Kuma [village] - bear

Japanese: 球磨[村] - くま

A village in Kuma District, in the southern part of Kumamoto Prefecture, bordering Kagoshima Prefecture. Population 5,665 (1995). The northern part is occupied by mountainous areas that belong to the Kyushu Mountains, and the southern part by the Kunimi Mountains, and nearly 90% of the village area is forest. The Kuma River, which flows west through the center, turns around near Osakama at the western end and flows north along the western border. The main industries are agriculture and forestry, and in addition to rice, chestnuts, tobacco, and pears are cultivated, and high-quality cedar and cypress timber is produced. Famous places include Kyusen Cave, said to be the largest limestone cave in Kyushu, the Forest Museum, and the rapids known as Yari-otoashi-no-se, and Osakama is where the boats disembark for sightseeing boats going down the Kuma River.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

熊本県南部，鹿児島県に接する球磨郡の村。人口5665(1995)。北部は九州山地，南部は国見山地に属する山地が占め，村域の9割近くが山林である。中央部を西流する球磨川は西端の大坂間付近から向きを変え，西境沿いを北流する。主産業は農林業で，米のほか栗，タバコ，ナシの栽培が行われ，杉，ヒノキの良材を産する。九州最大の鍾乳洞といわれる球泉洞や森林館，急流〈槍倒しの瀬〉などの名所があり，大坂間は球磨川下りの遊覧船の下船場になっている。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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