture Ja.svg	frameless	50x50px]]

Towns and villages

These are the towns and villages in each district:

Name	Area (km2)	Population	District	Type	Map	Rōmaji	Kanji
[[File:Flag of Asagiri, Kumamoto.svg	frameless	25x25px]] Asagiri	あさぎり町	159.56	15,796	Kuma District	Town	[[File:Asagiri in Kumamoto Prefecture Ja.svg	frameless	50x50px]]
[[File:Flag of Ashikita, Kumamoto.svg	frameless	25x25px]] Ashikita	芦北町	233.48	16,306	Ashikita District	Town	[[File:Ashikita in Kumamoto Prefecture Ja.svg	frameless	50x50px]]
[[File:Flag of Gyokuto, Kumamoto.svg	frameless	25x25px]] Gyokutō	玉東町	24.4	5,363	Tamana District	Town	[[File:Gyokuto in Kumamoto Prefecture Ja.svg	frameless	50x50px]]
[[File:Flag of Hikawa, Kumamoto.svg	frameless	25x25px]] Hikawa	氷川町	33.29	12,250	Yatsushiro District	Town	[[File:Hikawa in Kumamoto Prefecture Ja.svg	frameless	50x50px]]
[[File:Flag of Itsuki, Kumamoto.svg	frameless	25x25px]] Itsuki	五木村	252.94	1,136	Kuma District	Village	[[File:Itsuki in Kumamoto Prefecture Ja.svg	frameless	50x50px]]
[[File:Flag of Kashima, Kumamoto.svg	frameless	25x25px]] Kashima	嘉島町	16.66	9,119	Kamimashiki District	Town	[[File:Kashima in Kumamoto Prefecture Ja.svg	frameless	50x50px]]
[[File:Flag of Kikuyo, Kumamoto.svg	frameless	25x25px]] Kikuyō	菊陽町	37.57	41,411	Kikuchi District	Town	[[File:Kikuyo in Kumamoto Prefecture Ja.svg	frameless	50x50px]]
[[File:Flag of Kōsa, Kumamoto.svg	frameless	25x25px]] Kōsa	甲佐町	57.87	10,924	Kamimashiki District	Town	[[File:Kosa in Kumamoto Prefecture Ja.svg	frameless	50x50px]]
[[File:Flag of Kuma, Kumamoto.svg	frameless	25x25px]] Kuma	球磨村	207.73	3,863	Kuma District	Village	[[File:Kuma in Kumamoto Prefecture Ja.svg	frameless	50x50px]]
[[File:Flag of Mashiki, Kumamoto.svg	frameless	25x25px]] Mashiki	益城町	65.67	33,001	Kamimashiki District	Town	[[File:Mashiki in Kumamoto Prefecture Ja.svg	frameless	50x50px]]
[[File:Flag of Mifune, Kumamoto.svg	frameless	25x25px]] Mifune	御船町	99	16,901	Kamimashiki District	Town	[[File:Mifune in Kumamoto Prefecture Ja.svg	frameless	50x50px]]
[[File:Flag of Minamiaso, Kumamoto.svg	frameless	25x25px]] Minamiaso	南阿蘇村	137.3	11,086	Aso District	Village	[[File:Minamiaso in Kumamoto Prefecture Ja.svg	frameless	50x50px]]
[[File:Flag of Minamioguni, Kumamoto.svg	frameless	25x25px]] Minamioguni	南小国町	115.86	3,977	Aso District	Town	[[File:Minamioguni in Kumamoto Prefecture Ja.svg	frameless	50x50px]]
[[File:Flag of Misato, Kumamoto.svg	frameless	25x25px]] Misato	美里町	144.03	10,532	Shimomashiki District	Town	[[File:Misato in Kumamoto Prefecture Ja.svg	frameless	50x50px]]
[[File:Flag of Mizukami, Kumamoto.svg	frameless	25x25px]] Mizukami	水上村	192.11	2,276	Kuma District	Village	[[File:Mizukami in Kumamoto Prefecture Ja.svg	frameless	50x50px]]
