Honshu
[key], island , c.89,000 sq mi (230,510 sq km), central Japan. It is c.800
mi (1,290 km) long and from c.30 to 150 mi (50–240 km) wide and is
the largest and most important island of Japan. It is separated from
Hokkaido by the Tsugaru Strait, from Kyushu by Shimonoseki Strait, and from
Shikoku by the Inland Sea. Honshu is predominantly mountainous, rising to
12,389 ft (3,776 m) at Mt. Fuji (the highest peak of Japan), and
has many volcanoes. It has valuable forest, but a limited amount of arable
land. Oil, zinc, and copper are found on the island. The Shinano, the
longest river of Japan, traverses central Honshu. Most of the rivers of the
island are short and swift, feeding many small hydroelectric plants.
Earthquakes are common, and have at times been devastating (1923, 1995,
2011) in parts of the island. The climate of Honshu has a wide range from
the north with its snowy winters to the subtropical south. Agriculture is
varied; rice, other grains, cotton, fruits, and vegetables are grown. The
bulk of Japan's tea and silk comes from Honshu. The population is
concentrated in lowland areas. Most important of these is the Kanto or
Kwanto Plain (c.5,000 sq mi/12,950 sq km) in the central part of the island;
it contains the Tokyo-Yokohama industrial belt. Other large industrial
regions include Osaka-Kobe (in the Kinki district), and Nagoya (on the Nobi
Plain). Most of Japan's great ports are on Honshu. Kyoto, formerly the
capital of Japan, is an ancient seat of culture and also the chief
handicraft center of Honshu. Electronics, metallurgical, chemical, and
textile industries are very important on the island, although the larger
cities have diverse industries. Politically the island is divided into 34
prefectures. Japan has steadily increased the number of bridges and tunnels
connecting Honshu with its other islands. Three new bridge systems have been
built across the Inland Sea between Honshu and Shikoku, and the Seikan
Tunnel (completed 1988) now connects Honshu with Hokkaido. The island was
formerly sometimes called Hondo.
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