Kumamoto Prefecture - Kumamoto

Japanese: 熊本[県] - くまもと

Kumamoto Prefecture occupies the western half of central Kyushu and the Amakusa Islands. The prefectural capital is Kumamoto City. Area is ^{7,409.35 km2} . Population is 1,817,426 (2010). [History] Formerly Higo Province, the area was divided into various powerful clans such as Kikuchi, Aso, Otomo, and Shimazu in the Middle Ages, and was almost unified by Kato Kiyomasa in the early modern period. Subsequently, Kumamoto came under the control of the Hosokawa clan with 540,000 koku of rice, and there were also small domains and the Shogunate territory (Amakusa). In 1871, the former Hosokawa territory became Kumamoto Prefecture, the following year Amakusa and Kuma became Yatsushiro Prefecture, and Kumamoto Prefecture became Shirakawa Prefecture. In 1873, the two prefectures merged to become Shirakawa Prefecture, and in 1876, the name was changed to Kumamoto Prefecture. [Nature] In the southern and eastern parts of the prefecture, the Kyushu Mountains run from northeast to southwest, forming the high mountain region of Kyushu, and the western end sinks into the Yatsushiro Sea, forming a ria coast. The Chikuhi Mountains lie in the north, and the large caldera of Mount Aso lies in the northeast. The Kikuchi River, Shirakawa River, Midorikawa River, and Kuma River flow roughly westward, forming the Kikuchi, Kumamoto, and Yatsushiro Plains downstream. The Uto Peninsula juts out to the west, separating Shimabara Bay from the Yatsushiro Sea. Most of the Amakusa Islands are hilly and mountainous, with a pronounced subsiding coast. The climate is generally warm, with the southeastern mountain ranges being somewhat colder, but subtropical plants can be found on the coast and in Amakusa. There is a large difference between hot and cold in the area around Kumamoto City. [Industry] The population breakdown by industry is 11.5% primary, 22.1% secondary, and 65.3% tertiary (2005). For a long time, the main agricultural products were rice, wheat, sweet potatoes, and miscellaneous grains, as well as silkworm farming. However, the selection of crops has gradually expanded, and now there are watermelons in Ueki-cho (now Kumamoto City), melons in paddy fields, and other greenhouse cultivations. Sweet oranges in Tanoura-cho (now Ashikita-cho), beef cattle breeding in the Aso Genya, dairy farming in the Kikuchi region, chestnuts in the northern mountains, tobacco, and rush grass in the Yatsushiro Plain. Due to the high rainfall, the area is rich in forestry resources, and the cedars of the Oguni region upstream of the Chikugo River are particularly well known. The coastal areas are home to clams, seaweed, kuruma shrimp, yellowtail, sea bream, and pearl farming, and in Amakusa, coastal fishing is active, centering around Ushibuka Port. Mineral products include Amakusa pottery stone in the Takahama area of Amakusa Shimoshima. Industry was relatively slow, but in recent years, major IC companies and their affiliates have established bases in Kumamoto and elsewhere. Other industries include paper, pulp, and aluminum fittings in Yatsushiro, chemicals in Minamata and Uto, and motorcycles in Otsu Town. The value of industrial shipments is growing, mainly in electrical equipment and transport equipment. In addition to the Aso-Kuju National Park and Unzen-Amakusa National Park, which are connected by the Kyushu Transverse Highway, the area is rich in tourist resources such as the Kuma River Cruise, Gokanosho, Kumamoto Castle, and Suizenji Jojuen Garden, and there are also many Christian ruins and decorated ancient tombs. [Transportation] The Kyushu Shinkansen, Kagoshima Main Line, Hisatsu Orange Railway, Kyushu Expressway, and National Route 3 run almost parallel to each other along the coast, connecting major cities such as Kumamoto, Yatsushiro, and Minamata. In 1971, the New Kumamoto Airport was completed in Kikuyo Town, east of Kumamoto City. The area is connected to Oita Prefecture by the Toyohashi Main Line and National Route 57, which is part of the Kyushu Transverse Highway, and to Kagoshima Prefecture by the Kyushu Shinkansen, Hisatsu Orange Railway, Hisatsu Line, and Kyushu Expressway. The Amakusa Five Bridges connect the mainland and the Amakusa Islands.
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Source : Heibonsha Encyclopedia About MyPedia Information

Japanese:

九州中部の西半と天草諸島を占める県。県庁所在地は熊本市。7409.35km²。181万7426人（2010）。〔沿革〕　かつての肥後国にあたり，中世以降菊池，阿蘇，大友，島津などの諸豪族が割拠，近世加藤清正によりほぼ統一された。続いて熊本に入った細川氏54万石の支配下となり，他に小藩，幕府領（天草）があった。1871年旧細川領は熊本県，翌年天草，球磨(くま)は八代(やつしろ)県，熊本県は白川県となり，1873年両県が合し白川県となり1876年熊本県と改称した。〔自然〕　南部と東部には九州山地が北東〜南西に走り九州の高山地域を形成，西端は八代海に没してリアス海岸をなす。北部は筑肥山地で，北東部には阿蘇火山の大カルデラがある。菊池川，白川，緑川，球磨川がほぼ西流し，下流に菊池・熊本・八代各平野を形成する。宇土半島が西に突出して島原湾と八代海を分ける。天草諸島は大部分が丘陵性の山地で，沈降海岸が顕著。一般に温暖で，南東部山地はやや高冷であるが，沿岸部と天草では亜熱帯植物がみられる。熊本市周辺は寒暑の差が大きい。〔産業〕　産業別人口構成は第１次11.5％，第２次22.1％，第３次65.3％（2005）。農業は，米麦，サツマイモ，雑穀の産と養蚕が長い間主体であったが，逐次作目の選択拡大が行われ，植木町（現・熊本市）などのスイカ，水田地帯のメロンなど施設園芸，田浦(たのうら)町（現・芦北町）の甘夏ミカン，阿蘇原野の肉牛飼育，菊池地方の酪農，県北山間のクリ，タバコ，八代平野のイグサなどが盛んである。多雨地域のため林産資源に富み，特に筑後川上流の小国地方のスギが知られる。沿岸部ではアサリ，ノリ，クルマエビ，ブリ，タイ，真珠の養殖が盛んで，天草では牛深港を中心に沿岸漁業が活発。鉱産には天草下島高浜地区の天草陶石がある。工業は比較的遅れていたが，近年は熊本を中心に大手IC企業とその関連企業が立地している。ほかには八代に製紙，パルプ，アルミ建具，水俣と宇土に化学，大津町にオートバイなどの工業があり，電機，輸送用機器を中心に工業出荷額が伸びている。九州横断道路で結ばれる阿蘇くじゅう国立公園・雲仙天草国立公園のほか球磨川下り，五家荘(ごかのしょう)，熊本城，水前寺成趣園など観光資源に富み，キリシタン遺跡や装飾古墳も多い。〔交通〕　沿岸部に九州新幹線及び鹿児島本線，肥薩おれんじ鉄道，九州自動車道，国道３号線がほぼ並行して南北に走り，熊本，八代，水俣などの主要都市を結ぶ。1971年には熊本市東隣の菊陽町に新熊本空港が完成。大分県とは豊肥本線，九州横断道路の一部をなす国道57号線で，鹿児島県とは九州新幹線，肥薩おれんじ鉄道，肥薩線，九州自動車道などで連絡。本土と天草諸島の間に天草五橋がかかる。
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