[[File:Flag of Nagasu, Kumamoto.svg	frameless	25x25px]] Nagasu	長洲町	19.43	16,125	Tamana District	Town	[[File:Nagasu in Kumamoto Prefecture Ja.svg	frameless	50x50px]]
[[File:Flag of Nagomi, Kumamoto.svg	frameless	25x25px]] Nagomi	和水町	98.75	10,030	Tamana District	Town	[[File:Nagomi in Kumamoto Prefecture Ja.svg	frameless	50x50px]]
[[File:Flag of Nankan, Kumamoto.svg	frameless	25x25px]] Nankan	南関町	68.92	9,572	Tamana District	Town	[[File:Nankan in Kumamoto Prefecture Ja.svg	frameless	50x50px]]
[[File:Flag of Nishihara Kumamoto.svg	frameless	25x25px]] Nishihara	西原村	77.23	6,752	Aso District	Village	[[File:Nishihara in Kumamoto Prefecture Ja.svg	frameless	50x50px]]
[[File:Flag of Nishiki, Kumamoto.svg	frameless	25x25px]] Nishiki	錦町	84.87	10,899	Kuma District	Town	[[File:Nishiki in Kumamoto Prefecture Ja.svg	frameless	50x50px]]
[[File:Flag of Oguni, Kumamoto.svg	frameless	25x25px]] Oguni	小国町	137	8,735	Aso District	Town	[[File:Oguni in Kumamoto Prefecture Ja.svg	frameless	50x50px]]
[[File:Flag of Ozu, Kumamoto.svg	frameless	25x25px]] Ōzu	大津町	99.09	33,793	Kikuchi District	Town	[[File:Ozu in Kumamoto Prefecture Ja.svg	frameless	50x50px]]
[[File:Flag of Reihoku, Kumamoto.svg	frameless	25x25px]] Reihoku	苓北町	67.06	7,462	Amakusa District	Town	[[File:Reihoku in Kumamoto Prefecture Ja.svg	frameless	50x50px]]
[[File:Flag of Sagara, Kumamoto.svg	frameless	25x25px]] Sagara	相良村	94.54	4,598	Kuma District	Village	[[File:Sagara in Kumamoto Prefecture Ja.svg	frameless	50x50px]]
[[File:Flag of Takamori, Kumamoto.svg	frameless	25x25px]] Takamori	高森町	174.9	6,189	Aso District	Town	[[File:Takamori in Kumamoto Prefecture Ja.svg	frameless	50x50px]]
[[File:Flag of Taragi, Kumamoto.svg	frameless	25x25px]] Taragi	多良木町	165.87	9,604	Kuma District	Town	[[File:Taragi in Kumamoto Prefecture Ja.svg	frameless	50x50px]]
[[File:Flag of Tsunagi, Kumamoto.svg	frameless	25x25px]] Tsunagi	津奈木町	33.97	4,574	Ashikita District	Town	[[File:Tsunagi in Kumamoto Prefecture Ja.svg	frameless	50x50px]]
[[File:Flag of Ubuyama, Kumamoto.svg	frameless	25x25px]] Ubuyama	産山村	60.72	1,542	Aso District	Village	[[File:Ubuyama in Kumamoto Prefecture Ja.svg	frameless	50x50px]]
[[File:Flag of Yamae, Kumamoto.svg	frameless	25x25px]] Yamae	山江村	121.2	3,553	Kuma District	Village	[[File:Yamae in Kumamoto Prefecture Ja.svg	frameless	50x50px]]
[[File:Flag of Yamato, Kumamoto.svg	frameless	25x25px]] Yamato	山都町	544.83	15,771	Kamimashiki District	Town	[[File:Yamato in Kumamoto Prefecture Ja.svg	frameless	50x50px]]
[[File:Flag of Yunomae, Kumamoto.svg	frameless	25x25px]] Yunomae	湯前町	48.41	4,046	Kuma District	Town	[[File:Yunomae in Kumamoto Prefecture Ja.svg	frameless	50x50px]]

Mergers

Main article: List of mergers in Kumamoto Prefecture

Demographics

the population was 1,748,134 inhabitants with a population density of 236 PD/km2. The prefecture ranks 23rd in Japan.

Economy

The largest motorcycle production facility in the world is located in Kumamoto.

In 2023, Mitsubishi Electric announced plans to spend 100 billion yen on a new semiconductor factory in Kumamoto, with a target start date of April 2026 to begin production.

Tourism

Kumamoto Castle
Mount Aso is one of the world's largest active volcanoes.
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

Prefectural University of Kumamoto

Private

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

Transportation

Rail

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

Tramway

Kumamoto City Transportation Bureau

Road

Expressways and toll roads

Kumamoto Amakusa Road
Kyushu Chūō Expressway
Kyushu Expressway
South Kyushu Expressway

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
Reihoku-Nagasaki
Ushibuka-Kuranomoto (Nagashima)
Yatsushiro-Kamiamakusa

Airport

Amakusa Airport
Kumamoto Airport

Sports

Roasso Kumamoto franchise stadium in KKWing of Kumamoto

These sports teams are based in the prefecture:

Professional:
- Blaze Kumamoto - Men's association football
- Mashiki Renaissance Kumamoto - Women's association football
- Roasso Kumamoto - Men's football and J League Second Division
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

Aki Yashiro, a popular Japanese singer
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
Kunio Nakagawa, Japanese Army general
Yuri Masuda, singer
Munetaka Murakami, Japanese baseball player
Shodai Naoya, Sumo wrestler
Tomiko Van, singer, vocalist of Do As Infinity
Eiichiro Oda, manga author, creator of One Piece
Yuki Midorikawa, manga author, creator of Natsume's Book of Friends and Hotarubi no Mori e
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
Kenta Matsumoto, vocalist and bassist of WANIMA
Koushin Nishida, guitarist of WANIMA
Kouki Fujiwara, drummer of WANIMA
Naoichi Fujimori, father of Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori

Notes

References

Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric and Käthe Roth. (2005). Japan encyclopedia. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. ; OCLC 58053128

References

"2020年度国民経済計算（2015年基準・2008SNA） : 経済社会総合研究所 - 内閣府".
NHK Publishing. (24 May 2016)
Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Kumamoto prefecture" in {{Google books. p2QnPijAEmEC. ''Japan Encyclopedia'', p. 572
Nussbaum, "Kumamoto" in {{Google books. p2QnPijAEmEC. p. 572
Nussbaum, "Provinces and prefectures" in {{Google books. p2QnPijAEmEC. p. 780
link. [[Ministry of the Environment (Japan). Ministry of the Environment]]. (31 March 2019)
Frank, Aaron. (2009-10-22). "Honda greens up its Kumamoto motorcycle manufacturing facility".
(2023-03-15). "Mitsubishi Electric to build 100 bil. yen chip factory in Kumamoto Pref.". Mainichi Daily News.
"The Life and Times of Japan's Mascots".
(2012-01-13). "Top Ten Japanese Character Mascots". Finding Fukuoka.
(9 January 2024). "Aki Yashiro, Enka Singer and Painter, Dies at Age 73; Known for Hit Songs "Funauta" and "Ame no Bojo"". [[The Japan News]].
JpopAsia. "Miku (BAND-MAID) {{!}} JpopAsia".
"Eiichiro Oda, Hajime Isayama Show Their Support After Kumamoto Earthquakes". Anime News Network.
"Real-life Locations of "Natsume's Book of Friends" in Kumamoto's Countrysides (Part 1)". So Japan.
(17 October 2014). "A Forest Shrine in Japan". Twisted Sifter.
"Hitomi at AV Idol Directory".

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